baptism – ThrivingBranch

How Jesus Conquered Your Sin (#2): Changing the Tree

May 9, 2021March 21, 2021Leave a Comment

Welcome back to the second part of our series on how Jesus has conquered your sin. Last week we saw how sin is not primary a behavior or an action, but that sin actually goes much deeper; sin is an identity.

The basic understanding of identity is crucial to comprehending what sin is, and how to conquer it. This is something that I’m quite familiar with, as I lived on both sides of the spiritual isle. I struggled against sin for many years, going as far as to keep a daily log and diary of my sin and failure.

In this series, we are looking at a different perspective, and another way of conquering sin; a way not based on our efforts, but based on the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Live in the Power of the Spirit (Part 2)

May 14, 2017May 14, 2017Leave a Comment

In our study last week, we examined how God actually wants us to have power, and how Jesus has given us power, both through His redemptive work on the cross and through the sending of His Spirit (one act facilitating the other). These concepts are often not even touched in many Christian circles, often seen as fringe. Indeed many people are afraid to take an honest look at the topic of the Holy Spirit in connection with the power given to us because they have been jaded by past experience or the horror stories that people tell about what happened in some charismatic group previously.

Yet these things are spoken of in scripture and so they should not and can not be ignored. And so today we will continue with Part 2 of our study on living in the power of the Spirit, by taking a look at the baptism of the Spirit – specifically what Jesus said about it, because His opinion is the only one that carries any weight, and as we see the truth from scripture, we will be moved from a place of weakness, to a place of great strength in the power of the Spirit through Christ Jesus.

The Enemy is Not What He Used to Be

July 5, 2015April 17, 2015Leave a Comment

Have you ever listened to people in church during a casual conversation? Many times what I have heard is not them talking about the victories that they are having in Christ, but instead they are talking about what the devil is doing in their lives. I often hear things such as “Oh, that old devil, he’s just having a hey-day in my life.”, “he’s just sifting me as he sifted Job.”, or “I guess I’m just his target this week.”

These are not statements of victory, and they are not even truly scriptural for the kind of life that we as believers should be living in Christ Jesus today.

That’s why in this study, we will be examining what the Bible says regarding our reality today in Christ, and the truth of the defeated status of the enemy. By exposing the common lies being propagated among believers and shining the light of Christ on how utterly beaten the enemy truly is, we will be able to have confidence against the devil, instead of fear.