Mark 6:14-29, Matthew 14:1-12, Luke 9:7-9, Mark 6:12-13, Luke 9:6, Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-15
If we really have the Holy Spirit of Christ at work within us (individually and corporately), then why is the above not said of our churches? If twelve jokers can run around with the authority of Christ and shake up the world with the Gospel and power of Christ, then why can't we?
Love Dare - let God alone be your constant source of satisfaction.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that you will pour out your Holy Spirit through me. Change me into the person of Christ; I pray that my character, my will, my mind, and my heart will be transformed into the person of Christ. Lord, please use me to share the Gospel and I pray that your power will heal those around me as I am faithfully drawing nearer to you. May you be my sole satisfaction, and I pray that you will fill me and flow through me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Luke 9:6 - So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
If we really have the Holy Spirit of Christ at work within us (individually and corporately), then why is the above not said of our churches? If twelve jokers can run around with the authority of Christ and shake up the world with the Gospel and power of Christ, then why can't we?
Love Dare - let God alone be your constant source of satisfaction.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that you will pour out your Holy Spirit through me. Change me into the person of Christ; I pray that my character, my will, my mind, and my heart will be transformed into the person of Christ. Lord, please use me to share the Gospel and I pray that your power will heal those around me as I am faithfully drawing nearer to you. May you be my sole satisfaction, and I pray that you will fill me and flow through me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
"If we really have the Holy Spirit of Christ at work within us (individually and corporately), then why is the above not said of our churches?"
ReplyDeleteBecause "we" want the Holy Spirit to work on our behalf and not the other way around.
I'm reminded of Revelation 3:2-5, "'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. (3) So remember what you have received and heard; and keep {it,} and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. (4) But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. (5) He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.'"
You know, the interesting thing with the letters to the 7 churches in Revelation is that you see a pattern. Start with Revelation 1:12-3:22, and you will see that the pattern is a slippery slope. That it starts with an attitude of leaving your first love (2:4-5); then moves downward to having a spirit of fear (2:9-10); continuing down the slope to having a false doctrine (ideaology) about the workings of Christ and being a stumbling block (2:14-15); down the slope to compromising with false doctrine and leading people astray (including yourself) (2:20-29); to the above verses of "sleeping while on duty" (3:2-5); down the slope to not taking the doors the Lord lays before us (3:7-13); ending at the bottom of the slope to being completely blind by who we think we are (3:14-22).
I think the purpose of these letters show that the further we fall down the slope, the more difficult it becomes to "overcome". I think it also shows the different "stages" of church history in relation to the "last days." Currently, I believe the church is in the stage of Chapter 3:14-22; which is why the church is ineffective at preaching God's Word and bringing healings and miracles. How can "we" truly show the Holy Spirit in our lives; if "we" (as a society of believers) say we don't have a need for Him?
Ouch!
ReplyDeleteSo how do we who believe recover our First Love (corporately), express the Spirit of God, and overcome?
I think these are the key components to overcoming:
ReplyDelete1. Taking every thought captive-Here's what I mean. "Thought" here is the motive and level of reasoning/justification that we go through to take action. Basically this verse is telling us to examine the motives of the action we take; line them up with the Word of God and prayer; and weigh the motives of action against the Fruit of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Flesh.
It's not easy to do this. You have to be teachable. Seeking guidance from others, God's Word, prayer, and use honesty. You can't always trust your perspective of what you thought of the fruit you think it bore (Fruit of the Spirit or flesh); which is where another person's perspective can come into play. In order to do that you have to be willing to lay aside your defenses; and quit trying to justify wrong behaviors.
2. Submission to the Holy Spirit. Once you are able to determine what type of Fruit; you have to continue to Submit to how the Holy Spirit is guiding you; regardless of the fruit. You cannot know how the Holy Spirit is guiding you without taking the first step.
3. Cut out the wrong fruit; continue in what you know is the Fruit of the Spirit. Again, this isn't easy thing to recognize; and you have to know and understand the the first 2 steps before you can get here.
Usually, the easiest way to accomplish this is by being broken, persecuted, or facing adversity. Maybe even a combination of all 3. Much like the Prodigal Son was broken. When he recognized he was poor, naked, wretched, and deserved nothing from his Father; is when he became humble, willing to learn, had an attitude to serve, sought guidance, quit justifying his wrong behavior, thought about others more than himself, and repented.