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Devotional Pep Talk before Spiritual Battle (Christian interest) |
General Ministry Licensing Program Byron G. Mace 1727 N. Leeds Kokomo, In 46901 (765) 480-6791 b.mace@comcast.net Week #1: Discipleship I: "Our Father" ''Over and over again, Jesus taught us to address God as our Father. ... He wanted us to see Him as our tender loving Father. (Owens 2) " "We must be born again to become sons and daughters of God. The act of our spirits being born by the Spirit, gives us the right to be called sons and daughters of God.'' (Owens 3) Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God (1 John 3.la, KJV) And hope does not delude/ disappoint nor shame us because the love of God is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit-Who is given to us ( Romans 5.5, with help from The Amplified Bible™ (The Amplified Bible)). "Upon your acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior you are recreated in spirit by the hand of God, and you no longer are just His creation, but His child (son or daughter)" (Owens 3). You've entered into the presence of God as a child who enters his dad's den and gets on daddy's lap. Abba-Daddy holds you to Him. You are safe from the world outside the door. His unfailing love floods your entire being as He hugs you against Himself. A child can go to a (an approachable) father at any time. (See Romans 8.14-30). ''Your Father has a kingdom and it is His good pleasure (desire) to give you the kingdom (all that is good). Luke 12.32 says: "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.'" (Owens 4) Seek after your Heavenly Father, Who as Psalm 23.6a tells us, pursues/ chases after you (also see Luke 15.11-32) with loving-kindness (= mercy) and goodness. At the end of Psalm 23.6, David wrote: ''And I will dwell in the house of the LORD, forever." Our way through the veil into the Holy of Holies (into the presence of Heavenly Father) is the blood of Jesus. He opened the way. We come into His presence with worship, with singing, with thanksgiving, and He hands us the keys to the kingdom. He embraces us without condemning us if we goof. If we fail, He picks us up and laughs and says, hey you'll do better next time. Lean on me and do not worry. Hey, I can help you with that problem. Ask me anything. Heavenly Father honors our trust in Him. If we sin, we ask for forgiveness. He honors us when we come to Him in honesty, He will never turn us away. He honors us when we bring others to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us the right words to say when we bring others home, and He works on their hearts where we have planted the seed in witnessing. He honors our love for the lost, and He honors the hunger to witness of what Jesus does and has done for us. He anoints, empowers, and protects us when we serve Jesus in tough situations. According to Psalm 90.17, He will make our efforts successful. Heavenly Father wants us to talk to Him, and He will talk to us, too. He made us full of longing to have Him do anything we ask, create anything to help us when we are in need, open any door we need opened, to be fulfilled in our careers and life-goals, our marriages, talents and callings. He gives us godly companions to be an extension of His presence, mentors to teach us, and spouses to whom to cleave as Christ loves His bride, the Church. Everything the Father has is ours as sons and daughters. We have the kingdom, now, and like the prodigal son, when we ask for some of our inheritance, We get it, and we have more besides that! His treasure house is always full. We are rich because our Heavenly Father owns everything! Works Cited Owens, Tony. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. ____. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. The Amplified Bible™. Grand Rapids: The Lockman Foundation, 1987. Owens, Tony. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. ____. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. Week# 1: Discipleship I; "Who is Jesus?" Who is Jesus to me? He is my personal Lord and Savior. He is my King and Master. He is my elder brother. In Him, I sit with Heavenly Father in the heavenlies. He lives in me. He is my healer. He cancelled the debt of sin I owed, on Calvary's cross. He went before me to prepare my home in heaven, and when I die, I will see Him. He is my Redeemer. I roll my burdens on Him and He provides all that I need, when I need the right tools or the right words for any situation that comes up. He is the bedrock foundation of my faith, and He is my ever present help in time of need. He is my shepherd. Sometimes I get focused on the needs and the cares of life and I get lost. He comes to take me back to where He can feed and care for me. His Word (He is my Word) nourishes me better than any other help that exists. He is my authority. In His name, I can lay hands on the sick and they will recover. I can bind and loose in His name, He destroys demonic activity, He heals. In the name of Jesus, I can loose miracles such as prosperity and wholeness (freedom from bondage and strong holds in my mind), and I can bind thoughts about myself, my family what I can do for others, onto the minds of those who provide my needs here on earth (like bosses, pastors, teachers, and so on). He is my power, my anointing, my strength, and the sword I use to fight the enemy when he tries to attack. Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity. He is my Testimony. To Him I give all the glory. I was dead in my sins, condemned to die forever in hell, but He rescued me. I Know Who is my Redeemer and when I draw my final breath on earth, I will see His face. (almost Job 19.25, I Know). Jesus is God, Christ in me: the hope of glory Col. 1.27b). Jesus said I am the way, the truth, the life (John 14.6), He told us: "before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8.58). Although many of the world, including many of His Church, confuse the Rapture of the Church with His second corning (as expounded in Revelation); when correctly divided, the scriptures tell us that in this Age of Grace, there are two advents, (one has occurred already) or comings of Christ, and that the Age of Grace ends when Christ takes His Church home before the seven years of tribulation. After The last three and a half years (the Great Tribulation), He will return as King, to rule on earth. The return of Jesus, the Rapture, occurs between His first advent and the second advent. Many rabbis and religious leaders in the first century, AD., thought Jesus would announce Himself King and conquer Rome, but they had interpreted the scriptures without the help of the Holy Spirit. They did not recognize Who Jesus really was. Some followed their lying father, the devil-who blinded their eyes. Week #1: Righteousness the Doorway to Power: "Casting Down Imaginations" Definition <Imaginations> (from image): the formation of a mental image or concept of what is not real or present. (Owens) The type of words we feed on, become the images that we "faith" into existence. Feed on garbage, the garbage images become so real in the core of our (belief-system) being. “Garbage in, Garbage out.” This is why we should read and study and bring into our minds (renew our minds and cleanse our minds) Our faith is strengthened by the Words of the Anointed One. His anointing looses\ destroys the bad images that flood our minds, and "brings into captivity"/ binds the unclean thoughts the enemy uses. In the authority of Jesus' Name, the enemy must flee to beneath the feet of Christ, where his works will be crushed/ destroyed. With Christ in us, we walk in the Spirit with the enemy beneath our feet. Jesus said we would trod upon serpents and scorpions ... What we "faith" (on) manifests so it is very important that our minds are cleansed daily by/ with the water of the Word. Meditation on scripture (speaking it out loud daily and studying what God has to tell you) becomes what we believe, becomes ideas, becomes help when situations arise that need those words, and comes to be a part of who we are. What we see in our minds becomes how and what we act out (Owens 1). It is important that we throw down / throw out any thought not in line (outside of) God's Word. These outside thoughts, words, and images try to fight the good, God-given, faith-filled, and wholesome images of what God says, envisions for us, and uses for our transformation from glory to glory. The enemy wants to kill any chance that we might receive the Word, and put him under our feet in subjection to Jesus Christ. He doesn't want us to use our God-given authority and creativity. He wants to steal our God-gifted creativity. The enemy wants us to doubt God’s revealed Word. He convinced a third of the angels to rebel against God. He convinced Adam and Eve that they would be as gods, exaltation above God their Father. Their selfishness became universal. They stepped out of God’s glory covering, and saw that they were naked before the God Who created them. Almost immediately, they became fearful, exposed to the light, and hid themselves from God, and tried to substitute fig leaves they put on themselves for God's glory that surrounded them before they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. When Adam saw that Eve was talking to a strange, alien, talking animal in the garden, he should have come over and cast that snake out of the garden. None of the animals, including serpents, which Adam named when God brought them to him, spoke to him. Adam did not use his dominion authority and he did not protect his wife, he did not speak the right, the God-given words to Eve or to the alien-speaking serpent and when he sinned, he did not repent immediately. He lied and made excuses when his Heavenly Father confronted him. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4.7). Prayer focuses the Prayer's attention on God, studying God's gives the disciple confidence in the things of God, and fills his mind with the Word and revelations and insights. The Holy Spirit comforts and strengthens the one who disciplines himself daily to commune with God. God covers you when you submit to Him and commit time to devotion. 1 John 5.4 (KJV) tells us: "For whatsoever is born of God overcome th the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (emphasis mine). Whatsoever is born of God} overcomes the world (-system). Victory (= our faith)} overcomes the world (-system). Romans 10.17 says: "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. "(KJV) By the Word and our faith in it, by cleaving to and holding fast to the Word, we overcome the world (-system). Our renewed minds, and regenerated (We are born again to God) spirits overcome the World (-system), because our regenerated spirits are born of God. We bring the image of God imprinted in our spirits into the mind by practicing and meditation on the Word. This allows us (our minds) to fight off and win against the enemy. But, we must feed and reinforce those images revealed to us by the Holy Spirit by disciplined studying and envisioning the Word of God. When we strengthen our faith, we build up our most holy faith. By praying in the Holy Spirit, we build up our most holy faith (Jude 20). Prayer is a form of confession/ profession. Memorizing and quoting scriptures put God's Word into the forefront of your mind. Faith causes God's Word to manifest in your daily life. Faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11.1b). Even if we don't see an immediate manifestation of what we are applying our faith to, can claim the truth of those specific scriptures we have committed to memory (imprinted on our minds) and soon our faith victoriously and fully manifests. Faith OVERCOMES the World (-system) and the devilish thoughts that seek to magnify themselves against the Word of God. We do not have to fear. Fear- F. E. A. R.- False Evidence Appearing Real. This false evidence is conquered by our faith in the Word we have committed to know intimately. The time we take and sacrifice to commit to God and put the Word in us is our reasonable service to God (Rom. 12.1). This is well-pleasing to Him. This transforms our minds more and more. Our discipline increases our faith and makes us better vessels with more capacity to receive more and more of the filling of Holy Spirit (See Romans 12.2-3, 11, 12, 21; especially in the Amplified Bible™.). The battle is won. We submit to God, and we resist the devil. He flees. That’s it! (James 4.7) God covers us. Part of the meaning of submission is, that during crises, like a battle for instance, we move forward to fight and we trust that our backs will be covered. God, indeed, has us covered in this battle with the devil’s army. The devil sees Christ is for us and in us, and he flees. All we have to do is ask God to cover our backs, we're going in. Then, we trust Him, The victory is won over and over. we are more-than-conquerors! Believe the Word of God above everything the World (-system) might bring to your mind, or any temptation to commit time and resources to worldly cares, or to Fear. (Owen 9). Do not give the devil any territory in the vision-landscape of your mind. Fill up with the Word. Where do you stand in the battle for your mind? Are you taking thoughts prisoners or is the devil taking you into captivity 7 Do you stand on the promises of God's Word, or bound in the enemy's camp? Do you stand in the Holy of Holies and present your body (all your members and faculties) as a living sacrifice (Romans 12.1, AMP)? Or have you surrendered in defeat to that usurping, traitorous, treaty-breaking slanderer who was defeated long ago by Jesus’ work on the cross? Works Cited Owens, Tony. Righteousness the Doorway to Power. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. ____. Righteousness the Doorway to Power. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. The Amplified Bible™. Grand Rapids: The Lockman Foundation, 1987. Owens, Tony. Righteousness the Doorway to Power. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. The Amplified Bible™. Grand Rapids: The Lockman Foundation, 1987. General Ministry Licensing Program Byron G. Mace 1727 N. Leeds Kokomo, In 46901 (765) 480-6791 b.mace@comcast.net Week # 2: Discipleship I: "Holy Spirit" It grieves the Holy Spirit not to be able to fill and empower and dwell in people. He wants to regenerate their spirits and cover them with the anointing-presence/ power-clothing of God. It grieves the Holy Spirit when those who initially were regenerated become more worldly, become ashamed or at least timid about moving/ operating in His gifts, even in their Churches. He hurts with yearning to fill potential believers. He hurts when they run away from any profession of the Christian Faith, but it really hurts Him when Christians do not want Him (See Ephesians 4.30). Revival begins when we stop being like Simon Peter who alternated between being rock-steady and wishy-washy when confronted by peers, and uncomfortable circumstances. When committed people listen to God and move without hesitation, His anointing will raise a barrier against the enemy (See Isaiah 59.19b.). When they resist the enemy, He will flee and the Kabod-heavy presence of God will allow the Holy Spirit to breathe upon the truly submitted, greatly awed, worshippers of God. The refreshing will come and people will move under the oiled power of the Holy Spirit. Miracles will occur. Dead churches will revive. People will be saved. We should/ must desire that He resurrect our zeal for bringing people to Jesus Christ, bring our boldness to serve Him back to life, revive our desire to take the gospel to the hurt(ing), indifferent, repressed people abused by the world-system, and (to) revive/ energize the lukewarm in the Church before Christ returns for Her. Those- who herd themselves among their peers who pressure them to conform, be apathetic to the spiritual needs of people, will be judged as a herd of goats. The sheep hear the shepherd's Voice. They bleat to a different drummer. They will be gathered home through the Gate into the fold. Revival is the Holy Spirit making me more hungery for the deep things of God. Revival, therefore is fresh revelation from Him (See 1 Corinthians 2.9-10). I love You Holy Spirit. You speak to me and You kindle a fire within me, and burn out the dead works of the flesh, the old dead soil of my heart and cauterize the open wounds, many of which I inflicted upon myself, and You thresh and fan out the tares that crowd my growth, and blow them away with Your breath. How I love You. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51.10 KJV). In Jesus' Name, Amen! Moses wrote that Noah sent out the raven [to see if the waters had dried up]. The raven did not return. The raven represents our searching being, not finding God (because He was there-always beside us. We also send away peace from us, for awhile, when we have no faith that God will give us a sign when He'll do His work. Then, when we are ready, We send out the dove with faith and He returns with peace and the promise of rest (the olive branch) in His mouth (=the Word) (see Genesis 8.1-11.). When the dove finds a home, there is rest and safety out there (Gen. 8.12) (Scott paraph.). Our fleshly desires give us no rest. Until our hearts are set apart, the Holy Spirit cannot rest (See Galatians 5.16-17). When the work of the cleansing of the Water of the Word (Eph. 5.26) is complete, the Holy Spirit finds a home in our hearts. Revival begins with me by the Holy Spirit, and the anointing flows from person to person, and soon, the Church, the Bride of Christ, is filled and moves in the Holy Spirit, flows in the river of the Holy Spirit [Implication of Ephesians 5.22-27]. Praise the Lord! JOHN 8.47a KJV He that is of God heareth God's words. JOHN 3.8, KJV THE WIND bloweth where it listeth [ where it wills/ desires], and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Dake note b: "As the natural man hears the wind, so the man born again hears the voice (“phoné”) of the Spirit" (Dake 95, NT). Jesus tells us at the end of John 3.8 that His description of the new birth applied to everyone born of the Spirit. In other words, Jesus has said something about being born again-the regenerated spirit of that person hears the voice (expression of the attitude, of the mind of) of the Spirit (Clark, Sr. 9). Jesus said that the Spirit's voice is heard whenever anyone is truly born again. The "phoné”, the expression that flows out of a newly born, regenerated person is called "speaking in tongues". It is the testimony of the Spirit that God has cleansed and justified ["righteousified"] that person-through whom the Spirit is speaking (Clark, Sr. 5-7). When we tune in our spiritual ears to the voice of God, and are quickened by the Holy Spirit, the Word-our daily bread-never fails to nourish us and energize us with His "dzoé”-life. LUKE 1.37 [Greek Literal Translation] For not (nothing) will be impossible with God every Word ("Rhêma") [The Amplified Bible] For with God nothing is ever impossible and no Word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. Get all the flavor out of eating and digesting the Word until the Holy Spirit quickens and nourishes us with the “LOGOS”. The Father speaks / spoke the Word to bring and the Holy Spirit empowered/ empowers the Word to bring the Word to pass, or to manifest. (Owens 15). LUKE 24.44-51 KJV And He said unto them, these are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day : and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold I send the Promise (The Holy Spirit) of My Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with Power from on high. And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven (Capitalization and underlining, mine). JOHN 14.26 KJV But the Comforter-Who is the Holy Spirit- Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (punctuation and capitalization, mine). JOHN 16.7 KJV Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto You, but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. The Holy Spirit reveals God's plans for perfecting us and desires for us, His will that we follow His Son to glory, and the Father's heart to dwell with us, His children, and give us everything we need to equip us to walk in the Spirit. HEBREWS 2. 1-4 KJV Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the Word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation-which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also hearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will? ROMANS 8.9 KJV But ye are not in the flesh [v. 8 so then they who are in the flesh cannot please God. Flesh = WITHOUT FAITH.. "So you see, it is impossible to please God without faith "(Heb. 11.6a, NLT): IN THE FLESH = WITHOUT FAITH!]. but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. NOW if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His (He does not belong to Christ). Capitalization and emphasis, mine). The whole (complete) man (he who is filled by the Holy Spirit) lives a full life in Him. He is cleansed, he experiences God's joy in his life. He is no longer timid. He speaks God's Words. He speaks and witnesses by his walk in the spirit. Every day he renews his mind to the model image of Jesus Christ, and the mind of Christ. God's peace sets him apart from those in the world-system. By his walk they will see what (Who) they are missing. Ultimately, the true worshipper of God serves his fellow man, and when the time comes, he returns home to live with God in heaven. His whole life is sanctified to obtain that promised rest-perfection in the eternal presence of our Lord with his tripartite being fully restored whole, perfect. I Thessalonians 5.23-24 KJV And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ( fully, S# 3651; completely): and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless [at] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you (S# 2564, calls particu- larly with a voice as a shepherd's)-who also will do it (= He will fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you). 1 John 1.1-4 KJV 1 That which was from the beginning, which We have heard, which we looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life; 2 for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His son Jesus Christ 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. Holy Spirit = the Anointing-reason why we know Jesus Christ. 1 John 2. 3 KJV And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments 1 John 2. 20, 27-29 20 Be ye have an unction from the Holy One and ye know all things. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of Him abide th in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing ( The Holy Spirit = the Anointing) teacheth you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him. 28 And now, little children, abide in Him; that when He shall appear, we may have confidence before Him at His coming. 29 If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of Him. I JOHN I. 2-4 AMP-the first section, Gr. Literal in the second section 1 [We are writing] about the Word of Life [in ] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [ own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [ own] hands. (We announce to you) What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes what we beheld, and (what) our hands touched concerning the Word of Life. 2 And the Life [ an aspect of His being], was revealed (made manifest; demonstrated) and we saw [as eyewitnesses] and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life [3in Him] Who already existed with the Father and Who [actually] was made visible (was revealed) to us [His followers]. And the Life was revealed, and we have seen, and we bear witness, and we proclaim to you the everlasting life which was with the Father, and was revealed to us. 3 What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [ which is a distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). We proclaim to you what we have seen and (what) we have heard that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship (is) 4 And we are now writing these things to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be full [and your joy may be complete]. And we write these things to you, that your joy may be full (fulfilled) 1 John 2.3, 20. 27-29 3 And this is how we may discern [3daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). And by this we know that we know that we have Known Him, if we keep His commandments 20 But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things. And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [4permanently] in you; [so] then You must abide in (live in, never depart from) Hirn [being 4rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as His anointing has taught you [to do]. And the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you, But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and as He taught you, abide in Him. 28 And now, 'little children, abide (live, remain, 4permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He is revealed we may have confidence, and not be shamed from Him in His coming. 29 If you know (perceive and are sure that He [ Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father's will in purpose, thoughts and action], you may also know (be sure, that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [ God]. If you Know that He is righteous, know that everyone doing righteousness has been generated from Him. Father God: the Anointer God the son: The Anointed one (Christ = Messiah) God the Holy Spirit: The Anointing, Unction. [oil] all things Flow needed to proclaim the gospel, to do it with excellence flows from Him (Luke 4. 18), moving one to do something supernaturally (Dake 61). How God requires and wills: the Holy Spirit, like a dove, rests (Isaiah 11.2) upon His Anointed One (us today with Christ in our hearts). He comforts the disciple and the minister by lifting the burden, and destroying the enemy's slave yoke (Isaiah 10:27). He raises the glory of the work of the cross before the enemy as a barrier when the enemy floods in (Isaiah 59.19b, also see Psalm 23.5a). When I need the food of His presence, He feeds me (Psalm 23.1, 5a). When He fills me, my cup runs over (psalm 23.5). When I am wounded emotionally, mentally abused, fearful, timid, hesitant, the Good Shepherd applies the anointing oil to my head (Psalm 23.5). The guidance of His precepts, and the salvation provided for us by Jesus Christ comfort me (Psalm 23.4b). The Holy Spirit leads me (Psalm 23.2). JOHN 3. 3-5 KJV (esp. v. 5) 3 Jesus answered and said unto [Nicodemus], Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. the sheep hear the comforting voice of their Shepherd. He calls out to them when they stray away from the other sheep. and His presence. The Shepherd knows that His sheep get lost from time to time, that sometimes they get hurt. He binds the broken, and speaks comforting words to them. He knows His sheep get fearful, so He takes are thirsty to streams and ponds where the water is refreshing, where the water is not moving very fast or not at all. Sometimes the pace in the world-system is too fast. Whole generations of sheep have been lost, fallen holes and have been hurt in the world-system. Thieves from the shadows have stolen their virginity, identity, their dignity, and their sanity. The good news is that there is a voice heard in the wilderness, the Holy Spirit's presence is being felt in forgotten recesses. Former victims will become victors because the prince of the world- system has been condemned and the sentence is already passed upon him (John 16.11, AMP). This is the work of the Holy Spirit. This is Who He is. Works Cited Scott, Melissa. Live From the Cathedral. ION/PAX Network. 7 Jan, 2010. Television. http://www.pastormelissascott.com. Dake, Finis. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville: Dake Publishing, 2009. Owens, Tony. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. Clark, Sr., John. Speaking in Tongues at Spirit Baptism. Burlington: Self-Published, 2008. ____. Speaking in Tongues at Spirit Baptism. Burlington: Self-Published, 2008. The Amplified Bible™. Grand Rapids: The Lockman Foundation, 1987. Owens, Tony. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. Dake, Finis. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville: Dake Publishing, 2009. ____. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville: Dake Publishing, 2009. Week # 2: Discipleship I: "Faith" "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing BY A WORD FROM GOD (Rom. 10, 17) (Owens 21). HEBREWS 11.6a without faith, it is impossible to please Him In Greek, Faith and believing are the same transitive verb “pisteuo”. In grammar, a transitive verb transfers its action DIRECTLY to its object without intervening or implied prepositions. When You say you believe, correctly stated in the Greek mindset, you would state that you "faith". For example, I believe in Jesus, more accurately stated, is I believe Jesus, or better still: I "faith" Jesus. In other places in the scriptures, the use of the preposition-particle “eis" is used to state "unto" or "towards" (putting your faith towards the goal of healing, etc.). often "eis" has been incorrectly translated “in" and thus started people saying wishy-washy statements like, "I believe in Jesus. Well, I believe in chairs, that they will hold me when I sit on them, but I don't trust all chairs. Demons believe in Jesus, too. If the preposition “in" were used, then "believing" would not be a transitive verb. I like using I "faith'' Christ Jesus. It may be awkward at first, but it is, more a curate to say "into”, one believes into Christ. Examples: MARK 11. 16 KJV And answering Jesus saith unto them, Have faith in God. Greek: kai\ a’pokriqeij ‘Ihsou^j le’gei autoi^j )/Exete pistin qeou^. Accurately Translated: and answering Jesus said to them, Have faith of God. note: having, possessing (command form) is verb, not faith, but the King James scholars should have written, "of God". JOHN 3.16 KJV (fragment) ... that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish... Greek: i(/na pa^j o( pisteu/vei)j auto\n mh\ apo\lntai… Accurately Translated: ... that everyone believing into Him should not perish... ACTS 16. 34 KJV (fragment) ... believing in God.., Greek: pepisteukw\j tw^ qew^?... Accurately Translated: ... having believed ("faithed") God... (Also, sometimes we are told to hold our faith on "epì” God.) What a man speaks comes from what is in His heart. Faith comes from the heart (Owens 22). A man speaks faith when faith is in his heart, When he has renewed his mind and washed it clean (from the overflowing trash he picks up from the world-system). "We need to begin to allow what our spirit man knows (through the Spirit of God) to dominate our mind and body. Believing with the heart [spirit] is to believe what is in our spirit... the spirit man knows truth" (Owens 22). The inner-man believes the Word he hears even if he cannot sense (hear evidence of results of. see any evidence of, or feelings he may have, or what comes into his mind) anything happening. Faith is not a feeling. "Assurance in our spirit is independent of human reasoning or human knowledge" (Owens 23). We believe apart from our bodies and minds. We don't always see immediate results, but our faith has put God's power into motion (this is our expectation = hope). Faith is the substance of things hoped for (expected) (Heb. 11.1a). God has given us a gift, His Son Jesus. In the darkest moment of history, while we were all dying in Sin, Jesus took all sins and bore them on the cross and died for us. Before He breathed His last breath, our sins, transferred to Jesus’ account, were nailed to the cross, and Jesus announced with a loud cry, ''ALL DEBTS PAID IN FULL (=It is finished; "tetelestai "!)” He became sin for us, so we would live. Bursting hell and the grave wide open, Jesus after three days, by the resurrection power of God, arose, glorified-the first-fruit of our glorification when He comes to take us home. All we have to do is accept God's gift (=grace) by faith. The Work on the cross has been completed. All we have to do is believe and profess that He is our Lord and Savior. What I have faith for (in), I receive [here on earth, here in my life], I. may not see immediate results, but faith is causing those things I desire, to grow. What I say (confess with my mouth) strengthens my faith. When had car trouble after Christmas this year, I had very little money coming into pay for repairs, but my wife and I prayed and stood on God’s Word for His help. faith was into Him for His provision, and by faith we paid the first $500.00, so that the Indianapolis tire and auto repair company could allow us to pay the remaining amount when the fuel-injector, starter system were repaired/ replaced. We stood on verses like all our needs would be supplied when we asked and not forgetting His benefits (redemption had to do with "money" to get someone out of trouble, life's destructions)-Psalm 90. 17; 103. 2-5, Isaiah 54.17. Pains and sorrows, depressions and afflictions were nailed to Jesus-cross-Isaiah 53.4-5-and God came through. My mom gave us the final $500.00 odd payment and we were able to get our car repaired in one month, and while we waited, friends let us borrow their van for a month so my wife could travel the 50 miles to work everyday. We did not have $1000.00. We only had $400.00 odd saved at the beginning of our trouble. We didn't have many groceries or gas money. but Judy's boss loaned her $20.00 for gas). We did not ask Mom for money, she felt led to give because she was making out her giving budget, and she had money for my wife and me from God. My brother, who also traveled long distances for his job, freely offered his time to pick my wife up when our car had stranded her on the side of the highway to Indy, and when I needed him to pick me up to take me to the bank, stores, and to church. He even took me to lunch 3-4 times. If God can heal a body—He healed my wife when she had brain surgery—He can heal a car. When we pray in the Spirit, He heals our negative tongues and wounded emotions. When we pray believing He will do a marvelous Work in us, He will do so much in us that the overflow will do for others. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (-system)! (1 John 5.4) Praise the Lord! Works Cited Owens, Tony. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. ----. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. ----. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. ----. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. Week # 2: Righteousness the Doorway to Power: "Murmuring and Complaining" "We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did-and were killed by poisonous serpents" (1 Cor. 10.9, AMP). Murmuring and complaining begin as seeds of evil (envy, covetousness, strife, dissatisfaction, and lack of faith in [of] God) we often plant in our minds by giving our attention to worldly announcements from sources outside (and not in line with) the Word, God's Voice and church. "Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ "(2 Cor, 10. 5b, KJV). We take every thought prisoner and lead it into captivity to obey Christ. That includes vain and evil thoughts of all kinds, any contrary to excellence from godly character, purity and power and righteousness (Dake 197). If we let those reasonings and worldly logic grow, they will come to rehearse themselves and fester in our minds, and reactions and ungodly attitudes will manifest themselves to other people, and soon pop forcefully and Well-practiced out of our mouths (See Matt 12.34-37.). Worshipping God in spirit is practicing confessions of faith (like from His Word) and getting attitudes that fight against the growth of our positive seedlings --those faith-filled words into our spirits (See John 4.24b). We must cast down negative images and attitudes that fight against the growth of our positive seedlings (2 Cor. 10. 5a). When we stop fighting, we allow the mind of Christ to bring peace into our hearts (Phil. 4.7, Isaiah 26.3). By submitting to God in this area, we allow Him to cover us (more and more that We surrender our wills) in spiritual battle. Salvation includes Wholeness, no lack-nothing missing-nothing broken, emotional healing, mental healing and cleansing. The powerful statement at the end of Romans 10.10 is so significant and so true: "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10.10b) Statements of fear and unbelief do not resist the devil who is like a roaring lion. He may slander, accuse and lie, but we, renewing our minds in the Word, must speak the Word in times when he shows his snaky head. "Wherever your faith is, is what you get” (Owens 27). "Roaring" becomes complaining and excuses. Devilish tongues become fires from hell burning not only your victim-hearer, but your whole being (see James 3.5-6.). Murmuring and Complaining brings about loss so it is the opposite of saving-faith. In them there is loss, therefore, out of the will of God, back in the state of Sin. Practicing, rehearsing murmurs and complaints plant a stronghold which the well-entrenched back-biter must be delivered from. He has a spirit, not the Holy Spirit-Who is quenched by his negativity and bitterness. Rage blinds the eyes and closes his ears (his spirit) to the voice of God. The RCA dog may hear his master's voice, but we are not supposed to be enslaved, conditioned to hearing demonic instructions that brace up the sin- nature's instincts. JAMES 1.5-8 KJV 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let not the man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. JAMES 1.19-21 KJV 19 wherefore, my beloved brethren, let everyman be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. A man enslaved, bitter, untrusting, negative must be delivered from the demon oppressing him. But the good news is that God can shed His Light and Love in the oppressed one’s heart and the darkness cannot overtake that, and as the Holy Spirit pours into him, there is no room for any strongholds-only for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit will raise the barrier of the cross (Isaiah 59,19b.). The garment of praise exchanged for the oppressive heaviness is given to the hurting man when he gives his burden to Jesus- Who is anointed to take it off his shoulder (Isaiah 10.27; 61.3). Praise the Lord! As we have seen, the double minded man will not receive anything from God. Tossed by fear-filled doubts and self-inflicted worry-created negativity will cause oppression, bitterness, sensitivity, and rash reactions to anything other people might say (real or imagined). These lead to covetousness, lying, murders, and many of the other commandment-breaking sins from which God wants to free us. We begin our freedom in the perfect law of liberty! JAMES 1.25 KJV But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a door of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. JAMES 1.26 [Greek Lit.] If any man among you were a follower of his [own] obsessively-strict, legalistic [and full of self-inflicted or inforced rules (full of care =carefully followed observances = threskos] belief-system, doesn't bridle (doesn’t control the behavior of ) his tongue, is deluded by/ has deceived his own heart is deluded by his own mind, emotions, and feelings, man's beliefs would not be founded in the truth, are unstable, unsupported, barren, fruitless. James, in the next verse, went on to write that one of the things that a man must do to be blessed and fruitful is, that he should Keep himself uncontaminated by the world-system (James 1.27).To keep himself uncontaminated by / not conformed to the worldly way of believing, thinking, he must renew his mind for God to have His perfect way in his spirit (See Romans 12.1-2). "The Word is a washing agent that cleanses our minds of worldly influences" (Owens 16). Jesus' perfect law of liberty frees us from our own sin-soaked, worldly way of thinking, and transforms us into His own image. How glorious! Works Cited Dake, Finis. Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Lawrenceville: Dake Publishing, 2009. Owens, Tony. Kingdom Character Series: Discipleship I. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. Owens, Tony. Righteousness the Doorway to Power. Valleystream: House of David Ministries Inc., 2008. |