Developing a Supernatural Lifestyle: A Practical Guide to a Life of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles

by Kris Vallotton

Without relationship, God had to judge them according to their works instead of according to His.

Without relationship, God judged according to man’s works—not according to His.

This expresses the nature of His Kingdom—the foundation of His Supreme Court is built upon righteousness and justice, but His decrees are made from the Mercy Seat (see Ps. 89:14; Heb. 9:5).

Jesus’ death on the Cross changed the conditions of mankind’s standing before the Judge of Heaven.

At first glance it looks like the standard Jesus is raising is even more stringent than the original Law.

Be perfect? But Jesus was showing us what God is really like—and what we can be like through His righteousness.

remember that for hundreds of years the Jews were told to have nothing to do with unbelievers, to detest, hate, and destroy them.

When Jesus arrived on the scene with His “love evil men” doctrine, it was an incredible paradigm shift.

Grace was beginning to invade their worl...

But Jesus performed a violent act of grace by going to the Cross. The Cross became a battering ram that smashed the iron bars and bronze doors of judgment, forcing the unworthy (us) into the Kingdom of God (see Isa. 45:2).

The Cross smashed the iron bars and bronze doors of judgment.

Sadly, there are still religious leaders today who work to block the entrance of Heaven by using the Law to disqualify the candidates of conversion.

Jesus prepared His disciples to understand what His death would accomplish at the Last Supper.

At the Last Supper the Lord explained how He was the Lamb whose body and blood would become eternally marked over God’s people, bringing eternal salvation from the judgment of sin.

As the Lamb, He both fulfilled the requirements of the first covenant and inaugurated the new covenant:

To Jews, both in the first century and today, this passage is shocking and revolutionary. To say that the Old Covenant is obsolete and disappearing is akin to announcing that the Constitution of the United States of America is being completely dissolved and an entirely new system of government

The Law no longer defines the way in which we connect to God or God

relates to us. The old contract is no longer enforced and has become irre...

In the New Covenant, the law is something we have in our hearts. This moves our focus from keeping rules to having a heart for the Lord. Only when we have God’s law written in our hearts and our minds can we live with the e...

In the New Covenant, God is merciful to us and remembers...

Graceland is the place where the people of God live far above the Law through the power of grace the New Covenant provided. Graceland is the Canaan of our souls. It is the place where there is no judgment. It is a Kingdom of love and forgiveness, a land of mercy and truth. While there is discipline in this Kingdom, there is no punishment.

I’d like to suggest that this omission was intentional because Jesus wasn’t sent to declare the day of vengeance, but to proclaim salvation (the favorable year of the Lord) to the world.

JUDGMENT DAY

But all through the New Testament, references to this season of the world’s judgment are always related to a day, not the Last Days.

We are currently in the Last Days, not the Last Day.

because He has fixed a day

day of judgment

judgment of the great day (Jude

Paul is saying that he is unaware of anything wrong in himself, but admits he could still be messed up and not know it!

“A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.” This word “discretion” means “understanding.” Our understanding of mercy enables us to partake of the glory that only comes when we extend mercy to those around us.

James says showing partiality is stepping out of love and into law.

He explains to us that comparing sins—calling one sin worse than another—is showing partiality and makes us judges.

But they ignore the fact that although we have the responsibility to judge between right and wrong, we don’t have the role, place, or responsibility to call for punishment against people.

We had better watch out, because we are about to become the next victim of judgment. Remember, nobody ever, in the history of the planet, was found righteous under the Law except Jesus.

mercy finally had a victory in my life. And Tony and Frank were introduced to the Kingdom through a violent act of grace!

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

Love and mercy are the core value...

We have to keep the values of the King when we minister in power, or we will be destructi...

God reconciled the world to Himself.

God was in Christ so that He could reconcile the world to Himself.

He has given us the same ministry. He wants us not to count sin against sinners so we can beg them to be reconciled to God.

If God is not counting sin against sinners, what gives us the right to do it? And what ever gave us the idea that pointing out people’s sin leads to reconciliation?

That is what the supernatural ministry of the New Covenant is all about. Love never fails!

there are many prophetic people who are convinced that their main ministry is to warn people of the coming judgments of God.

Connecting natural disasters with the sins of the people of the land was often the main message of Old Testament prophets.

He wasn’t blaming God for the famine; he was simply trying to prepare the Body of Christ for the trouble he saw ahead.

To relate every calamity to the spirit realm is simply ignorant and results in Christians losing credibility with anybody who has permission to think.

the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus at the Cross, bringing justice and releasing mercy to billions of people who don’t deserve it.

Therefore God doesn’t need to create justice through judgment, because He already did that in the person of Jesus.

It is important to note that God did not kill Herod for arresting His apostles