Brownwood.VL.Church: Recent Episodes
Brownwood.VL.Church
Habitual Holiness Step one: Real lasting change isn’t behavior modification but spiritual transformation. Step two: Stop the negative self talk! If you want to change what you do, change what you think of you. Step Three: Hope alone will not change your life. Habits will. Habit – behavioral autopilot, (second nature) What does it mean to be Holy? Holiness – set apart, separated, ritually clean. Someone who is Holy, isn’t separated from God, therefore they can strengthen their relationship with
MAKE THE CHANGE WEEK 2
VOICES
Start at the end: You can see the real change you need become a reality!
Step 1 Real and lasting change isn’t behavior modification but spiritual transformation.
Step 2: Stop the Negative Self-Talk
Why do you do what you do?
You feel obligated.
You want to.
You want to be accepted.
What’s the biggest reason you do what you do?
You do what you do because of what you think of you.
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
To understand the temperature of your self-talk, – Subconsciously ask yourself 3 questions:
· What type of person am I?
· What kind of situation is this?
· What does someone like me do in a situation like this?
You do what you do because of what you think of you.
If you want to change what you do, change what you think of you.
John 8:44-45 NLT
[The devil] has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. (J says) 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! John 8:44-45 NLT
The Results of a Distorted Identity
Your distorted identity starts to sabotage your success.
Your distorted identity creates destructive habits.
Your destructive habits reinforce your distorted identity.
BUT…
A Christ-centered identity leads to Christ-honoring habits.
Christ-honoring habits reinforce a Christ-centered identity.
37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each eveninghe went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives. Luke 21:37
And [Jesus] came out and went, as was his habit, to the Mount of Olives. Luke 22:39 NASB20
How do you change?—Start with who before do.
Decide who you want to become instead of focusing on what you want to do.
WHO do you want to become?
· I am a mom who is fully present and wholly intentional.
· I’m a teenager who has found purity in Christ and doesn’t look at porn.
· I am a man of God who will lay down my life to serve my wife and my children.
· I am someone who is sober and is a testimony to the power of Christ to change a life.
Get Specific on the DO based on the WHO!
· I am a person who doesn’t skip workouts.
· I am a Christian who reads my Bible every day.
· I am a person who puts God first in my finances.
· I am disciplined. Christ in me is stronger than wrong desires in me.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.” James Clear
Devil wants you to believe you are what you do.
A sinner can’t change, right? Trapped, tethered to life, with no release, no freedom, and no deliverance from the mess you got yourself into!
Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT
Since you have heard about Jesus and learned the truth from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Eph 4:21-24 NLT
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK Sessions 30 and 31 – THOUGHT LIFE
PRACTICAL COURAGE
MATTHEW CHAPTER SIX AND VERSES NINETEEN TO TWENTY-ONE
KNOW THYSELF
The most dangerous part of spiritual warfare is ourselves. Our free will is an incredible gift from God, but it’s probably the most fickle and treacherous part of ourselves.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?Jeremiah 17:9 NIV
Another way of looking at spiritual warfare is the battle that rages between the flesh and the spirit. In previous sessions, we have studied the battle introduced in Eden and still rages in our psyches today.
This is why self-awareness is vital in becoming a victor, not a victim, in this crazy spiritual battle.
We have to learn the art of war. What do we need to protect? And how do we attack?
PRACTICES THAT PROTECT AND COURAGE TO ATTACK
Peace is our greatest asset. Even in the midst of battle, a good plan that leads to victory needs planning and strategy. Peace does not come when we are making decisions out of desperation. Lashing out or bursts of spiritual energy that create a fleeting sense of victory leave us feeling broken and desperate when they pass. Moving elements of our lives into the “Open Quadrant,” or the Arena of Peace, will give us the greatest advantage over our spiritual enemies, one of whom is ourselves.
We need to be able to use the spiritual weapons we have been given to protect what God has done for us. We need to protect our hearts.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23 NLT
To guard our hearts, we are, in fact, protecting ourselves from the corrosion and erosion of the redemption of Jesus. We don’t want it to be drained from us by the process of a flesh life. We do not use blame, shame, and condemnation to build walls of offense and hurt as our protective measure; we use practices that ensure we are constantly being encouraged to operate in the realm of what Jesus has done to our lives, not what life has done to us.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
In studying the Joharis Window, we find the practices we need to intentionally embrace so as to enable the spiritual weapons we have been given to protect what God has done in us. We need to protect our hearts.
In the “Open” Quadrant, we are given the POWER OF PEACE and the WONDER OF WISDOM.
The Lord gives strength to his people, and the Lord blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11 NLT
Blessing is an element of your identity and authority! When you know, they know, God knows, everyone knows, lies can not trap you, and secrecy will not dog you! And with that comes our next spiritual defense: FREEDOM!
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 NLT
Bringing the things in the HIDDEN area into the OPEN, you are blessed with HEALING through the growth of TRANSPARENCY with those you TRUST.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16 ESV
When we can admit that we need help to understand something about ourselves and struggle through the issues in our BLIND SPOT,we develop a powerful weapon called HUMILITY. Humility is the seed of VULNERABILITY. If we are copying the mind of Christ, we copy His inability to stay within His comfort and understanding and truly make himself vulnerable to the point of death in defense of His beloved church and the attack on sin and Satan.
In the UNKNOWN space, seeking REVELATION through conversations with the HOLY SPIRIT and meditating on the WORD creates a self-awareness of your God-given authority, blessing, and purpose. In this arena of spiritual battle, we find the things of darkness being pulled into the place of light. We find our true DELIVERANCE through the forgiveness of the Father.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance”. Psalm 32:7 NLT
But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. 1 John 1:9 KJV
TO LIST OUR SPIRITUAL DEFENSE AND ATTACK MECHANISMS:
The Power of Peace protects us from desperation.The Wonder of Wisdom keeps us from knee-jerk reactionsWalking in Freedom uncouples us from the erosion of blame, shame and condemnation.Accepting the Authority of Healing attacks the lies of our past and the incapacitation of our circumstances.Transparency demolishes hypocrisy and faulty foundations in our relationships.Building Your Trust in God and others is a journey that provides stability in your life that is a death blow to the enemy’s confusion and chaos.We can t not be trapped by others’ lies when we are Humbly Vulnerable.The Word of Knowledge and Wisdom Through Revelation are gifts from the Holy Spirit that are the very grindstone that sharpens our two-edged Sword and cuts out evil, bad spirits, and ungodly attitudes in the process of Deliverance. The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 NLT
YOUR STUDY
Conduct an AIR Study AND Linked Learning of Matthew 6:19-21 and Hebrews 4:12.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
Another name for spiritual war is the war of your thoughts – discuss?How are deliverance and forgiveness linked?How does Solomon prioritize the warfare of the heart? Discuss.All gifts of the Spirit are weapons of warfare – discuss some gifts and how they are used in war.What is the correct posture of revelation?
MAKE THE CHANGE
STUCK!
The vast majority of us quit our resolutions by the second Friday of January.
Romans 7:15, 19, 24 NLT
7I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. …19I don’t want to do what is wrong,but I do it anyway. … 24Oh, what a miserable person I am! …
Real change isn’t behavior modification. Real change is spiritual transformation. Romans 7:24-25 NLT
… Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. …
The Way to Real Change
• Not “God, then me.”• Not “God, not me.”• But “God through me.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 NIV
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of GodI am what I am, andhis graceto me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
The grace that saves you is also the grace that changes you.
• Your spiritual “why” is God’s purpose for you.• Your spiritual “how” is God’s power through you.
Zechariah 4:6 NIV
“…‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”
I am disciplined. Christ in me is stronger than the wrong desires in me.
If you change your behavior but don’t change your heart, the behavior will come back.
You’re trying to meet a need or relieve a hurt with something besides God’s grace.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
… [God] said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
Additional Thoughts
Read Zechariah 4:6. What are some specific areas in your life where you need God’s power?
Journal about a time when you made a lasting change in your life. What role did God have in that decision?
Are you trying to meet a need or relieve a hurt without God’s grace? What would taking a step toward His grace this week look like?
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK Sessions 1 and 2 (28-29) – THOUGHT LIFE
INTENTIONAL BEHAVIOR & QUADRANTS OF YOUR MIND
FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 2, VERSES SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT
SPIRITUAL WISDOM
One of the most powerful statements in scripture is that we have the mind of Christ. Because of His mind staying fixed on the things of the Spirit, Christ was able to go about his life with intentionality, despite sacrifice, was able to defeat Satan, conquer death, and liberate us from sin.
Having Christ’s mind leads us to have Christ’s intentionality.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
THE THREE ELEMENTS OF AUTHORITY
We have the same power and can see the same results. We can also see Satan defeated, sin thwarted, and released from the fear of death. If we are in a spiritual battle, we need to know what it looks like to win the war. To fully understand our victory, let’s imagine for a moment the consequences if we lose. We give our authority to Satan, lose our faith to fear, and the consequences of sin take us to death from which there is no recovery!
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6
So to be victorious, we have to establish an intentionality that conforms us to Jesus’s image and His thinking. This means our efforts and thoughts place us on the opposite spectrum of defeat. Sin and death have no grip, fear is left behind, and Satan has no effect. This is the real battle we are in – the battle of believing that the spoils of spiritual victory are ours and not what the news from the flesh realm would have us believe.
Satan is a dodgy news anchor in a system that broadcasts fake news about your spiritual status!
PEACE THAT SURPASSES FAKE NEWS
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Aligned spiritual thinking gives us wisdom that creates peace in us that will not have us acting in fear, sin, or desperation!
Peace or clarity of mind, coupled with Godly Wisdom, are the two biggest weapons in the spiritual war we find ourselves in To move towards that peace and wisdom, we have to begin understanding ourselves and dismantle our conquered thinking to establish the thought life of the Conqueror!
Course correction is as much about knowing where you want to be (mind of Christ) as where you find yourself.
To truly begin the process of discovering the power of intentional thought and, therefore, intentional behavior, you have to be willing to _________________ yourself. Why did I not…? Why did I…? How can I…? What prevented me from…?
The more you discover in relation to God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and others, the greater _____________ you find. The greater the peace, the greater the wisdom, the greater the wisdom the closer to the mind of Christ.
We have plenty of sources to study Jesus. But we can better understand ourselves by looking at three main sources:
What we ____________ about ourselvesWhat ____________ know about usWhat ____________ needs to reveal to us JOHARI WINDOW
American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham developed a model in 1955 called the _________________________. With some minor tweaks, their model can help us develop self-awareness and heightened intentional thinking.
Luft and Harry suggested that there were four areas of our self-awareness.
THE OPEN AREA
Information about your attitudes, behavior, emotions, feelings, skills, and views are known to yourself and are clearly evident to others around you.
THE BLIND SPOT
Information and interpretations about yourself that are known to others but you are unaware of or have a skewed opinion of.
THE HIDDEN AREA
Information that is known to you but that you keep from sharing with others.
THE UNKNOWN AREA
Information that you are unaware of and others don’t know. This includes information, feelings, capabilities, talents, etc. This can be due to traumatic past experiences or events which can be unknown for a lifetime.
THE ARENA OF PEACE
The _____________ area is generally an area of _____________ and _______________.
To best navigate the _________________ area, you must be _____________________ with those you _________________.
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 NLT
WINNING THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE IS ABOUT CHOOSING JESUS AND BEING WISE ABOUT WHOM YOU CHOOSE TO HANG OUT WITH.
The _________________is best navigated with ______________.
In the ___________________ space, seeking _________________ through conversations with the __________________and meditating on the ____________________ creates self-awareness of your God-given authority, blessing, and purpose.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT
YOUR STUDY
Conduct an AIR Study AND Linked Learning of 1 Corinthians 2:6-8; and Philippians 2:5-11.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
What have peace and wisdom got to do with spiritual warfare?What are the three elements of authority (won or lost)?What has self-awareness got to do with defeating Satan?Describe the quadrant of your mind that scares you the most.What is the best source of intentional thinking we can tap into and what quadrant has the highest potential to create change in our thinking?
The Power of One
John 17:20 – 23
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Reference: Deuteronomy 6:4
One Church
We are ONE!!! We, Victory, are one church.
Good, Bad & Ugly
We are only as strong as our weakest link.
Brownwood is one with Victory Life Church.
You are you, and we are us, but we are one!!!
One Church. The Capital C church is made up of ones (1st Peter 2:4,5 The church/us are kings and priests)
Never underestimate the power of ONE – you
1 Corinthians 12:12 (The body is one but many members)
1 Corinthians 12:22 (The less needed you feel, the more you’re needed)
There’s No “I” in team! But there are 3 “I”’s in Individual, and teams are made up of individuals!
STEP UP
The team often needs ONE to step up
Ex. David against Goliath
Ex. David’s mighty men (Adino killed 800 men w/spear)
Ex. Some having compassion “Making a difference” (Jude 22)
2nd Cor. 1:3- 11 “You and your prayers…”
*Changing the world is just too overwhelming. So, just change your world.
Ex. Nehemiah rebuilding the wall: Every” ONE” did what they could do.
How to make a difference as one!
Show up (Do something) Ex. Workdays Understand you and God are a majority God uses what you have Moses’ rod (Exodus 4:2 “What is that in your hand?”
The widow’s jar of oil (2nd Kings 4:2 “Tell me what you have in your house”)
Woman’s faith (Mark 5:33) Ministry is where God’s provision meets the needs of humanity!!
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK 25 and 26 – COVENANTS 2
THE NEW GENERATION
HEBREWS CHAPTER 8
Studying the Covenants of scripture is not a way of building a Covenant Theology but rather a way of increasing our understanding of how God _______________________ Himself towards His people. He presents different aspects of His personality to different historical situations and eras. The presentation of His personality to restore the balance of our relationship with Him is called grace.
The laws and covenants, since the time God made man, were and are still about a relationship that would bring life. (John 17:3). Certain spiritual laws needed to be adhered to in order to maintain the ___________________________ of the relationship between the divine and the physical.
IMBALANCE: THE ERA OF DECEPTION
In many instances, the bible refers to the ‘era of man – first Adam’ as the period of _______________________. The physical steward of the relationship, man, was tricked and deceived so that the balance of the relationship was disrupted.
So the great dragon was thrown down once and for all. He was the serpent, the ancient snake called the devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole earth. He was cast down into the earth and his angels along with him. Revelation 12:9 TPT
So began the wrestle with spiritual divine balance.
In the midst of this era of confusion, humans should have realized that God blesses human beings—nations, families, or individuals—to the degree that they choose to live by God’s basic spiritual covenants and that if they stand outside of the covenants that truthfully outline their behavior, they will fall prey to the deception and darkness of disobedience.
Jesus demonstrated the ability of man to remain in balance AND irradicated the consequence of humanity’s broken relationship with God. No other sacrifice had ever been able to do both!
And keep in mind that our Lord’s extraordinary patience simply means more opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. He consistently speaks of these things in all of his letters, even though he writes some concepts that are overwhelming to our understanding, which the unlearned and unstable love to twist to their spiritual ruin, as they do to other Scriptures.
2 Peter 3:15-16 TPT
IMBALANCE: THE FOUNDATION LAW (OLD TESTAMENT)
The imbalance of deception reached such a _____________________ crescendo that God had to destroy the world in flood and save only those who had not yet completely severed their relationship with God (“sinned”).
Mankind got so out of balance that they had forgotten the basic spiritual and relational constraints that kept the physical in balance with the divine. He gave Noah, Abraham, and the Israelites, through Moses, not laws but spiritual principles (ten of them to start) that would, in their now imperfect state and at the very least, keep the connection alive.
Later, religious practices would be developed to help the people hold to these spiritual principles (Levitical law). These practices, just like today, should not be confused with the spiritual principles of our divine relationship.
Sin is not about practice but about participation.
It is not about doing everything right; it’s about allowing Jesus to see you as righteous – good enough to have a life-giving relationship.
Sin is losing sight of the things that keep us in a relationship with the Divine.
God was not just laying out a set of laws for His ____________________ people, He was demonstrating His desire to set aside (make Holy) an elite group of people that would win ALL nations back to Him. With all their faults and issues, He made it possible to establish a pathway (Matthew 1) for a system that would establish His Kingdom permanently, and all people would know of HIm and be given the opportunity to choose light.
But now Jesus the Messiah has accepted a priestly ministry which far surpasses theirs, since he is the catalyst of a better covenant which contains far more wonderful promises! For if that first covenant had been faultless no one would have needed a second one to replace it. But God revealed the defect and limitation of the first when he said to his people, “Look! The day will come, declares the Lord, when I will satisfy the people of Israel and Judah by giving them a new covenant. It will be an entirely different covenant than the one I made with their fathers when I led them by my hand out of Egypt. For they did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I rejected them, says the Lord God. For here is the covenant I will one day establish with the people of Israel: I will embed my laws within their thoughts and fasten them onto their hearts. I will be their loyal God and they will be my loyal people. And the result of this will be that everyone will know me as Lord! There will be no need at all to teach their fellow-citizens or brothers by saying, ‘You should know Yahweh,’ since everyone will know me inwardly , from the most unlikely to the most distinguished. For I will demonstrate my mercy to them and will forgive their evil deeds, and never remember again their sins.” This proves that by establishing this new covenant the first is now obsolete, ready to expire, and about to disappear.
Hebrews 8:6-13. TPT
The Old Testament Law did not end because the nation of Israel was not obedient; it ended simply because God’s end goal was achieved.
The previous ___________________, the posture of God, was no longer all that was needed as a greater balance had been established. The Old Testament Law was the foundation for a greater set of promises that would build on God’s magnificence. The Law was not a set of behavior modifications but rather the description of the dispensational era that man found themselves in. When that dispensation ended, so did the terms of engagement.
This powerful New Testament verse makes it very clear that, far from “doing away” with God’s law, the New Covenant validates God’s laws by putting them right into the minds and hearts of true Christians! He embeds the divine into the spiritual. He established the connection that would bring perfect balance.
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 5:17–19 NKJV
THE ULTIMATE BALANCE
The New Covenant in no way does away with, or “waters down,” even the letter of God’s spiritual law. Rather, it empowers genuinely converted Christians, by God’s Spirit, to obey that law to the letter and in the spirit. It enables Jesus Christ—through the Spirit—to live His life in Christians: “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10; Jeremiah 31:33).
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, God began to share the Holy Spirit with all those who would become the “________________________” (John 16:7). On the day of Pentecost, Peter exhorted the thousands of Jews gathered at the Temple of God: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
Peter exhorted us to get rid of anything that would prevent us from engaging in the life-giving relationship with God (SIN). Sin was not about turning ___________________ from God out of guilt but failing to turn ___________ God in any and all circumstances.
Our initial reconciliation with God, our overcoming, and our ultimate salvation are all accomplished through God’s mercy—and through the love and strength of Christ living His life in us through the Holy Spirit. But to receive that mercy, we must quit making excuses so that we can “do our own thing.” We must genuinely surrender to let Christ rule our lives (Luke 6:46).
If we do so, then when we are glorified—and can participate fully in the New Covenant at Christ’s return—we will be “ready.” For, as ancient Israel was “married” to Christ, so spiritual Israel (Galatians 6:16)—the Church of God—will be “married” to Christ at His second coming.
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready”. Revelation 19:7 NKJV
The New Covenant, through Jesus and directed by the Holy Spirit, reestablishes us as the chosen people (Identity). This, in turn, completely restores our authority (spiritual), purpose (gifts), and blessing (Word is truth) that is very much needed in THIS era (the Church era) but will not be what is needed once Jesus fully establishes His Revelation 21 presence again. At this time, a new dispensation will exist with its own set of promises and understanding.
YOUR STUDY
Conduct an AIR Study AND Linked Learning of Hebrews 8:10; and Jeremiah 31:33.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
We discussed John 17:3 as it pertains to marriage and life in our last session AND we discussed it as it pertains to the New Covenant and the church. Describe your understanding of how these two discussions are linked.Describe how the covenant of God with Israel, as His chosen nation, is fulfilled in Matthew 28:19-20.What is a generational curse, and how do they impact us today?Is sin an action or an attitude, or both? Describe.By taking on sin through the New Covenant, what was God abolishing?
Unordinary Purpose
Summary
Unordinary Faith gives us an Unordinary Perspective that creates in us Unordinary Values that shape in us a passion for an Unordinary Purpose.
PURPOSE BREAKERS
“Everything I do never works out. My whole life is a struggle!” What’s the point? Not worth it—Exhausted! Why keep trying?
Why keep praying?—Doing what is right—Doesn’t seem to matter!
Don’t see the purpose!
Why is this happening?—Where is God?—Good person—Try help!
Read the bible—Church—What’s the purpose? Not fair!
We may need to walk through the pain to walk out our unordinary purpose!
People hate pain!
Not true. There is incredible resilience in the human spirit!
People hate pain without a purpose!
Truth—People can endure much pain If there’s a purpose. Marathon, breaking pain of withdrawal to attain sobriety, Childbirth!
We can walk through the pain if we know the purpose.
Hurt, Uncertainty, Frustration, Pain – Walk through the cross to step into our purpose – resurrected life!
THERE’S PURPOSE IN YOUR PAIN!
Luke 22:31
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
By allowing the pain to overwhelm your faith perspective, you stamp your approval on Satan’s request to relinquish your authority.
We have divine authority found in our unordinary faith and an unordinary perspective of pain that prevents us from quitting.
Luke 22:31-32 NIV
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail…”
Sometimes God’s preparation comes packaged as pain.
The story of Simon Peter makes me feel better…
Can’t get anything right!
A friend like Peter makes you feel better?
Peter’s Pain and Preparation!
Jesus says, “Stumbling block. Get behind me Satan!”
Matt 26 – Garden, Jesus asks Peter “Stay awake”
John 18 Jesus arrested—Peter swings at the head of a Roman soldier.
Luke 22 Peter denies Jesus 3X (Jesus looks on!)
Luke 22:61-62
The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Don’t just look at life from a perspective of pain.
Here’s what I’ve lost—What hurts—What’s not fair!
See your pain from a perspective of purpose.
Romans 8:28 NIV
And we know that in all thingsGod works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
God works in all things—For the good
According to God’s PURPOSE—Not according to your PAIN.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Sometimes God’s preparation comes packaged as pain!
Luke 22:31-32
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus knew Peter would—Fail—Doubt—Cower—Deny Jesus!
Jesus also knew Peter would turn back—STRONGER!
The pain was preparation to preach at Pentecost!
There is a Purpose!
Don’t always see it—But I choose by faith to believe it!
God never wastes a hurt!
Use your pain—Hurt—Fear—Uncertainty—Bring about good!
See pain from a perspective of purpose!
Purpose in pain!
2. “What is the point?”
You have lost the why…
LIVING A RESURRECTED LIFE RESTORES THE WHY
If you don’t know something’s purpose, you’ll likely abuse it.
Acts 13:36 NIV
“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
“The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose.”
Dr. Myles Munroe (preacher from Bahamas)
THE PURPOSE OF THE RESURRECTED LIFE – Finding your why!
1. Your purpose isn’t for you. Your purpose is God’s purpose.
Psalm 57:2 NLT (David running for his life from Saul…)
I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
Find your purpose—Fulfill God’s!
You find your purpose by fulfilling God’s preparation!
We are created for heaven but we are living in this world?
Are you searching in this world for something this world can’t provide!
Your purpose isn’t for you—Your purpose is God’s purpose.
2. You don’t find your purpose. You serve God’s purpose.
Psalm 78:70-71 NLT
He [God] chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens. He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—God’s own people, Israel.
David wasn’t seeking a position; he was serving a purpose!
David served God’s purpose.
Your purpose isn’t for you—Your purpose for God.
You don’t find your purpose—You serve God’s purpose. (How?)
3. If you want to serve God’s purpose, start serving God’s people!
My life is lame. But the love you can give is not!
Mark 10:45 NIV
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
You aren’t called to seek a platform, power, or position
You are called to serve people!
Don’t let the devil rob you of your WHY!
Not just an assignment in the future, start serving faithfully today!
Don’t worry; you won’t miss out on anything.
3. “I will never be as good as…” “I am just not good enough…”I can’t do what they can do!
STOP COMPARING YOUR CALLING.
The reason you can’t do what someone else can do. You weren’t called to their purpose.
The fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else.
YOUR RESURRECTED LIFE STATEMENT:
I am perfectly created by God to fulfill His purpose for me.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Masterpiece—Greek—Poiema—Poetry! (God’s poetic statement)
Everything God creates, He creates for a purpose.
My purpose is part of a supernatural eternityNo substitute for you!—No one else can fulfill your purpose.
Because I was created by God, I do everything for His glory!
Despite others, despite the pain, despite my comfort, I have an unordinary faith, an unordinary perspective, and an unordinary purpose which Jesus has made possible because of His unordinary resurrection.
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK 23 and 24 – COVENANTS 2 WEEK 23-24
MARRIAGE AND LIFE
JOHN CHAPTER 17
THE AUTHORITY OF LIFE-GIVING COVENANT
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity. Luke 13:27 NKJV
AUTHORITY = IDENTITY + BLESSING + PURPOSE
OBEDIENCE IS TRUST IN THE AUTHORITY GIVER
IDENTITY – Who I Am IN CHRIST
BLESSING – Walking towards the promises OF CHRIST
PURPOSE – Fulfilling the fullness of salvation THROUGH CHRIST
Covenants that have anything to do with our authority are treated with sanctity because our authority comes FROM God! We can not have authority unless we are under authority. To be under the authority of God means we adhere to how he structured the covenants of Holiness! Holy – to be set aside by GOD. (Gathered to Himself by our acceptance of His covenants).
The covenants that God has instituted are what provide our authority to walk out the blessings of the resurrected life that He has given us.
SANCTITY
In its simplest definition, the word “sanctity” means, “the quality of being sacred or holy.”
We value the values of God and heaven by treating certain elements of our lives as Holy or God-authored.
How we manage our life-giving (procreation) relationships is a holy activity.
Two covenants that originated in the old testament and were heavily focussed on in the new testament were the sanctity of marriage and the resultant life that it would bring.
One of the reasons marriage is Holy is that it was God-breathed to be the mechanism by which life would come and by which life would be nurtured.
It is a generational mechanism through which God’s promises would be worked.
GOD-ORDAINED
“Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” Genesis 2:24.
The sacredness of marriage should be revered as a crucial expression of every spouse’s life. Marriage isn’t as simple as uniting two individuals through paper and law.
It is the holiest covenant between each husband and wife and a covenant between that couple and the Lord. Every couple can have a God-fearing and God-favored married life when done in the right spirit.
The meaning of “sanctity of marriage” and how it is regarded by people is derived from the written Word of God. We often seem to forget that God Himself created the union of man and woman. Marriage isn’t manmade like many other binding agreements and contracts. Marriage is as enduring as the creation of mankind, and God is the one who invented it.
SANCTITY MARKERS
It involves submission to the creator of marriage.Our submission to the creator is evidenced by submitting to one another with the honor of the other image bearer in our marriage.It is life-giving.It has God-defined parameters.It is between A man and A woman.God’s parameters have not changed. (Hebrews 13:8)Marriage has a divine purpose and is not an earthly arrangement.Our promises made at our wedding express the authority that God releases to those faithful to His structures and covenants. (Health, provision, position, death)Marriage is the highest level of intimacy – an intimacy that creates life. THE GREATEST INTIMACY
The greater the covenant, the greater the sacrifice. Intimacy with God is life.
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 NKJV
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV
Our lives depend on authority and being intimate with the one who gives us that authority.
God did something that set man apart (made him Holy) when He gave him life in HIS IMAGE.
God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female, He created them. Genesis 1:27
God provided life, and that life was restored after it was lost by Jesus. That same life is now made full by the Holy Spirit. The three most Holy Beings provide, restore, and perpetuate divine life.
EVERYONE IS AN IMAGE BEARER.
For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. John 5:21 ESV
The purpose of life-giving capabilities is a reflection of God’s intimacy with us and us; such is not to be deauthorized by our inability to walk out His image and protect the image-bearers that come from our intimate relationships with others.
We can not deauthorize God by giving up the authority He gave us. He provides that authority by giving us guidelines by which we manage the gift of life and the gift of life-making – marriage.
We also do not have the right to define our lives outside of the promises of the kind of life Jesus has provided us (Married or not).
YOUR STUDY
Conduct an AIR Study AND Linked Learning of John 10:10 and John 17:3.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
What has the life God gave us got to do with how we treat our spouse?Why are God’s parameters (covenants) so important?Why is being made in God’s image part of our parenting strategy?How we live our life is our prerogative right?What has the source of our authority got to do with how we treat life and marriage?
UNORDINARY VALUES
HOLY VALUES IN AN UNHOLY CULTURE
The world is not your home!
Because this world is not your home — You are called to be different!
1 Peter 1:13-17 NLT
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. [temporary residents]
For many of us, the greatest obstacle to following Jesus is our desire to fit in.
God didn’t create you to fit in, He made us and gave us everything we need to STAND UP AND STAND OUT.
What is called normal in the world is called conquered in the heavens.
Broke, Hurting, Stressed, Divorced, Afraid, Anxious.
And we pray for the values of heaven to be on earth now. The heavens don’t value the unholy values of the world.
We are not normal!
1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
If you are a control freak—This message is for you.
This message is for you if you are stubborn and set in your ways.
Your words reflect your values.
Matthew 12:34-40 NKJV
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure, brings forth evil things.
The friends you choose reflect your values.
Your bank account reflects your values.
But it does not stop there… You may be able to stop saying it, but have you stopped thinking it?
The De-Value Approach
Why does it even matter? 1 Peter 1:14-16
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Your values demonstrate your embrace or ignorance of Jesus
Holy values give room for the Holy Spirit.
Theology of happiness empowers personal justification: Since I’m not happy I am allowed to do something that would otherwise be wrong.
Not happy in my marriage—I’m simply leaving.Want this thing—Can’t afford this thing—Gonna get this thing!
Dating – we know we should wait but we’re in love—God understands. Married.
1 Peter 1:14
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your
old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.
So many people wrongly believe God’s highest calling is your happiness.
God’s highest calling for you is not your happiness but your holiness.
When we believe that God wants us happy above all else, discomfort, delay, risk, and suffering can’t be God’s will.
BUT A FAITH THAT IS TESTED IS A FAITH THAT CAN BE TRUSTED.
We begin to worship the false gods of comfort, money, pleasure, and things without knowing it.
God exists to serve me God does not exist to serve us—We exist to serve him—HOLY!
Hágios—holy, set apart, different, pure.
1 Peter 1:15
But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.
He calls us we don’t call upon Him.
I don’t have to be Holy – Jesus just makes me Holy. He calls you Holy in the spirit so your flesh will follow. But we have to allow our flesh to move towards the promises released at His resurrection.
How do you instill those values?We dont. We follow Jesus and have the courage to be different.
Holiness takes work. Values need to be valued!Can’t expect to raise children who are different from the world if you’re not.
Holiness is not a miracle!
How many know you can slip into sin? Fall into temptation.You don’t slip into righteousness.
“I tripped and became holy.”
Did God really say?
Devalues are sneaky. Values take work!
Did God really say… I can’t watch that MA show on Netflix?That music with foul language is bad?
That gossip is a sin.
Not to post half-naked photos on Instagram?
I’m not that bad—I’m a lot better than a lot of people. A lot of people are not God’s standard!
Why holy?
1 Peter 1:18-21
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him, you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
It’s not that we have to, it’s that we WANT to!
God says—Be Holy Because I Am Holy
Because of who he is and what he’s done, I want to be holy.
We are not talking about BEHAVIOR MOTIFICATION.
We are talking about SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION.
Questions for Reflection:
What are the areas I struggle most trying to fit in?When was a time I put my happiness above God’s call for holiness?
What are the biggest ways that I’m different from the world?
What is the area that God wants me to be different?
WHAT DOES GOD NEED TO RESTORE IN YOU?Spiritual Consistency Spiritually incon, doubts, givn up
Spiritual Strength Tired, exhausted, overwhelmed
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Col 3:10 NLT
renew: anakainoō; (a-na’kie-no-oh)—to make like new, to give
new strength, to refresh, to renovate, to rejuvenate,
What’s interesting, we see renewal all through life
Root word for “put on” enduo (en-doo’-o); to sink into clothing, clothe oneself.
Favorite piece of “Wear it at home clothes? “ Sink into home comfort when you put this on.
Sink into: Fire fighter, football, nurse, police… something happens when put on… confidence, authority, inner strength.
Renewal occurs when we connect with the life source.
John 15:5
I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless.
WHATEVER YOU NEED RESTORED HERE IS WHAT GOD RENEWS IN YOU WHEN YOU SINK INTO HIM:
1) GOD WILL RENEW YOUR SPIRIT.
If you have been spiritually inconsistent. Sink into the consistency of Christ—and he will renew your spirit!
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
2) GOD WILL RENEW YOUR STRENGTH.We think vacation… work out…time off – doesn’t last
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
Hope: means to wait, look for, and linger.
When you know God is the source and you stay connected your strength is renewed
Chick-fil-A; generates more business per sq ft. in 6 days. “I feel it’s the best business decision I ever made.” says Cathy.
Enemy wants to distract you, looking away… good things, success… family… busy… debt…Connect our identity to success, kids well- dressed… good mum,
Are you disconnected? Come back…
Matt 11:28 AMP
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Come back, reconnect, recommit, and RENEW.
Stand Up Stand Out
Unordinary Perspective
Our unordinary perspective comes from our unordinary faith.
A FAITH THAT’S TESTED IS A FAITH THAT CAN BE TRUSTED.
Unordinary faith is the moment you decide to go beyond your current expression of obedience to God’s unseen promises.
The resurrection of Jesus opened another realm to our thinking.
We were no longer limited to the realm of probabilities and possibilities. We could have a different perspective.
The realm of the supernatural was opened, but only our unordinary faith will have us operating in it.
1 Peter 1:7 NLT
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold–though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
Having an Unordinary Faith Perspective
The Story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Daniel 3:4-6 NLT
When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
Everyone was bowing low, but the three boys were standing tall. They had a different perspective. A perspective of a supernatural God, where death does not destroy, oppression does not conquer, and obedience to God is the default response.
Their perspective gave them a reason to be obedient.
OUR FAITH PERSPECTIVE HAS US OBEYING GOD INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING MAN.
Daniel 3:16 NIV
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
The Natural Perspective – Rationalize a different plan:
Fake it—bow but won’t really worship the idol in our hearts! The fingers crossed approach.
The amazing grace approach – We’ll worship just this once and ask for forgiveness – Grace has got it covered. God will understand.
The rationalized approach – “Besides—if we die—who’s going to help these people?” “In the greater scheme of things, it’s not such a big deal.”
A FAITH PERSPECTIVE HELPS US SEE BEYOND WHAT WE CAN SEE
Daniel 3:17 NLT
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
No matter what I see—my faith perspective rests on the God who has supernaturally demonstrated the realized power of His Word and promises.
See a bad medical report—my God is willing and able to heal!See a broken relationship—my God is willing and able to restore it!See a dangerously low bank account—my God is willing and able to provide!
My faith perspective helps me believe in spite of what I see!But what if God doesn’t do what I’m believing for him to do?
FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. THE OUTCOME IS GOD’S.
Daniel 3:18 NLT
But even if [God] doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
We do what’s right before God and trust him with the results!
Daniel 3:24-25 NKJV
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
God reveals his power in many places but you’ll know his presence best in the fire!
Daniel 3:27b NIV
They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
DECLARATIONS OF OUR UNORDINARY PERSPECTIVE
God cares about me more than I can care about myself.God is operating in a more powerful realm than the one I am trapped in.In the resurrected realm, it is in death that I find resurrection, it is in weakness that strength is born.God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness.
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK 22 – GRACE – SESSION 5
GRACE TO GET IT DONE
EPHESIANS CHAPTER FOUR, VERSES SEVEN AND EIGHT
DISEMPOWERED
Jesus re-established what was lost to us in Eden. When we were created, God created a physical world and designed it in such a way as to be a SUPPORT to the supernatural trajectory He wanted us to have. He breathed that supernatural trajectory into the form (support device), and His supernatural gifts gave Adam life. While Adam and Eve operated in the Spiritual Circulatory System (relationship with God), their physical world was simply an expression of spiritual wonder.
Then they made the physical realm more important than the supernatural one and prioritized the physical realm. Their eyes, which had been blind to the flesh, got distracted by physical desires and needs, and they could not keep their eyes on, their focus fixed on, the supernatural realm. They lost their identity and, in doing, lost the power of having a supernatural source and a supernatural destination.
Supernatural power (authority) comes from the three primary elements of our supernatural makeup:
Identity (relation to the Father) – “Make man in our image…”Blessing (realization of the supernatural truth of the Father’s promises) – “And He blessed them…”Purpose (given the ability to accomplish beyond what our flesh could achieve) – “Go fill the earth…” BY GRACE
The full restoration of our supernatural power comes from realizing the fullness of Jesus’ death (realigned), resurrection (revival), and ascension (reestablishment). That realization only comes when we make it our personal death, burial, and resurrection.
Our IDENTITY is established when we die to the flesh and realize our flesh is not the image in which we were made. We die to the sin that keeps us from our relationship with God.We understand the BLESSING of God’s promises when through the resurrection evidence of our own lives (Testimony), we present the truth about Him making us strong when we are weak, bringing us into light when we are in darkness, and giving us life when we are dead.We realize that we are established in Christ when the gifts of operating in the supernatural life are given to us. Our authority is restored, which enables us to accomplish our SUPERNATURALPURPOSE of filling the earth with the worship of God. Our worship is achieved in two ways, being empowered to see the supernatural for ourselves and helping others break the flesh chains. EMPOWERED
Jesus restores our identity by removing the barriers to our relationship with God on the cross. He releases the blessing of the truth of His promises at the resurrection and empowers us by introducing the Holy Spirit after His ascension.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7 ESV
In turn, the Holy Spirit empowers us to supernaturally walk out our identity, blessing, and purpose by giving us special gifts to hold us to the wonder of the realm of life and not flesh.
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” Ephesians 4:7-8 ESV
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 ESV
SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE GRACE GIFTS
“About spiritual gifts … I do not want you to be ignorant,” were Paul’s words to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:1).
There are several principal passages that deal with gifts: Romans 12:1-8, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Ephesians 4:7-16, and 1 Peter 4:7-11.
The Bible’s favorite word for a spiritual gift is not “spiritual gift” (pneumatikos) but “grace gift” (charisma). Unfortunately, most Bible translations do not make this distinction. Further, a spiritual gift, besides being an expression of God’s grace, is a manifestation of the Spirit (1 Corinthians. 12:7, 11). A spiritual gift is the result of the Spirit’s activity in your life, and even more, the Spirit determines which gifts) you will receive.
TOP TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Your spiritual gifts are part of your identity as a Christian. (Identity = blessing and purpose).Your spiritual gift is given so you, both individually and with the rest of the church, can fulfill the ministry of Christ both in the church and in the world.To neglect this special grace that God gives for ministry stunts our spiritual growth and paves the way for more serious spiritual disease.A spiritual gift is a particular act of ministry. It is inspired by the Holy Spirit and enabled by God’s grace. It demonstrates Christ’s Lordship, works in harmony with the other gifts given to the Body of Christ, and is characterized by love.A gift is always real, not abstract: it is not the potential of what might be, but what it really is; it is something we can take a picture of, touch, hear, feel, or see. It is a divinely inspired act of ministry. – SEE YOUR STUDY BELOW!By our spiritual gifts, we testify to Christ’s Lordship. The act of ministry performed is done in His name, whether stated or unstated, and as an act of worship to Him (1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Peter 4:11; Mark. 9:41).Spiritual gifts are to be utilized in harmony and coordination with the other spiritual gifts of the Body of Christ and are to be used in the balance that Grace presents. (I Corinthians 12:12-30; Ephesians 4:11-16; Romans 12:4-8). The legitimate expression of God’s grace for ministry, a spiritual gift, must be characterized by love (edify, encourage, exhort). Otherwise, God’s grace becomes warped into something fleshly. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:7-9 ESV
THE FAQ OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Is a spiritual gift a natural talent? It is not by definition. Yet, a spiritual gift may be manifested through natural talent, but this is not always the case.
Is a spiritual gift a fruit of the Spirit? No. The Spirit’s fruit is the result of the Spirit’s work to conform us to the character of Christ.
Are all spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament? No. Each list is different from the others, and each list was directed to a different situation, which suggests that the needs of the church determined the grace given.
Are all spiritual gifts supernatural and charismatic? Yes. They are given by God through the Spirit therefore, they are supernatural. They are “charismatic” because all gifts are various forms of God’s grace.
Did some spiritual gifts pass away when the apostles died? No. There are legitimate expressions of all the gifts listed in the New Testament, but it must be immediately noted: because there are many counterfeit gifts evidenced today, we must test expressions of the gifts against the fruit that gifts are supposed to bring.
Are spiritual gifts endowed permanently or temporarily? Both. On a given occasion, God’s grace may enable you to perform a certain ministry, but that does not mean that gift will be a permanent manifestation of the Spirit in your life.
YOUR STUDY
Conduct an AIR Study AND Linked Learning of 1 Corinthians 12:1-7 and Romans 12:3-8.
Read ALL referenced scriptures – those in parenthesis above.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
Is there a difference between a spiritual gift and a grace gift?What are the three elements of our authority (empowered)?How did Jesus and the Holy Spirit restore each authority element?What is one spiritual gift that you would like to discover more about or learn to operate in and why?What are the two immediate tests that we can use to test gifts?
The Resurrected Life 2
UnOrdinary Faith
The resurrected life calls us to a different kind of faith, perspective, values, and purpose.
Unordinary Faith – Different faith, even from the one you have.
You have had faith to listen to Jesus and to see Jesus die for you. You believe in Him, know Him, are informed of Him, and have changed your practices because of Him, but has the transformation stopped?
Is there a part of your life that you’ve stopped believing could get better? Can you imagine what it would be like if you began to dream again? It’s time to believe more is possible. It’s time to unlock unordinary faith!
WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT FROM THE FAITH I HAVE NOW?
1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine.
If there is a “genuine faith,” there’s also a “false faith” or an “ordinary faith”.
Genuine parts last longer.
Ordinary Faith
We can not expect to live the resurrected supernatural life by applying ordinary faith to life.
Ordinary faith ends when we feel like we are losing control.
Ordinary faith is based on probabilities and understanding.
Hebrews 11:1 ESV
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Ordinary faith makes excuses and rules and tries to explain and reason. Ordinary faith is a belief structure created on what has already been experienced or explained. Ordinary faith says that seeing is believing.
Faith that the chair will hold me is not the same kind of faith that the resurrection of Jesus stirs.
Pilot and the plane, the postal worker, and the envelope.
Ordinary faith presses us towards security and not destiny.
Everyone has ordinary faith – and we are not everyone!
1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
THE THREE ORDINARY FAITHS
Inherited faith
(My Dad was a Methodist, mom a Baptist, baptized as a baby)
Shallow faith
(Sower sows seed—Takes root—worries of life, deceitfulness, wealth, desire things choke the word)
Conditional faith
(I will believe as long as things go my way! Struggling financially—how can I believe God?)
UNORDINARY FAITH
1. UNORDINARY FAITH CARRIES US THROUGH TRIALS
If you are in the middle of a difficult time—ordinary faith would have you say that your faith is being tested, but unordinary faith would have you say that the trial is revealing your faith.
Ordinary faith will have you battling, but unordinary faith will have you victorious.
TRIALS REVEAL YOUR UNORDINARY FAITH.
1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine.
A faith that has been tested is a faith that can be trusted.
James 1:2-4 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
TRIALS DRAW YOU CLOSER TO GOD.
1 Peter 1:8-9 NLT
You love [God] even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
2. UNORDINARY FAITH IS A SUPERNATURAL GIFT FROM GOD
Ordinary faith is what we can conjure up. Unordinary faith is the mesmerizing gift from God that transcends the thinking, behavior, and atmosphere of our flesh world.
Ephesians 2:8 TPT
For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ!
Proved and released it at the resurrection.
It is a divine blessing, unmerited and without which nobody can enter heaven, for by supernatural faith (created in us by the mysterious operations of the Holy Spirit), we are united to Christ and enjoy his redemption.
Philippians 1:29-30 TPT
For God has graciously given you the privilege not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him. For you have been called by him to endure the conflict in the same way I have endured it—for you know I’m not giving up.
3. UNORDINARY FAITH LEAVES US BETTER OFF THAN BEFORE THE TRIAL BEGAN.
Unordinary faith is strong. It hangs in there knowing that the trial can never defeat the promise.
Luke 24:25-26
Jesus said to them, “Why are you so thick-headed?
Why do you find it so hard to believe every word the prophets have spoken?
Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to experience all these sufferings and afterward to enter into his glory?”
4. UNORDINARY FAITH GIVES US WONDER
Hebrews 11:3 TPT
Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
Faith isn’t based on what you see. Faith is based on who God is.
Unordinary faith makes the power of the Holy Spirit a reality in our lives.
It changes how we talk.
It changes our demeanor.
It changes our confidence.
It changes everything.
Galatians 2:20 TPT
My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me— we live in union as one ! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, dispensing his life into mine !
PLEASE NOTE – THE BEST VERSION OF THESE NOTES ARE FOUND IN THE PDF DOWNLOAD
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK 21 – GRACE – SESSION 4
GRACE TO GIVE
FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER ONE, AND VERSES FOUR TO NINE
YOUR LINKED LEARNING OF GRACE
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 ESV
A quick Air Study of 1 Corinthians 1:4-9
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV
A Quick Air Study of 1 Peter 4:10-11
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
A LINKED LEARNING
1 CORINTHIANS 1:4-91 PETER 4:10-111The gift of grace is our preparation for an adventure.The adventure is about becoming really good at serving others with what grace makes of us.2The gift is all I need to be impactful.Myt stewardship of the gift matters.3Grace giving creates empowerment and endurance and an ability to identify Jesus in the last days.The nature of God’s grace to us is the model for our grace to others.1. PREVENIENT GRACE TO GIVE
FROM GOD TO USFROM US TO OTHERS1God’s gift of grace is a power not an excuse.We don’t make excuses to empower others.2Grace from God is the start of an incredible journey.We do not derail relationships based on our own hurts or prejudices.3Grace is God’s ability to respond to our unique situations in the best possible way that demonstrates ALL of who He is in EVERY circumstance.Grace given is our ability to respond to others unique situations in the best possible way that demonstrates ALL of who God is in EVERY circumstance.4Grace establishes boundaries to maintain the life God intends for us.We establish boundaries to promte others not protect ourselves.5Grace positioned God to not be offended even before the offense was made.We walk in a constant posture of asking for and giving forgiveness even before we have been injured or have been cuaght out.6He forgave, trusted and extended love when we were not in a position to receive it.We do not live expecting others to fail but encouraging them to succeed – even if it hurts!2. JUSTIFYING GRACE TO GIVE
FROM GOD TO USFROM US TO OTHERS1By removing blame, shame and condemnation, the invitation to live by the power of God’s Grace can now be heard loud and clear. By conciously removing our preconceptions, and judement, others will be aligned to the God of grace not our selfish expectations.2Grace is God’s way of saying that He wants to be our standard because thats the very best for us.We admit our standards are skew, and we vulnerably show that we are on a journey and that we have not arrived yet either.3Grace is God’s ability to respond to our unique situations in the best possible way that demonstrates ALL of who He is in EVERY circumstance.Grace given is our ability to respond to others unique situations in the best possible way that demonstrates ALL of who God is in EVERY circumstance.4Grace prevents us from living out the sorry state we find ourselves. We never use other peoples weakness, hurts or personality traits to our own advantage.5Grace promotes you way beyond your actual value.Others are more valuable than your self-promotion.6Grace provided a vulnerable accessibility to a wonderful relationship with God.We are vulnerable and not hypocritical.2. SANCTIFYING GRACE TO GIVE
FROM GOD TO USFROM US TO OTHERS1Through Grace we see His acceptance of us despite our flaws and circumstances.Others flaws and circumstances are the very reason we embrace others.2Grace transforms us into the image that God installed in us.We see God in others first. We acknowledge that even the sinner is an image bearer.3Grace shows us a way that prevents disappointment and disillusionment.We have a direction and a hope. Ity is a direction that we share with others – freely!4The presence and power of God makes us HOLY. Making our own plans makes us UNHOLY.5Grace adjudicates you based on the completion of God’s promise.We do not judge others on their failure towards God’s principles.6The full spectrum of God is in us and is called out of us!The full spectrum of God is in others and we get to remind them of that! And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV
God is not a transactional benefactor. He is not looking for a return on investment or to punish for the losses. He wants us to know Him. Because when our hearts and His Will collide, His perfectly balanced character is presented to a world that desperately needs who He is, not what He has got to give. It’s all about the who and not the what.
As long as you focus on yourself, you will never be enough.
The giving of grace received is free of judgment of others! Any purpose that Jesus gives us will always involve others.
YOUR STUDY
Conduct your own AIR Study and Linked Learning of 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 and 1 Peter 4:10-11
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
Name some qualities of God that are shown in each layer of grace and give some practical ways of how you intend to show them.What revelation did you get from understanding the term “God’s varied grace”?What examples can you think of things that Christians have built that are, in fact, unholy representations of grace?What part does the Lord’s prayer play in the discussion of grace?
The Resurrected Life 1
The Art of Being Unordinary
The resurrected life is one of complete belief in the resurrection of Jesus and all that it means for us.
We have accepted the transformation of the cross (salvation) but have we begun living in the power of the resurrection (liberation).
The Story Of Emmaus
Luke 24:13-16
Later that same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a journey of about seventeen miles.
They were in the midst of a discussion about all the events of the last few days when Jesus walked up and accompanied them in their journey.They were in the midst of a discussion about all the events of the last few days when Jesus walked up and accompanied them in their journey.
They were unaware that it was actually Jesus walking alongside them, for God prevented them from recognizing him.
Luke 24:17-24
Jesus said to them, “You seem to be in a deep discussion about something. What are you talking about, so sad and gloomy?”
Jesus doesn’t like sadness and gloomyness.
They stopped, and the one named Cleopas answered, “Haven’t you heard?
Are you the only one in Jerusalem unaware of the things that have happened over the last few days?” Jesus asked, “What things?”
“The things about Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a mighty prophet of God who performed miracles and wonders.
His words were powerful, and he had great favor with God and the people.
But three days ago, the high priest and the rulers of the people sentenced him to death and had him crucified.
We had all hoped that he was the one who would redeem and rescue Israel.
Early this morning, some of the women informed us of something amazing. They said they went to the tomb and found it empty.
They claimed two angels appeared and told them that Jesus is now alive.
Some of us went to see for ourselves and found the tomb exactly as the women had said. But no one has seen him.”
Their “buts” were too big.
He was powerful, BUT they put him to death.
There was a report of His resurrection, BUT no one has seen Him.
Luke 24:25-26
Jesus said to them, “Why are you so thick-headed?
Why do you find it so hard to believe every word the prophets have spoken?
Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to experience all these sufferings and afterward to enter into his glory?”
It is foolishness to pick and choose what we believe.
We have to take all of Jesus’ teachings or nothing. (Heaven when we die, prosperity, healing) His suffering is ours, but His glory is ours too.
Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he carefully unveiled to them the revelation of himself throughout the Scriptures.
The culmination of end times is described in a book in the Bible that is completely dedicated to the revelation of Jesus.
Luke 24:30-32
Joining them at the table for supper, he took bread and blessed it and broke it, then gave it to them. All at once their eyes were opened and they realized he was Jesus! Then suddenly, in a flash, Jesus vanished from before their eyes! Stunned, they looked at each other and said, “Why didn’t we recognize him? Didn’t our hearts burn with the flames of holy passion while we walked beside him? He unveiled for us such profound revelation from the Scriptures!”
Our blissful belief in our religious practices leaves us empty and realizing how much about Jesus we have missed.
The two disciples go off and tell the others – Too much discussing and not enough believing.
Luke 24:36-39
While they were still discussing all of this, Jesus suddenly appeared right in front of their eyes! Startled and terrified, the disciples were convinced they were seeing a ghost. Standing there among them, he said, “Be at peace. I am the living God. Don’t be afraid. Why are you so frightened? Don’t let doubt enter your hearts. See my pierced hands and feet. See for yourselves, it is I, standing here alive. Touch me and know that my wounds are real. A spirit does not have a body of flesh and bone as you see that I have.”
Don’t be thick-headed and fearful.Peace is a direct consequence of living in the resurrected Life.There is no room for doubt and distraction.Live close enough to be in touch with the resurrected Jesus.Living a supernatural life has been released to us through the resurrection. All of this is unordinary.
1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The resurrected life calls us to a different kind of faith, perspective, values, and calling.
The resurrected life is one of complete belief in the resurrection of Jesus and all that it means for us.
We have accepted the transformation of the cross (salvation) but have we begun living in the power of the resurrection (liberation).
Unordinary Faith – Different faith, even from the one you have.
You have had faith to listen to Jesus and to see Jesus die for you. You believe in Him, know of Him, are informed of Him, and have changed your practices because of Him, but has the transformation stopped?
An Unordinary Perspective, one that does not judge.
Allowing the culture of the day to prevail in our minds like cholesterol clogging us and blocking us from living in freedom. Freedom from our own outlooks, ideologies, and religion.
Unordinary Values in an unholy culture.
Having good values does not mean we no longer get to enjoy this life. What has begun to consume you? If it’s not a life spent aligning yourself to Jesus’ values, it’s a life chasing after what your selfishness values.
Unordinary Passion – A totally refreshed calling and purpose.
How quickly we forget the wonder and light of the world. How often restlessness overcomes our peace, and our only direction in life is down.
Unordinary Perspective about difficulties.
From the moment we believe and are transformed by the resurrection, and what it releases in our lives, we gain assurance and confidence that permits us to disregard fear and walk through the trials and tribulations of this life with unordinary joy.
LIFE COLLEGE WEEK 20 – GRACE – SESSION 3
ETERNITY SECURED
SECOND THESSALONIANS, CHAPTER TWO, AND VERSE THIRTEEN
ACCEPTED
Grace provides a _______________ to humanity that prevents all from sliding into unredeemable depraved oblivion (prevenient). Then, through our faith, grace also provides a reconnection to the source of who we are and, through forgiveness, reestablishes us as part of God’s family (justifying).
BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE…
Wesley’s explanation of grace went far beyond forgiveness, our acceptance of this new identity and being beloved children of God.
We all have a desire to be fulfilled, complete and ____________________ and we all try and bring balance to our lives on our ___________.
The only real way to find that divine balance is through restoring God’s _______________and characteristics in us and accepting Jesus as the one who presents that image to a broken world.
God does not want that balance to be here today and gone tomorrow. He desires to bring us to a state of completion once and for all. That desire of God is called grace, and it has three effects on us.
It healsIt restoresIt transforms But to fully heal, restore, and transform, grace must be allowed (free thought) to bring us to complete balance, wholeness, and peace; otherwise, we lose sight of God’s image and look for our own solutions again (Here today and gone tomorrow).
GET OFF THE ROLLER COASTER
Without the ______________ of grace, we get caught in the cycle of blame and shame, reacting and responding with out-of-whack feelings and emotions.
We constantly have spiritual highs, and woe is me lows. We never seem to reach a state of consistency and confidence in who God is in us and the authority we have been given.
Despite knowing Jesus AND belonging to Him, there is still something missing and we struggle to settle in _______________. We end up constantly trying to reason away our emotional restlessness. The only way God can fully break that cycle and allow our healing and restoration to result in full transformation is to establish a way to bring our complete fulfillment and balance. In the true theme of grace He does that when we can not do that ourselves.
Doing things your way tends to cause disappointment and disillusionment
He has to save us from our insatiable need to have any god, even one of our own creations, by uniting us again with Himself, the only true God.
A HOLY PEOPLE
In a historic moment in their walk with God, the Israelites were camped at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses was about to receive the hand-written tablets from God. He had been away from the camp for some time and the people had grown restless.
When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32:1 NLT
Moses was their link to God. When He was around, their _____________ was firm and fixed on ______________ their Divine Liberator. But when Moses disappeared for a time, so did their resolve. They grew impatient and restless, and so they created their own form of worship and their own god to fill the void they felt.
Knowing about God’s desire to redeem us in our broken state or having a general appreciation for His forgiveness is not enough to reach divine consistency in our fickle human spirit. Another effect of grace is needed.
SANCTIFYING GRACE
If prevenient grace is the porch of a house and justifying grace is the doorway, sanctifying grace represents the rooms in the expansive dwelling of God’s constant presence. In those rooms are God’s extensive _______________ and __________________ for humanity, both globally and individually.
Sanctify means “to set a person apart for holiness” or “to make holy.” The final layer of grace is for God to declare us ___________________ and _____________. Holiness is the ultimate status God can bestow on anything or anyone. This status allows us to be in a constant and consistent relationship with Him.
He knows that without our being separated from the crazy thinking that Satan’s consequences have created in the world, we would never feel worthy, we would never want to discover greater purpose, and we would never believe that we have been called into a relationship with God for a unique reason.
God has the element of Holiness as part of His divine character and wants us to reflect that quality in our lives. He knows that when we feel special and on a unique assignment, when we know He has pulled us from the mess to be His, we feel the presence of the Father’s image in our lives. We begin to operate from the divine perspective, not from our base human characteristics and transformation begins to happen.
You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own. Leviticus 20:26 NLT
According to John Wesley, there are two types of holiness: personal and social.
________________________ is growing in a personal relationship with God – exploring the rooms of His home and discovering more and more about His character. Because we are made in His image, the more we discover His character, the more we make sense of our own character.
In __________________, we begin to express those characteristics of God that we gradually learn to benefit and help others (Next Session: Grace to Give).
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV
He makes grace abound in you (personal holiness) so that you can be abundant in good work for others (social holiness).
Holiness, being sanctified, or set apart by grace, does not mean we are exempt from ignorance, making mistakes, or free from temptation.
When God calls us to be holy, He refers to our thoughts and actions as we work His character into the rhythms of our lives. This continuing process is about removing any obstacle that keeps us from fully expressing God’s character. We have been set aside with that unique purpose.
Despite our holiness being established and complete in the grace-filled eyes of our Father, the Holy Spirit must work in us to increase the knowledge and love of God and our neighbor.
Sanctifying grace is God’s freely given presence and power to restore the fullness of God’s image in which we are created.
IN SUMMARY
The grace of God is not to be seen as three different types of grace. Grace is grace. But grace precedes our choice to be connected to God and highlights His desire to heal the world as ‘prevenient grace.’ He continues His work in ‘justifying grace,’ as He restores our confidence, identity, and authority by connecting our human attributes to His divine character. His work is brought to fruition in ‘sanctifying grace’ as we are declared holy. He pulls us from the mayhem and confusion and sets us aside for a personal journey that will impact others.
This is the fullness of God’s unmerited favor that is before us, present with us, and is constantly working to restore the divine image and transform the entire universe into God’s reign in Jesus Christ. God provides grace to change our spiritual status and thinking and align us to a life in Him.
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13
YOUR STUDY
Conduct an AIR Study of 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
Complete a Linked Learning using your AIR Study of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17.
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-101 THESSALONIANS 2:13-17123SUMMARY QUESTIONS
What are the three effects of Grace and what names did Wesley give them?What is another word used in the Bible for trying to have another God? Why is this so serious?Describe the power of allowing God’s character to become yours. Why is holiness so vital in our transformation?What is the difference between personal and social holiness? Where are most Christians stuck?
Easter 2023
The Day That God Made Everything OK!
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Hope has been Restored!
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Sin has been Destroyed!
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Death has been Defeated!
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He Is Risen
The deepest love poured out of the greatest sacrifice in history. A love that heals. A love that forgives. A love that welcomes.
This Easter we celebrate the power of Christ’s resurrection!
Almost no one debates Jesus’ existence.
Detractors acknowledge He is real.
Those who love his teaching have allowed Him to transform their lives. They help the poor, love the outcast, bless the lowly, serve whoever they can, forgive outrageously.
John 14:6 NIV
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus didn’t come to start a religion.
He came to minister, He came to amaze, and He came to bring and eternal message.
CONSIDER THE MINISTRY OF JESUS.
Mark 2:16-17 NIV
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw [Jesus] eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Those whom others despised, Jesus loved and accepted!
He opened blind eyes, healed deaf ears, mute to speak, touched lepers, turned water to wine, walked on water, and raised dead.
Critics didn’t question validity of his miracles, they just wanted him to stop!
CONSIDER THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.
Acts 3:15 NIV
You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. (Peter)
The cross demonstrated how much Jesus loathed the effects of sin.
But the resurrection demonstrated His eternal desire to see us living lives of faith and wonder.
His resurrection made sense of our hopes, purpose and faith:
1 Corinthians 15:14,20 NLT
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
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CONSIDER THE ETERNAL MESSAGE OF JESUS.
Romans 3:22 NLT
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Christ + nothing = everything
Through his ministry, his resurrection and His eternal message Jesus can turn nothing into something!
It is done and not you must do!
Do – makes it about us. Makes us believe that if I obey God will love me!
Done – makes it all about Jesus! Because He loves me I can obey!
IT IS DONE 5
The Way Prepared
When traveling…
How many of you like a detailed plan on where you are going, how you are going to get there and what you will do when you get there?
How many of you like a basic plan but allow for spontaneity along the way, you kinda know what you will do when you get there but will see what happens and how you feel on the day to see what you will do?
Maybe you are a little bit of both …
Isn’t this true of how we travel through life … especially for us as Christians … it doesn’t matter whether we are planners or wanders … are we leaving room for the plans God has for our lives?
Proverbs 16:9 TPT
Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.
What It is Done series has meant for me…
God has done all He needs to do in preparing the way for us.
Ephesians 1:3-8 TPT
“Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts! And in love he chose us before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence. For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace —for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure! Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of his grace. This superabundant grace is already powerfully working in us, releasing all forms of wisdom and practical understanding.”
Through His grace, Jesus ensured that a way was made for us to walk unhindered into a glorious relationship with God. His journey, to some, would look inconvenient, but it was intentional and a unique way to give us life.
The journey to “It Is Done,” and all that means for us cost Jesus dearly.
Story of Simon
Today I would like to take you through some of the final events that led up to Jesus’s death.
Jesus had just entered the city riding a donkey, it was, like today, Palm Sunday.
We all know the story, palm branches, cheering, and celebrating the King’s arrival.
Maybe they could get what they had been planning for.
Maybe their comfort would be restored and reestablished as the world’s leading nation again. Maybe their oppressors would be overthrown, and they would be free…
Jesus’ journey was not comfortable or convenient. It was the total opposite of what the people thought it should be.
Just a few days later, the reality of Jesus’ plans being so different than what was expected caused the crowds to turn on Him.
Mark 14:65 NLT
Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.
Mark 15:15 NLT
So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
Mark 15:17, 19 NLT
They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head.
And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship.
After all of this, Jesus is still to face death as he is led out to be crucified.
John 19:16-17 NLT
Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).
Jesus has been whipped, repeatedly punched and beaten with a staff. He is bloody and bruised and has very little strength.
He now has to walk through the city, where there are narrow streets and huge crowds. The crowds realized they would not get what they wanted out of Jesus. The same crowds that we cheering for him just five days earlier were now jeering at him.
The place is stifling. People are yelling out and mocking Jesus all the way. Roman soldiers would have had to separate the crowds to create a narrow path for Jesus and his cross.
In the end, it is all too much. Jesus collapses under the weight of the cross. And that creates a problem. The procession isn’t going anywhere.
The soldiers are not going to help.
The disciples are nowhere to be seen.
The Jews just keep laughing and mocking.
No one is going to lift a finger.
Enter into the picture Simon of Cyrene.
Matthew 27:32 NLT
“Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.”
Mark 15:21 NLT
“A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)”
Luke 23:26 NLT
“As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him, put the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.”
We can paint a bit of a picture when we put these few verses together.
Cyrene is a city (now Tripoli) in Upper Libya, North Africa.
It contained a large number of Jews, who are frequently referenced in connection with the early history of Christianity.
All Jews sought to make at least one pilgrimage to the holy city during the time of the Passover to celebrate and make a sacrifice at the temple.
The trip from Cyrene to Jerusalem would have been long and difficult for Simon.
This is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime journey. The fulfillment of a dream which would have incredible spiritual significance.
Simon is on his way from the country into the city – in other words, he is coming from the opposite direction. Because news did not travel fast in those days we can assume that he had no idea what had been going on.
Someone needs to help Jesus … no one wants to.
The Roman soldiers had the authority to recruit any citizen into temporary service.
They make a convenient choice … and force Simon to carry the cross!
Right there, this unsuspecting man named Simon is thrust into a scene that would change history forever. So much can be learned from Simon’s part of this journey.
Life as Simon had planned instantly and very inconveniently changed. Carrying the cross for Jesus was not on his travel itinerary.
Simon had not come to Jerusalem to carry a cross. He had just spent anywhere between 35-55 days making his way to Jerusalem This was supposed to be a memorable time for him, and now he had to carry a cross through the streets and out the city gate. All to help a disgusting, bloody criminal who has been so severely beaten he can’t even walk.
They put the cross on Simon, and he follows Jesus.
This means he now has a front-row seat to all the mocking, scorn, and hatred. He would be feeling the mood of the crowd firsthand.
He saw a mixture of people, some amazed by Jesus and others enraged by Him.
It is also inconvenient because now Simon is unclean.
Jesus’ blood and other body fluids would have drenched the cross by the time Simon picked it up. Not only was it disgusting and unsanitary, but touching another person’s blood made you unclean and unacceptable.
As a result, Simon can’t go to the temple to sacrifice the Passover Lamb as he had planned because he won’t be clean in time to participate in the Passover.
This could look like his lifelong dream is shattered and his plans ruined. The truth is that he got to play a part in the greatest event in history.
[And right here begins a lesson for all of us in the Inconvenient truth of being completely willing to serve Jesus and obey His Word.]
Inconvenience = unclean
Are you willing to allow the inconvenience of the truth of God’s Word to disrupt your life, no matter the cost?
Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Jesus?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your closest friends?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your reputation?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?
The disciple of Christ must be willing to suffer loss, have plans disrupted, have comforts surrendered, and have sacrifices made.
Matthew 10:37 NLT
“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
[Love God more than your children story – Hunger for the Word – Scripture]
Are you willing to take up your cross? If faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?
We all need to be intentional about sacrificing the things of this life to be able to walk in all that Jesus has prepared for us.
Intentionality = what does it mean to carry the cross
Luke 14:27 TPT
“Anyone who comes to me must be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be considered to be my disciple.”
Matthew 16:24 TPT
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways.”
Some translations say, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
To be willing to carry your own cross in response to what Jesus did, does not mean to carry life’s burdens or behave like a martyr for Jesus.
Picking up your cross is not a “grin and bear it” in the name of Jesus mentality.
It doesn’t mean that you press on despite your strained relationships, thankless jobs, or physical illness.
Life’s difficulties are not the cross we carry.
When a person carried a cross in Jesus’ day, no one thought of it as a persistent annoyance or symbolic burden. To a person in the first century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by crucifixion.
To carry a cross was to face one of the most painful and humiliating means of death.
When you deny yourself, you are not living for today, you are living for eternity.
Therefore, Jesus’ command to “take up your cross and follow Me” is a call to the denial of our flesh and to follow the presence, promise, and power of God.
To see the inevitable outcome of the Word of God, your view of life will need to change.
Through His life-giving death, Jesus has completely prepared the way for us. He wants each of us to live in our own unique way and not be trapped by our own comforts and conveniences.
Healing testimony.
This is the prepared way that Jesus wants us to live. We live on the other side of it is done.
Individuality = impacts us differently.
When we face life’s circumstances we are to see them differently from the way the world sees them.
1 Peter 2:9 NLT
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
What God has prepared for us is not of this world, we need to be disrupted and changed to see His plans established. They will be established, executed, and made to be, Jesus was willing to die to make sure you were a part of His story.
We have to change the way we think…
If your life looks too like the world’s, then perhaps, like Simon, It needs to be changed by the presence of God, the promise of God, and the power of God.
Matthew 16:25-26 TPT
“For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep. For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world—at the cost of your own life—what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?”
Although the call to take up our cross is tough, the reward is matchless. Nothing in this world is worth passing up for eternal life.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 (NLT)
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his, Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
[Right now, we are earthly travelers on the journey of life, and no matter which traveling style we prefer or where that road leads us, God has prepared the way for us.]
Vision
We do not have to complicate or clutter the road ahead we just have to follow God’s Word.
In conclusion:
Keeping the road clear
Vision
Unsubscribe from the auto-delivery of shame, blame and condemnation.
Let the inconvenience of life’s circumstances give you the intentionality you need to put to death anything that comes between you and God ….
Link to the Healing Testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVomEEnCmZ8
ALL MESSAGE RESOURCESASK A QUESTIONPREVIOUS GROW NOTESThe Bitter Cup
The word spoken (A Promise Made)
Genesis 3:15 NKJV
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
Isaiah 9:6-7
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
Isaiah 53:1-12
Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
The Space Between
The waiting….
In the space between there is a temptation to….
Give up!
Matthew 7:7-8
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Lose Focus!
Matthew 15:8-9
These people honor me only with their words,
for their hearts are so very distant from me.
They pretend to worship me,
but their worship is nothing more
than the empty traditions of men.
Make it happen!
Genesis 16:1-2
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.
1 Samuel 13:11-13a
And Samuel said, “What have you done?”
Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly.
Over time, God’s people had become “Unfaithful.”
Hosea – Salvation
Hosea 1:2
When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea:
“Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry
And children of harlotry,
For the land has committed great harlotry
By departing from the Lord.”
Harlotry – spiritual adultery
Israel began to look to other Gods as their source of blessing
Hosea 2:16
“And it shall be, in that day,”
Says the Lord,
“That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’
And no longer call Me ‘My Master,’
God says, “Call me My Husband!”
Hosea 2:19-20
“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the Lord.
God Declares His faithfulness to us despite our unfaithfulness to Him.
What emotion do you fell when someone is unfaithful to you?
Deuteronomy 32:16 NKJV
They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
Jealousy – intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness.
God is a jealous husband!
Numbers 5:11-31
The Law of Jealousy
Number 5:12
Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him,
Numbers 5:14-15a
if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes jealous of his wife, who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes jealous of his wife, although she has not defiled herself— then the man shall bring his wife to the priest.
Numbers 5:17-18
The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. Then the priest shall stand the woman before the Lord, uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse.
Numbers 5:24
And he shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter her to become bitter.
Numbers 5:28
But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is clean, then she shall be free and may conceive children.
Matthew 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Galatians 3:13-14
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law so we could receive the promise!
The New Man
IT IS DONE The New Man
Established – SalvationExecuted – Baptism of the Holy SpiritCaused To Be – The Fullness of Your Salvation
Start at the end of the Nicodemus Story:
John 3:16 NLT
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
The Back Story
John 3:1-2
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” ‘
The Conversation
John 3:3-15
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in
the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
God’s presence was reestablished (“Finished” – Solomon) God’s promise was executed (Finished – Cross)God’s power was now certain (It is Done – Revelation)
In other words the presence, promise, and power of GRACE was what was established executed and made to be with all certainty.
The reborn man by faith in Jesus’ Finished work at the Cross and his full promise being done at the end of days was given an entirely new perspective.
The new man explodes because of what is done, not what is happening! If you are now in Christ, you are not what you were…YOU WERE, but God, by graceEphesians 2:1 NLT
Once, you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
You won’t see your need for a savior until you see yourself as a sinner.
Ephesians 2:3 (NLT)
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. ‘
Stop calling the bad life good just because we are trapped by our own inability to admit it is bad.
To become this new man we have to have a BUT GOD moment.
You were, BUT GOD, by grace
Ø Searching, confused—But God will show the way through Jesus. Ø Hurting and empty—But God will fill your void by Spirit.Ø Addicted and in bondage—But God will set you free by Truth.
Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
You were, but God, BY GRACE
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
It Is Done
The deepest love poured out of the greatest sacrifice in history. A love that heals. A love that forgives. A love that welcomes. That love shattered our brokenness and death. Let’s ready our hearts and our minds to celebrate the greatest divine intervention of all time.
It is Finished – It Is Done!
John 19:28-30 NLTJesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Whatever stopped you was finished.
Your victim mentality was finishedYour hopelessness was finishedYour aimless life came to an endYour fear – that was finished tooAnything that prevented you from the fullness of life now and life eternal was defeated and put aside. Once for all time.
Hebrews 9:25-28 TPTUnder the old system year after year the high priest entered the most holy sanctuary with blood that was not his own. But the Messiah did not need to repeatedly offer himself year after year, for that would mean he must suffer repeatedly ever since the fall of the world. But
now he has appeared at the fulfillment of the ages to abolish sin once and for all by the sacrifice of himself! Every human being is appointed to die once and then to face God’s judgment. But when we die we will be face-to-face with Christ, the One who experienced death once for all to bear the sins of many! And now to those who eagerly await him, he will appear a second time; not to deal with sin, but to bring us the fullness of salvation.
He crafted something from nothing! The Finished becomes the Done!
Revelation 21:6-7He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Revelation 21:1-5Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
It all become inevitable when Jesus started the chain of events at the cross.The fullness of every promise and statement was now inevitable.
Your new man begins when you accept the inevitability of His promises.Jesus presented the beginning of a new life at the cross. He presented an inevitable decision that your old life was finished, your old thinking was finished, and not even death could stop you from stepping into this incredible life.
Week 4: The Unity of the Spirit
The Story of NicodemusJohn 3:5-6 TPTJesus answered, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you will never enter God’s kingdom. For the natural realm only gives birth to things that are natural, but the spiritual realm gives birth to supernatural life!
The Sweet Harmony of A Life in the SpiritEphesians 4:3-6 TPTBe faithful to guard the sweet harmony of the Holy Spirit among you in the bonds of peace, being one body and one spirit, as you were all called into the same glorious hope of divine destiny. For the Lord God is one, and so are we, for we share in one faith, one baptism, and one Father. And he is the perfect Father who leads us all, works through us all, and lives in us all!
“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Our glorious hope and divine destiny depend on our being born of the spirit and living in His unity!
THE SPIRIT IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY
The Greek definition uses the word ligament (the translation of ‘bond’ in verse 3) to refer to the special tissue that wraps about the bones so that the joint can function smoothly.
To live in unity, a smooth and peaceful life with others, and in the most important relationships of our lives, we have to understand that true unity is a result of being born of the Holy Spirit and being made aware of the Spirit’s governance in our life.
WHY ARE MANY LIVING A SPIRITLESS LIFE?
SOME AREN’T AWARE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Acts 19:1-3 NIVWhile Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:1-3
SOME RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT. Acts 7:51 NLTYou stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Acts 7:51
JESUS NEVER PROMISED WITHOUT PURPOSE
To Peter – “you will be my disciple” (Promise). “Upon this rock, I will build my church” (Purpose).
John 14:16-17 NIV
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
The Consequence of Jesus’s Intercession
You are introduced to the Holy Spirit. (Lives with you – on)You are made aware of the Spirit living inside you (Lives in you – Spirit-man – in) The Consequence of the Spirit’s Intervention
Genesis 1:2 (NIV)
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
ruwach (roo’-akh); wind; breath, a violent exhalation; blast of breath. pneuma (pnyoo’-mah): a current of air, blast of breath, a strong breeze; or
spirit.
dunamis (doo’-nam-is): a force; a miraculous power, the explosive power of God.
On (breath) AND in (power)
THE BREATHTHE HOLY SPIRIT WILL…
…COMFORT YOU John 14:16 KJVAnd I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever… …COUNSEL YOU John 16:13 NIVBut when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
Isaiah 30:21 NIV
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” …CONVICT YOU (NIV)
John 16:8 When (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
The Holy Spirit comforts, counsels, and convicts by holding us to living in His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).
His fruit are the qualities of God that we most need to live in the power and path of unity -with Him and others.
THE POWER
HOLY SPIRIT GIVES YOU THE POWER…
…TO SHARE CHRIST BOLDLY 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIVMy message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
…WHEN YOU ARE WEAK 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me… For when I am weak, then I am strong.
…TO HAVE HOPE IN A HOPELESS WORLDRomans 15:13 NIVMay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 …TO EXPERIENCE ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD Ephesians 3:16-19 NIVI pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The Holy Spirit empowers us by giving us supernatural abilities to do His work and unite people to Him.
A SPIRITUAL GIFT IS A SUPERNATURAL ABILITY GIVEN TO ALL CHRISTIANS TO DO GOD’S WORK ON EARTH.
1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-6 NIV
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant…There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS?Romans 12:6-8 NLTIn his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.
THE ULTIMATE GIFT
Romans 6:23 NIV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Additional Scripture: Spiritual Gifts1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NLTA spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
Additional Thoughts:HOW DO YOU DISCOVER YOUR GIFTS?
1) STUDY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT GIFTS.
2) ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU YOUR GIFTS.
3) EXAMINE WHAT YOU ENJOY AND DO WELL.
4) TAKE A SPIRITUAL GIFT TEST.
5) DO WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS YOU TO DO.
Week 3: Relate in Unity
Series Theme Scripture: John 17:20-24
-
The Power and Path of Unity
-
Live in unity (marriage, children)
3 .Relate in unity (church)
- Pursue unity (Holy Spirit)
The solidarity, confidence, endurance, unity, and stability in all our relationships come only from our solidarity, confidence, endurance, unity, and stability in our relationship with God.
Our ability to be the body of Christ has the POWER to unlock purpose and vision that conquers even the gates of Hell.
1 Corinthians 1:10 TPT
I urge you, my brothers and sisters, for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree to live in unity with one another and put to rest any division that attempts to tear you apart. Be restored as one united body living in perfect harmony. Form a consistent choreography among yourselves, having a common perspective with shared values.
Acts 2:42-47 TPT
Every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of the apostles. Their hearts were mutually linked to one another, sharing communion and coming together regularly for prayer. A deep sense of holy awe swept over everyone, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. All the believers were in fellowship as one body, and they shared with one another whatever they had. Out of generosity they even sold their assets to distribute the proceeds to those who were in need among them. Daily they met together in the temple courts and in one another’s homes to celebrate communion. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility. They were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were coming to life.
The Mildly Devoted Version
They were devoted to their comfort, happiness, personal goals, dreams, and bucket lists. No one really noticed the Christians because they focused on themselves. Very few of the believers were together, and when they were, they fought about stupid things. If they sold anything, they used the money to buy something better for themselves. They claimed to love God, but they didn’t even love each other. So they felt empty, alone, and depressed. As a result, most people disliked them and very few lives were changed. Acts 2:42-47 MDV
The first-century believers desperately needed each other, and they knew it.
Believers today desperately need each other, and they have forgotten it.
divisions: schisma (skhis’-mah); a split, a division, a schism, a ripping or tearing apart.
People are intentionally pursuing a life that destroys their mental health and robs them of real joy and lasting fulfillment. – God never intended it to be that way.
John 17:20-21, 23 NIV
“… I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message… that all of them may be one … so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
WHAT WILL UNIFY THE CHURCH?
1 Corinthians 1:10 NIV
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1. HAVING ONE ENEMY
Ephesians 6:12 NIV
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
John 10:10 NIV
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy …
Our fight is not AGAINST one another but WITH one another – against one enemy.
2. HAVING ONE MISSION
Matthew 28:19 NIV
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
John 13:34-35 NIV
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
Unity with one another is the church’s primary expression of Christ.
We are not spiritual consumers. We are spiritual contributors. The church doesn’t exist for us. We are the church. And we exist for the world.
The church is not a place we go – it is who we are! {INSTRUMENTS}
Romans 15:5-7 NIV
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Church is who we are, and we are…
…a gathering of grace.
Philippians 1:7 TPT
You have a permanent place in my heart! You have remained partners with me in the wonderful grace of God.
Because of God’s grace we create a safe place for those least like us to belong, believe and become. (Transformed)
We make it a place where others are welcome with their questions, their doubts, their hurts, their addictions, their baggage, and their depression. It’s a gathering of grace.
…a gathering of healing.
Confess to God for forgiveness. Confess to people for healing.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
You come, you confess, you pray, and you are healed.
We are a gathering of grace, and a gathering of healing…
…a gathering of mission
Acts 2:46-47 NIV
Every day they continued to meet together … They ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God … And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
We are a gathering of grace, a gathering of healing, and a gathering of mission.
Additional Scriptures
Serve one another. Galatians 5:13
Show hospitality to one another. 1 Peter 4:9
Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32
Encourage one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Carry one another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2
We had such a deep time of worship and celebration as chains were broken, freedom set alight in the hearts of God’s people and the fire of the Holy Spirit commissioning us to spread the Gospel!
Together 2 – Live In Unity
TOGETHER 2 Living in Unity
Series Concept: When our world is divided, and people are hurting, what’s our responsibility as followers of Christ? Where do we even start? In this series, we’ll learn how to embrace the role God wants us to play in key areas and relationships that will bring unity and healing.
Series Theme Scripture: John 17:20-24
“And I ask not only for these disciples, but also for all those who will one day believe in me through their message. I pray for them all to be joined together as one even as you and I, Father, are joined together as one. I pray for them to become one with us so that the world will recognize that you sent me. For the very glory you have given to me I have given them so that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that we enjoy. You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me. “Father, I ask that you allow everyone that you have given to me to be with me where I am! Then they will see my full glory— the very splendor you have placed upon me because you have loved me even before the beginning of time.
Week 2: Unity of Family
The unity of your family is directly related to the family being in unity with GOD.
WE ARE NOT JUST A CHRISTIAN HOME. WE ARE A CHRIST-CENTERED HOME.
Psalm 63:1
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. You God are our God, earnestly we seek you; we thirst for you, our whole family longs for you… (edited toward the family)
HELP YOUR FAMILY SEE GOD AS LOVING, APPROACHABLE, AND INVOLVED.
THREE WAYS TO CREATE HUNGER FOR GOD1) INVOLVE GOD IN YOUR DAILY CONVERSATIONS.
2) MAKE CHURCH NON-NEGOTIABLE. 3) SHOW HOW SEEKING AND SERVING GOD IS FUN.
Joshua 24:15
…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
The Pressures of Family Disunity:
The irreverence of the marriage covenantThe desecration of the gift of lifeThe disregard of our God-given characters When the going gets tough… We give up on what matters the most. The world wants to make it tough so that we will give up on the most fundamental building block of unity – family.
Unity Starts At Home
IF YOU ARE A CHRIST-CENTERED FAMILY, YOU WILL FACE PERSECUTION
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…
YOUR FAMILIES UNITY WILL BE CHALLENGED 1 Peter 4:12-13, 16
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ… 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
TO ENDURE PERSECUTION – YOUR FAMILY NEEDS A MISSION1 Corinthians 4:12…When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it.
When family identity is strong, the pressure to break apart is weak. When family identity is weak, the pressure to break apart is strong.
What is the purpose of your family? To worship God together.
PREPARING YOUR FAMILY FOR THE CHALLENGES OF THE WORLD (PERSECUTION).2 Timothy 3:12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…
John 15:18-20
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also…”
THE PATH OF UNITY IS PURITY
Psalm 119:9-10
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
How can our family stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 We will seek you with all of our hearts; do not let us stray from our commands. Psalm 119:9-10 (edited toward family)
CREATING A CULTURE OF PURITY (No hypocrisy)
1) GET YOUR HEART RIGHT. Proverbs 4:23Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
2) RELATE FROM THE HEART 1 Samuel 16:7…The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1) TELL THE TRUTH IN LOVE.
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ…
2) APOLOGIZE WHEN YOU ARE WRONG.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
3) FORGIVE AND LET GO.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Together 1 – Detailed Notes
Series: Together
Why This Series?
The world is trying to rip us apart.Protest groups, promotion of self-identifying thoughts, critical race theories, binary vs. non binary, gender descriptors, all in the name of acceptance crush life giving unity. Humanity has produced some of the most divisive regimes ever known.
When our world is divided, and people are hurting, what’s our responsibility as followers of Christ? Where do we even start? In this series, we’ll learn how we can embrace the role God wants us to play in key areas and relationships that will bring unity and healing. In the realm of God’s direction both diversity (all nations and tongues) and unity co-exist to produce harmony.
Jesus knew that true peace and harmony would only happen in the natural if we were united supernaturally TOGETHER with God.
Series Theme Scripture: John 17:20-24
“And I ask not only for these disciples, but also for all those who will one day believe in me through their message. I pray for them all to be joined together as one even as you and I, Father, are joined together as one. I pray for them to become one with us so that the world will recognize that you sent me. For the very glory you have given to me I have given them so
that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that we enjoy. You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me. “Father, I ask that you allow everyone that you have given to me to be with me where I am! Then they will see my full glory— the very splendor you have placed upon me because you have loved me even before the beginning of time.
This Week:
- The Power and Path of Unity
The weeks that follow:
- Live in unity (marriage, children)3 .Relate in unity (church)4. Pursue unity (Holy Spirit) _____________________________________________
The Power and the Path of Unity
1 Corinthians 15:58 TPT
So now, beloved ones, stand firm, stable, and enduring*. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures#.
The Power* The Path#
THE POWER OF UNITY
Unity is a common topic in the Bible, promoting the peacefulness of living unified in harmony.
The solidarity, confidence, endurance, unity, and stability in all our relationships comes only from our solidarity, confidence, endurance, unity, and stability in our relationship with God.
The world works in connection with the enemy by offering a fabricated sense of community, or unhealthy forms of community that render us powerless and broken.
PROVERBS 18:1
A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
This is why the enemy attacks community in an outright assault to push you into isolation, or tries to distract us with a fabricated sense of community, or perverts our desire and need for community by getting us into unhealthy forms of community.
The enemy uses every tactic and temptation he has against us to push us away from God and disconnect you from healthy community.
When the community of family fails, when the community of friends fail, when a community of the church fails, we carry deep seated hurt and we pull back, retract and isolate our heart burying our vision and purpose in unforgiveness and hurt that most often results in us blaming God.
Satan attacks our community with one another to distort our purpose and blur our vision by undermining our relationship with God. __________________________________________________ The world calls God non-existent and community crumbles. We call God supreme and our unity surges!
God has put it into the fabric of our humanity to live in community, and for life to be at its best (reaching our full potential, purpose and vision), it means for us to be in life TOGETHER with Him (communion) and with others (community).
Walking out our vision and purpose requires genuine community. True Community in turn requires communion with God.
Our ability to be THE body of Christ, has the POWER to unlock purpose and vision that conquers even the gates of Hell. __________________________________________________
The Path of UnityIf we are on the path with Jesus, we are supernaturally bound to others on that path.
Ephesians 1:5 NLT
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere.
Our lives will not reach their full potential without Christ- centered relationships that form a Christ-centered community. __________________________________________________ You can do many things alone, following Jesus and reaching our full potential are not among them.
The Christian life is a “life TOGETHER.”
1 Peter 3:8-11 TPT
Now, this is the goal: to live in harmony with one another and demonstrate affectionate love, sympathy, and kindness toward other believers. Let humility describe who you are as you dearly love one another. Never retaliate when someone treats you wrongly, nor insult those who insult you, but instead, respond by speaking a blessing over them—because a blessing is what God promised to give you. For the Scriptures tell us: Whoever wants to embrace true life and find beauty in each day must stop speaking evil, hurtful words and never deceive in what they say. Always turn from what is wrong and
cultivate what is good; eagerly pursue peace in every relationship, making it your prize.
PURSUE THE PEACE OF UNITY
THE PURSUIT OF A PEACEMAKERMatthew 5:9 NLTBlessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker.
A peacekeeper is tasked to keep external peace but the peacemaker is primarily concerned with internal peace.
Peacekeepers are stationed across the world seeking to provide an environment that fosters the absence of all conflict. But biblically guided peacemakers seek to align their mission with that of Jesus’ desire for us.
John 14:27 NLTPeace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
THE CHARACTER OF A PEACEMAKER Micah 6:8 ESV
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
To act justly we listen more.To love mercy we pray for others more than ourselves. To walk humbly we love harder and sacrifice more.
Ephesians 5:3
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Ezekiel 36: 26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Yesterday, Today, and Forever.
Week 3: Forever:
Walking out our future
Jesus commissioned his disciples. He had a plan and purpose for their future that would impact the world. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47)
Whenever Jesus calls, He purposes.
That’s because the very nature of Jesus is prophetic and has an eternal plan!
We have a future because Jesus has already changed our past. Our response to His Grace is our in-the-moment lifestyle choices.
The Jesus of our Past
He has healed
He has saved
He has made us more than conquerors
He has restored our authority
He has declared us victorious, holy, and righteous.
Ephesians 1:3 NLT
“Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts!”
Everything God is going to do for us has already been done in us!
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Our past is defined by our current moment. The future is defined by our past.
We have to choose Jesus in our moments to activate that which he has already done to become the reality of our future!
Fear of our future gets us to do crazy things in the moment. And because we do crazy things in the moment, our past becomes crazy. And with a messed up past, the fear of the future turns more and more moments into craziness.
The Three Acids That Destroy Faith and Stir Up Ungodly Fear
Acid of our own thoughts
Acid of our others thoughts
Acid of the world (Rob steal destroy)
The Fear Spiral vs Godly Fear
1. Fear of failure
Jesus gives you a new purpose and community.
Matthew 16:17-19 TPT
Jesus replied, “You are favored and privileged Simeon, son of Jonah! For you didn’t discover this on your own, but my Father in heaven has supernaturally revealed it to you. I give you the name Peter, a stone . And this rock will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church— my legislative assembly , and the power of death will not be able to overpower it! I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.”
2. Fear of other people’s opinions
God gives you a new name.
Isaiah 62:2 NLT
The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth.
3. Fear of loss. (Phil 3:13-14)
God gives you a new future.
Philippians 3:14 TPT
I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.
Placing faith in the Jesus of the past (in the moment) changes our purpose, our reputation, and our future.
That makes Jesus in our current moment pivotal for a better future. He removes the fears created by the regrets of our past and the reputation of our failures.
Overcoming Fear
Choosing today what Jesus did in our past will remove the fear of tomorrow.
1. We choose to forgive – past, present, and future.
The greatest moment is when you can forgive. Unforgiveness hurts you!
Hebrews 12:15 TPT
Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.
Grace – Being willing to forgive even before it is needed.
2. Be a peacemaker
Apologize to those whom you have hurt- attitudes and actions. Don’t make excuses.
Matthew 5:9 TPT
How joyful you are when you make peace! For then you will be recognized as a true child of God.
3. Get past your personal failures
Failure is not a person but an event!
Philippians 3:13 TPT
I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however, I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead.
Choosing God in the moment is Godly fear. A fear that displaces natural, debilitating fear.
Fear of what our frail expectation has in the unseen future.
Faith is an assurance of hope for the unseen future.(Hebrews 11:1)
Walking out our future
In The Moment Decisions that Change your Future
Your sins are not greater than grace You are not what you have done Changing your future is happening right now.
YTF I AM
Yesterday, Today, and Forever – I AM
Hebrews 13:8 TPT
Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.
The Greek word for the “same” emphatically states that Jesus Christ is unchangeable!
God never changes, but we do.
God Doesn’t need to change, but we do.
Jesus’ principles work TODAY like they did in the PAST and will continue to work in the FUTURE.
God is faithful in the PAST to show you He will be faithful in the PRESENT, so you will know He will be faithful in the FUTURE.
God never changes.
Your circumstance doesn’t change God. Culture doesn’t change God.Different generations do not change God.
John 8:58 TPT
Jesus said to them, “I give you this eternal truth: I have existed long before Abraham was born, for I AM!”
I AM – Jesus is the eternally present one!
Time Traveler ill.
If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then all of who He is, is available NOW!
So who does He claim to be?
Jesus makes 7 statements recorded in the book of John stating that I AM…
I AM the Bread of Life!
John 6:30-35 TPT
They replied, “Show us a miracle so we can see it, and then we’ll believe in you. Moses took care of our ancestors who were fed by the miracle of manna every day in the desert, just like the Scripture says, ‘He fed them with bread from heaven.’ What sign will you perform for us?”
“The truth is,” Jesus said, “Moses didn’t give you the bread of heaven. It’s my Father who offers bread that comes as a dramatic sign fromheaven. The bread of God is the One who came out of heaven to give his life to feed the world.”
“Then please, sir, give us this bread every day,” they replied.Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty.
Bread sustains life – Jesus is the sustainer – not natural bread but spiritual. Matt. 4:4 TPT
Exodus 16:4-5 NKJV
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
How many of us eat 1 meal a day?
If believers would eat the Bread of Life as regularly as they ate their natural meals, where would we be with the Lord?
The Bread of Life is for TODAY! (Not just Wednesday and Sunday)
I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:5-7 TPT
Thomas said to him, “Master, we don’t know where you’re going, so how could we know the way there?”Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too. And from now on you will realize that you have seen him and experienced him.”
How can we know the way?
How can we know the truth?
John 8:32-32 NKJV
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Disciple (true follower) of Jesus
Jesus’ desire is for us to know the Father and experience Him.
You won’t know the truth unless you follow the truth giver.
I AM the Resurrection and the Life.
John 11:21-26 TPT
Martha said to Jesus, “My Lord, if only you had come sooner, my brother wouldn’t have died. But I know that if you were to ask God for anything, he would do it for you.”Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise and live.”
She replied, “Yes, I know he will rise with everyone else on resurrection day.”“Martha,” Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait until then. I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever. And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Do you believe this?The resurrection is not an event it’s a person!
If Jesus is the resurrection, you can experience Him all the time!
What are some resurrections we can experience today?
Ephesians 2:1-2 NKJV
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Resurrection of Identity, Purpose
Resurrections of relationships, marriages, finances, families, cities, states, dreams, passions, ideas….
A present day resurrection is Jesus coming alive in your dead situations.
I AM the Light of the World.
John 8:12 TPTThen Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.”
9:5 TPTAs long as I am with you my life is the light that pierces the world’s darkness.”
Jesus is the light of the world right now!
Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot behidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
You are the light of the world because Jesus lives in you.
When you partake of the bread of life, learn the way and truth, and experience the resurrection, you cannot help but to shine!
So what happens when I don’t see the effect of who Jesus is in my present? ie… regret, shame, condemnation, confusion,
That’s why God gives us hope!
Romans 15:13 TPT
Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super- abundance until you radiate with hope!
Your faults are not part of your past they are redeemed in Jesus’ Our future is determined by His past
Yesterday, Today, and Forever – I AM
Hebrews 13:8 TPT
Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.
The Greek word for the “same” emphatically states that Jesus Christ is unchangeable!
God never changes, but we do.
God Doesn’t need to change, but we do.
Jesus’ principles work TODAY like they did in the PAST and will continue to work in the FUTURE.
God is faithful in the PAST to show you He will be faithful in the PRESENT, so you will know He will be faithful in the FUTURE.
God never changes.
Your circumstance doesn’t change God. Culture doesn’t change God.Different generations do not change God.
John 8:58 TPT
Jesus said to them, “I give you this eternal truth: I have existed long before Abraham was born, for I AM!”
I AM – Jesus is the eternally present one!
Time Traveler ill.
If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then all of who He is, is available NOW!
So who does He claim to be?
Jesus makes 7 statements recorded in the book of John stating that I AM…
I AM the Bread of Life!
John 6:30-35 TPT
They replied, “Show us a miracle so we can see it, and then we’ll believe in you. Moses took care of our ancestors who were fed by the miracle of manna every day in the desert, just like the Scripture says, ‘He fed them with bread from heaven.’ What sign will you perform for us?”
“The truth is,” Jesus said, “Moses didn’t give you the bread of heaven. It’s my Father who offers bread that comes as a dramatic sign fromheaven. The bread of God is the One who came out of heaven to give his life to feed the world.”
“Then please, sir, give us this bread every day,” they replied.Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty.
Bread sustains life – Jesus is the sustainer – not natural bread but spiritual. Matt. 4:4 TPT
Exodus 16:4-5 NKJV
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
How many of us eat 1 meal a day?
If believers would eat the Bread of Life as regularly as they ate their natural meals, where would we be with the Lord?
The Bread of Life is for TODAY! (Not just Wednesday and Sunday)
I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:5-7 TPT
Thomas said to him, “Master, we don’t know where you’re going, so how could we know the way there?”Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too. And from now on you will realize that you have seen him and experienced him.”
How can we know the way?
How can we know the truth?
John 8:32-32 NKJV
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Disciple (true follower) of Jesus
Jesus’ desire is for us to know the Father and experience Him.
You won’t know the truth unless you follow the truth giver.
I AM the Resurrection and the Life.
John 11:21-26 TPT
Martha said to Jesus, “My Lord, if only you had come sooner, my brother wouldn’t have died. But I know that if you were to ask God for anything, he would do it for you.”Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise and live.”
She replied, “Yes, I know he will rise with everyone else on resurrection day.”“Martha,” Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait until then. I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever. And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Do you believe this?The resurrection is not an event it’s a person!
If Jesus is the resurrection, you can experience Him all the time!
What are some resurrections we can experience today?
Ephesians 2:1-2 NKJV
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Resurrection of Identity, Purpose
Resurrections of relationships, marriages, finances, families, cities, states, dreams, passions, ideas….
A present day resurrection is Jesus coming alive in your dead situations.
I AM the Light of the World.
John 8:12 TPTThen Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.”
9:5 TPTAs long as I am with you my life is the light that pierces the world’s darkness.”
Jesus is the light of the world right now!
Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot behidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
You are the light of the world because Jesus lives in you.
When you partake of the bread of life, learn the way and truth, and experience the resurrection, you cannot help but to shine!
So what happens when I don’t see the effect of who Jesus is in my present? ie… regret, shame, condemnation, confusion,
That’s why God gives us hope!
Romans 15:13 TPT
Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super- abundance until you radiate with hope!
Your faults are not part of your past they are redeemed in Jesus’ Our future is determined by His past
AIR STUDY aid
YTF – SAME GOD
Yesterday Today Forever Week 1 Same God
Our Posture Towards Jesus
When we needed hope and joy – Jesus is our king, born in a stable, coming to be with us.When we needed salvation, Jesus is the Son of God on the cross, taking our sins.
When we needed to overcome fear, even the fear of death, Jesus rises from the dead.When we needed to have a heavenly hope, Jesus presents himself, returning to the Heavens.
When we need to have supernatural gifts to miraculously spread the gospel, we see Jesus sending the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 13:8 (TPT)
Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.
Who Jesus was to us in the past, present and future.
FOREVER
In the book of Revelation, John outlines the posture we will need to take as we rush headlong toward His final return.
Revelation 1:1 TPT
This is the unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to share with his loving servants what must occur swiftly. He signified it by sending his angel to his loving servant John.
E.g. People of Israel in Egypt, The family of Noah, you and I in a dark world.
TODAYHebrews 13:8 (TPT)Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.
John 17:20 (TPT)
And I ask not only for these disciples but also for all those who will one day believe in me through their message.
YESTERDAY
Exodus 3:14 (TPT)
God replied to Moses, “ I Am Who I Am . Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.”
The immutability of Jesus Christ!Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
The Greek word for the “same” emphatically states that Jesus Christ is unchangeable!
The word “yesterday” is the Greek word exthes, and it depicts all time that ever was up until this present moment. It describes the past.
The word “today” is the Greek word , and it means today or at this very moment , or this current age. It depicts the present.
In the Bible, when the words “yesterday and today” are used in one phrase, it also portrays continuity. (Exodus 5:14 -slave foreman)
There is continuity in Jesus Christ! Therefore, if you discover Jesus of the past, you have also discovered Jesus of the present, and you have discovered Jesus of the future because He is continuously the same.
The word “forever” in Greek means into all the ages of the future. This phrase depicts all future times to come, including all ages that will ever be known. Hence, it describes the future.
Hebrews 13:8 carries this idea:“Jesus Christ is exactly the same in the past, in the present, and in the future.”
God is unchanging, but we, as humans, do change. We grow in the good things and grow in the not-so-good things.
What really matters is knowing that even though we are changing, Jesus never has, nor will he ever change.
OUR JESUS
This is what gives His Word so much power in our lives when we orientate our lives in obedience to who He was and who He is. It is not as much about Him never changing, but that because of who He was and is, we can have assurance about the future.
We don t need a prophetic word to tell us that Jesus will care for us. We don’t need a vision of the future to know He is victorious.
Once a redeemer, always a redeemer.Once a healer, always a healer.Once a speaker of truth, always the truth.Once the King of kings, always the King of kings.
THE STRENGTH OF BEING FEARLESS
To gain this assurance. To rid our ourselves of the fear of the future that seems to grip mankind, we have to know who he was. Who He was is what He said He was. The Word He spoke. We are obedient to who He was, what He said, and the Word He spoke.
We are obedient to what was shown and revealed to us – The Word (John 1) by worshipping in the present moment (Spirit and Truth). Obedience and worship rid us of the fear that captures our flesh imaginations.
To turn the past of Jesus into our future with Him, needs an in-the-moment decision. (Next week)
Who He was, makes us who we are in Him. Who we are in Him is eternal and at peace.
OUR ROBUST JESUS
Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV)To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Hebrew Word for Tree – aiylRoot Hebrew word For Robust – strength
This Hebrew Word had three meanings:
Robust – strength – Latin for not able to be underminedRam (food, sacrifice, skin dyed red for establishing a tabernacle) – Latin strength of flavor, smellChief – strong leader – Latin overcomer, conquerorMight -tree like that of an oak. – Latin endurance despite the difficulty.
Our strength comes from who He was, who he is and who he always will be.
Our strength, like that of a mighty oak tree, comes from our Chief, our King of Kings, who establishes our righteousness and declares us holy by sacrificially enduring the cross, overcoming our daily struggles, and conquering death by establishing a covenant, a tabernacle, a meeting place again for God and man so that we have confidence, eternity and supernatural power that can push back the darkness and display his glorious light.
Isaiah 61:1-4 (NKJV)
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord , And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord , that He may be glorified.” And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
Life College Course Additions
V2.023: End Game
The Fear—Faith Era
The year of divine discomfort.
If you fear God, you won’t fear the end.
If we stand in the face of worldly fear without the fear of God, we are in the most treacherous of places.
If you have faith in God, you won’t have the desire to have faith in man-made solutions.
The World has adopted a fear that has caused them to place their faith in themselves.
Dread of the end or what’s next will have you placing your faith in all the wrong places with all the wrong results.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Matthew 24:37-39
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
We fear God and have faith in Jesus.
The world fears not being god and has faith only in themselves.
Being like God is a satanic lie that has infected society. It has distorted the authority we have and the authority we are under.
When society trusts in the lies of Satan, it backs itself into a demonic corner of darkness, desperation, and hopelessness.
1 Timothy 4:1 NIV
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
It’s time to shift! The church, we have an end-game strategy that needs to be activated.
The capital C church has to find its capital C commitment to Jesus.
The End Game Jesus We Are Committed To:
JESUS IS THE ALPHA AND OMEGA. (Revelation 1-3)JESUS IS RETURNING SOON.JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD. (Revelation 4-5)JESUS IS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL.JESUS IS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE (Revelation 6-18)JESUS RIGHTEOUSLY JUDGES THE EARTH. JESUS IS THE KING OF KINGS (Revelation 19-20)JESUS RETURNS WITH HIS CHURCH.JESUS IS THE BRIDEGROOM. (Revelation 21-22JESUS TAKES HIS BRIDE TO THE HEAVENLY CITY. Hebrews 3:1-4
And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, consider Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house. But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.
We have structured the church according to our own design and not the design of Christ.
Ephesians 6:12 ESV
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
We have a greater battle than what we can see or feel. We need to dig deeper, wise up, and become way more alert than we have been.
When the world was poised at a similar shift, Jesus had just been put to death. Peter describes what would be required of Christians, and when he preaches, here is their response…
Acts 2:37-39 NIV
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
It was at this moment in our spiritual history, similar but on a lesser scale, that a group of people realized the importance of having a fear of God and faith in Jesus as their only response that would give rise to a chosen group of people who would be called the ekklesia, and here is where we find the most detailed description of the bride, the church that Jesus needs to firm up and ready for the end game.
Acts 2:40-47
Peter preached to them and warned them with these words: “Be rescued from the wayward and perverse culture of this world!” Those who believed the word that day numbered three thousand. They were all baptized and added to the church . Every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of the apostles. Their hearts were mutually linked to one another, sharing communion and coming together regularly for prayer. A deep sense of holy awe swept over everyone, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. All the believers were in fellowship as one body, and they shared with one another whatever they had. Out of generosity they even sold their assets to distribute the proceeds to those who were in need among them. Daily they met together in the temple courts and in one another’s homes to celebrate communion. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility. They were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were coming to life.
This was the church – a group of people sold out in faith and in godly fear.
This was the church that would stand up to the demonic hell that would be unleashed on the world.
Discipleship becomes a product of our obedience to the Word and our reverent worship of God.
The economy will fail.
Morals will corrupt.
Character will not be considered essential.
Worship will be questioned – (they can’t ban worship when our worship is the way we live our lives)
Persecution will come.
Those who don’t bow to this world find themselves in the fire. But in the fire is when we have our greatest moments.
Matthew 16:18ESV
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Spirit is assembling the church for its greatest battle. We will not be shy of submitting to the Spirit.
Our fear of God = is our WORSHIP
Our faith in Christ = our obedience to Him as the WORD
The Word and Worship Focus
Kids, Youth, and Young Adults. (New Staff) Multigenerational.Practical Family and Lifestyle Teaching and Curriculum.Structuring our Directional Leadership Team to be actively involved in all areas of the body.Creating a Strategic Team.Leverage our building for Word and WorshipGroups and Teams Leadership development – Expect more opportunities to serve and be involved. 80/20Leadership Development in the areas of Word and WorshipCommitment to actively impact the community for Jesus. (Old School)
Photographs of Faith Pt. 8 – Mary Forsaking All
Photographs of Faith Pt. 8 – Mary Forsaking All
The meaning of forsake:
• renounce or give up (something valued or pleasant):
All the men and women of faith gave up all that they knew for something they did not know.
MEN AND WOMEN OF FAITH…
These men and women of faith forsook all of their hopes and dreams to chase after the promises of God
When we choose to forsake our hopes, dreams, and desires for the hopes dreams and desires of God we step into the realm of faith centered obedience.
Hebrews 11:13 TPT
These heroes all died still clinging to their faith, not even receiving all that had been promised them. But they saw beyond the horizon the fulfillment of their promises and gladly embraced it from afar. They all lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm.
It is only by faith, or as we have learned, knowing believing and trusting God the we get to see beyond the horizon of our own perceptions.
All these people opened their hearts to knowing, believing, and trusting God and that changed the course of humankind.
MAJOR INTERRUPTION MOMENT
Luke 1:26-38 TPT
… the angel Gabriel was sent from God’s presence to an unmarried girl named Mary, living in Nazareth, a village in Galilee. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, a true descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Rejoice, beloved young woman, for the Lord is with you and you are anointed with great favor.” Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her. But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift.
HUMAN NATURE – CONFUSED AND BEWILDERED
LUKE CONTINUES (Luke 1:26-38 TPT)
You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit.” Mary said, “But how could this happen? I am still a virgin!” Gabriel answered, “The Spirit of Holiness will fall upon you and almighty God will spread his shadow of power over you in a cloud of glory! This is why the child born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
MARY KNEW AND BELIEVED
Whenever God’s promises interrupt our plans, we have an opportunity to obey in faith or remain in doubt.
SIGNS HELP US OVERCOME DOUBT
Look what He does for Mary. (Luke 1:26-38 TPT)
What’s more, your aged aunt, Elizabeth, has also become pregnant with a son. The ‘barren one’ is now in her sixth month. Not one promise from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God!” Then Mary responded, saying, “Yes! I will be a mother for the Lord! As his servant, I accept whatever he has for me. May everything you have told me come to pass.” And the angel left her.”
A SIGN FROM GOD TO GIVE US RESOLVE
Like all the other men and women of faith God gave Mary a sign or evidence that would move her to act.
God interrupts our plans by giving us definite signs to guide and lead us. TRUST DEVELOPED
When you know and believe you will be looking for the signs that God is always giving to motivate us to continue on the path He has for us.
MARY’S TRUST LEADS TO ACTION
Luke 1:39-45 TPT
Afterward, Mary arose and hurried off to the hill country of Judea, to the village where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived. Arriving at their home, Mary entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the moment her aunt heard Mary’s voice, the baby within Elizabeth’s womb jumped and kicked. And suddenly, Elizabeth was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit! With a loud voice she prophesied with power: “Mary! You are a woman given the highest favor and privilege above all others, for your child is destined to bring God great delight.
Elizabeth continues …
How did I deserve such a remarkable honor to have the mother of my Lord come and visit me? The moment you came in the door and greeted me, my baby danced inside me with joy! Great favor rests upon you, for you have believed every word spoken to you from the Lord.
Our knowing, believing, and trusting every word spoken to us from the Lord turns spiritual truths to physical realities.
Luke 1:46-55 TPT
And Mary sang this song: “My soul is ecstatic, overflowing with praises to God! My spirit bursts with joy over my life-giving God! For he set his tender gaze upon me, his lowly servant girl. And from here on, everyone will know that I have been favored and blessed. The Mighty One has worked a mighty miracle for me; holy is his name! Mercy kisses all who fear him, from one generation to the next. Mighty power flows from him to scatter all those who walk in pride. Powerful princes he tears from their thrones and he lifts up the lowly to take their place. Those who hunger for him will always be filled, but the smug and self-satisfied he will send away empty. Because he can never forget to show mercy, he has helped his chosen servant, Israel, keeping his promises to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF A MIRACULOUS CONCEPTION THE WAITING
When God speaks to us, He speaks to our spirit, our mind, and our soul. He relates to us in a way that only we, as an individual, can understand.
DOUBT VS. FAITH
Doubt is looking at the promise and finding reasons why it would never be … and faith is receiving the promise and looking for steps to its fulfillment.
THE SIGNS OF THE WORD TO MARY
Luke 2:19 TPT
But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant.
NOT COINCIDENCES BUT SIGNS TO STIR FAITH
Remembering these signs from God built her resolve to know, believe, and trust Him.
THE FAITH PHOTO ALBUM
Luke 2:34-35 TPT
A painful sword will one day pierce your inner being, for your child will be rejected by many in Israel. And the destiny of your child is this: he will be laid down as a miracle sign for the downfall and resurrection of many in Israel. Many will oppose this sign, but it will expose to all the innermost thoughts of their hearts before God.
True faith is birthed from the resolve that our knowing and believing and trusting brings.
THE PROMISE VS.THE REALITY OF HER SITUATION
Hebrews 11:1 TPT
“Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.”
TREASURING EVERY INTERACTION WITH GOD WILL INSPIRE A FAITH- FILLED OBEDIENCE TO HIS PROMISES NO MATTER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES OR SITUATION.
How do we treasure every interaction with God? 1. FORSAKING OUR OWN DESIRES
Matthew 6:33 TPT
““So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.”
- FORSAKING THE WAYS OF THE WORLD
Romans 12:1-2 TPT
“Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”
What small step can you take in faith today?
What is something that prevents your faith-filled obedience to Him that you can give up?
THE RHYTHMS OF KNOW, BELIEVE TRUST
FAITH-FILLED OBEDIENCE IS A PRACTICE OF FORSAKING OUR PLANS AND DESIRES FOR THE PLANS AND DESIRES OF GOD.
READ, MEDITATE, WORSHIP, PRAYER, GENEROSITY, FASTING, STILLNESS, DISCIPLE-MAKING
These rhythms hold us to our relationship with God.
Joseph – An ordinary man.
Who was this man?
*19-20 year old from Nazareth.
Living in a small town. Population 400A Carpenter like his father before him.Preparing to be married to Mary. Joseph grew up being taught who God was.
He went to Hebrew School and had a Bar Mitzvah just like all the other boys.
He lived in a culture that taught him to know and believe God in every area of life.
Joseph’s ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Moses, and Rahab did their job of passing down the promise.
Malachi to Matthew Silence…. 400 years
Joseph had plenty of opportunity to know God and believe all the stories.
Joseph was taught to expect the coming Messiah.
Matthew 1:18-21 TPT
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place.
His mother, Mary, had promised Joseph to be his wife,
but while she was still a virgin she became pregnant
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Her fiancé, Joseph, was a righteous man full of integrity
and he didn’t want to disgrace her,
but when he learned of her pregnancy he secretly planned to break the engagement.
While he was still debating with himself about what to do,
he fell asleep and had a supernatural dream.
An angel from the Lord appeared to him and said,
“Joseph, descendant of David, don’t hesitate to take Mary
into your home as your wife, because the power of the Holy Spirit
has conceived a child in her womb.
She will give birth to a son and you are to name him
‘Savior,’ for he is destined to give his life to save his people from their sins.”
Do you trust in Me Joseph?
When Jospeh’s Knowing, Believing and Trusting in God all came together it burst forth as a faith that pleased God!
Hebrew 11:6a NLT
And it is impossible to please God without faith.
This faith compelled him to be obedient. (Yes Sir Moment)
Matthew 1:24-25 NKJV
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep,
did as the angel of the Lord commanded him
and took to him his wife, and did not know her
till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.
And he called His name Jesus.
So God chose Jospeh to be the earthy father of Jesus Christ.
I wonder if Joseph had the thought “Who Me”?
God chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!
In most people’s eyes Joseph was just a simple carpenter, living in a small town, living a normal life.
But what did God see?
God saw an ordinary man.
Stable and consistantObedience TrustworthyHumility God needed Joseph to raise Jesus in a Stable and Consistent environment.
What do you teach the son of God?!
Deut. 6:4-7
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your strength.
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,
when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Joseph was able to lay a strong foundation.
Luke 2:40
And the Child grew and became strong in spirit,
filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
Luke 2:52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
At what point did the things Joseph and Mary were teaching click for Jesus?
Ill. Aslan and the deep magic
Our Christian walk isn’t you just learning a bunch of stuff you do not know, it’s a stirring up and confirmation of who you really are!
The Word of God is how we build and develop a strong foundation in our lives!
God needed Joseph to have immediate obedience!
Matthew 1:24 TPT
When Joseph woke from his dream, he did all that the angel of the Lord instructed him to do. He took Mary to be his wife
Matthew 2:13-14
After they had gone, Joseph had another dream.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him and said,
“Get up now and flee to Egypt.
Take Mary and the little child and stay there until I tell you to leave,
for Herod intends to search for the child to kill him.”
So that very night he got up and took Jesus
and his mother and made their escape to Egypt
Matthew 2:19-21
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared
again to Joseph in a dream while he was still in Egypt,
saying, “Go back to the land of Israel and take the child
and his mother with you,
for those who sought to kill the child are dead.”
So he awoke and took Jesus and Mary and returned to the land of Israel.
How much time do we wast arguing with God?
God needed to be able to trust Joseph to raise His Son.
Luke 16:10 TPT
The one who faithfully manages the little he has been given will be promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities. But those who cheat with the little they have been given will not be considered trustworthy to receive more.
Joseph was chosen to be the protector and provider of the Promise.
What is God trusting you to do?
Joseph was Humble before God.
Psalm 25:9 NKJV
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
Joseph could have destroyed Mary!
Joseph could have rejected Jesus as his adopted son!
James 4:6 TPT
But he continues to pour out more and more grace upon us.
For it says,
“God resists you when you are proud
but continually pours out grace when you are humble.
God gives Grace to the humble.
Grace – God’s power, strength, and ability working in and through our human weakness!
God saw a Just and Righteous man full of integrity.
Matthew 1:19 TPT
Her fiancé, Joseph, was a righteous man full of integrity
and he didn’t want to disgrace her,
but when he learned of her pregnancy
he secretly planned to break the engagement.
How was he righteous? Was it through keeping the Law of Moses?
Romans 4:2-6
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation.
What did he discover about being made right with God?
If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God,
he would have had something to boast about.
But that was not God’s way.
For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God,
and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
4When people work, their wages are not a gift,
but something they have earned.
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work,
but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
David also spoke of this when he described the happiness
of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
Joseph was made right just like Abraham and David. (Noah)
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
That if you confess with your mouth the
Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness,
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Confess – What you know!
Believe – What you have heard!
Believe in your heart!
Matthew 12:34b TPT
For what has been stored up in your hearts
will be heard in the overflow of your words!
Joseph’s life spoke volumes! (No recorded word)
Joseph knew and believed God, and demonstrated his trust by his behavior.
(Trustworthy, Obedience, Stability, Consistency, humility.) What he believed in his heart, he demonstrated with his actions.
Does your life line up with what is in your heart?
(You know in your God loves you but you act like He doesn’t)
Remember, our faith isn’t complete if we are not obedient. (Action)
Joesph was an ordinary man but he positioned himself for God to do something extraordinary!
How many of you would say, “I’m just an ordinary (normal) person?
God want’s to do something extraordinary through you!
Who Me?
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NLT
Remember, dear brothers and sisters,
that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes
or powerful or wealthy when God called you.
Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish
in order to shame those who think they are wise.
And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
God chose things despised by the world,
things counted as nothing at all,
and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.
As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
God has united you with Christ Jesus.
For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself.
Christ made us right with God;
he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
Therefore, as the Scriptures say,
“If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
Rahab
The last few weeks, we’ve been learning about faith and some of the people often described as “heroes of the faith” that are named in Hebrews 11.
Hebrews 11:31 “It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in the city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
Joshua 2 & 6 Who was Rahab?
Rahab’s story is probably the most relevant for today’s time than any of the others up here. Rahab did not grow up in an Israelite household with a godly heritage. She wasn’t told bedtime stories about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob growing up. She wasn’t taught about Moses climbing a mountain to meet with God for instructions on how to live.
Rahab was a part of a pagan, corrupt, depraved culture.
Canaanites practiced ritualistic and temple prostitution in worship to their gods. It may very well have been that Rahab was “a religious prostitute”.
Some scholars disagree and believe she was only a business owner and only an “innkeeper who sadly, found other ways of bringing in revenue.” – Dr. Michael A Milton
In either case, she probably felt like she was the most unlikely person to be used by God.
The Bible tells us she was a prostitute and 2 spies for the Israelite army came to her house.
Like many times in history, inns, brothels, bars, and similar places became meeting places and clandestine hide outs.
This could have been a similar situation for the spies where they took up lodging at “Rahab’s place.”
As spies, the shadier part of town would have been the perfect place to go to collect information and keep a low profile.
The next morning, she had a choice to make.
She chose to hide them and told soldiers that they had already left. Once they were safe, she told them this.
Joshua 2: 9-11 9
“I know the Lord has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. 10For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
Rahab Knew & Recognized – Israel’s God was the supreme God
The battles we fight and win in God’s name don’t only impact our lives; the bring testimony to others. Rahab was not in an ideal circumstance to come to faith in the one true God.
She just didn’t just fear him – she declared Him the Supreme God.
“For the Lord your God is the supreme God in the heavens above and on the earth below.” Joshua 2:11 Rahab believed what she heard was true – that Israel’s God was the true God
Knowing vs. Believing
It’s one thing to be informed about Jesus. It’s another to be transformed by Him. Rahab believed the “rumors” about the Israelite army and their God and believed it true.
Rahab probably thought – this God is powerful… far more powerful than all of mine. He is the supreme God, and I better turn to him or I’m toast.
Our beliefs don’t change because our circumstances change; our circumstances change because our beliefs change.
After Rahab made her declaration that she believed God to the supreme God she went on…
Joshua 2:12-13 12
“Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.”
Rahab could have turned to God and fled Jericho at any time, but she waited until the enemy was literally at her door.
Isn’t that human nature?
Why is it that it takes our lives falling apart before we finally turn to God?
Why is God our last resort? Rahab comes up with a plan.
They spies agreed to save her, but only if she did 3 things.
She must distinguish her house from the others by hanging a scarlet rope out of the window.
Her family must be inside the house during the battle.
Someone else’s faith can’t save you. You have to personally walk into your own salvation. No one else can do it for you.
Rahab’s family probably thought she was a little crazy when she shared this plan with them.
She must not later turn on the spies.
It would have been very easy for Rahab to simply have turned the men in.
There is only way to be saved – through Jesus Christ
Acts 4:12
“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
Rahab agreed to the terms and the spies went on their way. Then came the waiting.
Scholars have estimated that between the time Rahab met the spies and the Israel army showed up at Jericho was 13 days.
Did she fear?… did she doubt?… probably
After the longest 2 weeks of her life, the army showed up.
Instead of attacking, they just march around the city for 7 days. Like what in the world is going on?
When we are waiting on God for our promise, we don’t want to wait. It’s my promise and I want it now.
Rahab trusted even though she did not know the battle plan.
Rahab had every chance to doubt, and maybe she did, but when the moment came and when push came to shove, that faith was shown by her action.
James 2:19-26
“24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
When the wall came down and the battle was over, Joshua had the spies go and keep their word. They went to her house and Rahab and all her family that were inside were saved.
When Rahab woke up about 20 days prior, it probably was a lot like our mornings. What started as an ordinary day became extraordinary.
Who would have known that when she woke up that morning, Rahab, a pagan prostitute would be given the opportunity to be used by God.
To the Canaanites – she was “just a woman to be used.” Used for their own satisfaction. BUT GOD… saw her as a woman to be used but in a completely new way.
Rahab could have chosen to see herself by the labels the Canaanites gave her. “I’m just here for others’ pleasure. I’m not anyone important.” “I’m just this… I’m just that”
Instead, she chose to see herself through God’s eyes.
How do you see yourself? The world’s way or God’s way.
God sees you as his child – the one He loves and the one that he can use.
God’s love and acceptance of us is not dependent on our failures or success.
God saw Rahab as more than a Canaanite prostitute. He saw her as who she would become.
Rahab and her family lived with the Israelites and became a part of the family.
She went on to marry Salmon and become the mother of Boaz who married Ruth.
She became the great-great grandmother of King David.
Some of her descendants also included at least 8 OT prophets, Zerubabbel, and even Joseph – the man tasked with raising Jesus, and even of Jesus himself.
No one expected anything from her or for her except a “good time,” nut this prostitute became the ancestor of Kings, Prophets, great leaders, and even the Messiah.
Because of a choice to trust – Rahab’s life trajectory changed forever.
Just like Rahab could never have imagined the kind of promise she was walking into, we may not know what God can accomplish through us with simple trust and obedience in Him.
Conclusion:
It doesn’t matter what family you grew up in, what you’ve done in the past, what labels people put on you, your occupation, your culture, what you’ve been through…. God wants you part of the family. There’s no limit to what God can do for you or through you.
Your legacy and how people remember you doesn’t have to be who you were in the past. Let them remember you for your faith and who you become despite your past
NOAH KNOWING Genesis 6:5-8 NKJV Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So, the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of
“In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation. But their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful and filled the land.”Exodus 1:6-7 NLT ”By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. Hebrews 11:23 *”By faith Moses, when he was born, was
Photographs of Faith The story of Joseph Gen. 37,39-50 I Wonder if Abraham ever thought about the journey his descendants would have go go on to finally see the promise come to pass? Faith is not about seeing the provision but holding onto the promise. Joseph would not see the promise in his lifetime, but played a major part in making sure that promise would come to pass. Make no mistake about it, Joseph had to have Great faith to
PHOTOGRAPHS OF FAITH 2 ABRAHAM You have no idea what God may produce through a single seed planted in faith. The settling of our expectations is the limitation of our faith. Maybe you believed in God’s blessings at one time, but along the way, your disappointment has driven you to make your own plans. Our God is not in the business of consolation prizes. Abraham, the artist formerly known as Abram, labored through his dream. Genesis 12 – The great
Photographs of Faith 1 The Construct of Faith What Faith Is Not 1. Faith is not just a religious feeling. Trusting our entire eternal existence in how we feel is confusing and dangerous. Proverbs 28:26 (NLT) Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. 2. Faith is not blind. It is not accepting something without evidence. Acts 17:10-12 (NLT) That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they
CHEMISTRY OF A CHRISTIAN 10 The Construct of Intentionality THE RACE SET BEFORE US Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
CHEMISTRY OF A CHRISTIAN 10 The Construct of Intentionality THE RACE SET BEFORE US Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
Chemistry of Christian 9 The Oath THE FLESH THAT BLINDS AND THE SPIRIT OF LIGHT Romans 8:5-9 (TPT) Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities. For the sense and reason of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace. In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and
Chemistry of Christian 9 The Oath THE FLESH THAT BLINDS AND THE SPIRIT OF LIGHT Romans 8:5-9 (TPT) Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities. For the sense and reason of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace. In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and
HOPE IN ACTION The Church is the hope of the world… ———————————————————————————————————————— 1. We carry the only message of real truth in the world. 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I’m delayed in coming, you’ll already have these instructions on how to conduct the affairs of the church of the living God, his very household and the supporting pillar and firm foundation of the truth. The truth of Jesus and His finished work on the cross is something that the world
HOPE IN ACTION The Church is the hope of the world… ———————————————————————————————————————— 1. We carry the only message of real truth in the world. 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I’m delayed in coming, you’ll already have these instructions on how to conduct the affairs of the church of the living God, his very household and the supporting pillar and firm foundation of the truth. The truth of Jesus and His finished work on the cross is something that the world
CHEMISTRY OF CHRISTIAN 8 THE ATMOSPHERIC EFFECT 2 CORINTHIANS 2:11 (NLT) …so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. Mark 4:37-40 (NLT) And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the
CHEMISTRY OF CHRISTIAN 8 THE ATMOSPHERIC EFFECT 2 CORINTHIANS 2:11 (NLT) …so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. Mark 4:37-40 (NLT) And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the
SALT AND LIGHT YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. MATTHEW 5:13 (NIV) “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. What do a really good person and a really bad person have in common? The only real change they will ever have will
SALT AND LIGHT YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. MATTHEW 5:13 (NIV) “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. What do a really good person and a really bad person have in common? The only real change they will ever have will
We are blessed to have Breckenridge as another way for God to reach His people. This service was our very first Worship Night at New Life Breckenridge and man was it awesome. Enjoy our audio recording of Pastor Craig Smee!
Chemistry of a Christian 7 Outright War LIGHT AND DARK THE DARKNESS Understanding the enemy – Why even study the darkness? 2 CORINTHIANS 2:11 (NLT) …so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. But when we look at the table of the blind… many of us understood the table even before we had filled in all of its elements. We have become accustomed to the darkness. Our comfort in the moment has us
Chemistry of a Christian 6 Spiritual Conflict Everything we have is a result of God’s grace and goodness. THE WONDER OF HIS LIGHT Light is the culmination of the manifest character of God and the revealed character of God. JOHN 1:4 (NLT) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. Jesus is both the manifest and revealed expression of God’s character. LET THERE BE LIGHT (Genesis 1:3)God made something out of nothing. There was a
CHEMISTRY OF A CHRISTIAN 5 SOLUBLE THE 90-SECOND SUMMARY LET’S START WHERE WE LEFT OFF REMEMBER: The DIVINE comprises God the FATHER, God the Son or WORD, and God the HOLY SPIRIT. All three operate in unity around POWER, LOVE – Because God is Love, The Father has it, The Word has it, and the Spirit has it; Not forgetting the powerful JUSTICE and WISDOM. The Father MANIFESTS Himself to us by GRACE through the Word giving us IDENTITY. The
Chemistry of A Christian 4 Reflections and Refractions SUMMARY OF WEEK 3 The Table Of Divine Elements WHERE WERE WE? The truth and holiness of the Father declare Jesus’ intent as righteous. The truth and holiness of the Father found Adams’ intent faulty. Just as Adam’s sin created unrighteousness, Jesus’s true and holy intent produces righteousness for all mankind… Romans 5:12 (NLT) When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone
Chemistry of a Christian 3 Core Origins RECAP The Purpose of This Project: To rediscover our supernatural and spiritual makeup. WHERE WERE WE? The Holy Spirit brings us into a relationship with the Word and therefore the Father. The Father initiates our identity, restores it through Christ, and brings the expression of its through the Holy Spirit. Making us in His image before the revelation of identity and relationship is the highest expression of GRACE. Through the Holy Spirit, God
So last Wednesday was NOT the last Wednesday before Life College starts so we had “in-between” service with Pastor Craig Smee introducing elements of Life College alongside Pastor Joey Bishop!
Chemistry of a Christian 2 Base Elements RECAP The Purpose of This Project: To rediscover our supernatural and spiritual makeup. The governance of all things was supposed to be based on the divine elements of the heavenly courts and His character. GENESIS 1:27 (NLT) So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 (NLT) THE TABLE OF DIVINE ELEMENTS Our physical world intimately replicates the
Chemistry of a Christian 1 Divine DNA The Purpose of This Project: To rediscover our supernatural and spiritual makeup. Christianity has created a community that attempts to overcome by being combative and defensive as the first response. But we were designed to be image bearers and promote the elements of God’s character. It is those elements that change circumstances, release us from bondage, heal the sick, transform and give us freedom. We combat addiction instead of embracing purpose. We fight
Living The Sacrifice Vision Sunday The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Genesis 12:1- (NLT) The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the
EP2 – MY GOD WHY EXPLOSIVE PRACTICALITY MY GOD WHY? RECAP:Identity Blessing and PurposeSatan cannot change the character of God, He can not conquer the Word of God, so he attacks our ability to walk out the purpose of God. FATHER, FORGIVE THEMWhen we know His forgiveness, we are more open to repentance. MY GOD WHY? For three hours, beginning at noon, a sudden and unexpected darkness came over the earth. And at three o’clock Jesus shouted with a mighty
EXPLOSIVE PRACTICALITY FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FIRE TRIANGLE: Heat, fuel, and oxygenGRACE TRIANGLE: Identity, Blessing, and Purpose (Genesis 1) Identity Blessing and Purpose (Genesis 1) Satan cannot change the character of God, He can not conquer the Word of God, so he attacks our ability to walk out the purpose of God. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On
The Kingdom Fight – The Line in The Sand Psalm 2:1-12 TPT How dare the nations plan a rebellion. Their foolish plots are futile! Look at how the power brokers of the world rise up to hold their summit as the rulers scheme and confer together against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying: “Let’s come together and break away from the Creator. Once and for all let’s cast off these controlling chains of God and his Christ!” Humanity choosing for
The Kingdom Fight – Clean Heaven and Earth (Eden) – Mankind was to partner with God to spread His Kingdom to all the earth. Mankind rebelled and rejected God’s kingdom. Mankind brings hell on earth by rejecting God’s kingdom and building their own. Jesus came to restore humanity and announce that His Kingdom has come! Humanity’s struggle is the internal battle to do what is best for me and to redefine good and evil for my own comfort, convenience, and
The Kingdom Fight – Thrive vs. Survive In the beginning …. Genesis 1:1 Heaven and Earth were united in a place called Eden. Mankind had one job, fill the Earth with God’s Kingdom. Multiply Be fruitful Have dominion Subdue Fill Mankind rebelled against God and His Kingdom. (Matthew 11:12) Despite humanity’s rejection of God’s Kingdom, God still honors their original purpose and design. (Genesis 1:28) Instead of fulfilling God’s purpose and design, humanity began to build its own kingdoms. The
The Kingdom Fight In the beginning….. Genesis 1 Heaven and Earth were united. (Eden) Mankind’s commission. Genesis 1:28 (Original picture) Multiply Be fruitful Have dominion Subdue Fill the Earth Fill the Earth with God’s Kingdom The Fall Mankind rebelled against God and His Kingdom There was a separation of Heaven and Earth (A vail separated it) Heaven is still a part of Earth but mankind begins to push it out! Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until
PERFECTED 5 UNSTOPPABLE Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand
PERFECTED 4 Unlimited Expectations LIMITED EXPECTATIONS GENESIS 15:1-2 Sometime later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” 2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son?” We tend to think in terms of addition. God thinks in terms of multiplication. GENESIS 15:5 NIV Then the LORD took Abram
Pastor Craig Smee and Pastor Leanne Smee are on the panel for this week’s Wednesday Night Live!
If you don’t have time to listen to the original one hour podcast of this message, we gotchu! Perfected 3 Righteous Being righteous used to mean something. A good character used to be the currency of success. Hebrews 12: 1-2 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us
Perfected 3 Righteous Being righteous used to mean something. A good character used to be the currency of success. Hebrews 12: 1-2 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on
Perfected: Holiness Victory Life Church, Brownwood — Sunday, May 29, 2022 Introduction 1 Peter 1:13-16 (ESV) Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall
LIVING THE PERFECTED LIFE Humankind desires wholeness and balance. We desire to feel like we matter and have completed something when we die. We long to know we will have a legacy and strive to fulfill our purpose… BUT We look in the wrong places. We can not fill the void through selfishness. The worst possible remedy to the feeling of worthlessness is selfishness. We bring balance to our finance by getting a second job and bring unbalance to our
FIRST LOVE 4 THE HOPE GIFT SUMMARY WHEN LOSING YOUR FIRST LOVE BECAUSE YOU ARE LOSING HOPE: STEP 1 – WONDER, DON’T WANDER STEP 2 – WAIT, DON’T QUIT STEP 3: REWIRE, REFOCUS AND RESET ______________________________________________ Shiginoth is a musical term. Intense emotion—Impassioned exuberance. Wild passionate singing with rapid changes of rhythm. High-spirited praise. Vigorous enthusiasm. Most passionate praise is the praise before the provision. ______________________________________________ The praise for the WHO, not the WHAT ______________________________________________ Our hope is in a
Wednesday Night Live | Pastor Craig Smee & Pastor Joey Bishop | Things Hope For Q&A Discussion
FIRST LOVE 3 THE THINGS HOPED FOR ______________________________________________ Distractions and a Confusing World 1 Corinthians 13:12 (TPT) ‘For now, we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face. My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood. ______________________________________________ Our Vision of Hope 1 Corinthians 13:13 (TPT) Until then, there are three things that remain:
FIRST LOVE 2 SIMPLE OBEDIENCE ______________________________________________ FIRST LOVE Revelation 2:14 But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning. If we let Him, the Holy Spirit can take us from distracted to revelation in moments! ______________________________________________ Three Reasons We Get Stopped Short: 1. Our faith perspective gets blinded by our circumstance 2. Our progress is not always obvious 3. The outcome becomes more important than the process ______________________________________________ Three Ways
We are by nature easily distracted. Keeping our minds and hearts focussed on Jesus is tough. In this series, we will explore how to navigate distracting circumstances and love Jesus as passionately as we did when we first fell in love with Him. THE FIRST LOVE SERIES FIRST LOVE 1 Stopped Short The Fickle Human Mind Psychologists Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert found that the human mind has become wired for a state of continuous distraction. In a study conducted with 2,250
The Commission of Christ – God’s Imposed KingdomProposed vs ImposedOnce you accept Jesus’s proposition (salvation), His Kingdom is imposed upon you.Matthew 25:14-15 TPT14“Again, heaven’s kingdom is like a wealthy man who went on a long journey and summoned all his trusted servants and assigned his financial management over to them. 15Before he left on his journey, he entrusted a bag of five thousand gold coins to one of his servants, to another a bag of two thousand gold coins, and to
FIX YOUR FACE “Show me a man’s friends, and I will show you his future.” “Look at a man’s face, and you will see the countenance of his faith.” ________________________________________ THE CONDITION OF YOUR HEART IS REFLECTED IN YOUR FACE. Proverbs 15:13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. Proverbs 25:23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance. ________________________________________ JESUS’ COMMISSION SAVES, RESTORES, AND
Wednesday night Live with Pastor Craig Smee, Pastor Joey Bishop and two of the Charis Bible College students!
The Commission of Christ 2 The Dying and Resurrected Church __________________________________ His Effect Imposed Whether we believe it or not, the universe was course-corrected by Jesus. He took care of the natural and supernatural deviances taken since Eden. There was no choice for the world: God Loved Us! He Chose Us! He wants us. In the very presence of Jesus, we run out of choices – because we can only but admit His glory. __________________________________ The Proposed Impact of Jesus
The Commission of Christ 1 The Effect of Christ __________________________________ His Effect Imposed Whether we believe it or not, the universe was course-corrected by Jesus. He took care of the natural and supernatural deviances taken since Eden. There was no choice for Satan – for him, the effect of Jesus was not a proposal – it was imposed. __________________________________ Genesis 3:14-15 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all
Pastor Craig and Pastor Joey Bishop discuss the final message from the Naturally Supernatural series!
Rumble Strip Flesh vs. Spirit The Discipline of the Holy Spirit The true power of supernatural life is a power found in the moment-by-moment obedience to the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the moment you realize that you need a guide to achieve that which Jesus has already achieved in you. But that’s a moment (miracle) and not a practice (blessing). 1 Timothy 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a
Pastor Craig Smee taught us through Romans 7 & 8 and it was such a needed word that our world needs to hear!
THE POWER2 Timothy1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.1.HOW DID WE LOSE IT?Our authority and identity were lost at the garden. Mankind hid and they were filled with guilt and shame.It’s frustrating trying to walk out your purpose, but not being empowered todo so!What does fear and frustration look like? 2.HOW DID JESUS RESTORE IT?Romans 8:1 So now the case is closed. There remains no
Naturally Supernatural – ManifestThe Holy Spirit is our helper, teacher, a guide who comforts, convicts and counsels us. John 14:16And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you Final instructions from Jesus Acts 1:2 TPTJust before He ascended into heaven, Jesus left instructions through the Holy Spirit for the apostles he had chosen. Go to Jerusalem and stay! Acts 1:1-5 TPTJesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until you receive the gift I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. 5For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!” You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit! (Luke 3:16)Acts 1:8 TPTBut I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and you will be seized with power. You will be my messengers to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces —even to the remotest places on earth!” You will receive power!
Acts 2:1-4 TPT1On the day Pentecost was being fulfilled, all the disciples were gathered in one place. 2Suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear! 3Then all at once, a pillar of fire appeared before their eyes. It separated into tongues of fire that engulfed each one of them. 4They were all filled and equipped with the Holy Spirit and were inspired to speak in tongues—empowered by the Spirit to speak in languages they had never learned!Three things happened to the believers. Filled with the Holy Spirit (Baptized)Equipped (gifts)They began to speak in tongues Was this for everyone?Acts 2:38-39 TPT38Peter replied, “Repent and return to God, and each one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One, to have your sins removed. Then you may take hold of the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For God’s promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and your families, for those yet to be born and for everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”Equipped to be His messengers! (Gifts)1 Corinthians 12:1 TPTMy fellow believers, I don’t want you to be confused about spiritual realities. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 TPTIt is the same Holy Spirit who continues to distribute many different varieties of gifts. The Lord Yahweh is one, and he is the one who apportions to believers different varieties of ministries. The same God distributes different kinds of miracles that accomplish different results through each believer’s gift and ministry as he energizes and activates them. Each believer is given continuous revelation by the Holy Spirit to benefit not just himself but all. God gives each person their ministry (specific purpose), the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts to accomplish it.
The gifts of tongues1 corinthians 12:10-11 TPTAnd to another the gift of speaking different kinds of tongues.And to another the gift of interpretation of tongues.Why Tongues? 4 Types of TonguesTongues for a sign to the unbeliever (Speaking)Tongues with an interpretation (Speaking)Tongues as a personal prayer language (Praying)Tongues as intercessory pray (Praying)
- Tongues for a sign to the unbeliever1 Corinthians 14:22 TPTSo then, tongues are not a sign for believers, but a miracle for unbelievers. Prophecy, on the other hand, is not for unbelievers, but a miracle sign for believers.
Acts 2:4,7-8,11 TPT4 They were all filled and equipped with the Holy Spirit and were inspired to speak in tongues—empowered by the Spirit to speak in languages they had never learned!7 Bewildered, they said to one another, “Aren’t these all Galileans? 8So how is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages?11Yet we hear them speaking of God’s mighty wonders in our own dialects!”They spoke in specific dialects!
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Tongues with an interpretation1 Corinthians 14:23 TPTIf the entire church comes together and everyone is speaking in tongues, won’t the visitors say that you have lost your minds?1 Corinthians 14:2-5 TPT2When someone speaks in tongues, no one understands a word he says, because he’s not speaking to people, but to God—he is speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit. 3But when someone prophesies, he speaks to encourage people, to build them up, and to bring them comfort. 4The one who speaks in tongues advances his own spiritual progress, while the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 I would be delighted if you all spoke in tongues, but I desire even more that you impart prophetic revelation to others. Greater gain comes through the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless there is interpretation so that it builds up the entire church.Tongues + interpretation = prophecyIt builds up the church!
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Tongues as a personal prayer languageJude 1:20 TPTBut you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit. Praying in the spirit! 1 Corinthians 14:2When someone speaks in tongues, no one understands a word he says, because he’s not speaking to people, but to God—he is speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 NKJV14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?
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Tongues as intercessory prayerRomans 8:26-27 TPT6And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.27God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.1 Corinthians 14:39-40 TPTSo, beloved friends, with all this in mind, be passionate to prophesy and don’t forbid anyone from speaking in tongues, doing all things in a beautiful and orderly way. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 TPT1If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love, my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clanging cymbal.2And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the greatest gift of faith that could move mountains, but have never learned to love, then I am nothing.3And if I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would gain nothing of value.
Questions to ask yourself when seeking the gifts of the Holy Spirit.Why do I desire this gift? What’s my motive?How will this gift build up the body of Christ?Have I studied the Word to discover more about this gift?How can I receive the gift I desire?Luke 11:11-13 TPT9-10So it is with your prayers. Ask and you’ll receive. Seek and you’ll discover. Knock on heaven’s door, and it will one day open for you. Every persistent person will receive what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he needs. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.If imperfect parents know how to lovingly take care of their children and give them what they need, how much more will the perfect heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit’s fullness when his children ask him.
Positioned for the Presence
John 14:15-17
“Loving me empowers you to obey my commands. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you.
Seeking the Presence (yearn)
Corporate vs. Lifestyle
We seek the presence to solve our current circumstance, not worship in holiness and thanksgiving.
We come into the corporate environment yearning, having to break through the layers of guilt and shame, and frustrations before we can catch a glimpse of the light. Just when we break through, the service is over.
Genesis 3:8-13
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.”
We hide behind the bush, waiting for God to call us, and we don’t step out from behind the bush and present our lives to God.
Holy Hands to a Holy God (I Timothy 2:8)
Set aside = holy = being different then lets be different!
We want the fix, not the process. We want the miracle, not the blessing.
We come for a miracle and not be set aside and made Holy.
The miracle is a quick fix, but the holy life IS the blessing.
The Holy life gives the Holy Spirit the permission to:
Help You Remember Who You Are
Help You Choose Obedience
Holds You To Your Repentance (True Identity)
Compels Us To Show Mercy To Others
Obedience is the change we need to see the supernatural become a reality.
Presence – the understanding and revelation of God’s intentions and implementing those intentions in our lives.
SPIRIT INTRODUCED – Worked with your choice to help you make the right one
WORD FORMED – He disabled the devil and sin
SPIRIT ENABLES – The manifest intentions of God in your life
Living in the Light – Living in Holiness
When God commands – it’s all in. Let there be light, and there was a flicker???
The light was God’s intention, and the Word made his intentions manifest, and there was light.
Living in the supernatural (blessing) means living in the expressed intentions of God. (Word/Jesus)
If we want the blessing, we need to follow the Word.
Can’t halfway follow Jesus!
Ephesians 5:1-2
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
If the Holy Spirit is sent to make us Holy, He is making us Holy by showing us how to follow Jesus. And we desire the supernatural blessing in this life, then we should want to listen to the Holy Spirit.
We will never stumble into Holiness or Righteousness…
Ephesians 5:3-14
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible.
This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Living by the Spirit’s Power
Obedience is the ability to live according to His promises AND His commands and not long for the promises without accepting the commands.
Ephesians 5:15-20
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Under the Influence of the Word
What if we are so intoxicated by our circumstances, errors, guilt, hurt that we are not even aware of their influence?
NaturalSupernaturalPromote yourselfDeny yourselfConsumeGiveHate those who hurt youLovePursue thingsPursue GodLive for nowLive for eternityPursue happinessPursue holiness
Holiness – Intentionally living out the intentions of God
To live a Holy life, I have decided to_________________________________
Belief is the beginning of the life of the supernatural!
BELIEVE – IN JESUS (Relationship with God)
BELIEVE – IN EACH OTHER (Church)
BELIEVE – IN YOURSELF (Gifts)
Over the following sessions: Power, Presence, and Gifts
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL:
COMFORT YOU
John 14:16 KJV
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever…
COUNSEL YOU
John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
Isaiah 30:21
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
CONVICT YOU
John 16:8
When (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
The HOLY Spirit (THE HABITS OF HOLINESS)
The Greek word for holy is hagios: different, likeness or nature with the Lord, different from the world, set apart, other/otherness, special to the Lord.
Because of Christ, this is who we are: You are holy. You have been set apart.
Helps You Remember Who You Are
He reminds you daily:
This is what God says about you:
You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
You are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).
You are precious in His eyes (Isaiah 43:4).
He loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
You are His son / You are His daughter (2 Corinthians 6:18).
He calls you His friend (John 15:15).
Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
He chose you (1 Peter 2:9).
Many are His thoughts about you (Psalm 139:17).
He has incredible plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11).
With Him you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).
Nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:35-39).
2. Helps You Chose Obedience
BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT = OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMFORT, HIS COUNSEL, AND HIS CONVICTION
John 14:15-17
“Loving me empowers you to obey my commands. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you.
Galatians 5:16-17
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Galatians 5:25
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Eliminate temptations today so you don’t have to resist them tomorrow.
3. Holds You To Your Repentance (True Identity)
First Adam:
Life prompted by the Spirit
Form given by the Word – Identity
Life Given by the Spirit – Purpose – First Adam Failed
Second Adam
Luke 3:21-23
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Spirit anoints
Word confirms
Spirit Leads
Luke 4:1-2
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
Jesus baptized.
Walking through temptations with the Holy Spirit brings a supernatural resolve to overcome.
Walking through temptations with the Holy Spirit brings a supernatural, Word-based resolve to overcome.
Luke 4:14-19
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” [f]
After his experience…
Matthew 4:17
From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near –
Repentance is choosing to accept God’s invitation to experience redemption and walk in your true identity and purpose.
Three Options – Live in misery, numb the pain, or make a change
If you are not in a state of repentance, you are either living in misery or numbing the pain.
4. Compels Us To Show Mercy To Others
Luke 6:36
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
One of the holiest things you can do is show mercy to others.
Mercy is choosing peace over punishment.
Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
The possibility of peace should always be stretched as far as Jesus’ example will allow.
A Song of Praise
Poetic praise by King David – A Translation Mashup
Go ahead, all you redeemed ones, do it! It’s time to sing and shout for joy! Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising; it is fitting for the pure to praise him so praise Him with all you have.Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs as you as you lift your praises loaded with thanksgiving.! Play his praise on a grand piano! Compose your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare. Sing and make joyous music with all that you’ve got inside.Sing to him a new song; live with excellence, with joy, with the anointing, and with the skills he gives you. Your life is an instrument of praise so sing and shout with passion; make a spectacular sound of joy—If our lives are the instrument then God’s Word is the sheet music. For God’s Word is something to sing about! The words of the Lord, His melody, are true, and all his works, His rhythms, are dependable.The Lord loves what is righteous and just; He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line truth. Anywhere and everywhere you can find his faithful, unfailing love! The Earth is drenched in God’s affectionate satisfaction.All he had to do was speak by his Spirit-Wind command and He created the heavenlies. The skies were made by His command; He breathed the word and the stars popped out.He gathers the waters of the sea as in a bottle; He puts the deeps in storage places. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.God takes the wind out of pretense, he shoots down the world’s power-schemes. With his breath He scatters the schemes of nations who oppose Him; they will never succeed.His destiny-plan for the earth stands sure. His forever-plan remains in place and will never fail.Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord; happy are the people He has chosen for his own!The Lord looks down from heaven and sees all of us humans.From His dwelling place He looks [intently] upon all the inhabitants of the earth–He has shaped each person in turn; and so He knows everything we do and think.A king does not win because of his powerful army; a soldier does not triumph because of his strength.War horses are useless for victory; So don’t count on them to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you.God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who trust in his constant love, those who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and constant love.He looks upon them so that in a moments notice He can deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. He’s ever ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps their body and soul together.The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in Him with all our hearts. His wraparound presence will strengthen us.In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. And as we trust, we rejoice with an uncontained joy that flows from Him!Let your love and steadfast kindness overshadow us continually, oh Lord, for we trust and we wait upon you and you alone!
Verses are taken from the New Living Translation, The Message, The Passion Translation, The Good News Bible, The Amplified Classic and the Jubilee Bible – with some editing license to blend them together.
The POWER GRID
1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
God is at work. Jesus is doing the work, but God needs us to believe. He wants to see His intentions become a reality in our lives, BUT He will never force His will.
Psalms 33:12 (NLT)
What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
We chose Him, and He desires us in the exact same moment.
Our choice of the light is the moment the Word longs for.
Our belief in the Word IS our moment of light. Nothing supernatural can happen to us without us seeing the supernatural wonder of the Father.
The Purpose of the Holy Spirit
John 15:26 (TPT)
“And I will send you the Divine Encourager from the very presence of my Father. He will come to you, the Spirit of Truth, emanating from the Father, and he will speak to you about me.
Belief is the beginning of the life of the supernatural!
He baptizes us in Jesus (introduces – makes believe possible)
Jesus baptizes us into Holy Spirit (introduces us to the supernatural)
The baptism of the Holy Spirit (the moment you admit that you cannot believe in Jesus on your own in a way that fully expresses all the Word means and achieves).
It’s not about your salvation it’s about your supernatural impact in a natural world that desperately needs God!
BELIEF IN JESUS (Relationship with God)
BELIEF IN EACH OTHER (Church)
BELIEF IN YOURSELF (Gifts)
John 14:15-17
“Loving me empowers you to obey my commands. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you.
Our current dispensation is not at the foot of the cross. We live in a supernatural period set aside for us to become the complete revelation of Jesus to the world.
Jesus is the complete revelation of God to man.
The Holy Spirit enables the church to become the full expression of Jesus to the world.
Spirit enables the intentions of the Father and the reality of the Word (supernatural) to become His full expression in the natural.
The Process of the Holy Spirit
Creation – Spirit ->Word ->Spirit
Genesis 1:2-3
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Genesis 3:8
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden.
New Creation – Spirit ->Word ->Spirit
Isaiah 30:21
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
John 1:14 NLT
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John 16:7 NLT
But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you.
Counselor: parakletos (par-ak’-lay-tos); an intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter, helper.
Stepping into a life with the Holy Spirit is a comfort as it draws you into His glorious light.
WHY ARE MANY LIVING A SPIRIT-LESS LIFE?
SOME AREN’T AWARE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Acts 19:1-3
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
SOME RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Acts 7:51
“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit.
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL:
COMFORT YOU.
John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever…
COUNSEL YOU.
John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13
Isaiah 30:21
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
CONVICT YOU.
John 16:8
When (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment. (Fear of God = putting down the things that offend Him)
Despite the cold weather, we still had a chance to celebrate baptisms, receive a good Word, and worship our King!
Day 22 | Verse 22
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:22 TPT
Let your love and steadfast kindness overshadow us continually, for we trust and we wait upon you!
Also Read: Psalms 103:17
After going on this amazing journey, the Psalmist almost signs off with a greeting of intent to the Father. He ends it by saying when all is said and done, we can worship we can walk in Joy but the glimpse of the supernatural is fleeting while we are serving here in the natural. The ebb and flow of joy and peace are sometimes uncontrollable and so have mercy on us God. We are going to do all we can to walk out this Psalm but our efforts are going to need a supernatural top-up. We are going to need your grace, we are going to have to have some tough conversations but we will never lose our hope because it is your Grace and it is your mercy that we have by means of faith in You. In Jesus and in the Holy Spirit. We have come to expect nothing else from you but goodness and grace and love. And that is our everlasting encouragement because our expectation will never be disappointed by you!
Day 21 | Verse 21
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:21 TPT
As we trust, we rejoice with an uncontained joy flowing from Yahweh!
We rejoice not in our rebellion or even our excused sin, not in what we were able to get away within the moment, not in ourselves or in our boastings, because all rejoicing in ourselves does not end well, but in the Lord, “in His Essential Word” in Christ Jesus, in His person, His righteousness, and His salvation. This joy is heart joy, inward joy, real joy, joy in the wonder. It is unspeakable and full of glory. This is what the psalmist calls upon the redeemed to do. Rid themselves of fleeting happiness that they can not trust in or rely on and find the inner joy, a gift from the Holy Spirit trusting in His holiness and power. And from that trust discover Godly unending joy, expressing their faith in the midst of difficulty in the form of Joy. And so the call to action, the reason for the opening of this chapter is answered. How do we express our worship? Through the trust in God and the expression of our joy in being loved by Him.
Day 20 | Verse 20
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:20 TPTThe Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in him with all our hearts. His wraparound presence will strengthen us.
Psalm 33 started with an activation of the redeemed ones, the holy ones, the chosen ones. Whenever the chapter uses the plural and not the singular, it is rallying those included in that initial activation. This verse is an expression of a group of people. It’s an expression of the Church. The Church expressed her expectation, faith, and joy. The Church makes this expression of expectation by simply waiting on Him. Pacing eagerly, excitedly knowing that her time with Him has come, having trusted in Him with everything she has, she awaits His imminent embrace and eternal presence with Him. The very expectation of Him, the very expression of who He is amongst us, is our strength. We gain strength through the expectation of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. We do not tire from waiting on Him. Knowing He is here and coming again all at the same time sustains us and forms us into a group that can not be stopped even by death and the gates of Hell.
Day 19 | Verse 19
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:19 TPT
God will deliver them from death, even the certain death of famine, with no one to help.
Hey – have you heard – we live forever. This verse has definite natural connotations but it is speaking way behind just the duration we have on this planet and way beyond the food we eat to sustain our bodies.
We worship a God who, through His Word has placed eternity in our hearts. Through His Word, he sustains a spiritual realm that will sustain us for eternity. So this verse should not only encourage us in understanding that He will sustain us physically, but that His sustenance is carrying us at a much higher level. The body dies, but the soul does not. It is not even ever at the risk of death. Those that fear the Lord and hope in His mercy are not exempt from difficulties and lack in the physical realm, and at the same time they can expect to be delivered and preserved by God miraculously in the physical arena, but those that fear the Lord have an understanding of His magnitude and plan that goes way beyond the physical. For if it didn’t they would not be fearfully inspired as what God is doing would be comprehensible. Those who fear the Lord are quickened in conversation about His magnitude, they live spiritually, are not living in a Word famine, but are deeply nourished with the Word and are preserved by Him for all eternity.
Day 18 | Verse 18
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:18 TPTThe eyes of the Lord are upon even the weakest worshipers who love him—those who wait in hope and expectation for the strong, steady love of God.
This verse describes a phrase that has confused many believers. Fear of the Lord. Fearing the Lord is not dread of His wrath, a distrust of His grace, or assuming that God has only sinister plans and selfish views. To have a love for Him and wait in hope for His strength and steady love, and at the same time fear Him means that we run away from the things that we KNOW offend Him. We hate evil and we depart from it. Those who fear Him serve and worship Him. They give Him honor for the provisions and necessities of life. They love the grace He has bestowed upon them and have their minds blown by the fact that He looks upon us with delight and pleasure. This is especially shown in their appreciation for His mercy and fear-inspiring plan of personal salvation through Jesus. Through Jesus God has focussed on you, and that focus that presence feels pretty fear-inspiring to us but it is His delight to know you and provide for you.
Day 17 | Verse 17
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:17 NLT
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you.
Read Also: Proverbs 21:31
Human strength and the weapons of man are false hopes for victory; they may seem mighty, but they will always disappoint.
In King Davids’s time, a warhorse was a formidable fighting machine. Even though these horses were trained and prepared for the day of battle and certainly had a huge impact, the victory of those chosen by God and those who chose Him would always be the Lord’s. Victory in our own strength can be obtained when we are only battling for the mundane. We can be successful in our finances on our own, we can be successful through our own wisdom BUT in the battles that really matter, there is no victory in our own strength. In the battle over fear, death, condemnation, and addictions, or even in the battle for our own salvation we quickly exhaust using our own efforts and are certainly never completely victorious, but we are always victorious when we fight WITH God. God needs you to put your mind and focus into the battle but know that it is only with Him that you will be COMPLETELY victorious.
Naturally Supernatural 3 – God With Us
Life in the Word is life in the presence of God. The Word is the manifest presence of God. But the manifest presence of God is a supernatural and not a natural event. It affects the natural, but it is spoken in the supernatural.
The Word is the expressed and living intention of the Father.
Let There Be Light
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.
God spoke (supernatural), and all things natural were created.
Jesus is the complete revelation of God(all three) to man.
John 1:1-5
In the beginning the Living Expression was already there.And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God.They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning.And through his creative inspiration this Living Expression made all things, for nothing has existence apart from him!A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity.And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome!God appeared in the natural, and all things supernatural were activated.
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the dazzling radiance of God’s splendor, the exact expression of God’s true nature—his mirror image! He holds the universe together and expands it by the mighty power of his spoken word. He accomplished for us the complete cleansing of sins, and then took his seat on the highest throne at the right hand of the majestic One.
Colossians 1:16a
For in him was created the universe of things, both in the heavenly realm and on the earth, all that is seen and all that is unseen.
God spoke (supernatural), and all things natural were created.God appeared in the natural, and all things supernatural were activated.
God exposes his supernatural presence to a natural world through his Word!
Everything expressed by God is supernatural to the world.God spoke (supernatural), and all things natural were created. (creation)God manifest (supernatural), and your new man was created (new creation)
The Word is the complete manifestation of God’s intentions.
Life in the Word is the presence of God in your world!
His Word in us… The Word in you is the Father’s expressed intentions for your life.
John 17:26
I have revealed to them who you are and I will continue to make you even more real to them, so that they may experience the same endless love that you have for me, for your love will now live in them, even as I live in them!”
The manifest Word of God bears fruit in us for others…
Colossians 1:6
This is the wonderful message that is being spread everywhere, powerfully changing hearts throughout the earth, just like it has changed you! Every believer of this good news bears the fruit of eternal life as they experience the reality of God’s grace.
Holy Spirit Promised
John 14:16-17 Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
Day 16 | Verse 16
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:16 The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
There are many people today who have great power but very little character. Just because someone seemingly has everything, or has great wealth, or has many friends, or is the most popular, they can not stand against even the weakest who presents the character of God. Selfishness and greed can not stand against love and kindness. Fleeting happiness can not stand against divine joy. Salvation and a life of true abundance come only from the Lord.
Just like Goliath, with his great strength, could not deliver himself out of the hands of David, might is not found in the quantity of what we can amass in life, but in the quality of our relationship with the Lord. Reflect His character and watch your God-honoring influence and impact in this life become truly mighty.
Day 15 | Verse 15
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.
Also Read: Hebrews 12:10 and Zechariah 12:1
The Lord is the former and fashioner of the heart, spirit, or soul of man, even of all hearts and spirits.
The very center of every human being is the same because it was constructed and put together by God – in His image.
Now the fact that we all are unique in personality, responses, history, upbringing is not a denial of our Father having put us together in a way that globally reflects Him. He does not govern the flesh responses of our lives. He does not govern our unique presentation of who He made us to be, but our Spirit and thus our souls are equally bestowed with and fashioned after His qualities.
Our souls are not made by us or the physical effects of our lives. Souls are created, not generated; they are produced out of nothing, and not out of pre-existent matter, or circumstance. God forms the hearts of his own people anew for himself, for his own glory; he forms Christ in them, and every grace of his Spirit; he forms them into one, and knits and unites them together in love, and makes them be able to easily unite with one another. Our circumstances do not change our hearts; our hearts, focussed on their creator, change our lives.
Day 14 | Verse 14
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:14 From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.
This verse is very similar to verse 13. So my curiosity was peaked. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells me that there is a reason for EVERY word and verse in the scripture. So this is not just a copy and paste error. There is a very specific reason why verse 13 is in the Bible and similarly with verse 14.
Why did the Psalmist highlight the whole world in duplicate?
Firstly let’s look at where God is as He looks at the whole world. He is seated on His throne. The very seat of perfect holiness and righteousness. The same place He was at when He created everything, the same place He was when He burst into the world as Jesus, the same place He was when He made every promise of grace and wonder. The same place He was when He blessed you and the same place He was when you cried out to Him and He answered.
This throne is something we should love and honor. It is His perfect position or posture towards the Human race.
The psalmist would have been trying to explain that He does not just posture himself in holiness towards the select few, He does not just put His divine grace on offer to the Israelites, but this perfect posture of love and grace is towards ALL. You too!
Religion tries to define Gods throne as oriented towards certain people who get things right and jump through the right hoops but under the Gospel dispensation of mercy; by sending his son to die for all, by spreading His Word among them, by calling them by His own, He is saying that there is no boundary, no rule or no action that can keep you away from the His position of love towards you!
Day 13 | Verse 13
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:13 NLT
The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.
We have become paranoid about who is watching or listening in on our lives. We convince ourselves that God is looking in to find fault and judge us.
This scripture gives me a sense that God looks upon the earth from a heavenly perspective. He sits on a throne of mercy, wisdom, power, love, and perfect justice. Added to that He has Jesus as humankind’s intercessor. And so through the lens of His perfection AND the added benefit of being advised by the Saviour and Word, it is through this perspective that the Father looks upon all. Including the wicked. Don’t for one moment believe that you are too insignificant to be seen by this incredible Father. Don’t think you can hide your talents or your sin. He wants to let you know that no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, He loves and knows you and wants to help you out of your sin so that you can have the kind of peace and life that He has planned for you.
Day 12 | Verse 12
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:12 NLT
Blessed and prosperous is that nation who has God as their Lord! They will be the people he has chosen for his own.
We could quickly turn this verse into a political blessing for a nation that keeps God as its focus, and whereas this is true, it is not the whole meaning of this verse.
This verse would have first referred to the nation of Israel, which was both a political nation and the church at the time. But this really speaks to the Chosen ones, those who have both been chosen by God and have chosen God.
Let’s break this verse down because it introduces a concept that is not evident in any other belief system.
It has two decisions and has two blessings related to those choices.
The first decision is taken by those who chose God as their Lord and the blessing is that they will be blessed and prosperous. That kind of blessing was the same as the one given to Adam and Eve. While they chose God (like us today) they would be empowered to fill the earth, grow their family, and live an abundant life. The blessing was to have not only have been created (given life) but also to be provided for through that life. Both creation and providence are our blessings. All who confide in the Lord are blessed in the largest and deepest sense, and none can reverse the blessing. Our choice is made by us allowing God to captivate our imaginations as a wonder-working God in this creation, providence, and particularly grace. Grace is at the center of the second decision.
The second decision is God choosing us. He calls us a peculiar people, whom He has chosen out of the world to be his possession, and who are his jewels and peculiar treasure. Our very happiness is complete simply by knowing that we have been chosen by Him and we are His portion and the lot of his inheritance. God not only chooses us but He also chooses an inheritance for us. He makes his choice permanent by adopting us into His family and invites them to be partakers of all that is His. Upon that invitation, the first choice is initiated again. And round and round it goes.
This constant dance between God and His Chosen is at the center of our worship. The divine choice rules the day. None can take the Lord to be their God until He takes them to be His people. But He does not take them to be His people until they chose Him to be their God. What an ennobling choice this is! We are selected to no mean estate, and for no ignoble purpose: we are made the peculiar domain and delight of the Lord our God. Being so blessed, let us rejoice in our portion, and show the world by our lives that we serve a glorious Master.
Naturally Supernatural 1
In the Cool of the Evening
SERIES CONCEPT: LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
PRESENCE OF GOD – THE PLACE WHERE THE NATURAL MEETS THE SUPERNATURAL
His presence unlocks His supernatural power into our natural lives.
Adam and Eve enjoyed the state of LIVING in God’s presence…
Genesis 3:8a
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden.
Corporate vs. Personal
When the moment of His presence becomes a life of walking in the cool of the evening and not seeking unique corporate moments that inspire, we find a rhythm of our relationship becoming our default and not only our desire.
The phrase “cool of the day” probably does not mean time of day but rather the reference of God revealing Himself to the people.
The phrase literally reads the wind of the day.
The Revealed Presence of God
Some do not see this as a reference to time, and there is nothing in the context to suggest the time of day. Instead, the phrase means God revealing His presence through the wind.
The Bible gives other examples of this happening.
1 Kings 19:11
Then He said, Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.
Job 38:1
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said…
John 3:8
(Jesus compared the working of the Holy Spirit to the wind).
The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit (John 3:8).
WALKING A LIFE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD MEANS ACCEPTING THE COMPLETE GOD – FATHER SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT – ALL THREE ALL THE TIME
Who Is This God?
He understands the power of the natural, grasping at and desiring the power of the supernatural presence of God!
God of Heaven and Earth
Joshua 2:11b
For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
The Lord is “God in the heavens above (transcendent) and on the earth beneath (immanent)”
The Lord doesn’t relate to this world because he lacks something within himself. No, God draws near out of the abundance of who he is.
God does not come to us needy and wanting, but instead he comes to “revive the spirit of the lowly and the heart of the contrite” (Isa 57:15).
The God Who is Present
Psalm 139:5-12
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
The story of Scripture begins and ends with the presence of God.
From Genesis 1 to Revelation 21, God presents a story of His dwelling amongst us. This story explodes in Revelation, where heaven collides with the earth and Eden has returned and expanded into a new heaven and new earth where all of God’s people enjoy his presence eternally.
Humanity’s mission and the presence of God are inseparable.
God gave man and woman purpose. (Genesis 1:28) They are to do this in Eden, the epicenter of God’s relational presence in creation. As the first couple’s family expands, so too will the garden’s borders and, with it, God’s presence. God’s presence was to spread to the rest of the earth through Adam and Eve’s exercising of the authority they received from walking in His presence (life).
Sin undermines humanity’s mission and the experience of God’s presence.
Genesis 3:6-7
The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
When the wind blows – are you hiding?
The darkness of this world shelters us from the wind and the light of God’s presence.
Darkness comes when we hide from the presence of God.
And this world is in presence deprived darkness!
Genesis 3:8b
So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.
BUT God has declared war on this darkness, and he has declared war on His creation being devoid of His presence.
God Declares War On Darkness:
Psalm 33:9
For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
The presence of God presses back the darkness, and it clears out defeat, guilt, bitterness, selfishness, and lies.
John 1:5
And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome!
ADAM AND EVE LOST SIGHT OF THE PRESENCE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, SEARCHING THEM OUT
Before: Genesis 2:25 – “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” (Spiritual, supernatural state)
After: Genesis 3:7b – At that moment their eyes were opened…
(Revelation of their natural and flesh state)
They realized that there was a natural, flesh-based world where, through sin and rebellion, God’s presence was distant and the supernatural forgotten.
Paul went through this in reverse. He operated in his natural state until He was blinded to His old ways and then regained his sight, fully understanding God’s presence and his own refreshed purpose. The first thing he wanted to do once he regained his sight was get baptized. (Acts 9)
HOLDING OUR SIGHT
Philippians 3:14
I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-2
As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us. We look away from the natural realm and we focus our attention and expectation onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!
NEXT WEEK: GOD WITH US
Day 11 | Verse 11
Remember to read the whole chapter of Psalm 33 before continuing on your verse by verse reading.
Psalm 33:11 TPT
His destiny plan for the earth stands sure. His forever-plan remains in place and will never fail.
Also Read: Isaiah 14:24; Proverbs 19:21 Isaiah 46:10
I often wonder what it must have been like for Adam and Eve before they went their own way. To have that kind of access to the Father, The Word, and The Spirit. To not see this world through the eyes of the flesh but by default operate in their heavenly perspective. That was God’s plan and it still is God’s plan for us.
We often speak about turning an organization around as a big ship. The bigger the organization, the bigger the ship, the longer it takes to turn. Turn too quickly and things don’t work out too well. God is busy turning the universe around. He has the right to turn it back to His Word at his pace, but rest assured it will be aligned to His will and His purpose again.
The purposes and decrees of God, which are wisely formed, are eternal and “unfrustratable”. The Lord does all things according to the counsel of His perfect will in the government of the world, and in the salvation of men. Our choice of everlasting life is according to God’s will and so is our redemption, calling, and our eternal, bound-together with God, walking in the cool of the evening future.