Replenish Your Faith With These Words

Life started in a garden, and we still live in that garden today. Maybe not in a physical sense but definitely in a spiritual one. God told Adam and Eve they were free to eat of every tree in the garden of Eden except one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

We all know the story though. Satan tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden tree, deceiving her into believing God was withholding something good from her. She and Adam ate of the fruit, which resulted in the fall of man. Their eyes were opened to their nakedness, and death was released into the world.

As a result, we now experience every sort of disease, death and destruction in this world. However, God intervened. He sent His only Son to redeem us from that painful existence of permanent death. Today, because of the cross and the finished work of Jesus, we can become more than conquerors in this world. Believers now live in the kingdom of heaven, filled with the Holy Spirit of God and anointed with power through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This enables us to demonstrate the kingdom of God to unbelievers, testifying to the reality of Jesus’ resurrection.

God still instructs us today to eat of the tree of life, which is Jesus and His work. He still beckons to us today to eat what is good. Not because He is withholding anything good, but because He desires for us to live. Typically when the Bible speaks of eating, it refers to words, and words involve covenants and people. This is why Jesus instructs Satan, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4).

“Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. And He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, and then He was hungry. And the tempter came to Him and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones be turned into bread.’ But He answered, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’ (Matt. 4:1-4).

Not only are words food for our souls but containers for power as well. Through our words we create, just like our Father in heaven. Words can sustain our soul in great distress, and focusing on the Word of God feeds our souls on what is good.

In contrast, when we focus on the words of the enemy of our souls, it becomes like poisoned fruit destroying our garden life from within.

Recently, I was worshipping the Lord Jesus, and He began to give me a vision of the tree of life. It was gnarly in appearance, almost grotesque, twisted and dripping with blood. I realized it was a foreshadow to the cross of Jesus. It was a picture of what was to come, of how our Savior would die on that lonely tree to bring many sons and daughters home to God.

However, the fruit of that tree was good and pleasing to the sight. The fruit of the New Covenant drips with the mercy of God, the forgiveness, the passion and love of the Lord Jesus for His people. There are people who speak words, even to other believers, that do not come from the tree of life. Instead, they come from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is the Law.

This is why Satan tempted Jesus to eat of the Law, which requires no living active relationship with God. This is why Satan provoked Jesus to turn stones into bread. The stones represent the Law, the high standard of God engraved upon stone and given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Stones can never become bread for our souls.

Words that come from the Law are not from God, not in this age, not in this covenant. Those words are from the accuser of the brethren, who accuses us of sin that Jesus has removed. God the Father is pleased with the work of His Son, and the Bible clearly tells us that Jesus was raised to life without our sin as an irrefutable proof that our sin has been dealt with.

Paul the apostle goes on to ask who is left to accuse us, certainly not Jesus? Under the law, no man can be justified; to even attempt to keep the law is the epitome of self-righteousness. Jesus makes it very clear to the believer that our righteousness is a gift from God alone. It is based on the work of Jesus, not our religious law-keeping. If anyone comes to you with a revelation that does not reflect the work of Christ and the fruit of His Spirit, it is not of God. Just let those stones fall to the ground, knowing who it is that accuses you. Certainly not your Father in heaven, certainly not Jesus. If you believe in Jesus, trust that He completed His work, know that it is through faith alone that you are saved and righteous. This is how no weapon formed against you will prosper. It is critical that we read Scriptures in context. Let us examine the entire Scripture on this verse found in Isaiah.

I often hear people quoting this passage not in its entirety; it is critical that we quote it correctly. The only reason a weapon does not prosper against a believer is because of the gift of righteousness. You have to come to a place completely dependent upon the Word of God, the work of the Lord Jesus, for your justification. The Bible tells us that Christ has been made unto us wisdom, justification and redemption.

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:30-31).

You must have Christ as your justification to withstand the accusation of the enemy of our souls. In Christ alone you will stand; do not look to yourself in any manner. Apart from Christ there is always something the enemy can accuse you of, but Christ is perfect in all His ways. He is flawless in word and deed. Your life is hidden in Him, and God no longer sees you as yourself. When God the Father looks at you, He sees His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased. Eat of the words of the New Covenant, the words of Jesus, the tree of life, and live.

Listen to the full episode from Christine Perera’s podcast, Revealing Jesus on the Charisma Podcast Network here. {eoa}