The list goes on, but Jesus gave us some clues as to what slows, stops or kills our zeal, passion and first love.
This post will be in three parts based out of Mark 4. It is more of a teaching on basic walking in the Spirit and looking at what Jesus said stumbles us. This could be a good devotional companion. Take it along with you when you are in the Word and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to freedom by revealing places you may be stumped.
Mark 4
1. Words of God are stolen from our hearts by the enemy. (vr 13-15) Has this ever happened to you?
Awesome time in fellowship at church or in worship, prayer, and the Spirit's encouragement and with fiery believers. And then a couple hours later crash. What? How did this happen? I was so blessed by God.- Encounters lead to connection in Jesus' Kingdom. 10 lepers healed. One comes back to Jesus. "Where are the other 9?" Jesus expects miracles, encounters and contact with him to lead to deeper contact, encounter and abiding in his love.
- There are two Kingdoms. One of the air (Eph 2:1-3) and one of the rule and reign of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:7) The enemy works continuously to build strongholds into human cultures that gate up the free flow of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 10). The course may go something like this.....
The First battle is to "put to death the deeds of the flesh" by sowing to the Spirit.
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| desert flowers - he blooms the dry and barren places - Isa 35 |
- Walk each day intentionally looking to be in the Spirit, carrying the presence of the King, and doing the works of Christ.
- Fill your day with Word, Worship, prayer and his Presence
- Use that iPhone to play worship - itunes
- Use that iPhone to listen to the word - bible apps
- Dwell in the presence - attune you heart to his presence all day
- Don't sow mindless, fleshly, YouTube, music, movies, pictures.
- Sow face to face time with Jesus
Flesh - always at war with God - Romans 8:7 There is no buddying up to the flesh. It is at war with God. It's only remedy is "put to death the deeds of the flesh". (Col 3:5) It seems that today our "needs based get em into a building" approach has produced people identifying with Jesus who have no comprehension of the measure of righteousness and holiness Saints are called to. I see professed believers pouring out Facebook photos of themselves, true confessions, living together, adopting divergent sexual lifestyles and still claiming to be following Jesus. And we appear silent in the face of it all. We are not to condemn. We are to call people to the reality and truth in Christ. Jesus provided a way for us to address such things. Matthew 18. Few churches can bear the truth of righteousness. They fear a great falling away would occur. This demonstrates the depth of brokenness in our vision of the church and the Kingdom life in Christ. We may be trusting in ministry models that don't reflect scripture and the powerful workings of discipline that Jesus gave the church.
In Revelation 2:12-17 the Pergamum church is rebuked by Jesus for idols worship, sexual immorality and controlling lifestyles. Pergamum means "mixed marriage". The flesh is alive and well in the midst of the church these days. Our imitation of the world in so many ways confuses the "little ones" I am sure. Discerning the ways of the world and the flesh are 101 faith walking (Hebrews 6:1-f). We appear to be lacking in discernment in so many ways.
Have a look at what is going into your life. Sow life through Jesus. Throw out everything else.
The second battle is to renew the mind in the mind of Christ in thanksgiving, worship and the Word.
- Dwelling in the Word
- "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." Col 3:16
Mind of the Flesh is death- Romans 8:6
The mind of the flesh is thoughts, patterns, beliefs, understandings, mindsets of the world that were sown pre-conversion and naturally dwell in the fallen flesh. These are upheld and supported through enemy strongholds established in our cultures. These strongholds naturally lead us to flesh thinking and mindsets and destroy our passion and zeal in Christ. II Corinthians 10:5 The mindsets of the flesh are the deeper things that require healing and direct ministry in the Holy Spirit. The mind of the flesh is our world view. The way we see things. The way we process and hold our world together. What we choose and believe is important comes from our mindset. The flesh mind does not value the Kingdom of God. It is not hungry for deep things in God. Dwelling with God is not going to be part of the mind of the flesh.
The third battle is to forgive as we have been forgiven.
- "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:13-14
Offense - the enemy loves to sow offense at God and everyone else.
The most basic reality of the gospel of Jesus is forgiveness. Relationship is God's goal. Connection. Loving relationship with us. Jesus restored that through his sacrifice on the cross. His blood covers all sins ever committed and that will ever be committed. Total forgiveness is available to us in Jesus. This covers the whole world. By faith the grace of Christ invades our lives and sets us free. We get forgiven through repentance by his blood shed on the cross.
When believers don't forgive we witness to a false gospel.
Un-forgiveness is a witness to religion and self righteousness. It is a witness to a false gospel. It is typically a cry for justice and recompense. It is a challenge when the evil that was done is recognized by all. Jesus paid the price for justice and opened the way for the poor to find hope, faith and love in knowing God the Father. A faith in which we save ourselves, stand in our own righteousness is not saving faith in Jesus. There is no grace involved in not forgiving those who sin against us. It is not the gospel of Jesus. Jesus forgave those who crucified him. Jesus forgave a murdering persecutor of the church and put him in charge of saving the Gentiles (Paul). Jesus forgave Peter when he denied him after "seeing him in glory" and knowing him in truth - "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." The Gospel of Jesus goes to the depths of evil and brings grace. There is no evil to big for the grace in Christ. There is no evil or sin that grace does not abound over.
This is where worship sails into the heavens and we see him and the love he has for us!
Believers don't recognize that offense can become a lifestyle. Take a close look and see if there is always someone or something of and through which a complaint, grumble or disagreement is alive. It is rooted in a lack of worship and thanksgiving. Once the enemy roots an offense many more patterns of thought and heart trouble can be established.
Offenses need to be dealt with directly. The direct way is forgiveness. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Believers are called to forgive in the boundless grace of Jesus through the blood of Christ shed on the Cross for us. We are to be like God and forgive.
The best way to cut off offense is to forgive. The best way to uncover this problem is to ask the Holy Spirit to search you and know you. Ps 139
Ask the Holy Spirit if there is any offense in you. And wait on him for details. He is so kind and gentle. He will point out anything he would like to free you from.
Comments? Ideas? Testimonies?
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With much love in Jesus
You can do this thing! He's got you.
Brother Jeff
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