Hindered to receive what is yours .

God's purpose for each and everyone of us is to receive a life saturated with His Glory and Presence . This life does not differ from heavenly life at all . There is no sickness and disease in heaven ,neither is there any sickness and disease in the life Christ has given to you . There is no poverty in heaven ,neither is poverty part of your life in Christ . There is no sorrow and pain in heaven ,neither is there any sorrow and pain present in the life Christ has given you .

Adam and Eve received life and lost full possession of it ,by trying to add something else in addition to the life they enjoyed . They did it contrary to God's command . Immediately they lost full possession of their Paradise life . It was still there but they were spiritually incapable of taking hold of it . In other word's the spiritual connection to their true Godly life's died . They were left stranded with their natural life's only . By God's grace they could still spiritually connect to Him , but were now also hampered severely by the worries and burdens their natural life's put on them . The only way out was for God to help them to recover spiritually again .

God provided an interface between His Spirit and that of man in the form of faith . By using this God given interface ,man could regain his/her life in the Presence and Glory of God . Man however made further decisions to rather follow what their flesh , their carnal minds focussed on . They drifted further and further away from the Life line God provided for them .

Abraham was an amazing man . God saw something in his heart and God quickened his faith . Abraham then used faith to still his mind of all the carnal , fleshly worries . He focussed on God only . He focussed on every Word God spoke to him . Then something awesome happened . Abraham saw how God was going to restore the true life of every human being on earth . Abraham by faith saw how Christ was going to bring our life back to us ,because no man or woman was in the position to regain or restore it themselves .

Abraham saw that Christ was going to make us righteous again . Righteousness was the instrument to help us to get away from our fleshly worries ,sickness ,disease ,sorrows ,disillusionments and pain . Righteousness would bring God's affection ,like that of a father back to our deepest perceptions and inner spiritual beings .

Abraham believed the vision God gave him by faith . The moment he believed it , he received the same righteousness that we have in Christ today . It is remarkable that he received it by faith approximately 1,900 years before the birth of Christ . Abraham's faith could therefore take hold of something that was destined to happen 1,900 years later .

Genesis 15:5-6 BBE

(5) And he took him out into the open air, and said to him, Let your eyes be lifted to heaven, and see if the stars may be numbered; even so will your seed be.

(6) And he had faith in the Lord, and it was put to his account as righteousness.

It did not end there .It was only the beginning of a supernatural Godly life for Abraham . Abraham did not only received righteousness by faith ,he also got his real life back that was hidden in God .

The spiritual therefore had dominion over the shortcomings of his carnal nature . Abraham was successful in every situation he found himself in . Abraham were put in the desert and he changed it into a fertile land . Abraham dug wells and no one could stop the water flowing abundantly from them . Abraham had dominion , he reigned in life by faith .

Genesis 18:18 BBE

(18) Seeing that Abraham will certainly become a great and strong nation, and his name will be used by all the nations of the earth as a blessing?

Genesis 21:22 BBE

(22) Now at that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army, said to Abraham, I see that God is with you in all you do.

In order for Abraham to develop even stronger spiritually by using the faith that God gave him , God put Abraham's believe to the test . God did not test Abraham's faith . God gave Abraham the faith , He did not have to test it , God knew the power of it . God put Abraham's believe to the test . Believing is your answer to the faith God provided for you . Believing was Abraham's answer to the faith God gave him . By believing ,you can regain your God given life filled with His Glory and Provision and Power . Nothing can overwhelm you . In this life you have the power of dominion over all circumstances . Yes literally all circumstances . By believing you bring heavenly life to earth . Abraham did not get it it after he died . He got it while he was still alive . Enoch also believed and he never died . So did Elijah believed and he never died .

John 11:26 MKJV

(26) And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

Abraham past every test and grew stronger and stronger spiritually . The tests was not for God to find out how well Abraham was doing . No, God knew exactly how strong Abraham believed before a test . The tests were implemented for Abraham's sake . Abraham did not always know how precious and powerful the gift of faith that God gave Him by His Grace was . Abraham did not always know how strong he could believe and also what could be accomplished by his believe . After the test Abraham was amazed by the power of faith , by the glorious outcome when one take God on His Word and speak it till the results manifest .

Gradually the Glory of God started to fill the earth again . More and more people followed the example of Abraham and many other men and woman of God .

At the appointed time God sent His Son Jesus , the Christ , to actually bring the righteousness that Abraham saw and operated in ,as a gift of His Grace and Mercy to us all . To every person on earth .

Now, a far greater and even more powerful life were released from the Cross . People came under a strong spiritual conviction that God loves them . They understand that God is here to save them from the woes and sorrows of this life . They understand that their sin problems is solved on the Cross . They understand that they themselves could never attain the righteousness required by the Holiness of God .They understand that Christ gave them everything they need in this life to experience their destined Paradise life again . They looked away from the shortcomings and stress and strain and pain that comes from the carnal life , and set their eyes on Christ alone to spiritually take hold of their real life in Christ .

2 Peter 1:2-12 BBE

(2) May grace and peace ever be increasing in you, in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

(3) Because by his power he has given us everything necessary for life and righteousness, through the knowledge of him who has been our guide by his glory and virtue;

(4) And through this he has given us the hope of great rewards highly to be valued; so that by them we might have our part in God's being, and be made free from the destruction which is in the world through the desires of the flesh.

(5) So, for this very cause, take every care; joining virtue to faith, and knowledge to virtue,

(6) And self-control to knowledge, and a quiet mind to self-control, and fear of God to a quiet mind,

(7) And love of the brothers to fear of God, and to love of the brothers, love itself.

(8) For if you have these things in good measure, they will make you fertile and full of fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(9) For the man who has not these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having no memory of how he was made clean from his old sins.

(10) For this reason, my brothers, take all the more care to make your selection and approval certain; for if you do these things you will never have a fall:

(11) For so the way will be open to you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

(12) For this reason I will be ready at all times to keep your memory of these things awake, though you have the knowledge of them now and are well based in your present faith.

Two things were given to us by Christ . Complete forgiveness of al sin and unrighteousness . Then Christ also restored our position in the Presence of God ,by making us righteous . That means that we can boldly enjoy God's Presence and Provision and Love for us without any hindrances whatsoever .The moment the hindrances are ignored ,and put aside by your believe ,then you will experience the sheer power and Glory of your God given life of dominion over all things .

Philippians 2:13-15 BBE

(13) For it is God who is the cause of your desires and of your acts, for his good pleasure.

(14) Do all things without protests and arguments;

(15) So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

John 10:10 MKJV

(10) The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The true life that Christ restored for us is a life in the Kingdom of God . Look above at 2 Peter 1 again ! .

Verse 11 says : (11) For so the way will be open to you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Read the context carefully . It is clearly meant for your now , present life on earth ,and not for a life beyond the pearly gates “one day up yonder “ .

You need to be fertile now to be able to shine as a light of God's Glory in the face of corruption and pain around you . Your light will bring a change . You cannot bring any change when you are overwhelmed by the troubles of this world .

2 Peter 1 :

(8) For if you have these things in good measure, they will make you fertile and full of fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Phillipians 2 :

(15) So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

Let us examine this Kingdom life which is our Gift from Christ . I mean you can barely wait to open up presents given to you by very important and wealthy persons . Why not have the same desire and urge and enthusiasm to open up your present from God ! .

I have said it many times over and over again . You need two things to have absolute peace and joy . You need forgiveness of sins and you need a new life in Christ that is absent of any pain and worries etc . You received both from Christ when He cried out , “ it is finished “ on the Cross “ .

This whole introduction of what I want to share with you today ,were necessary to help you to understand the life in Christ that you actually have in you , but often don't experience practically . That means that other people can't see that God is with you , that you are acceptable in His sight and presence . They can't see the glorious Light of God that is in you , because it is disguised by your own worries and struggles in life . It is not what God intened for you to experience at all .

Your life in the Kingdom of God can therefore be disguised , even nullified by certain things . You can be saved from sin , the first requirement , but still not have a life of abundance in everything , from practical things to spiritual things . The forgiveness of sins is not the sole purpose of the Cross

To have an abundant life on earth exactly , no , even better than what Adam and Eve had , is God's purpose for you . God advanced in filling the earth with His Glory since the days of Adam and Eve , that is why we can enjoy more . It doesn't help the world very much to see a person that is saved from sin ,but live in poverty and sickness , a life of pain and ,lack and worries . People won't be interested in serving a “god” that can't help them in life .

Matthew 23:13 MKJV

(13) But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men. For you neither go in, nor do you allow those entering to go in.

Mark 7:13 KJV

(13) Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

This is a very important and interesting statement from Mark 7 :13 .

Tradition is one of the things that can make the Word of God , which is the very source of your life of Glory in Christ , to NO effect . That means that you can be saved ,but live a very miserable life . You can be moved into such a position or kept in bondage in such a position by believing in what religious traditions say to you and require you to do .

How does this detrimental religious tradition thing operate in our day and age ?

In order to understand it's operation it is important to understand that the LIFE we are talking about does NOT originate from ANY RELIGION at all . There is not a single religion on the face of the earth that can move you into a position where you can enjoy abundant life in Christ .

Christianity is NOT a RELIGION ,it is a LIFE . By the grace and mercy of God you receive the very same triumphant , glorious ,powerful ,love filled Life that Christ have at the right hand of God's Throne right now. God will never give you a religion to save you and also give you an abundant life . No He gave you much ,much more than a religion or a church or a denomination . He gave you the Life of Christ . You have the Life of God in you !

God make use of witnesses to reveal His Power and Glory to people .

The most important Witnesses is God , the Holy Spirit and Christ.

Hebrews 10:15 MKJV

(15) The Holy Spirit also is a witness to us;...

1 John 5:7 BBE

(7) And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is true.

1 John 5:9 MKJV

(9) If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God which He has testified about His Son.

John 5:36 BBE

(36) But the witness which I have is greater than that of John: the work which the Father has given me to do, the very work which I am now doing, is a witness that the Father has sent me.

Then God is also using people as witnesses of His Glory and Power !

Acts 4:33 BBE

(33) And with great power the Apostles gave witness of the coming back of the Lord Jesus from the dead; and grace was on them all.

Acts 14:3 BBE

(3) So they kept there for a long time, taking heart in the Lord, who gave witness to the word of his grace by causing signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Acts 15:8 BBE

(8) And God, the searcher of hearts, was a witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit even as he did to us;

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 KJV

(1) And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

(2) For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

(3) And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

(4) And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

(5) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

(6) Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

(7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

(8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

(9) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

(10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

(11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

(12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

(13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

(14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

(15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

(16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

John the baptist :

Luke 1:17 BBE

(17) And he will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of fathers to their children, and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness; to make ready a people whose hearts have been turned to the Lord.

I have deliberately quoted more than enough texts to illustrate the important characteristics of true witnesses used by God .

True witnesses have revelation knowledge . They can reveal the great mysteries of God . Their words are spoken with Godly power . They have the mind of Christ and not of the world .

The things they teach come from the Holy Spirit , so the Holy Spirit will also confirm the truth they speak in your spirit . They speak the wisdom of God . They demonstrate the Spirit and the Power of God . God will give witness that their words are true and that it come from Him indeed .

Signs and wonders will take place by their hands to confirm the Word of grace they teach . Look at this verse again .

Acts 14:3 BBE

(3) So they kept there for a long time, taking heart in the Lord, who gave witness to the word of his grace by causing signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

There are also false witnesses .

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 BBE

(13) For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making themselves seem like Apostles of Christ.

(14) And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to take the form of an angel of light.

(15) So it is no great thing if his servants make themselves seem to be servants of righteousness; whose end will be the reward of their works.

True witnesses are only required to say what they have actually heard or seen . They are never required to carefully construct a story intermingled with their own thoughts and ideas and conclusions . If they try to do that ,then their testimony will be discarded in a court of law . No they are only required to witness about what they have seen and heard in their own words .

The disciples and Paul for instance witnessed about the Life that Christ restored for all people on the Cross . Nothing more ,nothing less ,nothing that contradict or oppose that came out of their mouths . When they gave testimony about the Life in Christ ,then miracles start to happen . People were healed , raised from the dead , demons were cast out etc. In other words they could demonstrate the power of the life in Christ . They focussed on nothing else ,they demonstrated nothing else but the Life giving Power of Christ that were IN them .

Every Word that Jesus spoke was focussed to explain His sole purpose for coming to the earth ,namely to establish the Kingdom of God .The Kingdom of God is even more powerful than the life in the Paradise that Adam and Eve enjoyed . It is a more powerful continuation of the life in Paradise . Simply because God does not only repair damage ,He creates a better replacement . We are not only conquerers , we are MORE than conquerers .

Romans 8:37 KJV

(37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Luke 4:43 BBE

(43) But he said to them, I have to give the good news of the kingdom of God in other towns, because that is why I was sent.

1 Corinthians 2:2 BBE

(2) For I had made the decision to have knowledge of nothing among you but only of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Let us now examine religions in the light of what he have discussed so far .

Unity is important . Where true witnesses flock together ,their will be unity among them .

John 17:16-21 KJV

(16) They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

(17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

(18) As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

(19) And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

(20) Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

(21) That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

There are literally thousands and ten thousands and hundred thousands of different religions all over the world . Just about everyone of them claim that adherence to their doctrines and systems and ways of doing things will bring you in contact either directly or indirectly with some form of godly influence .

Among the many different religions is religions that claim they can bring us into contact with God . They use the Bible as a point of reference . They claim that God is present in their meetings and services .

The problem is that God never created people to serve Him via a religion . Man were not made for religion at all . Neither was religion made for man . Man were made to reign on the earth while enjoying perfect fellowship with God . There was no lack in any form whatsoever . No religion was required at all .

God use people to fill the earth with His Glory . They do it by proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and by demonstrating the indwelling power of the Kingdom of God in them .

Every person is capable of filling the earth with the Glory and Power of God . In this scenario again God do things in a way that go far beyond our thoughts . God decided that every human being would be a King in His Kingdom . God decided that everyone of us should be like Him ,both in character and function . We have the mind of Christ ,the likeness of Christ and the Power of Christ on earth . That is our inheritance . Christ died already , the inheritance is already ours .

God is waiting for us to enjoy it and reign over everything . We cannot work hard or do many things to fullfil our purpose on earth . We can only start to enjoy it . Adam and Eve woke up in Paradise . They were not required to do many things in order for them to advance into Paradise .

Neither can we do anything to earn the right to live in the Kingdom of God . When Christ rose from the grave we rose with Him into our new life in the Kingdom of God . We woke up from in the Kingdom of God .

Now how does it happen that people miss the Kingdom of God again . How is it possible that many people still don't know that they have a Kingdom to live in . The answer is that they are removed from their inheritance by rather believing in something else . They listen to a different “gospel” ,than the only Gospel of the Kingdom of God that Christ Himself and Paul and the disciples preached .

By their ignorance they give up their inheritance and then they are stranded only with the woes of a carnal life on earth . It kills them slowly day by day . The tragic thing is that it is not necessary to happen at all .

Some of them however see the Kingdom of God when it is presented to them . They hear the true Gospel and believe it . The Word has it's own power to open up the Kingdom of God to them . The Word have all the keys of the different rooms of the Kingdom of God in it .

They are the keys to your abundant life in Christ .

True witnesses of God will help you to find them and use them .

Religions will confuse you seriously . Life will bring you joy . Christianity is not another religion it is a Life .

People will enjoy the conversation and fellowship of other people ,till one of them ask “ to what religion do you belong ? “ . From that moment serious division will separate them . Make them to avoid each other in the future .

Sometimes they may even be from the same religion , but their perception of a doctrine in their religion may differ . It will have the same effect . It will divide them ,even up to a point where they will go to the same church ,but not speak to each other .

Doctrines cannot bring unity in any religion , because every doctrine is based on something . It is derived from something . In so called Christian religions it is derived from the Bible . It does not help at all ,simply because it is still subjected to every person's interpretation . It may even accurately or inaccurately depict what the Bible mean by a certain verse or verses . Ten people will then read it and they will come up with ten different interpretations . Unity is still lacking then .

God's alternative for you is to have contact with the life giving power of the Word . When you come back from your encounter with the Word ,everyone will have the opportunity to experience the effect that the Word have on you . If they believe in God and are serious about the Life that the Gospel tell them about ,then they will respect the indwelling power of the Word in you . If they reject you ,then they also reject the Word ,they reject Christ as well . They will avoid you and go their own way . Later they will desperately need exactly what they rejected . They will do everything ,give everything they have to come into contact with the power of the Word in you again . They will need you to help them to find the way to the Kingdom of God again .

They will not be attracted to another religion . They will know life is far more important than religion . They need life . They will despise religion that brought them into captivity in the first place .

Please make sure you come together with people that can demonstrate the life of Christ in them !

Something positive must happen . In Mark 4 Jesus asked His disciples : Mark 4:39-41 MKJV

(39) And He awakened and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace! Be still! And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

(40) And He said to them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

(41) And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?

Do you have no faith . Christ meant , “something should have come from your faith . Either the fear in your hearts should have subsided or the storm should have come to an end ,but nothing happened , that is not normal , that is a position of no faith “ .” My goodness something must happen . If you go on like this ,you will die “ !

Do I have a religion ? . No I don't ,frankly ,because I don't need one . Do I have true life in

Christ ? . Yes I have , frankly because that is the thing I need the most , and Christ gave it to me .

Religions wil scrutinize your believes and if it doesn't fit their system or interpretation of their system they will reject you .

It should be the other way round . Religions should adapt their systems and doctrines according to the source that gives you power in your life .

Spiritual people are easily rejected by religions . The Baptist see you as not “Baptist” enough and reject you . The Presbyterians see you as not “Presbyterian enough and reject you . How is such a mess possible ? Change is absolutely necessary .

Be Blessed

Bertus