The Gospel of Matthew: Chapter Six

The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount continues in the sixth chapter as Jesus resumes His teachings on the mindset of the Kingdom.

St.Matthew 6:1-4

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Jesus admonishes His disciples in their giving and warns them of giving to be esteemed in the eyes of men. He encouraged His disciples to give as this was an essential part of the fulfilling of the law. It was a very important part of the Jewish custom to give to the poor and the scribes and Pharisees took full advantage of this to parade their giving before men. The scriptures say, “they sounded a trumpet” that the impact of their giving would echo for miles and miles. No doubt, being men of substance they gave large sums of money also. What was their motive? It was that men would look on their personage with great admiration. This was their reward! And truly, this was the only accolade they received. God had no honor in their alms giving. They were not motivated by the righteousness in the law.

St.Luke 11:35

Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

Jesus wanted the disciples to see the uselessness in giving when we give for the wrong reasons. The act of giving was a righteous act but the motive for doing it was gendered out of self-gain and self-exhortation. This is when the light of the truth becomes dark! Now we cannot help but try to implement a spiritual principle in the flesh! It cannot produce righteousness or a mind and heart reflective of the Kingdom.

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

When we give, whether it is our substance or our time, we must be motivated out of a pure heart! The Holy Spirit will not come into agreement with anything that we do that is not for the purpose of glorifying the Father. He will put up a red flag in our spirits and He will war against the agenda of the flesh. Some saints would never equate themselves with a scribe or Pharisee simply because they do not dress like one, or hang out in the streets in the market places, but the mindset is the same in giving. They give with “conditions” whether it is to be promoted to an authority in the church, to be looked upon as one of substance or simply to hear their names called in the service. When there is no acknowledgement of their “lucrative” giving, this may result in a sudden withdrawal of tithes and offerings. This especially is noted if the individual is rebuked or confronted for a lack of character. When “conditions” of that individual are not met then the true motive for giving surfaces.

Jesus admonished the disciples to “give in secret.” He knew if their giving were for any fleshly reasons, there would be no difference between the disciples and those He preached against. But the Father is the one who is receiving the gifts that we give. This rules out giving for vainglory. When we give inside of obedience to the Word and to fulfill the needs of the ministry, it is between the giver and the Father who receives it. We should not have to involve the attention of those around us! The Father sees our hearts and rewards us for our obedience. That reward may come in the form of spiritual blessings, financial blessings, good health, salvation for loved ones or even ministry! However He blesses us, we will see the Father respond from Heaven because we gave with the right heart.

THE HYPOCRISY OF MEN

Jesus’ entire message revolved around taking away the power and the influence of the flesh. He wanted His followers to see that the Life He came to offer them was not dependent on self-exhortation! In order for Him to do that He first destroyed the testimonies of the religious leaders who claimed to represent Judean values. It was evident that their lives, although full of good works, were void of righteous character. This is why Jesus would always say, “as the hypocrites do”. A hypocrite is one who acts the part, also known as stage playing. He is deceptive because He does all the right things on the outside but inwardly is the complete opposite of the character he is portraying. It is for the purpose of creating an illusion to seduce those who are looking on into believing what is not truth! The scribes and Pharisees were the ones whom Jesus warned the disciples about in His Sermon.

St.Matthew 6:5-7

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Jesus called them “heathens” because they were void of the character that represented holiness and righteousness.

A heathen was a gentile or non-Jewish person whose practices in prayers included a lot of vain repetition for the purpose of wearying God with a lot of words. There was no true intercession from the heart just a public act to impress those who were around. How many times have we seen in a prayer session saints repeating the same things over and over again, praying at the top of their voices? There is no unction from the Spirit as to what to pray just rehearsed words that sound spiritual.

When we pray from the position of the flesh, we use fleshy tactics to try to persuade God to do what we want Him to do. So constant bombarding of the same request is suppose to invoke God to move. Our prayers become motivated by emotionalism and we wonder why so many go unanswered. This is not the posture the Father wants us to take in prayer. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees in their public prayer. Why was He so tenacious about addressing the actions of these religious leaders? Because the actions of leaders are a reflection of what is deemed as acceptable to the Father in the eyes of those who hold them in high esteem.

At that time these men were suppose to represent the Law of God! They were the ones who were respected as having a relationship with God. So instead of allowing this to be accepted as the standard, Jesus exposed the powerlessness in the lives of these men in all of their good works. If we are going to be valuable in the Kingdom of God we, too, have to be as tenacious as Jesus was regarding sin. He never allowed sin to enter His presence without addressing it. We must realize that sin is not a respector of persons. It is not excluded from those who are in positions of authority. God is a protector of His laws and His holiness and those who will be holy, will also do the same. This is the only life God accepts.

Romans 2:14-15

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

The preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom puts all mankind on the same plain. The Jews were brought down off their pedestals where they stood for years. The Gentiles were once again given the same opportunity to be grafted into the Kingdom of God. The proof of the power of this Kingdom was seen when the Gentiles who did not have the Ten Commandments given to them to live by, displayed the character that was exemplified in them. THIS WAS TO SHOW THE WORK OF A RENEWED CONSCIENCE WHEN A MAN IS BORN AGAIN. Entrance into this Kingdom was obtained based on the content of the heart and the humility of spirit! It was not based on who we are in the flesh. The Jews were not allowed entrance based on their relationship with Abraham. Jesus was teaching the mind it took to be accepted into this Kingdom.

St. Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Self-denial is the missing ingredient in the Body of Christ today. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount would be an extremely unpopular message because of the position that the flesh is placed in. It is hard enough for a saint to consider putting themselves lower than someone else and then to be content in such a situation. Why, because the Church feels it should be the head and not the tail. In fact, that teaching has become a platform to live out pride that exists in the hearts of men. The only way we will successfully live the principles Jesus taught is to achieve it from the position of the Spirit. They were not meant to be achieved by the carnal mind or through will power.

Romans 8:3-4

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When we read the teachings of the Kingdom, we must see them from the position Jesus was teaching from. He wanted them to abandon their old mindsets. This is why Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. He did not want them to continue in the footsteps of what was already established. He warned them of praying in the sight of others to appear spiritual or even performing a lot of “lip labor” for the purpose of sounding so pious and devout. This is what the “hypocrites” would do. Many saints preach messages in their prayer for the same reasons or pray for a long period of time, just to give the connotation of being “in touch with God.” But it is all to exalt the flesh! Many have used prayer as a platform to seek the riches of this world, but we learned that prayer is a platform for Ministry.

PRAYING FROM THE POSITION OF THE SPIRIT

St. Matthew 6:9-15

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever..

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them from the position of the Kingdom, not from the position of the flesh. “Our Father” establishes the position one must stand in to pray. It also suggests a kinsmanship with the Father. This is indeed the position of the Sons. We are kinsmen with the Father. We are His children. This means we are able to approach the throne of God knowing that He will hear us and we are recipients of all the benefits that come with sonship. It is most important that we know and understand these benefits for they constitute the position from which we will address the Father. It is profitable for us to note here that the things God has given us are spiritual. We cannot find where the Lord has made provisions for flesh within the New Covenant. So when He instructs us to ask what we will, spiritual beings ask for those things that will further the purpose of God. Nowhere in Jesus’ prayer did He instruct the disciples to pursue wealth but He taught the attitude of a Son. The prayer at this point should be one of agreement. We must agree from the heart that we are “Spirit Beings.” We must acknowledge that we are the offspring of God, we have overcome sin, we can live holy and glorify the Father by walking in the Spirit.

St.Matthew 6:16-18

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Jesus warned the disciples about their attitude in fasting. This was an integral part of the Jewish customs and the disciples had seen the way the scribes and Pharisees presented themselves in public while they were fasting. They were more interested in appearing devout and pious. But there was no contriteness of spirit. They pretended to fast by walking with a sad countenance, and a hung down head to express their denial of the flesh. They were successful in convincing the Jewish community of their ‘spirituality’ but Jesus rebuked them openly and warned the disciples about their wickedness.

Fasting is used to chasten the flesh so that the spirit can be more sensitive to the voice of God. But saints use it everyday to establish their own agendas. When it is done out of a pure heart, the Holy Spirit will give directions and instructions for our lives. There are times that we might fast to get God to work in situations of those who are held captive by sin. However, when the motive is impure, fasting is used as a means to further our own selfish motives in the name of “getting away to seek God”.

1 Timothy 4:8

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

When we use fasting to exalt the flesh it becomes another activity that the flesh engages in, then we, like the religious leaders, have our rewards. The momentary satisfaction of gratifying what we want will be all that we receive. We have gained the world’s approval but at the expense of losing God’s acceptance. Jesus further instructed the twelve in the priorities of this life in His sermon . . .

St.Matthew 6:19-21

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The key to the next three verses in the Sermon is summed up in verse 21, the location of the heart. Jesus impressed upon them the character of those who will live in the Kingdom of God. Remember, Christ always taught from the position of the Kingdom and He wanted them to see the value of heavenly treasure. John expressed in his epistles for us to (1 John 2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This is the same principle that Jesus was teaching His disciples. If you love the riches in the world that is where your heart will be! When we have something of value, we hold it dear and protect it. We cannot love both worldly possessions and God! There are those in the Body of Christ who fall inside of this scripture. They love things and their character is always one of carnality because their entire conversation is pertaining to the things they possess. Their possessions are what have made them who they are.

Revelation 3:17-18

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

These saints do not believe that their riches blind them! They have traded their soul for all that this world has to offer. He further taught that all of these worldly pleasures have only temporal value. He wanted the disciples to see that worldly riches could not satisfy a son. But a carnal mind is not able to accept this truth. In fact, it is foolishness to him. But a spiritual mind embraces this truth and happily walks in it. Jesus wanted them to see the value of seeking after spiritual things. Paul stated in Colossians

Colossians 3:1-3

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Why is the scripture so adamant about us putting our affection on the things that are above? Paul uses the word “set” which simply indicates a deliberate action in the heart. He goes on to explain if we are born again, then we are dead to this world and all of its lusts. As sons of God we are of another race of people. We should not be driven by the pleasures of this life. Jesus wanted the disciples and all of those who would believe on Him to realize that they were new creatures with new emotions and new desires gendered by the Spirit.

Our riches are found in the fellowship of the Spirit not the wealth of this world. That was the power of the Kingdom that Jesus offered to the Jews and Gentiles. Although it did not come in observation, it was powerful enough to empty out the lustful desires of a man’s heart and fill it with the riches of God’s glory. It would rob a man of the thirst for this world if He would just surrender to it. The power of the Spirit is able to cause a man to lay down what the world holds as precious in exchange for security in the Kingdom. Solomon quoted in the book of Proverbs . . .

Proverbs 11:4

Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

Solomon had experienced all of the wealth and prestige that the world could offer and called it all vanity. Why, because the pleasure of it only lasts for a season, but the righteousness of God delivers a man’s soul from eternal judgment!

St.Matthew 6:22-24

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

If that which the eye sees and entertains is unholy, then the disposition of the heart will be unholy. If the worldly things the eye encounters become a distraction then darkness possesses the soul. If the eye is single and focused on purpose, the life of Christ will be exemplified. There would be no distractions that would cause a man to be divided. The heart would be saturated with the will of the Father. But if that same heart is divided, trying to seek the Kingdom of God on one hand and the things of the world on another, then the man will walk in the flesh and all that he does will be evil. Why is this? Because a house divided against itself cannot stand. How can a man serve God and mammon? Mammon is defined as worldly gain, whether it is money, reputation, pride, lust etc.

1 John 2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is NOT OF THE FATHER, but is of the world.

This is why the flesh will war against the Spirit! They both desire to be served and whomever a man yields his members to, that is the one he will serve. So a heart that is desirous of the world’s goods cannot walk in the purpose of God. Instead, He will try to work ministry, but true ministry can only be accomplished in the Spirit. Up to now the Church has been defeated. There is too much wantonness for the things of the world. The devil has a stronghold on the minds of the saints! The Church as we know it today has traded in its birthright; perfection in Christ, and settled for traditional worship, that makes allowances for sin. It appears the Church cannot live holy? The Bible is clear on how God feels about sin.

THERE IS NO SIN THAT IS GOING INTO HEAVEN.

So why is the majority of what we know to be the Body of Christ consciously living in sin? Why are the majority of the churches preaching a message that points the people of God to the things of this world? Let us bring it even closer to home, why does most of B.T, with all the Word we have received, still walk in the flesh, knowing the penalty of sin? The answer is the same. It is because the eye is not single! The soul lusts for the things it sees. It sins in an attempt to acquire the things of this world.

St.Matthew 6:25

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

A son of God is instructed not to take thought for his life even for what he will eat, drink and wear. When we take thought for these things, lust is created in us. But how often do we begin to worry about tomorrow, how the bills will be paid, or how we will put food on the table? We know that the scriptures are true but when it comes to allowing the Word to become law for our lives, we move off course. We become unbelievers. The saints of God have become extremely wanton! They have moved away from the drive to be holy and have become entangled with the things of this world.

So many of the saints today have fallen prey to all sorts of demonic influences because of it. There are those who are at the peak of their ministries but because they will not relinquish their way of thinking and their wants, they enter into a world of delusion. They prefer to believe a lie rather than the truth. They create a world around them made up of deceptions, offenses and their own ways. This keeps them from dealing with reality. So even though they are capable of pioneering new ministries, they are ineffective because they will not relinquish their own ways. When truth comes some listen and obey so they are able to progress in ministry, others listen but weigh it against their own agenda. Ministry takes a back seat and the mind keeps them from ever experiencing walking in the Spirit. This is very common in the Body because the saints take thought for their own lives and have refused to become totally reliant on the Spirit.

St.Matthew 6:26-30

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

All of creation is totally reliant on the Father. Jesus certainly was and when He ministered, He taught from this position. He was teaching the disciples the ways of the Family they were about to enter. This was a Family who did not have to go out and make their way in the world. They were taken care of by the Father and their lives were in His hands. When we look at something as insignificant as a bird or a flower in the field we see it as an act of nature that they are taken care of. We never think about how the natural life around us survives from day to day. In fact, all of creation, except man, is dependant on God! This is the way it was meant to be in the beginning! Jesus was saying that even plants and animals have more faith than man. This is how they are able to survive. The act of “taking thought” is a sin for a son because it keeps him trying to make a way for his own life. It also shows that we do not trust God. Christ made it clear that worrying would not change anything when He used the analogy of adding to one’s statue. Who is able to determine the growth of a child? A child grows based on God’s sovereignty inch by inch each year. He used this to show that there is nothing about our lives that we are in control of, even when it comes to necessities like eating and drinking.

St.Matthew 6:31-32

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Thoughtfulness about the world was a practice of the Gentile nation because they had no moral laws to govern them. They had no relationship with Jehovah God and worshiped only idol gods who they believed would take care of them. So when Christ taught not following after the Gentiles, these people loved the world and followed after every lustful desire they could imagine. Sadly though, we see saints in the church who have this same mentality even with the Holy Ghost.

In fact, the Faith and Prosperity message is the tool that the devil has used to keep them seeking after the wealth of this world. Pursuing wealth is of the flesh and those who preach it cater to the flesh. This is why the church cannot achieve holiness, because their affections are set on earthly gain. When saints are approached about the validity of the Faith and Prosperity message, they can offer no scriptural proof of God sanctioning the church to seek after the wealth of this world. But when they are taken to messages like the Sermon on the Mount and shown how Jesus taught His disciples to take no thought, they are offended. They refuse to believe that the life of a child of God is not to have all that they can ask. Paul said to Timothy . . .

1 Timothy 6:6-10

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

If seeking after the riches of this world will cost a man his soul, why would God want His children to go after it? In fact, why would He instruct ministers of the Gospel to preach it? I think not, God only instructed us to preach one message as it pertains to things,

TAKE NO THOUGHT, LEARN TO BE CONTENT!

Philippians 4:11-13

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

When we look at Jesus and those who followed Him, they did not seek the things of this world. They lived a lifestyle of contentment, whether it was of poverty or of wealth. Whatever state they found themselves in, they were at peace.

1 Timothy 6:5-6

5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Wealth has never been the determining factor for holiness. We are instructed not to associate with the likes of these men who say that it is. Godliness with contentment makes one rich! You must hear this from the position of the Spirit. Only those who are spiritually minded can understand being content when they have nothing of value on earth. There are saints in poor nations like Russia, Africa, Haiti, India and so many others who will die in poverty but are living holy. They have given their lives to the spreading of the Gospel. The Word is universal so there is no principle that applies to a certain set of Christians. If the Faith and Prosperity message is true, then why are these devout men and women not rich? Why would God not pick them up out of these destitute nations and put them in the big homes in places like America and Europe? As a matter of fact, why is 99% of the Body of Christ on low fixed income? The truth is, this message is false and those who preach it know that it does not work!

I believe that it is time for God to reveal to mankind the power of the message of taking no thought. In order for that to happen, He will allow His children to be placed in divers situations. There are those who will be poor and those who will be rich, those who will be free and those who will be in prison, those who will be sick and those who will be well, those who will have lots to eat and those who will not have anything to eat. The situations of our lives will vary, but there will be one constant!

Romans 14:17-18

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but RIGHTEOUSNESS, and PEACE, and JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

All people of God have access to the Kingdom of God. This is not a place seen with the natural eye. Jesus said that His Kingdom came without observation, and told Nicodemus that it is like the wind. We do not see it but we feel the effects of it. When we are born of the Spirit of God, we are born into this Kingdom. We become a new creature and our desires are new. Our affections are no longer on the things of earth like food, drink or earthly pursuits. We now begin to desire more and more of God and our affections leave the things that are in the natural and become spiritually minded.

The love of the Father will cause us to walk away from all that we own and those we love, just to follow Christ. Jesus taught from this perspective. He knew that a spiritually minded man would take no thought and be content inside of it. In fact, the joy they experience would begin to get the attention of others. How could a man have nothing and be happy? Where has this man found happiness? This is the evidence of the existence of another Kingdom, one that is not seen, but shows up in you and me! This is the common ground of the rich and the poor, the hungry and those who are full, the sick and those with good health. It is not in the state or disposition of the flesh but in the disposition of a man’s soul. His spirit has found that place of rest that can only be found in the Spirit of Christ!

St.Matthew 6:33-34

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Saints, this is our inheritance! In fact the Kingdom is where we reside. The Word says God placed us in heavenly places with Christ! We have to take our rightful place and began to experience the power of the riches of His glory in our own lives. Yes, we are the Last Reformation and we dare to defy the devil! We are new creatures and our desires are God’s desires. It is time to go forward and destroy the works of the devil in the lives of those around us! In the Holy Ghost is power to overcome any temptation.

Jesus left us with this consolation that He has overcome all the power of the enemy. When we walk in Christ, sin and all the lust of this world is no longer a temptation. We can say with an assurance that the devil is coming but he has nothing in me. This is true when we have embraced holiness and are truly walking in “godliness with contentment. ”

God bless you,

Mary Banks, Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ