Author: Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Romans — Christ, the Way Out!

We saw from our last discussion that, before new birth, and after the new birth, no man can serve God in the flesh for therein lies no good thing, the flesh is destitute of the power to perform good works.

So we hear the apostle continue;

“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” Romans 7:20.

Without reliance on the Spirit he explains how miserable we are. He knew God’s law is good but “the good that I would I do not,” rather my flesh lusts after that which is forbidden.

This total inability of the flesh to do that which is good he calls a law.

“I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7:21.

This evil he speaks about is not something externally present around him, however, as he had stated earlier in verse 18, in his flesh lies no good thing.

His born-again Spirit is created according to God, but it is trapped in a body that is dead because of sin.

So the new man longs to serve God;

“For I delight in the law of God after the inward man,” Romans 7:22.

But the total depravity of the flesh has become a force against his spirit (Galatians 5:17).

“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members,” Romans 7:23.

Observe carefully this; the word used above for law is from the Greek NOMOS and it means “a force or influence impelling to action” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary).

It does not mean the sin nature or the old man directly but it speaks of that which influences sin. The total depravity of the flesh is a constant influence or propelling force of sin.

The old patterns, attitudes, emotions and mindsets the sin nature left behind are constantly at war with the mind of the Spirit.

This total depravity of the flesh to respond to God in itself which he termed the law or influence of sin in his members he now explains it clearly, calling this law “the body of death.”

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24.

Just like it is a law that a dead man cannot respond to stimuli, even so he calls it a law that a body dead in sin cannot respond to the things of God, (Romans 8:10).

He tried using the law to ignite his body to respond to the things of God, however, the law only commanded him but couldn’t give his flesh life to do that which is good, (Galatians 3:21).

He resorted to human strength and academic excellence for he was well educated but this couldn’t help him either, (Philippians 3:4-7).

He now finds himself where God wants all men to be, “O wretched man that I am,” sinners in need of a saviour.

Complete nothings without God’s help. Totally depraved with no plea, our only hope is a saviour outside of ourselves.

So he reaches out “who shall deliver me from the body of this death.” Only one man is capable, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed. Only his life can revitalize the body to respond to God.

“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh The Law of sin.” Romans 7:25.

So through the energy of Christ at work in me, my body can be quickened to serve The LORD.

But the Truth still remains that in my flesh alone, “I serve The Law of sin” — but I am not only flesh, in my mind, in my inner man — I serve The Law of God.

Confession

Thank you LORD Jesus for The Salvation I have in you!

Christ my strength, Christ my wealth, Christ my health, Christ my all.

I cannot be weak and I cannot be defeated, for You are my sum of all spiritual and material things.

I can do all things through your energy at work in me.

Glory to God!

Prophetic Insight

I saw many sons and daughters of The LORD hoping and wishing to break grounds and begin the possession of their promise, however, many felt the capacity needed, or what it takes to command authority in these territories won’t be released by the father to them.

They are seeing themselves not fit for these huge breakthroughs.

But hear what The Father says to you, “I AM for you dear Child. saved you because I have always desired to give you The Kingdom.

My Life I have laid down as a proof that nothing is too big for Me to give to you. How much more these little blessings?

I will hold back nothing until you are lifted. I have freely given you all things my dear elect . I will never accept any evil charge against you for I AM your own justice.

Watch out for the Signs of this Word. You will begin to see little but tangible manifestations of My Favour.

Do not wave them off as just another fleeing Dream. Pick these Signs, hold unto this little signs and reach out for the greater blessings”

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:31-33.

Blessings in Christ,
~ Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.

God’s Grace in Romans | Power Beyond the flesh |

We continued to see from our last discussion the work of the law in igniting the lust of the sin nature; however, the law is not the problem but the inability of the sin nature in carrying out its demands. And so the apostle declares in the continuing verse;

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Romans 7:13

Although we saw that the law is the ministration of death, however, the law itself is not death and the law does not directly minister death. The law demands life from the sinful nature which instead of issuing life works out death in the fallen carnal man;

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14

The fallen man with the sin nature is already in captivity. The born-again Christian with the residue of sin in the flesh is already deceived if he thinks the law can be kept by the power of his flesh. Both the man in Adam and the man in Christ cannot rely on the flesh, for if the both do, we hear;

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:15

This is where we see a lot of debate coming in. many have asserted that Paul here only speaks of when he was an unsaved man, and many here argue that Paul was talking not of his state before salvation but after salvation. That he still couldn’t serve God after salvation.

Paul did not narrow his statement to either parties but speaks in a general form for either party. Whether saved or Unsaved Paul stated that it was impossible to keep the law of God through the power of the flesh. This is Paul’s view point.

Paul means that no one can serve God in the power of the flesh for there is no good thing there (Romans 7:18). The flesh is destitute of the ability to be perfectly obedient to God’s perfect law.

He had already stated several times that it has always being the inability of the flesh, the sin nature’s activity in working death in our members that has rendered us insufficient in obeying God’s perfect standard.

If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. Romans 7:16-17

The Bible does not assert that after we are saved we are completely rid of sin, the sin nature is gone but it left behind patterns, mindsets that must be kept under. We fight to daily put to death the deeds of the flesh (Roman 8:13). For not in our spirits but in the core of our flesh we are still not born again;

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Romans 7:18

And so he makes a clear distinction between his spirit now born again and his flesh which is yet to be redeemed (Ephesians 1:14) wherein is no good thing. Then he goes on to reveal the main problem which is not a saved or unsaved issue but an issue of performance.

For we hear “but how to perform that which is good I find not:” In the flesh apart from the ability of the Spirit no one can serve God. However, as we depend on the Spirit of God, as we are led by his Spirit we are led in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Confession

Thank you Father for the power of the Spirit at work in me; I rest in you and declare that your Spirit empowers me to live in accordance to your will.

I walk in a higher standard of life far above sin, weakness, failure and death – for I am no longer under the bondage of the law.

Prophetic Insight

I heard this for many sons and daughters of the Lord who are in intense warfare right now for their promise. I hear the Lord say to you “Hold your peace dear child, these forces you see today you shall see them no more.

You need not fight for deliverance – for in me you are already delivered; be of good cheer, this battle is already won.

Stand fast, hold onto the word and see my victory for you manifesting. I will not forsake you. I brought you out and I am taking you into the promise.”

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:13-14

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Romans – From Death to Life

We saw from our last discussion that we are born with the sin nature; however, it remains dead until the law enters our conscience and starts holding us accountable to our sins.

Then the apostle continues;

And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. Romans 7:10

Since sin had already killed our flesh (Romans 8:10) and there was no way to keep the law of God in our strength, the commandment rather led to separation from God and not union. It led to death in relationship with God.

When anyone comes to the age of accountability; where we now know we are sinning against God, the first thing the law does is to kill every self-trust in us. We are immediately sentenced by the law to be who we are, dead in sin and looking for a saviour (Galatians 3:22).

So instead of giving life the law is rather ordained to death. It is a ministration of death and not righteousness. This is why we hear;

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Romans 7:10

This is the truth about the sin nature: You see, the sin nature is fashioned after Satan and its main characteristic is the lust. The sin nature manifests itself through lust;

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Galatians 5:17

Lust is what brought the Angel down. He wanted what he couldn’t have. You see, the moment the law entices the flesh with ‘thou shall not,’ the sin nature is ignited; the lust in the sin nature will definitely long to have what it cannot have.

The moment you tell a man not to do something he likes, you have set him up to build an unstoppable hunger for the very thing he cannot have (Romans 7:8).

This is what the law did. The sin nature has been there, but the law entered to help men lust after perfection in the flesh so they would be condemned and reach out for a saviour outside of themselves. The law was not given to provide righteousness; however, it was given to minster death to our supposed relationship with God;

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 2Corinthians 3:7

This is why there is no problem with the law; the law has done a clean job in letting us know we are sinners and altogether an unclean thing. The law is holy, just and good;

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Romans 7:12

But we are sinners in need of a saviour and Jesus is that saviour. Where the law ministered death, the Spirit of Christ in us which is our righteousness continuously ministers righteousness in and through us to the glory of Christ.

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 2Corinthians 3:9

Confession

Heavenly Father I thank you for this revelation; outside of Christ I am as impure and unqualified as the devil, but I am never outside of Christ. I am In Christ and Christ is in me, hence, the righteousness of Christ is my inheritance.

I reign with Christ always, triumphing over sin, sicknesses, devils, lack and fear. I am the irreversibly blessed in Christ.

Prophetic Insight

In an encounter with the Lord, I heard this for many in the body of Christ, I heard the Lord say “keep not silent! Keep your faith and keep standing on the word for I am establishing you.

I am making you a praise in the earth. I am giving your faith more evidence and expanding your sphere of authority.

Keep moving, and as you move, prepare for greater glory. My word has gone out to the ends of the earth, marshaling the host after my glory in you. I say to you dear child, you shall once again be called “Sought Out” a people with the ever present help of God.”

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth…And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken. Isaiah 62:6,7,12

Blessings in Christ,
~Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Romans | How to Start a Sin Revival |

We saw from our last discussion that we are effectually delivered from every kind of law – the Moral, Ceremonial and Civil laws.

Then the apostle continues;

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. Romans 7:8

Now keep in mind that all through this chapter and the previous, the sin spoken about is not the actions but the sin nature. So he means that the sin nature was in him, but it looked for an occasion to be made manifest.

Therefore, what made the sin nature to showcase itself was nothing but the law. The law came to reveal sin (Rom 3:20). The nature of sin was there, the lust was there, however, without the commandment it wasn’t ignited.

The commandment now ignited or made the lust in us come alive.A very perfect way of looking at this can be observed in the next verse;

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Romans 7:8

Observe carefully the statement “I was alive.” which in Romans 6:11 and verse 13 means to be in relationship with God. So the question is this; when was he ever alive without the law in his life?

For the law was given thousands of years before the birth of Paul.

It is clear that Paul speaks here of a time in life when sins are not imputed to men, which others call the ‘age of innocence.’

Even though a child is born from the belly with the sin nature, that child doesn’t know that he or she is sinning against God at the early stage. When Daddy or mummy says to a child don’t do this, they think if they do they are only sinning against their immediate parents.

At this age God doesn’t impute there sin nature against them, this is why David said he was going to his son who died an infant as a result of his adultery with Beersheba (2 Samuel 12:23).

But a time comes in a child’s life when they come to that age where they realize it’s not all about Mum and Dad, but there is a God I am sinning against. Others call this stage the ‘age of accountability.’ This is when God begins to impute their sin nature against them.

And this stage varies from person to person. And it also depends on the circumstances that surround the functionality of each child.

So a child is in relationship with God at this age, they can hear and receive from God during this stage, Jesus even spoke of their angels (Mathew 18:10).

The Child is said to be alive, but when that heart is now exposed to the law of God, the sin nature which was there but ignored is now held accountable and that individual becomes alive to the sin nature and dead to God.

Condemnation ushers in and from our minds we become separated from God (Ephesians 4:18).

This is why Paul said “when the commandment came” not when sin came, because sin had been there all the time. The commandment only came to revive the sin that was ignored.

Now having said this, in the same manner, when a man is born again; he becomes alive to God and dead to the law. Jesus took the penalty of the sin nature by himself being made a curse on a tree, fulfilling the demands of the law for all individuals forever.

Now when the law is reintroduced to a born-again Christian, the consequence is that, the residue of the sin nature in the flesh is revived, he becomes aware of his insufficiencies when he tries to fulfill the law, then condemnation sets in, and from his mind he feels separated from God even though God is not imputing his sins against him.

He begins to feel; how can God still bless me knowing all I have done? How can God use someone like me? But the God of all grace has eternally imputed our sins upon the body of Jesus once for all time. Hallelujah!

Confession
Thank you father, today I am dead to the law and alive to God. I am alive to righteousness, alive to divine health and prosperity. My life only expresses the liberty of the sons of God. Glory to Jesus!

Prophetic Insight
In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “get ready dear child, I am taking you to the next level. You have dwelt here for too long, be up and ready, you are going forward”

The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: Turn you, and take your journey…Deuteronomy 1:6-7

Blessings in Christ,
~Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church

God’s Grace in Romans | The Law is Good – We Are Not|

We saw from our last discussion that we are delivered from the law where we were in bondage through the body of Christ judged on the cross.

Then the apostle continues;

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Romans 7:7

Now there are a few things we must carefully observe from the above verse;

First, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid.”

Many have done the mistake of thinking because we are delivered fron the law the then law in itself is not good. God forbid! The law is not sin, the law, in of itself is perfect.

The problem has never been with the law, but with our depraved nature. It is with the fallen man who lacks the capacity to fulfill the demands of the law (Romans 8:3).

Man was created with a living body that was alive to God. When sin entered, sin killed the flesh and rendered it incapable of responding to God (Romans 8:10-11).

Therefore, it is because of the weakness or inability of the flesh that God had to deliver us from the law’s overwhelming demands. Only a sinless God-man could keep the law, and this is what Jesus did on our behalf.

The law is good, but we are not. Hence, the law is good, but not good for us!

Second, “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. “

When the word of God speaks of we been delivered from the law, many of us have jumped into this conclusion that it is the ceremonial law that we are delivered from. That the moral law is still binding, that we are to keep the moral law for righteousness.

In context, the previous verse tells us we are delivered from the law, this verse now goes on to explain mentioning “Thou shalt not covet” which is not a ceremonial law but the moral, the last commandment on the big 10.

We are delivered from the ceremonial (animal sacrifices and diverse washings), Moral and Civil laws. We are totally free in Christ, for there is no law given that can give life and righteousness (Galatians 3:21).

Life and righteousness are fruits of God’s Spirit at work in a man. These fruits are a manifestation of the nature of Christ functioning in a man.

Righteousness doesn’t come from beholding tables of stone, but from the pulsating life of Christ in the heart of a new man, where only Christ deserves the praise.

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11

                                 Confession

I live in God’s Spirit and where the Spirit is, there is liberty. I am not free to live a life of sin, but l am free from the bondage and penalty of sin.

I glorify God in my spirit and in my body which are God’s with health, soundness and righteousness. Praise Jesus!

                            Prophetic Insight

I Heard “Don’t let him steal the word, don’t doubt whether it was me who led you out or not. I am saying to you, I spoke to your heart; What you heard was my word.

What you see is a war against what I have already begun to do in your life. It is all targeted to unproot my word and to stop you from seeing what I have begun to do, however, it is all a test of your faith.

Go forth, you are walking on the word, do not see these boisterous winds and receive fear into your heart. Your help will always appear dear child”

Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. Luke 8:13(NIV)

Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Mathew 14:29-30

Blessings in Christ,
~Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.