Holy Spirit

Knowing the Finished Work of the Cross

September 5, 2017 By Eva Conner Leave a Comment

The Cross This is the 4th post in a series titled “Set the Captives Free.” We’ve been talking about walking in the freedom that Jesus died to give us. So many of us in the Body of Christ get caught up in personal bondage that takes our focus off of God.

The enemy slips in and catches our attention with insecurities, lack, fear, guilt, shame, and condemnation. He tries to steal our identity. If we don’t know who we are in Christ, we can get caught in his trap and it’s there that we neglect our call from Him.

We’ve talked about ways that we can get free and set others free. After the initial post, the second article is about knowing God. It’s important to know who He is. Here is a link to that article. The third article is about knowing His great love for us. Understanding His love is critical to the transformation that He longs to do in each of us. Here is a link to that article.

Today we’ll explore what truly happened the day that Jesus died.

To walk in freedom, we need to have a better understanding of the power of the cross and how it relates to our walk.

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18:20

In Matthew 28:18 above, Jesus tells the disciples that He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth showing us that He took the authority back from Satan the minute He died. Satan gained authority when Adam and Eve handed it to him in the Garden of Eden. In the two verses in Genesis below, we see that it was God’s initial plan for man to govern the earth and reign over all created things.

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Genesis 1:27-28

But we know that it wasn’t long at all that Satan slithered in and conned them out of that authority. He could not steal the authority but he could con them into giving it to him and that’s just what they did. And only Jesus could regain that authority from Satan. Thank You, Jesus!

Jesus was fully man as well as fully God.

When He came to earth to walk with us, He chose to leave His divinity and walk in the flesh as man. He showed us a perfect picture of how we would walk in our flesh after His resurrection and ascension.

Jesus walked IN the power of the Holy Spirit and He has given us that same ability today. How do we know that He walked in the power of the Holy Spirit? Let’s look at the Word:

16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Matthew 3:16-17

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”
John 1:32-34

As soon as Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit settled on Him.

We have further confirmation in the Scripture that records His temptation in the desert.

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
Luke 4:1-2 (emphasis mine)

So Jesus had to walk among us as fully man to be the One who could truly walk without sin. Also He did this to give us a role model to set our sights on imitating. Because He walked without sin, God’s redemption plan is absolutely beautiful. He fulfilled the totality of the Law.

The Father’s love for us is so great, He couldn’t stand to leave us in spiritual darkness.

From the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, He had this redemption plan in mind for us. Only a loving Father can save us when we do not deserve to be saved. Only a Father with such compassion and empathy for His children can put this plan into place. He loves us that much. Believe it. This is truth!

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.
1 Thessalonians 5:9

When Jesus died on the cross, He took our place. I know we all have heard these words before. But let’s stop a minute and focus on what that means.

Jesus had to be spiritually separated from His Father.

He had to be spiritually separated from His Father so that we never have to be separated from Him. Even though He wasn’t separated from His Father for long, for a brief time, He knew the pain of that separation so that we never have to know that pain.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

The cross holds the very power of God.

When we stake our belief in the work Jesus did on the cross, we are believing God for so much more. The cross is the very power of God.

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18

When Jesus died on the cross, we died with Him. When He rose from the grave, we rose with Him. Understanding this is vital to walking in freedom. Our flesh and sinful nature died with Jesus. And we were resurrected with new life in Christ!

14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
Galatians 6:14-16

When we live by the power of the cross, we are new people of God.

The only other time in Scripture that we see a new people of God is in the Garden of Eden when God created Adam and Eve. But we are no longer children of Adam and Eve. Because of the work Jesus did on the cross, we are new creations – a new race of people – in Christ.

I’m going to stop here with this powerful truth. We are no longer the sinful man. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus. IN CHRIST JESUS. In Christ. Please spend some time focusing on what this means.

Allow this knowledge to become heart knowledge.

When it does, it will transform your life.

We’ll continue with this series of setting the captives free with our last two posts:

Knowing who we are in Jesus.
Knowing our assignment.

Here is my prayer for all of us today:

Dear Father,

Thank You for Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your great love for each of Your children. Help each of us obtain heart knowledge of the powerful, life-saving, life-changing work of the cross. We ask that You pour truth into each of us to replace those things that are not of You such as fear, guilt, shame, condemnation. We know that You sent Jesus to die for us so that we could be free from these things.

Teach us what that freedom is. Continue to work in each of our hearts. Create in us pure hearts and enable us to live holy lives that are pleasing to You and You alone. Surround each of us with friends and family who will encourage and love us. People who will help us become the people You desire us to be. For all this and so much more we are forever grateful. To You alone goes the glory.

In Christ Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen♥

Stay in the Light and the Love always,

Eva

Knowing God

August 14, 2017 By Eva Conner Leave a Comment

How do we break the cycle of living a defeated life?

God holds the key to breaking the cycle of a downtrodden life. He is the key. Today let’s explore one of five ways to get the key to a victorious life.

Knowing God.

It’s important to know who God is. And who He isn’t. There are so many dimensions to God, if we studied who He is for an entire lifetime, we would just be scratching the surface. He is so grand and majestic our human minds are incapable of grasping His fullness.

But let’s do the best we can to increase our knowledge of Him.

Our God is a Triune God.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all fully God. Let me explain my thoughts on the Trinity. I liken the Trinity to a construction company. My dad worked as a superintendent in the commercial construction industry so this analogy comes easy to me. God the Father is the CEO of the construction company. No one has ever seen the CEO (Father) except for the General Manager (Son). The CEO (Father) has the master plan and the big picture. God the Holy Spirit is the Superintendent. The GM (Son) makes sure that all is going well on the job site by sending the best Superintendent (Holy Spirit) He has.

The Superintendent (Holy Spirit) gets the job done. His mission is to glorify and please the GM (Son) by doing the best work ever. We are His workers. With the Superintendent as our constant companion, He teaches us all we need to know. He comforts us along the way and He guides us. He is with us always and He never steers us in the wrong direction. His advice and instruction are always spot on. He advocates to the GM on our behalf. And the GM stands before the CEO and further advocates on our behalf.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Romans 8:31

The Trinity is a preview of the many depths and layers of our one God. Yes, all three are separate but completely One God.

God is Omniscient.

How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Psalm 147:5

The definition of the word omniscient is having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding, perceiving all things. This is God. Only God can fill the definition of this word. No human being can have complete and unlimited knowledge. No human can perceive all things. Only God.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand.
Psalm 139:1-6

I encourage each of you to continue reading the verses in Psalm 139. This is one of those Psalms that is good to read often. When I read it, it grounds me and helps me refocus on how truly amazing and grand God is. The Psalmist David tells us that God knows our every move – even before we know it. He is ahead of us and behind us – at the same time!

God knows every single persons’ hearts and thoughts. He knows us intimately – even those who do not know Him. His heart is for all people.

God is Omnipresent.

Omnipresence is being present everywhere at the same time. This is simply impossible for humans. Only God. Even knowing the definition of the word, it’s hard to grasp the fact that God is everywhere. At. The. Same. Time. Yet in Jeremiah, He tells us Himself this is so:

“Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:24

Man cannot hide from God – not even in the darkness. I have had moments when I wanted to turn the lights off and hide from Him. I didn’t want Him to know my thoughts or read my heart. When we are not in a good place with ourselves, He’s still there. When we’re hiding from Him, He’s still there. In a strange way, this is comforting – even in those times I wish He wasn’t there. Do you understand what I’m saying? Even when we don’t want Him near, we want Him near. Only God.

God is Omnipotent.

Omnipotent is defined as almighty or infinite in power. Only God. Nothing or no one is stronger than God. He is power. The sun and the stars obey Him. He created the sea and everything in it. Even the most fiercest beast is His creation. Nothing can come close to being a true opponent to Him. Not even Satan.

From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.
Isaiah 43:13

No one can snatch us from God’s hand. What comfort these words bring to my heart! Paul sums it up perfectly in Romans:

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Knowing who God is and what He is is so important to walking in freedom.

He is enough for whatever we may be facing. Death. Divorce. Disease. Loneliness. Despair. Lack. He is Enough! When we keep our focus on Him, He is sufficient for whatever we need.

One final key to knowing God is knowing He doesn’t condemn us. Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. No condemnation! This should be a life-changer. Knowing that He does not condemn us means that we should not condemn us either. Let go of that guilt and shame once and for all.

We will continue to explore how we can move from living a defeated life to a victorious life in the next week as we cover the other four keys:

Knowing God’s great love for us.
Knowing and understanding the finished work of the cross.
Knowing who we are in Jesus
Knowning our assignment.

If you didn’t catch the initial post in this series, you can read it here: Set the Captives Free ~ Be Free Today.

Here is my prayer for all of us today:

Dear Father,
Thank You for each of my brothers and sisters reading this with me today. We praise You for being so worthy and majestic. Today help each of us see a new side of You. Take us deeper into who You are. Show us those things that You have hidden for just this time to reveal. Father, we thank You for being with us and never leaving us. We thank You that Your promises are yes and amen! We thank You for being enough.
In Jesus mighty name we pray.
Amen♥

Stay in the Light and the Love Always,

Eva

Set the Captives Free ~ Be Free Today!

August 10, 2017 By Eva Conner 1 Comment

What is holding you captive today?

Are you hurting with physical illness? How about a broken relationship? Or a financial crisis? Or maybe even an addiction? Life is not easy but we do not have to live defeated lives.

How do we break the cycle of a defeated life?

There is a very real battle raging all around each of us daily. You may not even be aware of it but you are definitely living in the middle of it. I’m talking about the spirit world – light vs. dark.

Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood, meaning other people. So if we are not fighting against people, who are we fighting? The evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world. Satan and his minions.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:10-12

When we realize the force behind the attacks on our lives and when we see them for what they are, it’s easier to rise above. And knowing that we are not fighting against people is a life-changer. So that person you work with who makes you crazy? Guess what. It’s not about them. That family member who hurts your feelings? It’s not about them.

When we act out in meanness and hatred we need to understand that what we are seeing is a result of what is controlling us.

When our heart is focused on Jesus, we will show the fruit of the Spirit which is good. When our focus is on the world, we are going to show the fruit of the world which is not so good. Look at the wording in verse 17 of Galatians 5 below. Like I mentioned above, there are two forces that are constantly fighting with each other – and these two forces are good and evil or light and darkness. Look at the impact on our lives each world can have. This is big!

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:16-23

How do we move past living in the flesh toward living in the Spirit?

Over the next week, we’ll focus on answering this question. Here are the points we’ll explore.

Knowing God.
Knowing God’s great love for us.
Knowing and understanding the finished work of the cross.
Knowing who we are in Jesus.
Knowing our assignment.

I’ll finish today’s post with this glimpse of what our assignment is from Isaiah the Prophet:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.

Isaiah 61:1

Here is my prayer for all of us today:

Dear Father,
Thank You for being good – all the time. Thank You for showing us Your love in and through Jesus Christ. We are so very blessed because of Jesus. We ask that You bless Jesus in return. Your ways are so mighty. Help us to see You and dig deeper this week as we explore more about our calling, our identity and our purpose. Expose things that we need to see so that we can move toward freedom. Create in each of us pure hearts and renew steadfast spirits within us. Grow our compassion and love for one another. Bring people to us who need to see light. Use us in mighty ways to impact Your kingdom. For all this and so much more, we are forever grateful.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen♥

Stay in the Light and the Love Always,

Eva

10 Truths I Want My Children to Know

May 20, 2017 By Eva Conner 11 Comments

10 Truths for our Children

Here are ten truths for all of our children.

Those of you who are parents know how terrible it is to see your child in pain and not be able to fix it. There’s no easy way around it. Heartache is pain. I know from my own life experiences that heartaches make you wiser and stronger. However, that’s little comfort to the hurting soul as they are walking through the darkness.

But as parents, we must be able to discern when to comfort and when to step back and let God take care of them. God will give us that discernment if we ask for it. It’s important that we don’t take God’s place in their lives. That would be detrimental to their own walk with God.

This season of life has made me think about what I want to hand down to my children. Lessons I want to give them that will last a lifetime. Here is a list of those life lessons I want them to know.

1. God has a purpose for each of our lives.

If we lean into God for direction and comfort, He will guide us. Before the beginning of the world, He designated a certain path for us to take. It’s up to us to listen to His voice in our lives.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”. Jeremiah 29:11

2. In the darkness, He is still working good.

No matter what we are going through and how alone we feel, He is always there and He is always working things for our good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

3. When God guides, you will always have joy and hope – even amidst pain and suffering.

God gives us joy for our mourning. Even when we are dealing with sadness, He can make our hearts calm with His peace.

…in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. 2 Corinthians 7:4

4. Pain is inevitable. It’s how you deal with that pain that determines how you live your life.

When we turn to God in our dark times, we will get comforted as only He can comfort us. But first we need to know He is always there!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

5. Never, never, never allow someone to become “your everything.”

You are setting yourself up for disappointment every time and you are doing an injustice to yourself and that other person. Who can fill the shoes of Jesus? No one but Jesus Christ Himself. Look to Jesus only to fill you with joy and peace. The “happy” that the world sells us is short lived and dependent on things that will not last. When we look to Jesus for our “joy” we will never be disappointed.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

6. Jesus is Love.

Without Jesus, we can never truly experience all that love has to offer in our lives. That includes loving ourselves and loving others.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16

7. God’s promise for each of us is that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

And God doesn’t break promises. His promises are truths to firmly stand on even when the rest of the world is shaking around your feet.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

8. Life is precious and a gift.

When you have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you, it’s the most awesome feeling you will ever experience in this lifetime. You know that you are not alone. As Joyce Meyer says, “you know that you know that you know.”

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16

9. God’s love for each of us is unconditional!

No strings attached. No trying to measure up and falling short. No worries of rejection – ever. He loves us as we are right now. And that will NEVER change.

Now I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

10. A loving, bright, life-filled eternity is ONLY offered through the love and grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.

Don’t question the gift. Don’t doubt the gift. Just grab that gift and make it the very cornerstone of your life.

For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 1 Peter 2:6

Revival – Breath of God, Breathe on Us

April 12, 2017 By Eva Conner 1 Comment

As Jesus breathes new life into you Today, He will revive You.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again.
Ezekiel 37:5

The word “breath” above can be translated as “breath,” “wind,” or “spirit.”

Today as I was praying, God spoke the words “breath of life” to me. I saw the face of Jesus in my prayer. His face started swaying and He turned into a Tree. The wind was blowing the leaves on the tree all around, back and forth. He then took me to this verse in Ezekiel and showed me the word “breath” meaning “wind” and I knew that He was showing me that He is the Tree of Life. Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life. The Tree was blowing back and forth, rhythmically. Calming. Inviting. Protecting.

His ways are so much higher than our ways.

I just keep seeing how very true these words are. His ways are so beyond our comprehension. Trees sustain life. They give us oxygen. Without oxygen we wouldn’t be alive. Man could never create all of the things in creation. No matter if we lived 100,000 years, we could never be able to think of all the wonderful life that our Maker created for us.

The Spirit. The Blood. The Living Water.

Breath and blood and water. Our blood is the lifeline within us. Without it, we would die. Without ox A healthy lung ygen, we would die. Below is a picture of a piece of the lung. Oxygen comes first through our mouth and nose into our lungs. In our lungs, it dissolves in the water lining of the alveoli where it clings to red blood cells as they pass through. This is how oxygen gets in our blood. It then flows to our organs and tissue to sustain us and keep us alive. The blood and the breath within us is life. Jesus is life. His Blood gives us eternal life. His Spirit (breath) gives us eternal life while we are here on earth.

Doesn’t this piece of the lung resemble a tree? What an awesome miniature replication of the Tree of Life that we ALL have within us.

Friends, I share this word with you to give you hope.

Jesus Christ will bring life to all areas of your life. No matter your past. No matter your present. He is not a respector of men. What He does for one, He will do for you. He will breathe life into your whole being, your marriage, your children, your finances, your prayer life, your work, your everything! If you do not hear God clearly now, don’t worry. Just persist in faith that He does speak and that you will hear.

The Word of God brings clearly to light the unseen world: its persons, places, facts and history.
E. M. Bounds

These words ring true. As I dig deeper into the Word of God, He is so faithful to bring the unseen to light for me. He will do this for you as well. The Word is alive and breathing. If you get in the Word, trust me when I say this – it will speak to you!! It will change your life forever.

Stay in the Light and the Love always,

Eva