So far we have been talking about the wonderful free grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been focusing on the finished work that He accomplished at His Cross and at the resurrection. We learned that if we are "poor" then we have an advantage and we actually in a better position to overcome difficulties. We learned that our overcoming is very valuable to God, and to ourselves. We have learned about the magnificent, all-inclusive, all-powerful work done by Jesus on the Cross of Calvary, how He shed his blood for our sin, and rose from the dead to give us life. We cannot add to that. We have learned that overcoming takes place in the Courtroom of God. We know that we are in God's "courtroom" and that we need to "stand" until the final verdict and judgement.

However, in order to take advantage of that work, we must also die. We must take up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him. We must lose our life. A blood covenant is not a one sided deal. It has no effect unless both parties shed blood and agree to be committed. Jesus spoke about this. "…'The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.' Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it'" (Luke 9:22,24).

Notice He compared our responsibility to His. He said He was going to take up His cross, and that we must also take up our cross. Now there has been a lot of misunderstanding on this subject. The word for "life" in Luke 9 means "soul" or the will, mind and emotions. The word "deny" means to say no to. The key to abundant life and receiving all that Jesus has for us, including His presence, is to complete the blood covenant by taking up our cross.

It takes two deaths, Jesus' and yours to activate the blood covenant! Taking up your cross is not just saying no, it is like getting married, exclusivity, and with total consecration. He gave all to us; we give all to Him, even our lives. Taking up your cross puts Jesus as your Lord. You no longer own any part of your life. The more you give to Him, the more of Himself He may give to you.

When we connect the Cross of Jesus to our cross we are plugged into God and Power happens!

Both faith and works justified Abraham.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (James 2:21).

Obedience to the voice of God transforms the natural to the spiritual.

The words, "faith" and "believe" both have two actions and two parts when investigating their translations. They require a hearing and a doing. While we do not obtain God's favor by works, we are co-laborers with Him, and when we do what He says to do, we transform little acts of common everyday obedience into spiritually powerful energy.

A young boy was watching with awe a circus act where a cable was spanned over a very deep canyon. A cable car would traverse the canyon with one of the circus stunt men in the car. Upon returning, the stunt man noticed the young boy, and he said, "Son, do you think that this car could hold you and get you to the other side of the canyon." The boy said, "Well….yes, I do believe." Upon hearing the young lad's response, the stunt man said, "OK, then, get in the car and go for a ride." The lad said, "Oh, I don't know if I believe enough to trust my life to it."

Abandonment is what God wants. Do you trust Him with your life and not just on paper? That is real faith.

One of the great principles of faith is the "doing" portion of it, that is to say, our being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was" (James 1:23,24). God does not want to produce a bunch of lazy bums that run around saying, "I am standing in faith," and then sit around all day and don't even go looking for a job. " But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). The quickest way for us to be self-deceived is to not obey what the Lord has told us in the Word.

I submit that there are three kinds of works, the works of the flesh, the works of the Law, and the works of faith.

1. The works of our flesh spring out of our being alienated from the real time presence of God.

2. The works of faith come as a result of pushing into His presence.

3. The works of the Law are what some people think they need to do in order to earn their salvation and righteousness.

Let us investigate these three kinds of works.

The works of the Law.

A man cannot be justified by keeping the Law. We are not to look at the Law as some external list of things to check off. That is not why Jesus came. He came to insert the Law into our hearts so that we could partake of God's character.

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified" (Galatians 2:16).

The Scriptures are clear stating that the Law is to bring us to Christ. It is to show us the pattern of God's personality, and thus show us how we fall short. Its purpose is not to bring us to obedience to the Law for that is impossible, but to have us to cry out to God for help. His answer to our cry is Christ who is the only one who kept the Law perfectly. Christ comes in us to carry out His life through us. (Romans 3:20, 77, Galatians 3:10,3:24, 1 Timothy 1:9).

The works of the Law will put us under a curse. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.'" (Galatians 3:10). Now take a look at Deutoronomy chapter 28, starting in verse 15, and you will see some pretty horrible curses that you will put yourself under if you are trying to justify yourself by your performance, or by keeping the law of God.

We should remember that the primary portion of the Law normally forgotten by people of God is the sacrifice. Forgiveness through a substitute sacrifice was always part of the Law. Our sacrifice is Jesus, and we cannot add anything to Him.

The works of the flesh.

The generic works of the flesh are mentioned in Galatians chapter 5. "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:19-24).

Works of the flesh can also be very personal and become personal decisions. They can simply be not submitting to the will of God (whether you know it or not) and making decisions independent of God.

In Romans Chapter 8:1-11 the grace for our mistakes and for our flesh is expressed. It is called "Walking in the Spirit."

Even when you miss it, if you turn quickly and repent the Lord will keep the damnatory sentence from coming upon you. Repenting your way through life is called "Walking in the Spirit." "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).

The works of faith are mentioned in the Book of James.

While we do not obtain salvation, justification, righteousness, or any of the works of the Cross we have studied by works, the fact that we are saved, we are righteous, etc., will indeed propel us to good works. If someone claims to be a Christian and does not show good works and obedience in his/her life, I begin to wonder if they have ever really been saved.

Faith will not work without corresponding obedience!

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!" (James 2:14-19).

"But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and works made faith perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:20-26).

Usually the works of faith are personal in nature, works that are customized for each personal situation. Sometimes it may involve seeing a particular doctor, or interviewing for a particular job. Perhaps it involves taking a certain medicine, or being assured that you are to marry a certain person. Perhaps it is relating to someone or forgiving him or her with God's heart of compassion.

Sometimes the works of faith may just be confessing the Word that God has given to you. God wants us involved. He does not desire for us just to take impersonal directions from Him. He wants to use the law of desire in our hearts so that His plan for our life is really what we have a passion to do. Happiness is finding out that your greatest desire is God's will.

In 2 Samuel chapter 5, David had just defeated his enemy. Then He inquired of the Lord about a second attack, and the Lord warned him not to attack until he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees. We need to hear God today for today's marching orders!

In Exodus Chapter 15, right after Moses had led the Israelites across the Red Sea, they encounter a bitter pool of water called Marah. The only water available was not fit for drinking. God spoke to Moses to throw a certain tree into the pool, and the pool turned into great drinking water. That is a great picture of the Cross absorbing all of our bitter situations. There are trees that will absorb the type of impurities that were in that pool. The miracle was that Moses could hear God tell him which tree to throw in. That was a work of faith. After that, the group progressed to an oasis with shade and springs of water called Elim, which means in typology the Kingdom of God.

Abraham truly heard from God, otherwise he could not have raised his knife to slay his son. He truly heard from God a second time when he did not lower the knife. It is a good thing that Abraham did not make a doctrine out of this, but kept it as a personal work of faith. Abraham was overcoming his curse of being childless. Even though Isaac was a supernatural birth, Abraham still had a generational curse to overcome. Satan could have killed Isaac. However God had Abraham face his curse head on, look at it in the face, and at the last minute the substitute Lamb showed up.

Abraham also performed a classic work of the flesh when be birthed Ishmael through his servant Hagar. He knew God's will was to give him a child. However he felt that he needed to take things into his own control because he could not see how God could have possibly give him a son through Sarah.

How can one find out for sure which works of faith God has prescribed for him/her? I submit that it is both easy and difficult. It is easy because all it requires is for us to spend so much time with God that His will becomes our will. It is difficult because we are not in control, and rarely do we know in advance exactly what we are supposed to do. More often it is like holding the hand of an experienced guide in a jungle as opposed to having a detailed jungle map. Remember faith comes by hearing God speak. How can we have faith if we do not hear Him speaking? "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

What about Jonah's works?

Most often when we look at Jonah we focus on his fleeing to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord when the Lord called him to go to Nineveh. God arranged for Jonah's ship to encounter a storm, and for Jonah to finish his journey in the belly of a whale. Jonah even cried out to the Lord and repented, he did all the right things while in the whale. He remembered the Temple and gave thanksgiving in the midst of his affliction.

Was Jonah's obedience pleasing to God?

Then the Lord called Jonah a second time. The Word says that Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the Word of the Lord (Jonah 3:1-2). It sounds good. It sounds like Jonah learned his lesson and this time obeyed. Maybe, but let's look deeper.

Jonah preached and Nineveh had a supernatural revival. The results were astonishing! "Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it" (Jonah 3:10).

"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the LORD, and said, 'Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm'" (Jonah 4:1-2). He was so despondent that he asked the Lord to take his life. Although Jonah had finally obeyed the Lord, his heart was not God's heart.

Jonah went outside the city to pout, and was hot from the sun. So God prepared a gourd to give him shade. Then God prepared a cut worm to take down the gourd. Jonah again wanted to die. He could not understand God's love and mercy. He was angry.

Why was Jonah angry?

Nineveh was Israel's great enemy! Jonah was a partisan Israelite and he had a difficult time showing mercy to Nineveh. Just imagine asking a religious Jew today to have mercy on the Palestinian Authority! I have talked to a few Jews and they cannot even imagine showing forgiveness towards the enemies of Israel. I give the Jews a lot of mercy for their stand because they are fighting for their very existence. However, God's character goes beyond what we can see in the natural.

Listen to the last few words of God's conversation with Jonah.

"Then God said to Jonah, 'Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?' And he said, 'It is right for me to be angry, even to death!' But the LORD said, 'You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left--and much livestock?'" (Jonah 4:9-11).

I don't think we can afford to bring an indictment against Jonah for what he did. I don't think this shows his depravity as much as it shows the "otherness" of God compared to human thinking. God has a way of loving people that is just so foreign to our thinking that we must stand back in humble repentance. There is a Jonah in all of us, and the same God may ask us to do an act parallel to what He called Jonah to.

God wanted Jonah, and you and me, to have His heart towards others. God even had compassion for the livestock! He was attempting to show him, and you and me, that our hearts can be so hard towards others. Certainly he wants our obedience, but more than that He wants us to feel His heart and allow Him to reach out to others through us. He wants us to repent for our selfishness and self-centerness.

Who have been your enemies? When you forgive others do you do it with God's compassion, or do you forgive with a grudge towards your enemies? Do you have a righteous indignation against certain types of people? What about prostitutes, what about homosexuals? Maybe God wants to do a supernatural act in their lives like He did in the people of Nineveh.

When we are in real time fellowship with the Lord, our will becomes His will and His heart becomes our heart.

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). "Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established (your will becomes agreeable with His will)" (Proverbs 16:3).

If you agree that faith without works is dead, and that faith comes from being in fellowship with God, then you need to focus on and learn the skills of being in fellowship with God, otherwise you will never overcome.

Overcoming requires that we stay in the Secret Place of the Most High as in Psalms 91. It requires that we put on the whole armour of God as in Ephesians Chapter 6. I submit that both of these simply mean, wearing the character of God. You are in a secret place where the devil cannot harm you nor win his court case against you if you are standing in the character of Jesus. You are hidden in Christ!

The only way we can wear the character of God, for real not just faking it, is to spend so much time with Him that His character rubs off on us. We become just like whom we spend much time with.

That is the subject of our next few chapters.