The Power of the Cross

By Ann Marie Alman

The Power of the Cross reveals in a most simple yet compelling way the plan, purpose, and potential of Christs life and sacrifice as it relates to all believers. Jesus died for much more than your sins. Christ died for your physical and spiritual healing, deliverance from bondage, prosperity, and eternal security. This book takes you on a journey through the Scriptures to show you all of the blessings and glorious inheritance you have in Christ and how it is all available to you by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490856759

Ann Marie Alman

Ann Marie Alman is a multi-gifted international speaker, counselor, church planter, recording artist, and author of many books. She serves as the senior minister at People of Destiny Ministries International in Brooklyn, New York, and as an apostle to many pastors and ministries. She is a prophetic voice to many, including Africa, Europe, USA, Central America, and the Caribbean. Her ministry is noted by dynamic preaching, in-depth teaching, and prophetic accuracy. Ann Marie is the glory of her husband, Pastor Colvin Alman, and the praise of her children, Colanne, Arielle, Kevin, and Joshua.

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Copyright © 2014 Ann Marie Alman.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture verses are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AB are taken from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament. Copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation, Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bible verses marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-5676-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5677-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5675-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014918519

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/18/2014

CONTENTS

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Introduction

Chapter One: The Beginning

Chapter Two: The Law

Chapter Three: Sin And The Cross

Chapter Four: Faith—The Key To The Cross

Chapter Five: Grace At The Cross

Chapter Six: Should Christians Keep The Sabbath?

Chapter Seven: Justified By His Blood

Chapter Eight: The Righteousness Of God

Chapter Nine: God’s Love Revealed At The Cross

Chapter Ten: Forgiven Completely And Eternally

Chapter Eleven: Being Rich In Christ

Chapter Twelve: Divine Healing

Chapter Thirteen: Living By The Holy Spirit

Chapter Fourteen: Loving God And Each Other

Chapter Fifteen: Forgiving Freely And Completely

About The Author

Notes

Contact Author

INTRODUCTION

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There is no greater message than the message of the cross. When understood accurately, the message of the cross liberates people from every form of poverty and bondage. Yet this message, for generations, has led many into bondage. The message of the cross is the message of God’s love for us demonstrated in Christ—God’s love that is limitless and that expresses itself in measureless grace.

The main goal of this book is to establish that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him, who called us by His own glory and goodness. Christianity is not about having some things; it is about having everything. Christianity is not about godlessness; it is about godliness.

However, when half of the gospel is preached, it does no one any good. To believe a half-truth is to believe a lie—and many have believed a lie about God, Christ, and the body of Christ. Personally, I once believed some of those lies. But now I have seen the light. I hope that you, too, will see the light and receive Christ and the work of the cross.

Christianity is all about what God has done for us and apart from us. Something had to be done when Adam sinned, but it could not be done by Adam. It could only be done by Christ. In the true sense, Jesus Christ came forth as the representative of the race, as the second Adam, and acted on its behalf. In doing so, He replaced all other persons, both actively in His life and passively in His death, thereby fulfilling the work for which human beings were disqualified and are incompetent.

Christ did not merely act on our behalf; He acted in our place. Christ took our place; it was an exchange. Every Christian believes that Jesus died for his or her sins, but after that we see the dividing line. Some do not believe that Jesus died for physical healing. They do not believe in miracles. Still others do not believe in prosperity. Some are not aware that prosperity is a part of what Jesus accomplished on the cross for them. That is one of the half-truths of the body of Christ.

The truth is that everything Christ is, we become in Him. Jesus became Son of Man so that we might be children of God. He died on the cross so that we might have eternal life. He was made to carry our sin so that we might be the righteousness of God. Christ’s death was not a simple exchange. It runs deep, because if Christ died in our place, then we died in Him. And if, in Christ, we attain to new life and sonship, we do not do so alone, but only in Him. He takes our place so that we might find our new and true place in Him. As you continue to read, you will find out that you have so much more in Christ.

Basically, the true reality of the Christian is now the reality in Christ rather than in the self as a sinner. Christ has replaced us; therefore, the true reality of Christianity is not in us but in Him. What appears to be our sinful reality is already displaced in Him. To perceive the truth of Christ and the work of the cross is to understand true faith, which sees that we are pronounced righteous and treated as such because righteousness is our new and lasting reality in Christ.

Living for Christ as a Christian cannot be a struggle to attain or maintain godliness in ourselves. It cannot be a mere attempt to live up to fine but impossible ideals. Living as a Christian is based on a true and unshakable statement found in Ephesians 1:3–14.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

We have a new place in Christ. As believers, we are set in this place. Therefore, we are to live as those who belong to this place. Our failures are not ultimately discouraging because we know that they are the failures of the old self, who, having been displaced by Christ, is rebelling. Believers’ violent struggles for autonomy and self-preservation naturally cause defeat. But Christ is our total and victorious representative whose work, already completed, cannot fail. The old, displaced self has already had to give way to Christ, and therefore he or she must finally give way to the new person in Christ. Although for a Christian there are going to be conflicts, we must live with the joyful assurance that the decisive battle has been fought and that victory must finally rest with our new reality in Christ.

As we study the Word of God together, we must be willing to suspend our favorite beliefs and disbeliefs, our most cherished convictions, and our most authoritative doctrines in order to listen to what might be speaking to us from the Scriptures.

Our goal is to move among these texts in a way that transforms us. To be transformed, however, means more than simply adding something new to an old structure. It means to renovate the structure itself.

So let us begin.

CHAPTER ONE

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THE BEGINNING

Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (Genesis 1:26–31)

The Genesis account of creation, in my opinion, is one of the most powerful revelations of God we have received. The account reveals to us the heart, or intention, of God toward humankind. It is God who created humankind, provided for humankind, and gave humankind its purpose. Humankind is God’s idea, God’s dream.

God created humankind in His image and likeness. The Hebrew word tselem (phonetic spelling: tseh’-lem), translated as image, means "to shade; a phantom, an illusion, resemblance; hence, a representation. Humankind was created to look like God. Humankind was created to resemble and represent God. God wanted humankind to be on the earth what He is in the heavens.

A closer look at the early days of humankind tells us something deeper about God and humankind. God created the earth and everything in it for humankind. God created the earth first, and then he created people. Earth was created for humankind.

God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. And it was so. (Genesis 1:28–30)

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:8–9).

Though the garden was created for humankind, humankind was created for God. God created humankind for Himself. Humankind was created to have relationship with God. Humankind was to have dominion over the earth but sweet fellowship with God.

Genesis 3:6–10 says,

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, Where are you? He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.

This passage of Scripture holds many truths for us. First, it is apparent that Adam was very familiar with the sound of God’s movements. That only happens as a result of closeness. At our home, I can usually tell who is coming up the stairs by the sound of movement. I can also tell if a stranger to the house is coming up the stairs because the sound is unfamiliar.

The passage suggests some level of intimacy between God and humankind, enough for the man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, to recognize the sound of God. They hid themselves. The passage suggests that God was walking in the garden as if looking for the man and his wife. God looked and kept looking for them. Eventually, God called out Adam’s name. Maybe they had a special meeting place. Maybe they had a special meeting time. Whatever the case, Adam was hiding from God, but God kept searching for Adam until He found him. Adam was God’s responsibility. Humankind was created by God for God. Humankind was created by God to please God. Humankind was created by God to enjoy God through intimacy with God.

The Falling-Out

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, Where are you? He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? The man said, The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it. Then the Lord God said to the woman, What is this you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. (Genesis 3:8–13)

What went wrong? A Serpent slithered its way into the relationship that Adam and his wife had with God. The end result was catastrophic for Adam, his wife, and the future generations of humankind. First, let us talk about the Serpent. Let us talk about the deception, because the spirit of deception is still prevalent today in our world. To be deceived is to be lead away from the truth; to lead into error (Matthew 24:4–5, 11, 24).

Eve said to God that the Serpent deceived her. Many believe that Eve was throwing the blame for what happened onto the Serpent, but she was actually simply stating the truth: The Serpent did deceive her. Both Adam and Eve knew how God had instructed them to live on the earth. Since God created them and provided everything for them, it was also God’s responsibility to let them know how best to enjoy their life. It was God’s responsibility to inform them about how they could accomplish their greatest good. Usually, the one who creates a thing knows what’s best for it.

What the Serpent did was provide Adam and Eve with another option. The Serpent did so by mixing the truth of what God said with a little of what God did not say. Maybe it was a little of the Serpent’s own opinion mixed in with God’s instruction to Adam and Eve. We see it in marriages when someone provides either the husband or wife with another option to have intimacy outside of the marriage. It happens in churches when members perceive moving to another church as a better option, maybe for promotion, and, in doing so, move away from the truth of God’s purpose for their lives.

Deception is everywhere: in business, in politics, in the Church, on TV, on the Internet, and in society as a whole. Revelation 12:9 says, The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Satan seeks to deceive the whole world, Christians and non-Christians alike. He does not discriminate. He shows no favoritism and is behind every act of deception.

Deception usually comes by way of flattering words and cleverly designed lies subtly used to entrap a person. What happens during the deception process is that one is overwhelmed with information that is contrary to truth, so it becomes more and more difficult for the person to recognize truth. Adam and Eve were deceived.

Deception leads you away from truth. The question that is now begging to be asked is: What is truth? This question is a very serious one and has been the source of many discussions, debates, and arguments over the years. I certainly do not propose to enter into any such debate in this book, but I will simply share with you my honest conviction as a child of God.

Truth is connected to God. The person who does not believe in the existence of God will say that there is no absolute truth and that truth is relative (which is another topic of serious debate). However, I believe that truth is connected to God. In order to know truth, humankind must know God. How can humankind know God? God must reveal Himself to people. In the garden, it was God who was looking for Adam and Eve, not the other way around. God reveals Himself to people. As God reveals Himself to humankind, humankind becomes aware of truth. Truth is established by God and is revealed by God.

Without truth, there is no deception. Since we know there is deception, we should agree that there is truth. The plan of the Enemy is to keep you from knowing truth. If you do know truth, then his plan is to cause you to stray from it. That is what he did to Adam and Eve. They knew the truth, but the Enemy was able to lead them astray and cause them to wander from the truth.

In this case, what was the truth? The truth was whatever God had said. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die’ (Genesis 2:16–17).

Adam and Eve were not supposed to eat the fruit of the tree. The Serpent deceived them into eating from said tree. At that point, they became aware of evil—and death came. Also, they saw themselves as naked and sought to cover themselves. They experienced guilt and shame for the first time. They also immediately went into hiding.

I want you to take a good look at God’s initial response to human beings. God, being all-knowing, obviously knew that Adam and Eve had sinned. Yet He came looking for them. The Bible said He called out to them. This is an act of love. God wanted Adam and Eve to know that He still cared about them, that He still loved them and wanted a relationship with them. Nothing had changed on God’s part. This is important for us to understand.

In the end, what did God do? The answer is found in Genesis 3:21–24.

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever. So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

God did not put Adam and Eve out of the garden because they were damaged goods and He wanted nothing more to do with them. God evicted them from the garden because something had changed on Adam and Eve’s part. God also knew the plans He had to redeem humankind.

Notice that when God eventually found Adam and Eve, they were naked. So, God clothed them. That is not the action of an angry God. However, God is a righteous God, so He needs to deal with sin. Take a deeper look at God’s motive. God did not want humankind to be sinners forever. Therefore, from the beginning, God took action to protect humankind from itself and to ensure that people would always have an opportunity to have a better life. All of God’s actions were to prevent humankind from becoming something it was not created to be. That is love. In fact, God’s action was an act to preserve the integrity of humankind. Therefore, even before Adam and Eve sinned, God had made provision to redeem and restore humankind. This is what this book is about.

First Peter 1:18–21 (KJV) says,

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

God had a plan. The plan was in motion. However, until the fullness of time did come, God, being righteous, had to take appropriate action to preserve those plans. Before we go further, let us take a brief look at what is meant by the statement God is righteous.

What Is Righteousness?

Righteousness is justice within the context of a covenant relationship. When a person fulfills the obligation of a relationship, that person is said to be righteous.¹ Righteousness is the fulfillment of the terms of a covenant between God and humanity.²

The righteousness of God is one of His attributes that informs how He behaves and acts. When we say that God is righteous, we are saying that God does what is right. God does what should be done, and He does it consistently, without partiality or prejudice.

God’s righteousness is a natural expression of His holiness. Since God is holy, or pure, He must be opposed to ungodliness, or sin—and that opposition must be demonstrated in His treatment of sinners. In order to understand God’s righteousness, we must be assured that God’s actions are in perfect agreement with His holy nature. In other words, God cannot be vindictive. God cannot be