Do You Know God?
Sometimes we have doubt and lean in the direction of unbelief but God is challenging us to really believe Him and know how good He really is. Whether you are a leader in ministry for many years or a new believer you must believe God is who He says He is. He is a healer, deliverer, provider…etc.
Do You Know How Good God Is?
Are we quick to go to the natural realm for help before looking to God in faith? As believers in Christ, we are challenged to learn how good God is. In Act 1:8 we see Jesus told his followers we are to receive power to be witnesses. In Mark 15:16 we are told believers will cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead. Is that what we lean into and operate in? When anyone among you is sick the Bible instructs us to bring them to the elders and have them anointed with oil so they might be healed. Do we choose faith first?
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Can we surrender everything that is not God and ask God to crush it so that oil is released?
In the sermon series “The REAL Jesus” Pastor Mike Signorelli shared a time when he was in Ukraine. While there, amongst a religious set of Christians, his brother prayed for a man in the hospital who had just died. The man was miraculously healed and as they prayed the man came back to life, the faith of the people increased and went from worshiping a statue to worshiping the healer.
Wherever there is the true Jesus there will be true healings, true deliverance and there will be lives changed. Christ's followers are to seek His face but wherever someone's face is their hands are very close also.
The New Covenant
Jesus Christ made the most significant covenant on the cross in the shedding of His blood to atone for sin. During the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples this sacrifice would be the new covenant between God and His people and they would no longer have to offer up an animal sacrifice because He would become the new sacrificial lamb.
“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” – Luke 22:20
The New Covenant was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31–33.
Pastor Mike detailed four exchanges that have taken place throughout time, establishing a covenant. He also offered symbolic, symbolism of the similarities that take place in a spiritual covenant with God:
In some tribes it was customary to exchange clothes when a covenant was established. In God, we are told to exchange our filthy rags and put on the robe of righteousness given to us by Christ.
Many groups also exchanged weapons when establishing a covenant that was a sign of committing military resources to help your new partner. In a spiritual dynamic, God gives us His armor when we become followers of Jesus. We were once fighting God but now he's fighting for us and all we must do is keep our spiritual armor on - Ephesians 6.
Covenants also sometimes have an exchange of names. In scripture we see God change Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul as they all entered into covenant with Him. Pastor Mike maintains that Christian bear a portion of Jesus’ name when we enter into a covenant with Him, therefore we pray in Jesus' name. Warfare prayers without a covenant with Christ are “just incantations and spells.”
As seen in sacrificial blood covenants, there is a shedding and cutting in covenant. More extreme covenants have shown the mingling of two people's blood to bring a bond. The cross is where Jesus made His blood covenant, one that would free mankind from sin, death, hell and the grave.
As we see from the aforementioned examples the language of covenant is an exchange. Biblical declarations also support having an exchange, we see in Isaiah 61:3 that the prophet tells the people God will give them a garment of praise for heaviness and the oil of gladness for their mourning.
During the crucifixion, Jesus was abused and attacked in specific areas and Pastor Mike draws the parallels in those areas to the Christian. He bore the crown of thorns on His head so that His followers could have the mind of Christ, He was pierced on the side so that anxiety that tries and grip believers can be gone. His back was ripped apart, His hands and feet were nailed to the cross, those all areas His followers need to guard in God.
Covenants are forever and when Jesus died on the cross He established a new eternal covenant. Partaking in communion is remembering the covenant that was established. Acknowledging that by His stripes we are healed. The believer's identity changes when we partake of the cup. It is vitally important to enter into the new covenant today and exchange curses for blessings and death for life in Christ!
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
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