Why Jesus Came

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
—1 John 3:8

The leper in Matthew 8:1–4 asked Jesus outright if He wanted to heal him. This leper is like today’s Church. We know that God can. But the question is, will He? “If You want to, You can make me whole.” God is almighty. God is all-powerful. He can, but will He? We need to know more than His ability; we need to know His will. Jesus stated, “I will.” We need to know and believe that God can, and also that it is His will. Now we can enforce and prove His will in our lives, which is healing. The very purpose for which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested was to destroy the works of the devil. God’s will is to destroy the works of the devil and reinstate man to his original position. The works of the devil are sin, sickness, lack, fear, and the curse. God does not will to allow the devil to work, He does not want to put the devil’s works on you to teach and/or punish you, but He does desire to destroy the devil’s works. Jesus was the will of God in action. He went around destroying the works of the devil. God’s will is to destroy the works of the devil in your life, to deliver you from this present evil world. This now gives you boldness and the legal right to stand against the works of the devil. It also gives you the right to heal the sick and set others free because it is God’s will.

Pastor Tom Kehres

Damaging Doctrines

. . . who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. —Galatians 1:4

Jesus gave Himself so that we would be delivered from this present world system, from the evil in the world. How are you going to live delivered and as a world overcomer? Faith! We have been taught certain things that destroy faith: “You never know what God will do”; “God moves in mysterious ways.” How can you have faith in God to do what you don’t know He will do? People say, “I’m just believing God!” I ask, “For what?” They reply, “Whatever God wants.” How can you use your dominion to receive what God might not want you to have? We have been taught that God heals some but not others. How can I believe that God will heal me if I’m one of those whom He doesn’t want to heal? How will I even know if I am one He wants to heal or one He doesn’t want to heal? We have nullified our faith and given up our dominion with the attitude that it’s up to God if I live sick or healed, with needs met or in lack! The most damag ing doctrine in the Church is that “God is in control of everything.” When you believe that all is up to God in your life, then there is no need for faith; God is going to do what God wants to do anyway. If it’s all up to God, I will not have to believe; I will not have to resist. I will not cast down thoughts. “Whatever happens is up to God.” No! You must know the will of God in order to enforce the will of God. Faith begins where the will of God is known. There can be no faith if you do not know God’s will. But we do know God’s will! He wills that you be delivered from this present evil world! It is in the Word, and the Word is His will. Now I can fight the good fight of faith.

Pastor Tom Kehres

Damaging Doctrines

. . . who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the will of God and our Father. —Galatians 1:4

Jesus gave Himself so that we would be delivered from this present world system, from the evil in the world. How are you going to live delivered and as a world overcomer? Faith! We have been taught certain things that destroy faith: “You never know what God will do”; “God moves in mysterious ways.” How can you have faith in God to do what you don’t know He will do? People say, “I’m just believing God!” I ask, “For what?” They reply, “Whatever God wants.” How can you use your dominion to receive what God might not want you to have? We have been taught that God heals some but not others. How can I believe that God will heal me if I’m one of those whom He doesn’t want to heal? How will I even know if I am one He wants to heal or one He doesn’t want to heal? We have nullified our faith and given up our dominion with the attitude that it’s up to God if I live sick or healed, with needs met or in lack! The most damag- ing doctrine in the Church is that “God is in control of everything.” When you believe that all is up to God in your life, then there is no need for faith; God is going to do what God wants to do anyway. If it’s all up to God, I will not have to believe; I will not have to resist. I will not cast down thoughts. “Whatever happens is up to God.” No! You must know the will of God in order to enforce the will of God. Faith begins where the will of God is known. There can be no faith if you do not know God’s will. But we do know God’s will! He wills that you be delivered from this present evil world! It is in the Word, and the Word is His will. Now I can fight the good fight of faith.

Pastor Tom Kehres

“Bringing Forth”

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. —Matthew 12:35

The power of faith will “bring forth” natural things in your life. Notice: Who brings forth? God or the man? What is brought forth depends on what is abundant in the heart. You determine what is abundant in your heart. How are things brought forth? The mouth speaks. This is the God-kind of faith, in your heart and in your mouth. God operated in Genesis by saying, “Light in Me, be! Moon in Me, be!” You operate in health by saying, “Health in me be!” “Prosperity be!” You have the divine ability to create things. You have the God-kind of faith. You can choose “this day” life or death, bless ing or cursing (Deuteronomy 30:19). Everything you receive from God comes from the Kingdom in you, through you (Luke 17:20–21). Righteousness, peace, joy, power, and the Spirit of God (the Spirit of faith) are in you. How does the Kingdom come through you? By having the Word abundantly in your heart and then speaking it with your mouth. God spoke light in the midst of darkness. Why? He desired light, and light was in Him. “Gee, it is dark” would not have changed anything. You have the God-kind of faith. Talk health in the midst of symptoms. Talk wealth in the midst of lack. Do not join the world’s vision and talk, but join God’s way of operating and live the triumphant Kingdom life.

Pastor Tom Kehres