The Need For Salvation
Even if you have already taken Jesus as your Saviour, please do not skip this section as there are many who have done so, and who remain in ignorance because they have not been taught in the depth that the following lesson offers. Never forget that keeping Christians in ignorance is one of Satan’s most favourite tactics……..
Most of us understand the need for Salvation as something we must have in order that we can go to heaven when we die. This is, of course, true. But, many Believers never journey beyond that fact; Believers who never discover the immensity of this gift that was given to us when Jesus came to the earth to teach and witness to us – then giving His life for us. Believers who do not understand that this gift was given to us for now, not for the future, not just so that we can get into heaven but, as the Scripture says in the book of John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The thief is, of course, Satan and, first of all, he is not in heaven so he cannot go there to steal, kill and destroy, therefore, the Scripture must be referring to his intended acts here on earth. Jesus did not come to heaven that we might have life, and have it more abundantly, He came to the earth. The devil will try and steal the abundant life from you, a life full of all the wonderful things that God intended for us to have and which could be had here on the Earth. Right now!
One of Satan’s methods of accomplishing this theft is to keep the truth from us. Jesus didn’t come here just so that we can go “home” to heaven, but also that we can teach and lead others to that same truth of what the Gospel, the Good News, really entails. The truth that will set us free!
Salvation is “the act of saving someone from an unpleasant situation, from harm, or destruction.” Stopping these things from happening to a person is carried out through an act. In the case of our Salvation, this act was Jesus’ sacrifice by His death on the cross. But, have you ever really considered what this means, or why it was even necessary? Do you even know what that single act releases mankind from, and what it opens up to him? Or, more accurately, what that act entirely restores to us who take Him as Saviour?
Although throughout Scripture the answer to this is revealed in many different examples, part of the revelation of this can be found in the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 28 and in the book of Galatians 3:13-14.
But, before we even attempt to enter into the depths of these Scriptures it is important to understand why this amazing sacrifice was necessary in the first place and the reason behind why we have to be certain, beyond any doubt whatsoever, that we are truly a Born Again Believer; and, if we are not, why we should become one.
If you do not have the spirit of God residing in you, you will never understand the things of God to the extent that He offers it to you. You will never understand the very reasons that He offers them at all, and why it is so important to all of mankind to have this knowledge revealed to them. And, why it is so important to Satan that you don’t come to understand these things.
Jesus did not come here just to sacrifice Himself so that we can go to heaven. His Ministry only lasted around three years. And during those three years He taught. So, it cannot be that the only reason that He came to the earth was to die for our sins, He could’ve done that in less than a day. But, He firstly commissioned 12 disciples, students, to listen and to learn from Him. Then He sent them out to teach others. Just as you, as a disciple, will also do.
In many ways, the whole Bible is about Him, and it is a gift which, if properly used, is the manual that has been given to us so…. “that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
But here is something else that not many Ministries will tell you. One of the best ways of explaining how much the Lord cares about you is to refer you to a quote from Sir Winston Churchill….
A man once said to him, “I am a self-made man” and Churchill replied “You don’t know what a solemn responsibility you have just relieved God from!”
When you take that step to becoming His, He not only receives you into His family, He promises promises to be entirely responsible for you, all that you will ever need, and all that you desire, forever. He gladly takes the burden for your life, for eternity – because it was Him that created you, not yourself. And, taking hold of your Salvation is just the beginning. The beginning of your journey to the fulfillment of your precious and unique purpose.
Back to the Beginning – Back to Genesis,
Once the Lord had created the beautiful Garden of Eden, He created man, in His own likeness and placed him in the Garden. Next He gave man dominion, rulership, over the whole world as it was at that time. When you read the book of Genesis you will see that man, Adam, was even given the ultimate honour of naming every creature of the Earth.
Adam was given his wife Eve, and they reigned together over the Earth, the Lord giving them specific instructions as to what He wanted them to do, and not to do. Commandments.
As you will discover, if you have not already done so, God gives His children specific commands so that, when these are followed, their lives are easy, free, and prosperous. When these instructions are not followed, things never run quite smoothly. Have you ever bought something from the store that you had to put together, something like a bookcase, and tried to put it together without following the instructions? Not always easy, and sometimes the consequences of not following instructions can result in a bad outcome, or even a loss of some kind. This was the case with Adam and Eve when they ignored God’s instructions and listened to Satan.
God told them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. There is always a little controversy as to whether it was an apple or not, but the important factor is that the instructions were disobeyed. The type of fruit is really irrelevant, the fact that disobedience was enacted is the key to why Jesus had to come and save us.
Take a look at the Scripture where God first gave the instructions to Adam and Eve. It is found in Genesis chapter 2, verses 15 through 17:
(Gen 2:15) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
(Gen 2:16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
(Gen 2:17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
God gave Adam everything that he could ever need, and told him to look after it. He told Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, warning him that if he did he would surely die.
Next look at the following Scripture from chapter three
(Gen 3:1) Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
(Gen 3:2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
(Gen 3:3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
(Gen 3:4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
(Gen 3:5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
(Gen 3:6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Even with these Scriptures being in “old English”, it is obvious that they both understood God’s commandment not to eat of the tree. They also knew that the consequence was death. But they did not understand the fact that it was spiritual death to which the Lord was referring. But, spiritual death brought about a physical act. Sin, rebellion, or disobedience to God. Man became mortal. The spiritual death was to cause separation between God and man by man’s disobedience. His sin through ignoring or defying God’s commandments; which had been put in place for man’s entire welfare.
As a side note, many people blame Eve for mankind’s downfall but they do not take note of the fact that Adam was standing right beside her and also partook in that disobedience – he also knew God’s commandment.
If we look carefully into this whole situation, Satan took the words that God had spoken and manipulated Eve into interpreting them in a different way. He cast doubt about God’s intentions in her mind and she succumbed to that seed of doubt Satan planted. He played upon their ignorance, their naivety. The net result was that they sinned, and that was the reason that they were both ejected from the Garden of Eden. It was simple disobedience against God, but the ramifications were, and are much more complicated. So very often God gives us instructions that we simply need to obey without question. However this does not mean that we cannot approach Him for the understanding. (This is something that we will go into later in your studies)
Rulership and dominion over the earth passed from Adam to Satan when the sin, the disobedience, took place. Adam and Eve then became subject to the devil. The father of sin. He became the god of the earth and ruled over it and all the things upon it.
Although you may not want to hear this, you were born into this world which is still under the influence of Satan, and so you were born into sin. Born into the death that God warned Adam and Eve about. Again, this death refers to the separation between man and God. The spiritual death, the death that Satan never revealed to Adam and Eve, letting them assume that it was the physical death. (Assumptions are choices which are available to be made, by you, based on incomplete or unproven evidence. Therein lies the danger.)
However, God had a plan, and one which was masterfully set out to give His children a way back home to Him. But in all things, He still leaves the choices to us. He wants us to want Him and choose Him above all others so that He has our absolute permission, our absolute choice of a life that we desire. It is important to note that these choices are ours to make and that the Lord never forces Himself upon us.
In many ways the Bible is a record of the do’s and don’ts, of the consequences of the choices that man has made throughout much of history. The Bible is also a testimony of God’s intentions in such great love and desire that we, one day, can return home to Him. Throughout the Bible He feeds us with all the information that we will ever need to make the right choice. He is always inviting us and encouraging us to become born again. He has even given us the presence of the Holy Spirit Himself to help us, to counsel us and to guide us into that “all truth” that is promised. Once we do make that choice to become His, all of His promises within the Bible become ours to own forever. However, all of God’s promises are conditional. That means there are rules which govern them. As you read through His Word you will often see the word “if” written before the promise is laid down. For instance in Romans chapter 10, verse 9, He promises that “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” We have to confess with our mouth. And when we do, a promise is given and will be fulfilled.
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Previously we spoke about a series of doors through which you will be invited to pass. You have now reached the first one, and the most important door that you will ever come upon.
On the door is written a single legend which reads “Salvation”
If this is something that you now feel led to do, if you feel something tugging at your heart, often a feeling of great love and warmth will come upon you; often a desire for rest and peace, and purpose, and the knowing that you have found it. All it takes is a simple act of choice on your part. Please make that choice.
Some of you have already entered through the door and are now standing outside again or just on the threshold because you have chosen to place yourself there. Perhaps feeling unworthy anymore. The door is still open to you, it has not been locked behind you. As in all things pertaining to your life, the Lord gives you the honour of choosing, of choice. But He is telling you “Come in or, Come back in. Come home or Come back home!
You can choose to remain a “fragment”, or you can choose to allow God to use you and never to feel useless or insignificant ever again. As in all things, the choice remains yours alone.
One of the first invitations.
In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 30, verse 19 reveals one of the first invitations that the Lord openly offers to those who want to become one of His children:
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
Choose!
To reiterate, it is an absolute fact that without you taking this necessary step of becoming His, you will never understand or have complete access to the things of God. You simply will not understand the language or receive the precious gifts that have been set aside for you will – they will never be yours. Nor will you ever come to the full realization of who you are and the unique and precious gift that you are to the world. You will suffer more than you have to, Choose life, please!
So before we begin to teach you anything else, we want to be absolutely sure that those who want to receive all that the Lord has set aside for His children take the step of surrendering their lives to Him, and receive the entire gift that belongs to all Believers.
We gladly invite anyone who has not given their lives to the Lord to do so now….
The Invitation:
Believe us when we tell you that (the condition for the promise to come about) if you will willingly speak these words aloud you will be saved and become a child of God, being born again and into His family, that Salvation will be yours:
Jesus, I declare that I know that You are the Son of God and was crucified and died for my sins. That on the third day You rose again from the dead, descended into Heaven and now sit at the right hand of the Father.
Jesus, I know and admit that I have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.
I ask You to forgive me of my sins and to become my Lord and Saviour.
Jesus, come into my heart and change me.
Jesus, I ask you to be my personal Saviour, right now! Amen!
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Declaration:
If you have spoken these words, I, as an Ordained Minister of God, tell you that you have been born again! the spirit of the Living God now resides within you; and that you have been set free of sin, and that you are now a member of the family and the body of Jesus Christ.
Celebrate! Please contact us and let us know that you have taken this step so that we can also celebrate with you and begin to support you in your new walk.
However, now please read the warning that comes with this Celebrating!……..
The Warning:
For those of you that have just taken this step and are now born again, we are going to give you your first Scripture to study. It comes because we want to warn you that you are going to be immediately attacked by the Devil; and if it has not already happened to you, believe us that it will come, and it will come pretty quickly.
It may come as a thought, or it may even come out of a friend’s mouth, but it will come.
It may even come out of a Christian’s mouth!
And it may be simply because you are reading this book, are attending one of our Seminars, or listening to any of our teachings.
But, however it comes, remember that Satan’s target is your Salvation. Your soul itself is the prize he seeks!
Remember in the book of John, chapter 10, verse 10 it says:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The thief is Satan. He will try and steal your Salvation and try and remove the power and authority that is yours by any means that he can. He doesn’t play fair.
He doesn’t want you to come to understand just what it means when you are born again. He doesn’t want you to know, because when you do begin to understand who you are and the heritage, the gifts, and the power that comes with your Salvation, you become a threat to him and his kingdom. So, he is going to try and get that knowledge away from you by any means that he can.
Often, you might hear a small voice that says something like “Nothing really happened, you know. You don’t feel any different do you?”
Yet another one of Satan’s favourite weapons that he tries to use against us is doubt just as he did in the garden of Eden. So, if you have any doubts about being saved, you now know where they are coming from!
Satan may even try and use a friend to create that doubt within you, that’s not unusual either. But, here again, if the intent is to cause you to doubt your Salvation, or anything that God has given you or taught you through His Word, then the source is the same. Satan. Perhaps your friend needs Jesus too?
One of the most important Scriptures for you to receive and stand on is the one from the book of Romans, chapter 10, verse 9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Again, if you have done this, or have re-confirmed your confession, then you are saved. End of story!
If ever that doubt comes, bring the Word of God into your mouth and speak it out. You will learn that this is a mighty weapon. When you learn the power contained within God’s Word and that you have the authority to use it, you can turn to Satan and say something like “It is written in the book of Romans, chapter 10, verse 9, that if you shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in my heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved – I’ve done this and so I’m saved! Satan remove yourself from me in the name of Jesus!”
You are using your mighty two-edged sword, the Word and wielding it with the authority of Jesus’ name, which you have the right to use. You may have to swing that sword one or two times, but the devil will flee.
(James 4:7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Now that, is a promise, a written promise!
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Once you have taken this step into Salvation you can begin to fully understand so much more. But, this means studying and discovering more and more about God and His ways, more about you, and the blessing that you can walk in. There is no other way than to follow the instructions that the Lord has given to His children. The “Instruction Book”, the study guide to the power and the authority that belongs to the born again child of God is the Bible itself. The very book that Satan does not want you to even open, let alone study, because within it are the things and the instructions that enable you to defeat him by discovering and, as it says in the book of John, chapter 8, versus 31 through 32:
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
So, what comes next? Lesson #2