"Submit To God!" (Parts 5 & 6)

[Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

We Must Submit Ourselves to God!

Now, let’s continue with this teaching: In order for us to understand and obey the Word of God, we MUST TOTALLY submit ourselves to God, so we will be able to resist the devil; ONLY THEN, will the devil flee (James 4:6-10). Like I said before, the devil will try to come back, but if we totally sell out to God, we can cause the devil to flee with the Word of God; as Jesus did (Matthew 4:1-11). However, if you keep giving in to your old lusts and desires, those lusts and desires will grow and stay alive in your soul (Galatians 5:16-26). We must always remember, we are no longer to allow sin to control us; we are freed from the bondage of sin and it’s consequences, by Jesus (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:18; John 8:36; Romans 6:12-16; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:23; Isaiah 53:4-5).

We Are Forgiven By God

We must never forget, that we are forgiven by God because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection for our sins – past, present, and future (Ephesians 2:1-22). Jesus’ gift of salvation not only covers our past sins, but is covering our sins now and will continue to cover them until He returns for us – His Bride, the Church (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7). We become the Bride of Christ when we accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior for the forgiveness of our sins. It is at that moment, that we have the gift of eternal life (1 John 2:25; John 10:28; John 17:3; 1 John 5:11). Yes, Jesus died for ALL mankind, BUT unless people accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior, they will not have eternal life.

It does not matter how many times you fall, God will not cast you away (Psalms 37:23); your salvation comes from the grace of God, through faith in Christ – not by your works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus’ finished work is why when God looks at us, He does not see our sins but His grace because of Jesus; God has cast our sins as far as the East is from the West (Psalms 103:12).

God Loves YOU!

God loved you and still loves you (John 3:16); Jesus died so you could live – He is the ONLY source to our eternal life. God’s gift of grace, through faith in His Son Jesus, is available to YOU NOW! We are blessed to have our sins and lawless deeds forgiven by God (Romans 4:7) because Jesus’ Blood has paid our sin debt (Colossians 2:13-15). If we really loved God, we would keep His commandments (John 14:21). The love God has for us is unconditional; NOTHING can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:31-39): “³¹ What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? ³² He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. ³⁴ Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. ³⁵ Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written and forever remains written,

“For Your sake we are put to death all day long;
We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. ³⁸ For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (biblegateway.com – AMP).

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In His Service,

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks