Spirit Food - April 2018

Once you are presented with what the Word of God has to say about an issue, you are responsible for receiving His love, grace, & favor; and the gift of His righteousness. Remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.

This month, let’s focus on faith!

Faith is a spiritual force. The Bible tells us in Romans 10:17 (NRSV) that faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. This means that when you hear the Bible scriptures spoken, receive what they are saying, and choose to believe the scripture, there is a spiritual force activated. The passage of John 3:16, which is widely known in the world,

is a seed planted to inform mankind that our Creator love us so much, that He sent His only Son to redeem us from sin. The word “so” speaks of the intensity of His love for us (remember, He created us in Him image so he could have a family)!

1 John 5:1 (NRSV) says – Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ (our redeemer from sin, the anointed on, and His anointing) has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent (Our Heavenly Father) loves the child (Jesus). The KJV uses the term whosoever instead of everyone (but that’s alright; I’m a whosoever and so are you!

Once your faith has been activated by you receiving and believing what the Bible says regarding Jesus coming to redeem mankind from sin, Hebrews 10:39 says – But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved. Saved from what? Saved from being separated from our Creator, our Heavenly Father, and our Comforter. Redeemed from the curse of the law of sin and death.

Oh, but there is so much more to faith…Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So what does this mean? Allow me provide this analogy: A fast food restaurant in my local area is offering a “box meal” for $5. One of the selected box meals includes a cheese burger, fries, onion rings, a chocolate chip cookie, and a drink. The $5 I have is the substance by which I can purchase the “boxed meal hoped for”. I know the boxed meal is available, but I don’t have it until I exchange or exercise my $5 for it. The fast food restaurant isn’t going to just give it to me. The $5 is the evidence to exchange or exercise of the box meal not seen. Until I take whatever action is necessary to exchange or exercise my $5 for it, and receive the meal, it is still not in my possession. Faith is a spiritual force. By using our words, and believing whatsoever we say will result in bringing things into existence (in accordance with His word), we can also call those things that are currently not in existence as though they were. Remember, God created the universe as we know it by using His words…and we were created in His image to be like Him.

The reason the Bibles says in Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him; is self explanatory to me. Which means that you have made some thing or some one else your God. Obviously, if you don’t believe His word, He can’t redeem you. He created mankind with a free will to choose to believe or not to believe. It’s a personal choice. I highly recommend you choose to believe in Him and receive Him as Lord in your life, if you haven’t already. You were create a spirit (Genesis 2:7) being in His image, so your spirit is going to live forever. It’s your choice to live eternity either with Him or without Him.

You know, there are a lot of Christians who love the Lord, but are just "mental agree-ers" with the Word. When the Word is shared with them, they're saying "Amen Brother" and "Preach It", but some rarely allow it to get into their heart to the point where they take action on it.

In the parable of the sower in Mark chapter 4: These Christians have the word shared with them “seed sown”, but lose focus on what was heard due to their circumstances, and do not activate their faith in the word spoken.

We are suppose to be living by faith, not by site (2 Cor 5:7) To the point where:

God will meet all our needs... (Phil 4:19) as it says – The just shall live by faith in Hab 2:4 and Heb 10:38

In the parables Jesus taught regarding the Kingdom of God, He taught that when seed is sown, there were different yields to the seed sown, and he gives the reasons why. The seed Jesus is referring to in the parable is the Word! (Luke 8:11-15)

The Bible tells us in James 2:26, that faith without works is dead; and Galatians 5:6 that faith worketh through love.

To take action by faith on an issue, one needs to find out what the Word has to say about it, and make that the final authority on whatever issue they're facing. The words we speak are seeds, be they positive or negative. When they're positive, they bless, and when they are negative, they curse. When we call things not as though they were, and back it with seed of scripture, per Mark 11:23-24, and then take a stand on that scripture and continue to walk in love; we have God's Word that it will come to pass.

Where many Christians are defeated is when satan attempts to reason with them (injecting thoughts that it may not come to pass), and they cave in and quit, instead of standing fast to what the Word has to say about it.

Many Christians just don't desire to invest the time to plant the seed of the Word of God in their hearts. Living by faith requires daily attention, tending to His Word and will. Remember, Romans 10:17 says faith cometh by hearing... not by heard.

When we plant the seed of the Word of God in our hearts, and believe it to be the final authority, we are not moved by our senses, and speak the Word over the issue. We become Christ minded, our active faith-filled words join together with His Word and the Holy Spirit ensures results happen. Proverbs 4:23 says – "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life".

If you’re reading this, but you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, and would like to, pray this prayer out loud in an audible voice:

Heavenly Father, your Word says in Romans 10:9-10- “that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. For with the heart one believes unto salvation.” I believe your Word Heavenly Father and confess Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) as Lord of my life now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I was a sinner, but now I’ve been saved by Your grace, and in Your thoughts, I am now in right standing with You. I denounce Satan and all he stands for. Write my name in the Lamb’s book of Life. In Jesus Name. Amen (so be it).

Congratulations! If this is your first time praying this prayer, please write and let us know!

Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devourer rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).

Dr. Mark Krom, Ph.D., D.Psy

Minister/Clinical Pastoral Psychologist