Am I A Christian

By Paul Barham

Am I a Christian? This question lingers in the minds and hearts of so many believers with high hope and expectation for prosperity, healing and restoration. After being told, when you become a Christian, everything will be perfect. However, the happy life you should be experiencing comes with dissapointm

• Language: English
• Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC
• Release date: Nov 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781684863273

Book preview

AM I

A

CHRISTIAN?

I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: NEVERTHELESS, I LIVE; YET NOT I, BUT

CHRIST LIVETH IN ME:

PAUL BARHAM

Am I A Christian

Copyright © 2022 by Paul Barham. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of URLink Print and Media.

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Published in the United States of America

ISBN 978-1-68486-323-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68486-327-3 (Digital)

02.11.22

Am I A Christian?

Words Of Wisdom

Inspired By The Holy Spirit

This Book Illustrates

The Relevance of Christian Doctrines

For proper Conduct to Enable

True Believers to harvest God’s

Favors for A victorious Life in Christ

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Am I A Christian?

Chapter 2 The Mystery of God Made Known

Chapter 3 Understanding the Kingdom of God Experience

Chapter 4 The Holy Spirit

Chapter 5 The Garments of Sin Nature

Chapter 6 Standing on the Word of God

Chapter 7 Satan Desires to Have You

Chapter 8 In Search of Your Identity

Chapter 9 Knowledge Gives Us Power

Chapter 10 The Prayers of Jehoshaphat

Chapter 11 Building Spiritual Muscles

Chapter 12 Living A Life of Uncertainty

Chapter 13 Overcome Temptations

Chapter 14 Understanding Fear

Exciting Read

About the Author

Introduction

THE APPETITE FOR TRUTH

Am I a Christian? This question lingers in the minds and hearts of so many believers with high hopes and expectations for prosperity, healing, and restoration after being told that when they become a Christian, everything will be perfect. However, the happy life you should be experiencing comes with disappointment, failures, and constant afflictions while at the same time, ungodly people are living prosperous lives unconcerned about the things of Jesus Christ.

Scrolling through the television channels to find a prophetic word of inspiration is hard to find. When we try to identify the problems we face, and the mountain of questions casting through our minds, we begin to ask ourselves if this what Christianity looks and feels like? The testimonies I have frequently heard concerning the movement of God in so many people’s lives, and the miracles happening in their lives have left me with many questions. Why am I not feeling and experiencing this? Am I witnessing a bunch of fake pretenders? Or is the whole thing not genuine? The truth can only be found by having a relationship with Jesus Christ. However, if we believe our feelings and the many thoughts lingering in our minds, Christianity would be a fantasy and the Son of God crucified but in vain.

But for sure, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

The fact is, God touches you and creates in you a renewed heart because you desired Him in your soul. Once your desire is realized, then comes the heavy conviction. You must hate your old self and your previous lifestyle. It’s not easy but you are now hungry for change, and you will do just about anything for a transformation, because an appetite for truth stirs within you wanting you to discover, why am I living this miserable life?

You hear the words of truth from a messenger sent by God. You believe in your heart that the spoken words are true. With a heavy conviction, you confess from your lips the prayer of repentance. You become converted by faith, filled with God’s Holy Spirit. The transformation of your spirit has taken place because your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior.

The more you study the word of God, the more feelings you will experience and getting to know Him will become reality. Your sense of betrayal and disappointment will no longer be there because the emptiness is now filled with God’s word. The fruits of the Holy Spirit become relevant for your guidance and inspiration, leading you through the most difficult circumstances. You become more confident and assertive in the faith as you develop a more precise understanding of God’s love for you. Suddenly, you realize Christianity was founded and built upon your conviction, troubles, trials, tribulations, and persecution to forge a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is our refiner’s fire to bring out the best in you to the glory of God.

Chapter 1

Am I A Christian?

Integrity And Godly Value

Am I truly a Christian? The word of God said to walk by faith and not by sight. How can this be possible to walk by faith? How does this work? Not many Christians fully understand the concept of faith. By adopting the worldly concept, seeing is believing, this concept is a direct objection to Bible principles. That is, without faith, it is impossible to please God. Also, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The concept of faith is irrelevant to unbelievers because it makes no sense to them. Christian culture is different from the world views with no parallel between them. Yet, many questions, very few answers, because the Bible is a book of mysteries only made clear by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

"Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it is not given." Matthew 13:11

Am I a Christian? This question no longer confuses my mind. I have come to realize that studying the scriptures and practicing living its moral standards will cause you to develop faith. Also, having fellowship with Spirit-filled saints of God will inspire a deeper walk and communion with Jesus Christ. If you ignore these core principles, you will lack the motivation to pray and the zeal to stand up and defend your faith with conviction. You can easily be blindsided by inappropriate behaviors and find it difficult to push back against lustful thoughts and desires. Evil tormenting voices will seize the opportunity to play upon your vulnerabilities, by trying to deceive you into going against your character, waver in faith, whine, and complain. If I am a Christian, why are all these dreadful things happening to me?

The reality is Jesus Christ is the embodiment of suffering. An innocent man accused of crimes he did not commit and crucified for those crimes. Some people face persecution and trials without knowing this is part of the faith’s nature. The truth is, Christianity comes with suffering. Yet many believers will complain, saying, I am not doing anything wrong to suffer in this way. I am doing everything right, and I am a Christian.

We must understand the fundamentals of being a true believer in Christ and the sacrifices required to maintain integrity and godly values. Sometimes trying to live your Christian values creates hostility from unbelievers who oppose Christian beliefs and cultures. Even so, be a witness of truth and a representative of God living His holy words with pride and dignity. What if you have no testimony to show proof of God’s overcoming grace, deliverance, and restoration for your Christian walk, life, and experiences? In that case, your Christianity will become irrelevant and flawed to persuade unbelievers and win souls for the kingdom of God. In other words, the trials, and troubles that you overcome will determine who you are in the eyes of unbelievers and backsliders wounded, who felt betrayed because of unresolved issues and still searching for answers.

Suppose you are confident about the convictions of your faith doctrine? Satan will lose every battle he launches against you, as you will not entertain or allow negative thoughts to seduce your mind. You will not think ill of yourself, walking around with guilt and insecurity and living a hopeless life. Because God’s hands now touch you, your attitude changes, and affects the relationships with old friends. The as usual behaviors you were once comfortable with changes, such as speaking foul languages, future goals and aspirations, the negative approaches and opposition to biblical principles and perspectives concerning everyday life challenges.

Walk In Newness of Life

With your testimony, people will know and come to realize, your life is touched by God, living the new birth experience filled with the Holy Spirit, an example of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. He gave birth to the church in His death, burial, and resurrection.

"Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

Therefore, we have the overcoming power of God to trample upon serpent and scorpions and evil forces of darkness, resist to overcome the devil through temptation. Sometimes we find ourselves heading into subtle temptation that leads to transgressions. It happens naturally without even realizing we were doing something wrong, until the rebuke, chastisement, and conviction of the Holy Spirit.

From conscience, the Holy Spirit speaks with a still small voice that comes from deep within, where He communicates guidance, rebuke, and reprimand, to shepherd you into obedience.

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;" John 14:16

If you don’t hear the voice of conscience, God is no longer talking, and your soul is in danger of chastisement, awaiting God’s judgment. However, He who loves unconditionally will guide us into the path of truth while we go through the learning stages to get sensitive to the voice of God.

Through Adams’s disobedience, man is in a fallen state but redeemed by Jesus Christ’s righteousness. Consequently, it is not easy for humanity to adapt to Godly things, we wrestle with our human nature for independence. That is, I don’t need God, a behavior with an attitude. In essence, that’s to resist and push back against the voice of conscience.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25

The bible says we are wretched, and only God can deliver us from this body of sin. Since we desire good, evil is always present with us because the laws of the flesh play a dominant role in our thinking, actions, and behaviors.

Evil spirits can influence our human nature because of its lustful appetites and behavior to react with out-of-control emotions without thinking. Our body can spontaneously respond to external influences if not governed by the Holy Spirit. It develops into a tormenting I must do this feeling to torture you into submission. The relief ends when we indulge or conduct the act.

"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Romans 7:23

Because the flesh has its nature, nothing in it desires for God, and this is how you know a transition occurs in your life, the new birth experience, a confirmation and induction into God’s kingdom to a servant of Jesus Christ. Now, as a servant of God there is something in you that puts up a resistance, saying, no, I am not going to do this, or I am not going to do that. However, the more you stay in the word of God and pray, the more you become committed to God to resist the evil desires, the temptations, the torments, and tortures. And as you become more familiar with the word of God, reading God’s words becomes a part of your nature. Then you become strengthened to declare faith as a witness and win souls for the kingdom.

God’s Word Gives Life and Hope

The devil tempted Jesus Christ in the wilderness when he hungered.

And the devil said unto him if thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it is made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, it is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:3-4

The only way to defeat our adversaries and gain control over our own self, our body, and its desires, is to decree and declare the word of God. You must resist the things the enemy puts in your mind. You cannot know certain things are wrong, unless you understand what is right and what makes it justified. So many of us are ignorant to the word of God. We may read it but not fully understand it. And the only