Category Archives: faith

October 28, 2026 · 7:11 am

The Shield of Faith—What It Is and How It Operates

By the shield of faith we can “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6: 16). But what exactly is faith and how do we acquire it in our Christian walk?

God’s definition of the word faith: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NET). Massive spiritual depth is in this word. To strengthen our understanding of this verse, it helps to examine other passages that reveal what faith is, how it operates, and why it is necessary.

1. Faith Comes Through Hearing God’s Word

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Faith is not wishful thinking. Biblical faith is built upon what God has spoken. The more we understand God’s promises, the stronger our faith becomes. Conversely, if we hear false teachings about His promises, then the true faith fades.

2. Faith Looks Beyond Sight

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Hebrews 11:1 says faith is confidence in things not seen. Paul explains that believers are to order their lives according to God’s promises rather than merely according to visible circumstances.

3. Faith Produces Certainty

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:22) Faith involves assurance and confidence. It does not remove every question, but it rests securely in God’s character and promises.

4. Faith Trusts God’s Promises

Speaking of Abraham: “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4:20-21) This passage beautifully illustrates Hebrews 11:1. Abraham was “fully persuaded” even before he saw the fulfillment.

5. Faith Pleases God

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Faith begins by believing who God is and trusting that He will faithfully fulfill His word.

6. Faith Can See What Natural Eyes Cannot

Concerning Moses: “He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27) Faith gives spiritual perception. Moses remained steadfast because he recognized God’s reality even though God was invisible to physical sight.

7. Faith Must Be Accompanied by Action

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2:17) True faith is demonstrated through obedience. The heroes of Hebrews 11 all acted because they believed.

8. Faith Trusts God During Trials

“The trying of your faith worketh patience.” (James 1:3) Trials often reveal whether our faith rests in circumstances or in God Himself.

9. Faith Fixes Its Eyes on Christ

“Looking unto Yahshua the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) He is both the source and the perfect example of faithfulness. Our faith grows as we focus on Him.

10. Faith Gives Victory

“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4) Faith enables believers to persevere and overcome the pressures and temptations of the world.

Examples of Hebrews 11:1 in Action

Noah

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet…” (Hebrews 11:7) Noah acted upon a future reality he had never seen.

Abraham

“By faith Abraham… went out, not knowing whither he went.” (Hebrews 11:8) Abraham trusted God’s promise more than his own understanding.

Sarah

“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed.” (Hebrews 11:11) She believed God’s promise despite impossible circumstances.

Moses

“By faith he forsook Egypt.” (Hebrews 11:27) He chose God’s future reward over Egypt’s visible treasures.

A Helpful Summary

Hebrews 11:1 teaches that faith is:

  • Confidence in God’s promises.
  • Assurance of future realities.
  • Conviction concerning unseen truths.
  • Trust based on God’s Word.
  • Demonstrated through obedience.
  • Sustained by fixing our eyes on Christ.

A particularly powerful companion verse is:“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) This statement by Christ perfectly echoes the truth of Hebrews 11:1: Genuine faith rests in God’s testimony even before the promise becomes visible.

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October 26, 2026 · 1:06 pm

Taking the Shield of Faith

If God has called you, then you will experience trials of faith. Scripture tells us not to be surprised when these seasons come, for they are an essential part of God’s work in perfecting His people. Peter wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” These trials are not evidence of God’s absence but of His refining purpose. Through them, He purifies faith, strengthens character, and conforms us more fully to the image of Christ. In these moments believers learn the necessity of taking up “the shield of faith,” God’s provision against the fiery darts of the wicked one. (1 Peter 4:12; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5; Ephesians 6:16)

The victory of the Christian life is not found in the strength of our own faith, but in receiving, appropriating, and walking in the faith of the Son of God, which enables us to endure every trial and bear increasing fruit unto God. (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16; John 15:5)

First, there is only one true faith, and that faith is found in the Son of God Himself. Our old man was crucified with Christ, and through faith we have been united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is a gigantic leap of faith. Because we now live in Him, we are called to live by His faith rather than our own natural strength. Paul testified, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Christ extends His faith to us, but we must receive what He freely provides. Therefore, the apostle exhorts believers, “Above all, taking the shield of faith.” The Christian life is not merely believing about Christ but living by what Christ Himself supplies. (Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16)

The faith of Christ protects the believer and enables him to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Yet this raises an important question: What exactly is the faith of the Son of God? Most believers have read the Scriptures concerning faith, but have we truly understood them in the depths of our hearts? Before we can effectively wield the shield of faith, we must understand the nature of the faith God has provided through His Son. (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:6)

This question is of great importance. Many sincerely say, “I believe in Christ.” Such belief is the beginning of the Christian walk. Yet standing firm in the faith of Christ while Satan’s arrows assault the mind is another matter altogether. As we draw nearer to our Savior and seek deeper fellowship with Him, opposition often increases. God desires that His people move beyond spiritual infancy, build their house upon Christ the Rock, and bear not merely fruit, but “more fruit” and ultimately “much fruit.” (John 15:2, 5, 8; Matthew 7:24-25; Ephesians 6:16)

Therefore, let us dig deeper into the unsearchable riches of Christ. Let us seek from the Holy Spirit a thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold understanding of the faith of Jesus Christ. Spiritual fruitfulness is inseparably connected to spiritual understanding. As the Spirit opens our eyes to the heart and mind of Christ, we become increasingly equipped to walk in victory, maturity, and fruitfulness. (Ephesians 3:8; Mark 4:8, 20; John 16:13)

Before examining the faith of Christ in greater detail, it will help us to review some foundational truths concerning faith itself. Every aspect of our relationship with God begins, continues, and matures through faith. The just live by faith, walk by faith, and overcome by faith. If faith is so central to the Christian life, then we must understand what Scripture means when it uses that word. (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7)

One of the Bible’s foundational definitions is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Another translation renders it, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (NET). Faith is a God-given certainty concerning realities that cannot yet be perceived by the natural eye. It reaches beyond the visible world and lays hold of what God has spoken because it rests confidently upon His character and His promises. (Hebrews 11:1; Romans 4:20-21; 2 Corinthians 4:18)

Conclusion We have seen that trials are a normal part of God’s refining work in the life of every believer and that victory over those trials is found not in human resolve but in the faith of Christ. The shield of faith is more than a doctrine to admire; it is a spiritual reality to be received and exercised. As believers learn to depend upon the faith supplied by the Son of God, they are enabled to withstand the attacks of the enemy, grow in spiritual maturity, and bear increasing fruit unto God. Having established that the Christian life is lived through His faith rather than our own, we are now prepared to examine more closely what the faith of the Son of God is and how it operates within the heart of the believer. (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:1; John 15:5, 8) Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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July 8, 2026 · 8:00 am

The Cross Experience Comes Before the Abiding

The Spirit of truth does not dwell where sin still reigns

Sin must die on the cross with Christ before the Spirit of truth will dwell and abide in us. Yet sin is one of the most sensitive subjects—guilt, desperation, shame, and fear often accompany it. Few understand its scriptural definition: “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). Which law? The Ten Commandments. Everyone has broken this law, yet Scripture says it “is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful” (1 Tim. 1:9).

Breaking the Ten Commandments is sin. Sin is not merely shuffling one’s feet on a sawdust floor or failing to attend a Sunday service. The law consists of ten commandments, and “He added no more” (Deut. 5:22). Many born‑again Christians call faults sin, and this frustrates their walk. Impatience, irritability, or personal shortcomings are faults—things we are growing through—but they are not violations of the Ten Commandments. Sin is a heart condition. Righteousness is a heart condition as well.

We are delivered from the old sinful nature by being crucified with Christ, our sacrificial Lamb. When He died, our old nature died with Him.

The Cross Removes Sin’s Power

Believers must be able to explain salvation from sin as Paul taught: “Our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Rom. 6:6–7). Christ took all our sins upon Himself, and when He died, our old sinful selves died, were buried, and were raised with Him into newness of life. By believing in Christ’s cross experience, our own cross experience becomes real.

Why do so few teachers explain this? Either they do not know the apostle’s teachings, or they do not believe them. Yet believing them is how we are translated from darkness into light (Rom. 6:6–12).

A new heart must be received before deeper things can grow within. Christ spoke of sin and repentance repeatedly. Conviction of sin is universal. Concerning the Comforter, He said, “When the Spirit of truth is come, He will reprove [convict] the world of sin…” (John 16:8).

He also said, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak [excuse] for their sin” (John 15:22). His words removed every excuse. People must be confronted with their sin so they can recognize guilt and repent. Now we are to be like Him and speak of sin to the people. Christ promises, “The Spirit of truth… shall be in you” (John 14:17).

Throughout John 15 and 16, He warns that the world will hate and persecute His followers. Why? Because He commands us to let our light shine and reprove the world of sin. Man’s old nature does not want its darkness exposed by the light now in us.

Conclusion: The Cross Opens the Way to Abiding

The thesis is simple: the Abiding of the Spirit within us cannot begin until the Cross has done its work. Yahweh’s abiding presence is reserved for hearts cleansed of transgression and freed from the old nature. The Spirit of truth does not dwell where sin still reigns. But once the Cross destroys the “body of sin,” the believer becomes a vessel capable of receiving the abiding presence of Yahweh.

The Abiding is not an isolated spiritual experience; it is the fruit of crucifixion with Christ. When sin is removed, the Spirit enters. When the old nature dies, the new life begins. When the Cross is believed, the Abiding becomes possible. Thus, the Cross experience is not merely preparation, it is the doorway into the abiding life. Only those freed from sin can truly dwell in Him, and He in them. [For much more go here:  sin | Search Results | Immortality Road ]  Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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June 25, 2026 · 1:11 pm

Believing on the Name Brings Answered Prayer and the Abiding

The Way to Answered Prayer and the Indwelling Presence of Yahweh

There are commandments in Scripture that stand like doors. They do not merely instruct; they open into realms of divine experience. One such commandment appears in the writings of the apostle John: “This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Yahshua the Messiah, and love one another” (1 John 3:23). This is not a suggestion, nor a theological footnote. It is the central requirement for those who desire answered prayer and the abiding presence of God.

John declares that “whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments” (1 John 3:22). And the first of these commandments is to believe on His Name. The Name Yahshua is not a mere label; it is a revelation. It means “Yahweh is the Savior.” To believe on His Name is to believe the message contained within it—that the invisible Yahweh has come in human form to save, that the Father was in the Son reconciling the world unto Himself, and that salvation is the work of Yahweh alone.

Yahweh confirms in many places that He is the Saviour. “I, even I, am the LORD (Yahweh), and beside Me there is no Savior” (Isaiah 43:11). [Compare Isa. 45:15, 21; 49:26; 60:16; Hosea 13:4]

This belief is not intellectual assent. It is the doorway into answered prayer, the gateway into divine indwelling, and the foundation of the abiding life. All of this hinges on faith: believing having not seen as yet.

The Name Yahshua: The Revelation We Are Commanded to Believe

The commandment to “believe on the name of His Son Yahshua” is rooted in the meaning of the Name itself. Yahshua is the Hebrew form of Joshua, meaning “Yahweh is salvation.” The Name is a declaration of identity. It proclaims that the One walking among men in flesh is none other than Yahweh Himself, the eternal Spirit clothed in humanity.

This is why John writes with such gravity: “He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). Condemnation does not come from failing to pronounce the Name correctly, but from rejecting the truth embedded within it. To deny that Yahweh is the Savior is to deny the Father who dwelt in the Son.

Thus, believing on His Name is the first act of obedience. It is the acceptance of heaven’s witness concerning Yahshua. It is the foundation upon which all spiritual experience rests.

Believing on His Name and Answered Prayer

John ties answered prayer directly to obedience: “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments” (1 John 3:22). And the first of these commandments is to believe on His Name.

Why is this the condition for answered prayer? Because to believe on His Name is to believe:

  • that Yahweh is the Savior
  • that Yahweh dwells in the Son
  • that Yahweh now dwells in us by the Spirit
  • that prayer is the communion of Yahweh-within speaking to Yahweh-above

Prayer is not a human reaching upward; it is Yahweh-in-us reaching toward Yahweh-in-heaven. This is why Yahshua said:

“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14) To ask “in His Name” is not to attach a formula to the end of a prayer. It is to pray according to the truth of His identity—Yahweh revealed in the Son, now abiding in the believer. When we pray from this place of union, our petitions align with His will, and He delights to answer. Thus, believing on His Name is the doorway into effective prayer.

Believing on His Name and the Abiding Presence

John continues: “He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him” (1 John 3:24). The commandment is to believe on His Name. Therefore: He that believes on His Name dwells in Yahweh, and Yahweh dwells in him.

This is the abiding life Yahshua described in John 15:

  • “Abide in me, and I in you.”
  • “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.”
  • “Without me ye can do nothing.”

Abiding is not mystical passivity. It is the result of believing the heavenly testimony concerning Yahshua. When we believe that Yahweh is the Savior, that Yahweh was in the Son, and that Yahweh now dwells in us by the Spirit, we enter into the abiding union that produces fruit. This is the earthly witness of the heavenly truth. This is the Spirit, the water, and the blood agreeing in one. This is the life of Yahweh flowing through the believer.

The Name as the Convergence Point of Heaven’s Witness and Earth’s Witness

In the previous chapter, we saw that 1 John 5:7–8 presents two witnesses:

  • Heaven’s witness: the Father, the Word, and the Spirit
  • Earth’s witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood

These two testimonies converge in the believer through the Name Yahshua.

  • Heaven declares who Yahshua is.
  • Earth reveals what Yahshua does in us.
  • The Name is the bridge between the two.

To believe on His Name is to accept heaven’s witness. To receive the Spirit is to receive earth’s witness. To abide is to experience the agreement of water and blood. To bear fruit is to manifest the life of Yahweh. Thus, the Name Yahshua is not merely a theological concept. It is the meeting place of revelation and experience, of identity and indwelling, of heaven’s testimony and earth’s testimony.

The Unified Thesis: The Name Unlocks Prayer and Presence

The commandment is simple: believe on His Name. The promise is profound:

  • Answered prayer — “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him.”
  • Abiding presence — “He dwelleth in him, and he in Him.”
  • Fruit-bearing life — “The same bringeth forth much fruit.”

The Name Yahshua holds precious blessings and powers for the followers of Christ. It is the revelation of Yahweh as Savior. It is the key to prayer. It is the doorway to abiding. It is the foundation of fruitfulness. It is the center of the believer’s life. To believe on His Name is to enter into the fullness of what Yahweh has given in His Son. kwh

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June 22, 2026 · 10:55 am

The Two Witnesses of Yahshua

Heaven’s Testimony and Earth’s Testimony in the Believer

There are passages of Scripture that do not merely inform; they unveil. They open like a door into the architecture of divine revelation. I John 5:7–8 is such a passage. In two brief verses, the apostle John presents a pattern of testimony—one in heaven and one on earth—each bearing witness to the identity and work of Yahshua the Messiah. These two testimonies are not parallel lines running independently of one another. They are two halves of a single revelation, converging in the life of every true believer.

The text reads:

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” (1 John 5:7–8)

John is not offering a doctrinal aside. He is unveiling the structure of how God reveals Himself and how that revelation enters, transforms, and bears fruit within the believer. When this heavenly and earthly testimony is placed beside the teachings of Yahshua in the Gospel of John—His Name, His Spirit, and the abiding life—the pattern becomes unmistakable. The two witnesses form one unified testimony of Yahweh’s salvation.

Heaven’s Witness: The Revelation of Who Yahshua Is

John begins with the heavenly witness: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. These three bear record in heaven, and “these three are one.” Heaven’s testimony concerns identity. It reveals who Yahshua truly is.

The Father is the invisible, eternal Spirit—the One whom no man hath seen at any time. The Word is Yahweh expressed, Yahweh made visible, Yahweh speaking Himself into flesh. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth proceeding from the Father, the same Spirit who overshadowed Mary, the same Spirit who descended upon Yahshua at the Jordan, the same Spirit who raised Him from the dead.

These three are one. This is heaven’s declaration: Yahshua is Yahweh revealed.

This is why His Name is not incidental. The Name Yahshua means “Yahweh is the Savior.” To believe in His Name is to believe the heavenly witness—that the Father was in the Son, reconciling the world unto Himself. Condemnation, John says, comes upon those who “believe not in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). The Name itself carries the message of who He is. Heaven testifies that Yahweh has come in the flesh, and the Name Yahshua is the banner of that revelation.

Earth’s Witness: The Revelation of What Yahshua Does in Us

John then turns to the earthly witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood. These three “agree in one.” Earth’s testimony concerns experience. It reveals what Yahshua accomplishes within the believer.

The first earthly witness is the Spirit. This is the same Spirit the Father sends in the Son’s Name (John 14:26). The Spirit enters those who believe the heavenly testimony. He is the inward confirmation that Yahshua is Yahweh. He is the Comforter, the Teacher, the One who brings all things to remembrance. He is the abiding presence of God within the believer.

The second earthly witness is the water. Yahshua said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). The water represents the cleansing, sanctifying, pruning work of the Word. It is the washing that prepares the branch to bear fruit. It is the continual purification that accompanies abiding.

The third earthly witness is the blood. The blood is the sacrificial life of Yahshua, the life that flows into the believer. “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:53). The blood is union. It is participation in His life, His death, and His resurrection. It is the life of the Vine flowing into the branch.

Together, the Spirit, the water, and the blood testify that Yahweh now dwells in His people. Earth’s witness is the manifestation of heaven’s truth within human vessels.

The Convergence of the Two Witnesses in the Believer

Heaven declares who Yahshua is. Earth declares what Yahshua does. Heaven’s witness—Father, Word, Spirit—reveals the identity of the Savior. Earth’s witness—Spirit, water, blood—reveals the indwelling of that Savior.

The believer stands at the intersection of these two testimonies. To believe the Name Yahshua is to receive the heavenly witness. To receive the Spirit is to receive the earthly witness. To abide in Him is to experience the agreement of water and blood. To bear fruit is to manifest the life of Yahweh within.

This is why Yahshua said: “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 15:5) Fruit is not human achievement. It is the earthly witness of the heavenly truth. It is the visible evidence that the Spirit, the water, and the blood are at work within the believer. It is the manifestation of Yahweh’s life in a human soul.

The Unified Testimony: Yahweh Revealed and Yahweh Indwelling

When the heavenly witness is believed, the earthly witness begins its work. The Name reveals Yahweh as Savior. The Spirit enters to confirm that Name. The water cleanses the branch. The blood supplies the life. The abiding produces fruit.

This is the agreement of the two witnesses. This is the testimony God has placed in the believer. This is the life of Yahshua made manifest in His people.

Heaven testifies to His identity. Earth testifies to His indwelling. Together they declare one truth:Yahweh has come, Yahweh abides, and Yahweh bears fruit in those who believe His Name. 

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January 19, 2026 · 10:29 am

THE CALL TO GROW: WHY SPIRITUAL FRUIT MATTERS

Christ and His apostles taught a real, measurable spiritual growth—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold—and that this growth is not optional. It is the very purpose for which Christ chose us: to bear enduring fruit, to grow into His likeness, and to make our calling and election sure.

The Vision Many Cannot See

Someone may say, “I just cannot see this spiritual growth you speak about—this thirty‑fold, sixty‑fold, and hundred‑fold fruit‑bearing. Why is it so important? I don’t believe we can be like Christ.”

To such a person I would answer kindly; it is understandable. This vision of sonship is not given to everyone. It is the Creator who calls and chooses. Christ Himself said, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). There goes Christ again, talking about fruit bearing. Read John 15 alongside the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, and the pattern becomes unmistakable.

Many gladly receive His gift of salvation but never move beyond it. Not because they are evil, but because they have never been taught the spiritual growth cycle. They assume they do not need it—or worse, they simply do not believe it.

The Tragedy of Refusing the Call

But imagine realizing that you were not chosen to walk with Christ as the early apostles did. Would that not wrench the stomach with a bitter churn of regret? The doubters received salvation, yes—but they rejected His invitation to sit with Him on His throne (Rev. 3:20–21).

They resemble the lukewarm Christians, the five foolish virgins, who missed the great celebration because they dismissed the oil—doctrinal truth—as unimportant. They would not study it, believe it, or walk in it. These five virgins were indeed Christians (Matthew 25:1), yet their unbelief barred them from the royal feast. They hid when they should have feasted with the King. And Christ warns that such loss brings weeping and sorrow.

The Command to Grow

Scripture does not leave us passive. We are told to “make our calling and election sure” and to “examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith.” And what should we find in that examination? A young Spirit of Christ within us—alive, growing, maturing.

So, when someone says, “I don’t believe we can be like Christ,” they are not merely doubting themselves—they are limiting God and rejecting His own declaration: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I understand the struggle; decades ago, I wrestled with the same doubts. But a mentor helped me cast them off and pursue the calling with certainty. All doubt springs from spiritual blindness. And Scripture tells us plainly what restores sight.

The Seven Additions: God’s Eye Salve

Peter teaches that the seven additions to faith—listed in II Peter 1—is the very eye salve that heals spiritual blindness. Speaking of the additions, Peter writes: “For if these things be in you and abound, they [the additions] make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off…”

These additions are the engine of spiritual growth. They move a believer from barrenness to fruitfulness, from blindness to sight, from mere salvation to sonship. Some will answer this call to bear 100-fold fruit and be His manifested sons and daughters in the end times. Christ spoke it; I am only repeating His words.

Conclusion

Spiritual growth is not an optional doctrine or a private theory. It is the clear teaching of Christ and His apostles. We were chosen to bear fruit, to grow into His likeness, and to walk the path laid out in Scripture. Those who embrace the seven additions to the faith will see; those who refuse remain blind. The call is before us. The fruit is promised. The choice is ours.  Kenneth Wayne Hancock [If you believe me, hit that like button, subscribe and make a comment.]

{I want you to have a free copy of my latest book, The Additions to the Faith. The Spirit is guiding us into knowledge of the seven crucial spiritual, divine attributes—what they are and how to add them to your faith. The books are free for the asking. No strings, no follow-ups. Christ wants us to grow. He has given me light on the subject and the funds to get the truth out there. Instead of putting cash in an offering tray, I publish my own books for the body of Christ. To order: Send your name and mailing address and the title of the book to my email: wayneman5@hotmail.com}

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January 3, 2026 · 6:31 am

Christ the Door into the Heavenly Dimension

The door to the other dimension — the spiritual dimension — is Christ Himself. Scripture teaches that we must enter the Kingdom of God, but the question remains: How do we enter? Jesus answers plainly: “I am the door.” But a door always opens somewhere. Christ is the Door that opens into the righteous, heavenly dimension — the realm where God’s will is done, the realm Jesus taught us to seek when He said, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth…” Through His righteousness, we step from the natural into the spiritual, from the earthly into the heavenly.

Peter expands this truth by explaining that an entrance into this Kingdom is “supplied” to those who add seven attributes to the faith already operating within them (2 Peter 1:1–8). These seven additions are nothing less than the divine nature of Christ, spiritually transposed into our earthly vessels. As we add them, we are not merely improving our character — we are entering the righteous spiritual dimension where God’s Kingdom operates. Christ is the Door, and these attributes are the steps through that Door.

This is the very purpose of God: to multiply His divine nature into “many sons unto glory.” We have been chosen to walk this path of apostleship, following Christ step by step, for “the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.” The Kingdom we enter is invisible, spiritual, and real — a dimension into which Christ alone grants access.

Christ has given us “exceeding great and precious promises,” and through these promises we become partakers of His divine nature. Peter, in the opening chapter of his second letter, lists the very qualities that form this path of entrance: virtue, knowledge, self‑control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are not suggestions; they are commands spoken by an apostle who walked with the Savior Himself.

Peter’s authority is not theoretical. His life bears witness:

•           He performed the first apostolic miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3).

•           He opened the gospel to the Gentiles through Cornelius (Acts 10).

•           He served as a foundational leader and spokesman of the Jerusalem church (Acts 1–12).

•           He authored 1 & 2 Peter, strengthening believers and clarifying doctrine.

•           He displayed boldness under persecution (Acts 4–5).

•           He confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” by revelation of the Father (Matt. 16:16–17).

•           He was restored by Christ and became a model of grace after failure (Luke 22; John 21).

This is the man who tells us how to enter the Kingdom. His words carry weight because he walked with the Door Himself.

Therefore, we can trust Peter when he declares that adding these seven facets to the gem of God’s faith will open to us an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom. Each attribute is a deliberate step deeper into the spiritual dimension where Christ reigns. We are not passive spectators but active participants in this transformation. As we cultivate these qualities, they become signposts marking our progress into the Kingdom, confirming our calling and election.

And the more faithfully we walk in them, the more abundantly the entrance is supplied — until we find ourselves fully stepping through Christ the Door into the dimension He has prepared for His sons and daughters.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

[For further study on this topic, order my book The Additions to the Faith. It is free with free shipping. Just send me an email with your name, address and the title of the book. Send to wayneman5@hotmail.com]

YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

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July 11, 2025 · 3:05 pm

The Longing That Leads to Love—and the King Who Calls

Humanity’s endless quest for love is no accident. Beneath every poem, song, and search for human connection lies a deeper yearning—for God Himself. For “God is love” (I John 4:16). We seek echoes of Him in others, because we were made in His image, wired to respond to His divine presence. The search ends when He is found.

The Hebrew prophets and apostles testified of this love. The Son of God didn’t merely speak of it—He lived it out. By laying down His life for His friends, He offered the greatest love known to mankind (John 15:13). But the Cross was not the end. It was the invitation. For those who believe, Christ calls us to present our lives as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1)—not as martyrs for heaven’s reward, but as vessels of love to a love-starved world.

Dying to Self, Rising in Love

To walk as He walked begins at Calvary. Spiritually joining Him on the cross means our old nature dies with Him: “He that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:7). This rebirth isn’t mere symbolism. It’s a transformation—freedom from the selfish life, entering into resurrection power fueled by agape love. Believing we are buried and raised with Him enables us to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4–5).

Yet many falter. Not because His power is lacking, but because corrupted doctrines and traditions stunt growth. Like children fed on spiritual junk food, many resist the sincere truth of the Word. They cling to old wine, declaring it better—unwilling to taste the new, pure doctrine (Luke 5:39).

The Overcomers…and the Tragedy of the Refusers

Thankfully, some will awaken. God has called a remnant, foreknown and chosen to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). They’ll answer the high calling, decreasing so Christ can increase within them, becoming the vessels through which divine love touches all people.

But not everyone will respond. Scripture warns of those who recoil from the truth, buried in comfort, traditions, or fear. Consider the five foolish virgins—shut out from the wedding feast, unprepared for the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1–13). Or the servant who hid his talent in the ground, scolded as “slothful and unprofitable” by the returning Master (Matthew 25:26). These are not mere metaphors; they are solemn realities.

Those who reject the call to spiritual growth will not mature into love. They will not reign. They will remain infants—content, perhaps, but barren of the fruit that restores righteousness to a broken world. What Christ seeks is a people who will reflect Him fully, expressing divine love that heals, redeems, and incarnates God once again on earth.

Answering the Highest Call

We are living in the days of the latter rain—His Spirit is being poured out. Will we remain near the nursery, or rise to sit with Him on His throne? (Revelation 3:21). Agape love is the bond of perfectness, the final attribute that completes us in Christ. Those who cultivate it will reign. Those who resist it, according to scripture, will be left behind—not out of spite, but because they rejected the very path that leads to transformation.

I believe that we will grow to be His sons and daughters, His lights shining into the deepest, darkest dungeons of the earth: To “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” [Think spiritually. Isaiah 61:1].

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June 29, 2025 · 8:40 am

Eyes on the Harvest

  1. The Sower’s Longing

God’s eyes are ever on His harvest. This is not simply a season—it is His will unfolding across time. He sows with the end in mind: a mature people, ready to be gathered. Are our eyes aligned with His?

Just as the farmer treasures the yield of his field, God watches with divine patience for the maturity of His Word within hearts. The Bible is a record of this great sowing—the planting of promises, prophecies, and purpose.

Be patient… until it receives the early and latter rain (James 5:7).

2. Maturity Marks the Time

The harvest is not about numbers—it’s about readiness. Maturity. Fruit that bears the nature of the Seed. In this “time of the end,” we are witnessing the crop coming to full ripeness.

The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels (Matthew 13:39).

These aren’t ominous words. They’re hopeful. They point to transformation—souls shaped in the image of Christ.

3. The First Fruits Rise

Like ears of corn ripening early, some sons and daughters awaken to maturity ahead of the field. These are the first fruits—the ones formed not just to arrive but to labor. To reap.

From the prophets of old to the hundredfold elect of today, these forerunners bear the burden and the glory of calling others in.

They without us should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40).

4. The Call to Labor

Christ’s command echoes now more than ever:

Pray ye therefore the Lord… that He would send forth laborers into His harvest (Luke 10:2).

The time of the latter rain is not only about power—it is about purpose. God is activating His mature ones to gather the rest. Millions will come. And the world, weary as it is, will see the glory of ripened faith.

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April 4, 2025 · 8:49 am

Spiritual Fasting from Lukewarmness

Abstaining from being lukewarm

In the previous post, we explored God’s chosen fast—a spiritual fast where we abstain from false teachings about Christ and His plan and purpose. But you might ask, “What exactly do we abstain from?”

One significant fault prevalent among Christians is lukewarmness in our search for God. It is believing that we can please Christ with a lukewarm heart. Being lukewarm separates us from Him. As Christ sternly warned, “I will spew you out of My mouth.” Christ said that Christians in the last church age—that’s us—will be lukewarm, being neither hot nor cold.

The concept of being “lukewarm” in Revelation 3:15–16 is a metaphor used by Christ in His message to the church in Laodicea. He rebukes them for their spiritual complacency, saying they are neither “hot” (passionate, on fire for God) nor “cold” (completely rejecting God). Instead, they are indifferent, stagnant, and lacking zeal, which displeases Him to the point of threatening to “spit them out of His mouth” (Rev. 3:15-22).

Gold, White Raiment, Eye Salve

Christ goes on to give us the remedy for being in the dangerous state of lukewarmness. He counsels us to repent from lukewarmness by buying from Him three things: “Gold tried in the fire,” “white raiment,” and “eye salve.”

“Gold tried in the fire” is partaking of Christ’s sufferings. This is the trying of your faith, which purifies our belief in God (James 1:3). Lukewarm Christians do not want to suffer. But “beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12-13; I Peter 1:6-7; Job 23:10). Those who overcome will share in His “praise, honor, and glory at His appearing.” Suffering for Christ’s sake is fasting from lukewarmness. “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.”

Furthermore, we are to seek “white raiment” to clothe our spiritual nakedness (Rev. 3:18; 19:8).  And finally, we are to seek “eye salve” so that we have eyes to see the secret things.

[You will notice the brevity of the previous paragraph. Instead of explaining “white raiment” and “eye salve,” I have left them as your “homework.” From the Scriptures, explain what they mean, and for an “A” on the assignment, explain how they help us repent from lukewarmness. Share your study in the comment section.]

Spiritual fasting is abstaining from false doctrines

 I saw a shop window this morning. It displayed different size eggs and bunny rabbits. They were made of pottery, plastic, and white fur. And I thought, Christ has nothing to do with these vestiges of fertility rites that pagans esteemed millennia ago. The person responsible for the display probably does not know the gravity of this practice. Then I thought, We have been fasting from the pagan holidays for decades. [For more, check out this excellent video: A Very PAGAN EASTER | FULL DOCUMENTARY].

I can hear Yahweh’s voice crying through Jeremiah’s lips: “Learn not the way of the heathen…for one cuts a tree out of the forest…They deck it with silver and gold…They fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not…” While they fiddle with earthly ornaments, they forget that “He has made the earth by his power, and He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his discretion” (Jer. 10:1-12).

To become His manifested sons and daughters, to achieve this growth, we must repent of the faults learned in our early years. God knows our hearts; He sees the sincerity in our efforts to do what is right. He has reached out to us in deeply personal ways, enabling us to know Him as our Savior. We were often told that attending church, paying tithes, making donations, and reading the Bible would secure our acceptance by Him. Yet, despite these practices, our growth has been limited—nothing resembling the profound transformation experienced by the early apostles.

God desires more for us. He has ordained spiritual fasting to foster our growth. This involves rejecting false doctrines and allowing His Spirit of truth to guide us, revealing the areas in our lives that require repentance. He has already cleansed us from all sin, which is defined as breaking the Ten Commandments. However, He seeks to purify us further by purging the “old leaven”—the faults rooted in false beliefs. These faults hinder the Spirit’s flow, much like clogged sap prevents the vine’s nourishment from reaching its branches (John 15:1-10).

Some may feel overwhelmed and exclaim, “I can’t do this! I don’t know how!” But that is the very point. It is not by our own strength that we succeed. After the cross experience, it is no longer “I that lives, but Christ that lives in me.” We have the Spirit of truth dwelling within us. We need only ask Him, and He will show us the way.

Let us read Christ’s comforting promise: “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth, for He shall show you things to come” (John 16:13). Those fasting from lukewarmness will be shone the treasures of wisdom. [Don’t forget to do your homework. May Yah show you His secrets. Kenneth Wayne Hancock]

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