These are notes on the sermon, Inside-Out Transformation, preached by Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 2 May 2021, at The Star Performing Arts Centre, Singapore. We hope these sermon notes will be an encouragement to you!
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Pastor Prince encourages us to continue sharing our testimonies with one another. What God has done for others, He wants to do for you as well. Even as we hear testimonies from others each Sunday, be encouraged because your breakthrough is next!
One of the reasons why we share our testimonies is because it is how we overcome the devil— by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11a). Every time you testify to someone, you are sharing God’s grace with them. No one can reason away your experience.
Reading the many praise reports and testimonies from others builds up our faith with the confident expectation of good for our future.
We are continuing from last week’s sermon, Your Failure Is Not Final.
“Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
— Romans 8:1–2 NASB
“no condemnation at all” — The word “no” is the Greek word “oudeis,” and it describes a scenario where there is no exception. This means that there is no condemnation whatsoever in any shape or form for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The law of sin and death entered when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. God never desired for us to live a life subjected to sickness and disease, growing old, or dying. God’s dream for man is to live in health, strength, youthfulness, and to enjoy all the good that He has in store for them.
The devil has nothing but destruction for man but Jesus came to bring life and life more abundantly (John 10:10b).
“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” — When Jesus died on the cross, He introduced a new law—the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Here, “the law” is not referring to the Ten Commandments or a rule of conduct made by a government but it is referring to a mode of operation, e.g. the law of physics or the law of gravity. Under the law of gravity, what goes up must come down. Likewise, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus releases God’s abundant, “zóé” life into the life of the believer.
“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” — When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we came under this new law and so we were freed from the law of sin and death. Similar to how the law of thrust and lift frees a plane from being subjected to the law of gravity, the law of the Spirit of life has freed us from being subjected to the law of sin and death. God gave a greater and higher law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which transcends the law of sin and death. Today, we are no longer subjected to this law but we are subjected to the law of the Spirit of life.
While we have been freed from the law of sin and death through the finished work of Jesus, it does not mean that the law and its effects no longer exists. However, one of the ways we can actively claim this law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is to confess, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and death.”
When you experience a symptom in your body, confess this law over yourself. The spirit of faith speaks. Just as David wrote in Psalm 116:10a (KJV), “I believed, therefore have I spoken.” And Paul who quoted David in 2 Corinthians 4:13 (KJV), said, “We having the same spirit of faith . . . I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.”
The Bible tells us that when God saw darkness, He called light into existence and called it good (Gen. 1:3). God didn’t speak about the darkness He saw; He spoke forth what He wanted to see. We, being made in God’s image and having the same spirit of faith as David, believe and therefore speak. This is how we operate in faith in our daily lives.
It is in this manner that we are saved: by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8 KJV). Similarly, how do we appropriate all that Christ has done for us? By faith, and faith operates through believing and speaking (Rom. 10:9–10).
When you feel tired or weak in your body, say this: “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.”
That is your rightful place in Christ, free and above the law of sin and death, in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
It is essential that we are established in this truth: Because of Jesus’ finished work at the cross, God sees us in Christ today, one with Him and ensphered in Him. Today, when God looks at Jesus, He sees you. When God looks at you, He sees His Son, Jesus Christ. God will never see you apart from Christ.
In God’s eyes, whatever has happened to Jesus has happened to you as well. So when Jesus died at the cross, our old self was crucified with Him. When Jesus was raised from the dead, we were raised with Him. When God made Jesus sit at His right hand, we sat down with Him at God’s right hand.
We are now in Christ not by our own efforts and strength, but by God’s doing.
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”
— 1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV
Because we are in Christ, He becomes our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
All our sins have been forgiven through Christ’s blood, but because we still have the flesh (the sin principle that makes us inclined to sin) in us, we cannot help but fall into sin. However, even when we fall into sin (the Christian walk is an upward stumbling), we are still forgiven and righteous in Christ.
How can this be so?
Because of Adam’s sin, everyone was born a sinner. Even if a sinner does good deeds, he is still a sinner. But now, Jesus Christ, who is the last Adam, has made us righteous in Him. Our sinful nature has been crucified at the cross with Him and today, we are seated with Him at God’s right hand. Now that we are righteous in Christ, we cannot revert to being sinners even when we fall into sin.
So even when you see the flesh act up (e.g. when you have wayward thoughts or sinful desires), you don’t have to identify yourself with them.
Don’t judge yourself by your behavior; judge yourself by your standing in Christ—you are the righteousness of God in Christ! As you judge yourself by your righteous standing, your behavior will start to line up with this truth and you will find yourself reigning more and more over sin.
The real you is a spirit. You are a spirit made in the image of God, but you live in a body and you have a soul (thoughts and emotions).
While we have a soul and we live in a body, God does not want us to be led by our minds and bodies. That is not to say that we don’t take care about these things, but God wants our spirit man to take precedence over our mind and body.
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
— Romans 8:5–6 ESV
Throughout the Bible, there are instances where the “spirit” can refer to the Holy Spirit or our spirit man. Sometimes, the distinction isn’t as clear because God has made our spirit man and the Holy Spirit one (1 Cor. 6:17 KJV). The Holy Spirit dwells in our spirit and that is how God leads us from within and how He wants us to lead our soul and body.
In the spirit, we experience:
The Bible tells us very clearly that the gospel the apostle Paul preached is a gospel that declares the righteousness of God as a gift:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation (‘sótéria’) for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."”
— Romans 1:16–17 NKJV
“the gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God to salvation” — The word “salvation” is the Greek word “sótéria,” which refers not only to salvation from condemnation, but also includes healing, wholeness, and well-being for your entire person. God wants this salvation to happen to you and it is through the gospel that the fullness of this salvation is released.
“it is written, "The just shall live by faith."” — Pastor Prince shares that he used to think this verse was talking about faith as a way of life (for instance, when a person chooses to trust God for their finances and supply, that is living by faith). However, in the Greek, the sentence structure of this verse places a different emphasis that can be seen in the New English Translation:
“For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.””
— Romans 1:17 NET
“The righteous by faith will live.” — The New English Translation places emphasis on “the righteous by faith,” i.e. those who are righteous by faith will live. We see this in the Revised Standard Version as well:
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live."”
— Romans 1:17 RSV
“He who through faith is righteous shall live.” — We have been made righteous not by our actions or deeds, but through the finished work of Christ. If you are the righteousness of God in Christ, you have Jesus’ abundant life in you.
If you believe you are the righteousness of God in Christ, confess it!
The presence of these symptoms does not discount your righteous standing in Christ. A sinner can perform good deeds but that does not change his identity as a sinner. A righteous man may fail but that does not change his identity as the righteousness of God in Christ.
The gospel is more than just the forgiveness of sins but it is also about the righteousness of God revealed. You can be forgiven of your sins but never realize that you have been made righteous by God.
“All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
And great shall be the peace (‘shalom’) of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.”
— Isaiah 54:13–14 NKJV
“great shall be the peace” — This peace is God’s “shalom” peace, which includes completeness, health, good success, safety, and one’s total well-being. It affects our spirit, soul, and body.
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,"
Says the Lord.”
— Isaiah 54:17 NKJV
God has promised that no weapon formed against you shall prosper—not just in the past or present, but also in the future. This promise is not dependent on our obedience or our own self-righteousness but it is dependent on Jesus and His righteousness.
The reason why no weapon formed against us can prosper is found in the second part of the verse: “ . . . This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me.’ says the Lord.”
Whatever the weapon or challenge may be, know beyond any doubt that this is God’s promise to you—no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Not because your behavior is perfect, but because of Christ’s finished work at the cross, your righteous standing in Him is perfect.
“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
— Acts 13:38–39 NKJV
The power of the gospel that Paul preached is found in the forgiveness of sins for “everyone who believes.” We see this more clearly in the Young’s Literal Translation:
“and from all things from which ye were not able in the law of Moses to be declared righteous, in this one [Jesus] every one who is believing is declared righteous;”
— Acts 13:39 YLT
This gift of righteousness has already been given to you. Your only part to play today is to simply believe. The old covenant was based on justification by works (keeping the law of Moses—The Ten Commandments) but the new covenant is based on justification by faith (believing that Jesus Christ has received all the punishment for our sins and today, we are righteous in Him).
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
— Romans 8:9–11 NKJV
The born-again believer is no longer in the flesh but he is in the spirit. The born-again man is created by God in Christ (Eph. 4:24). We are righteous in God’s sight, not by our work, but by the blood of Jesus Christ. Our righteousness is founded on the incorruptible truth of the finished work of Christ.
Pastor Prince shares a testimony from a sister in Texas, United States, who experienced a 180-degree life transformation (she was delivered from drugs and alcohol, and experienced restoration in her relationships) when she became conscious of God’s love for her instead of her sins.
“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
— Romans 8:10–11 NKJV
“body is dead because of sin” — Death can manifest as thoughts of depression in your soul and it can also manifest as sickness or disease in your body.
“the Spirit is life because of righteousness” — This righteousness is not something that you do, it is who you are when you accept Jesus as your Savior.
How do we get this life to touch our minds and physical bodies?
“give life to your mortal bodies” — The Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead lives in you. That same Spirit quickens and gives life to your mortal body. This is not referring to the rapture where we will receive our glorified bodies (Phil. 3:21a ESV), but this is referring to the life that is present in our mortal bodies right now.
Today, what dwells in our spirit is righteousness and life.
The Spirit is life because of righteousness. It has to do with righteousness. For that life to permeate our soul and bodies—which results in health, healing, and wholeness—it all begins with our spirit. It all begins with being conscious of who you are in your spirit, that is, the righteousness of God in Christ.
The more conscious you are of your righteousness in Christ, the more God’s “zóé” life flows into your mortal body. Once His “zóé” life touches that depression or anxiety in our souls, or that disease in our bodies, that’s the end of them. Where His life is, there can be no death.
But how do we receive that boost of resurrection life from the Holy Spirit?
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
— Romans 8:6 ESV
“to set the mind” — The mind is part of your soul. In your soul, you decide whether you want to focus (mind) on the spirit (who you are) or the body (what you are experiencing). Get your mind to focus on who you are and what you have in the spirit—listen to teachings that expound on that truth. Renew your mind with who you really are in the spirit.
When you set your mind on the spirit (your righteousness in Christ), it is going to affect your soul (your emotions, thoughts, and will). The life-transforming power and peace in the spirit can touch your emotions and then flood your body with healing and wholeness.
You are already righteous in God’s eyes, whether you feel it or not. When you allow that righteousness-consciousness that starts in your spirit to take root in your soul (e.g. by meditating on it), it will eventually impact your body.
How do you feel that righteousness-consciousness? Pastor Prince shares that for him personally, it is like a sense of newness, a sense of being in close company with God, where there’s no fear of the future. It is a sense of assurance that when you pray, God hears you. He encourages all of us to experience that for ourselves.
Pastor Prince shares a testimony of a powerful life transformation from a sister who was caught in a vicious cycle of sin, guilt, and condemnation. Despite years of self-effort, it was only through the confession of her righteousness in Christ—not of her sin—that she was finally able to break the cycle of sin, and be set free from a constant state of guilt and condemnation.
One of the devices of the enemy is to heap guilt and condemnation on you. The last thing he wants you to say and believe is that you are the righteousness of God in Christ.
What are you confessing today?
Is it a confession of sin? Today, because of the finished work of Christ, we do not hold fast to a confession of sin but we hold fast the confession of our hope, a confident expectation of good to come because of all that Jesus, our great High Priest, has done for us (Heb. 10:23a, Heb 4:14).
Keep on confessing it until you experience it even in your thoughts and emotions.
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:23 RSV
“may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless” — When you receive His righteousness that gives you a peaceful conscience, when you confess it and believe it, you will see all parts of your being transformed—your soul (thoughts and emotions) and your body.
Pastor Prince prays for people with the following conditions:
Say, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ and I receive my healing, full and free, from my Savior.”
One of the ways to renew your mind is to keep on hearing the good news. Keep listening to sermons that remind you that your righteousness is a gift and that you are righteous apart from your works. The more righteousness-conscious you are, the more life from the Spirit touches and quickens your soul and body!
“Lord Jesus, I thank You that You died on the cross for my sins. I thank You that when I was declared righteous by God, God raised You from the dead. I thank You, Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior, now and forever. Father God, I thank You, You have made me the righteousness of God in Christ. Thank You that all the blessings of the righteous are now mine. Thank You, Father God, that the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed me from every sin. Thank You, Father, I'm a new creation, I'm born again and born righteous. Thank You, Father, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“This coming week, the Lord bless you and your families richly, plentifully, abundantly, because it is the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich and not your efforts, not your labor. The Lord make His face to shine on you and upon your loved ones, and be favorable to you. Open doors of favor throughout this week to you and your loved ones.
May you find yourself by the grace of God at the right place at the right time, always. The Lord lift up His countenance on you and your families, and grant to you and your loved ones His wonderful shalom peace, wholeness, and wellbeing, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And all the people say, Amen.”
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live."”
— Romans 1:17 RSV
The gospel declares the righteousness of God as a gift—and we have received this wonderful gift by faith. Today, God wants you to know that “righteousness by faith” is not just a nice thought, but it is a powerful truth that brings His life-transforming power into every area of our lives—our spirit, soul (thoughts and emotions), and body.
Maybe today, you find yourself struggling in your thoughts and emotions. Are you overwhelmed by depressive thoughts and feelings? Are you overcome by waves of anxiety about the future? Maybe you’ve been replaying past mistakes in your mind over and over again, and you find yourself unable to move on in life. Maybe you’ve been harboring negative emotions in your heart toward yourself or others, and you know this hinders you from living with joy and hope.
Or perhaps you’re facing a challenge in your body. It could be a chronic health condition or a pain you’ve been experiencing in recent days. It could be a sudden bad report from the doctor or an undiagnosable condition medical experts cannot understand. It could also be an addiction or habit you can’t seem to kick.
Friend, the revelation of your righteousness in Christ will bring life into all these areas where you’re seeing death.
This coming week, meditate often on the truth that you are righteous in Christ. When you declare that you are the righteousness of God in Christ even while the symptoms of sin and death are present in your mind and body, you are practicing righteousness by faith. Meditate on this truth, mutter it under your breath, and speak it forth until you believe it in your mind and feel it deep down in your heart! Say, “Thank You, Lord, that I am the righteousness of God in Christ. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and death. I receive your zóé life in my thoughts and emotions and in my body!”
As the truth of your righteous standing in Christ becomes more and more real to you, you will begin to experience the life-transforming power of God touching your soul and body, making them whole (Rom. 8:10–11, 1 Thess. 5:23).
We hope these sermon notes blessed you! If they did, we encourage you to get the sermon and allow the Lord to speak to you personally as you watch or listen to it.
© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2021
These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.
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