Tag: born again

Your new identity in christ

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Declaration: Your New Identity In Christ

 

The following is a declaration of who you are now that you have confessed your sins and accepted Jesus. Read this outloud and identify any points your heart has not yet fully embraced. Review the relevant scriptures and ask the Lord to help you understand His intentions for you.

Heavenly Father, I Hereby declare:

  • I have repented and turned from my sinful ways.  I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior in Faith. (Romans 10:8-10)
  • I am born again. I am a new creation in Christ; The old has gone, and the new has come. (John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17)
  • I have put off the old man and am putting on the new man who is renewed in knowledge after the image of its crator. (Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:10)
  • I am now a child of God, an adopted son, blessed as an hier of God, and fellow hier with Christ as I suffer with Him. (John 1:12, Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:15-17)
  • Through Christ, I have been justified, reconnected and made righteous before God. (Romans 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
  • Through His blood, I am redeemed, fully forgiven, and cleansed from all unrighteousness. (Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:9)
  • I am no longer a slave to sin but am now a son of God and a slave to God.  (Romans 6:16-18, Galatians 4:7, 1 John 3:1)
  • I am chosen, a royal priest, part of a holy nation, called out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
  • I am seated with Christ in heavenly places, and nothing can separate me from His love. (Ephesians 2:6, Romans 8:38-39)
  • I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3)
  • I have the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, empowering me to live a victorious and holy life. (1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 8:11)
  • I am equipped with the full armor of God to stand against the schemes of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:10-17)
  • I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. (Romans 8:37)
  • I have been given authority over the enemy, and no weapon formed against me shall prosper. (Luke 10:19, Isaiah 54:17)
  • I have peace that surpasses all understanding and joy that cannot be taken away. (Philippians 4:7, John 16:22)
  • God has great plans for me, plans to prosper me and give me a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
  • He works all things together for my good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
  • I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He prepared in advance for me to walk in. (Ephesians 2:10)
  • I declare I am victorious, redeemed, and loved, standing firm in the promises of God, who is faithful to fulfill every word. (2 Corinthians 1:20, Hebrews 10:23)

I speak this in Jesus Holy Name. Amen.

Receive The Holy Spirit – Pray In Tongues

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Receive The Holy Spirit – Pray In Tongues

We are encouraged to “pray always, in the spirit”. That means we need to have received the Holy Spirit and then yield our mouth and tongue to release our spirit to pray directly to God, this is know as Speaking in Tongues.

“Receiving the Holy Spirit” and “Speaking In Tongues” are two topics at the center of discussion and debate dividing many Christian denominations. Conservative folks think speaking in togues is a bunch of worthless charismatic nonsense, it should have ceased centuries ago and these days only serves to distract believers and skare away non-believers. Most  Charismatic groups believe the only way to truly know if you have the Holy Spirit is if you can Speak in Tongues. Conservative groups believe we receive inflow of the Holy Spirit automatically when we confess faith at salvation and there is nothing more to be recieved. Charismatic groups believe there is a bold and dramatic inflow available if we ask for it, and this “Baptism in the spirit” opens the door to powerful spiritual gifts that empower believers to do bold works of faith for the kingdom. As with most religious debates, once you dig into scripture with an open mind, and lay out the truth, you will find that both groups have some of it right. The truth will indeed set you free. 

This post will lay out the scriptural truth about receiving the Holy Spirit, and Speaking in Tongues. This should clarify our understanding and give is a clear path to follow moving forward. As a spoiler alert, I will show you that we do indeed recieve an inflow of the Holy Spirit at salvation, this inflow is automatic and can be nearly invisible to us if we are not looking for its’ effects on us. I will show you that there is an even more pronounced inflow available to us when we are ready to yield ourselves and receive it. I will show you how speaking in tongues is one way you can confirm that we have received this full conneciton to the Holy Spirit.  I will provide a step by step process to ask for and recieve the Holy Spirit conneciton, and offer some guidelines for speaking in tongues to reduce the potential distraction it can cause others. 

Why is this a big deal?

We are spiritual beings and God is a spiritual being. God created us in His image and put us here for a purpose. Becasue of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam and years of life in this fallen world, we have become highly distracted form our purpose and our spirit has become numb, weak, and ineffective. Jesus gave us a path to wake up our spiritual natrue, reset our past, and restore our purpose. The more we yield our earthly self to God, the more He can help us realie our intended purpsoe. For example: When you yield your destiny, He can save us. When you deny our old life, He can give you new life. When your spirit has been born again, we are re-connected to the Father and have access to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can work inside us to transform our thinking so we can live the life God intended and overcome obstacles in the earthyl life. It can also work through us to do good works to serve others in God’s kingdom. We can change our world by speaking the right words; Life and Death are in the power of the tongue. When we get the Holy Spirit properly connected to our spirit and allow them to speak together through our mouth, God can actualyl move creation foward through us and cause His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, It is not a bad thing to be able to halp God further His kingdom. 

What:

The Holy Spirit is the third leg of the trinity: God the Father, Jesus the son, and The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been around since the beginning, and it is the leg of the trinity that deploys and makes things happen. It causes supernatural events to take place, it can send messages into peopels brains, it can move their emotions, and it can get thier attention. The old testiment is full of stories where people had been impacted by the Holy Spirit and were moved to take action.

When Jesus came to earth, he closed the book on the old testament, and changed the game. As Jesus was finishing up His work on earth and before He ascended up to heven, He promised to aks the Father to repackage the Holy Spirit and deliver it as a direct helper to each believer. This new Holy Spirit conneciton allows Jesus to come and live in each one of us and then work through us.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:15-18

He teaches us and guides us into the truth.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

We receive an inflow of the Holy Spirit when we initially confess our faith in Jesus. This inflow rejuvinates and refreshes our inner spirit, it connects our spirit to the Holy Spirit, and it renews our heart.  It replacing the cold and calous heart we have developed after years in this fallen world, with a heart more sensitive to the needs of others. It also activates our conscience, making it more sensitive to our actions which are misaligned with God’s intention for us. Insead of being entirely focused on our own agenda and being blind to everythign else, we begin to care. 

“…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 2:36-38

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

The disciples actually recieved two doses of the Holy Spirit. The first happened just after Jesus was resurrected. 

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'” John 20:21-22

His statement about “Peace be with you” cofirms that this initial inflow of the Holy Spirit is accomplishing salvation. The disciples were being spiritually reconnected to the Father. Jesus sacrificial blood was now in place on the mercy seat in heaven and it was able to forgive them. Their sinful nature was now covered by His blood, and they were at peace with the Father. This is the initial inflow of the Holy Spirit that we each recieve automatically at salvation. It is the beginning of an amazing tranformation if we yield to it an let it lead us.   

The disciples received a second dose of the Holy Spirit at pentacost. They were told wait in Jerusalem until they to recieved a “Baptism” with the Holy Spirit. This baptism would bring power so they could be effective witnesses for Jesus.

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

They received this “baptism in the spirit”  in a dramatic fashion and immediately had an outpouring of the spirit from thier mouths

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4

This historic account shows us that there are at least two modes that the Holy Spirit can move in, A nuanced almost inviibile inflow that can change our inner nature, and a more bold “baptism” where we are emersed, filled to the point of overflowing, and the outpouring from our heart comes out our mouth in a new language. Both were  possible then, and scripture tells believers to expect them to happen now.

The power from the Holy Spirit only comes when you understand and beleive.  You have to want the full power of the Holy Spirit and ask for it in Jesus name.

Paul had to do some catch up work when some confessed believers did not understand what was avaialble to them, and ask for it in Jesus’ name.

“He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’  So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’

And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’    So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’  

Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’   When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” Acts 19:2-6

Folks who do not believe in the baptism of the spirit or the power that it brings, will not recieve that power. Just like other spiritual gifts, If you do not believe in divine healing, you will not see much divine healing in your life. These things are a self fulfilling prophesy.  

Recieving the Holy Spirit is considerd a seal or confirmation that a person has sucessfully repented, confessed thier sins, and accepted Jesus as thier savior.

“In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. “Ephesians 1:13

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.Ephesians 4:30

Speaking in tongues was used as the outward signal that a person had recieved the Holy Spirit. Scripture gives many examples of this process.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4

 “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” Acts 10:44-46

“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” Acts 19:6 

Scripture makes it clear that believers are intended and expected to Speak in Tongues, and to Pray routinely in the Spirit.

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;” Mark 16:17

“…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,…” Ephesians 6:18

The Holy Spirit empowers a series of spiritual gifts, tools to help us overcome this world and to help others on thier journey. Speaking in tongues is just one of the nine spiritual gifts available to members of the Body of Christ who have received baptism in the Holy Spirit:

Spiritual Gift

 Description

Word of Wisdom

 Receive divine insight on the appropriate approach for a situation. ie: God’s will revealed

Word of Knowledge

 Receive revelation of a hidden problem to open a conversation.  Ex: You have a torn tendon from a sports injury

Faith 

 Boldly believe and act on something not yet seen

Gifts of Healings 

 Facilitate flow of various modes of healing

Working of Miracles

 Facilitate manifestation of supernatural signs and wonders

Prophecy

 Receive and convey divine messages from God to help find thier path forward

Discerning of Spirits

 Sense spiritual activity and identify specific causes

Speaking in Tongues

 Your spirit speaking in a different language, to God in a unique language, or to others in thier own language

Interpretation of Tongues

 Interpreting someone else’s unique language

We are encouraged to pursue the spiritual gifts, incuding speaking in tongues.

“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts,…” 1 Corinthians 14:1

“The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, …  Now I want you all to speak in tongues,” 1 Corinthians 14:4-5

I have had many experieinces with most of these gifts over the last few years. The only one i have not personally experienced is interpretation.

Some of my testimonies are avaialbe on youtube. Here is a <link>    Check them out if you like.  I am happy to share my testimony with anyone who is serious about living a life led by the spirit.   

Why:

We are expected to imitate Jesus. 

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 

Jesus recieved the Holy Spirit and power after His baptism in the Jordan and went about doing good deeds and healing those afflicted by the devil.  

“…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38

The Hly Spirit works through us and brings power needed to do the works that Jesus did and more.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14

The Holy Spirit works inside us, it builds us up and gives us access to several tangible fruits like hope and peace and love.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Baptism in the Holy Spirit releases power; Power to overcome obstacles in your life. Power to help others overcome obstacles in thier lives.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11

If we are thirsty and want it bably enough, the Holy Spirit will fill us to the point of overflowing. 

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness” Luke 4:1 

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4

When we give voice to our spirit and allow it to express it’s prayers we are able to speak directly to God. This allows us to worship Him, to magnify Him with a unique and dedicated language devoted entirely to Him.

“For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 14:39

“For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God“. Acts 10:46

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Ephesians 5:18-21

Praying in the spirit brings us focus. It releases all distractions and competing agendas and allows us to focus specifically on commuicating with God. When we disconnect our mind from thinking about what to say and put out entire focus on commuicating with God, it opens the door to inflow of constructive thoughts and messages. It also brings a strong sense of connection to God. He is no longer distant, we are directly connected to Him. It demonstrates a level of yielding of our physical body and overcoming our inhibitions. It is a step in our journey to yielding ourselves and being led by the spirit. The builds confidence in our connection and enables faith to flow in. Scripture says we are edified or built up by this process. 

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20 

 “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church” 1 Corinthians 14:4:

When:

I find speaking in tongues helpful in three main scenarios

To Get In The Zone – When you want to tune in and focus your attention on God

“For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What 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.” 1 Corinthians 14:14-15

“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:4-6

In Weakness – When uncertain about what is going on or how to pray about it. Spending a few moments speaking in tongues will often release revelation on how to proceed.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26

To Be Bold / Fervent / Emphatic – When you want to muster all available energy and apply it towards what ever obstacle you are addressing

“… The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16

Always pursue your acitons with the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit with love. Doing religious things just for the sake of doing them and being religious is not productive. You should always have a purpose rooted in love, a purpose ot serve others. All of your actions should be oriented to serve that end.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1

When not to blurt out in public in a strange language is just as important. Speaking in tongues does nothing for an observer unless somenone is able to interpret what you are saying. It is best to properly manage your vocalization in the spirit. Keep it private unless the situation is appropriate. If many people are praying and speaking in tongues as a group session for priasing God, that is fine, But be careful not to blurt out in public randomly and repeatedly because it may cause a distraction for others on thier journey.  

“If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.” 1 Corinthians 14:27-28

If there is any question remaining about wheather speaking in togues is appropriate, and whether it is appropriate for groups to actively discourage or even forbid it, scripture is very clear:

“So, my brothers,… do not forbid speaking in tongues.”1 Corinthians 14:39

How:

John 7 provides the essence of the process to receive the Holy Spirit.

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart (Belly) will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”  John 7:37-39

It involves 4 primary steps.

Be Thirsty – Want what Jesus has to offer
Come to Jesus – He is the only Baptizer in The Holy Spirit
Drink – Open your mouth, take a breath, and drink in the living water from Jesus
Release the Outflow – Breath out, relese the living water from your belly,  and yield your tongue and lips

There are a couple of prerequisits to this process:  We must be born again, and we must remove any spiritual barriers we may have accunulated during life in the fallen world such as unforgivenes and entanglemets with the occult.

The key process steps and the scripture references for each are laid out below:

Confirm you are Born Again/Accept Jesus As Savior                 – Romans 9:10

    • Confess Belief in Jesus as Son of God                              – John 3:16, Matthew 3:17
    • Acknowledge His Work for you on the Cross                    – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
    • Accept His Forgiveness                                                         – 1 John 1:9, Psalm 103:12, Jeremiah 31:34
    • Acknowledge your new identity as a Child of God             – John 1:12, Galatians 3:26

Remove Barriers

    • Forgive others, as Jesus has forgiven you.                       – Luke 6:37, Matthew 6:14-15
    • Lay down all unforgiveness.                                                – Ephesians 4:31
    • Cut all ties with the occult.                                                  – Deuteronomy 18:9-14, Galatians 5:19-21

Recieve the Holy Spirit

    • Come to Jesus as baptizer in the Holy Spirit.                    – Luke 3:16, John 7:37-39
    • Present your body as a temple for your spirit.                   – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
    • Yield your tongue to worship in a new language.              – Acts 2:1-4, 1 Corinthians 14:2, Mark 16:17
    • Ask For the Holy Spirit In Jesus Name                                – Luke 11:13, John 14:26
    • Believe you have received, and Thank Him                         – Mark 11:24, Matthew 21:22

Breath in the Holy Spirit: “Drink” Jesus’ living water                    – John 4:14, John 7:37

Demonstrate Outpouring: Give Your Spirit Its Voice                    – John 7:38-39, Acts 2:4 

Prayer for executing the inflow and outpouring

Recite this prayer from your heart to qualify yourself for receiving the Holy Spirit. When done with the prayer just breath in the Holy Spirit, and then exhale and give voice to your spirit. 

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you are the Son of God.  I believe that you suffered and died on the cross for my sins. I believe you defeated death and rose again from the dead. Your are now alive in heaven at the right hand of the Father, and your innocent blood forgives all who call on your name. I trust you for forgiveness and for cleansing.

I believe you have received me as a Child of God, and because you have received me, I receive myself as a Child of God.

If there is any resentment remaining in my heart now, any unforgiveness against anyone, I lay it down. I forgive every other person as I would have God forgive me.

If I have ever been involved in the occult, I acknowledge that involvement as a sin. I ask for your forgiveness and I loose myself now from every contract with satin and occult power in the name of Jesus.

And now Lord Jesus, I am thirsty. I want to be equiped for all the good works you have prepared for me. I want to have the Holy Spirit dwell in me, to teach me and guide me, to empower me to overcome this fallen world. I want the spiritual gifts so i can serve you and contiue your work. I come to you as my baptizer in the Holy Spirit. I present to you my body to be a temple for your spirit. I yield to you my tongue to be an instrument of righteousness, to worship you in a new language.

By faith I receive this now, and I thank you for it in the name of Jesus, Amen.

>Now – Drink the living water flowing from Jesus: Inhale, breath in the Holy Spirit

>Then – Demonstrate the Outpouring: Exhale, move your tongue and lips, give voice to your spirit

Reference:

Derek Prince

Full Teaching:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ldJNZ1HGWc

Section on How To Receive: (T=32:52) https://youtu.be/2ldJNZ1HGWc?t=1972

 

Placeholder – a work in progress

 

Change your pictures

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Change the pictures in your mind, You will change your life!

The pictures in your mind are powerful.

The pictures you hold in you mind have a profound affect on how you live your life. They affect how you see reality, and they affect how you react to circumstances in life.  They form the basis for the basic beliefs you hold in your heart and they play a large role in determining your behaviors: They affect what you believe is possible (The world is flat, you could fall off the edge); They affect what behaviors you believe are appropriate in any given situation (There is no God and no heaven or hell, do anything you want in this life). You will never attempt something you do not think is possible (airplanes are heavier than air so they will never fly), and you will never choose to do something until you believe it is appropriate in a given situation (Once we understood Germs, medical staff started washing hands between patients).

Holding the proper pictures in your mind is critical to your success. The proper pictures can help you deal effectively in new situations.  Ex:  Looks like a bear, it is a bear, I’m at risk so run away.

There are actually two families of pictures that are important:  The first is your understanding who you are, and the second is your understanding of your external reality.  If either picture is incorrect, it will eventually cause problems.

If you see yourself as more capable than you really are, you will not properly assess a real threat and will likely suffer a consequence.  Ex: Yes that is a bear, but I am big and strong so i will stand my ground and fight it.  Or, Yes life has challenges but i am strong and can deal with them by myself, I do not need some God character to help me. 

If you understate yourself in your mind, you will miss huge opportunities in life. Ex: I am just a victim of society, I could never accomplish anything useful, it is not even worth trying. Or, I am just a lowly sinner, my past will always haunt me, I will get what I deserve, I am not worthy of anything better.

The same goes for our pictures of the outside world. If we see the world as dreadful, threatful and risky it will cause us to operate out of fear and behave in a very hesitant and defensive way with a short term focus. If we see the world as exciting and ripe with opportunities and the promise of a bright future, we will be more open, enthusiastic and hopeful.

The pictures in our mind are built by our past experiences, a combination of what we have been taught and what we have experienced up to that point in life. If we are taught the truth in a robust way, we will have a sound picture to guide us.  If we never got formal instruction or the instruction was incorrect, our mental picture will be flawed. 

The only way to change the picture in your mind is to bring new information to the table; Information to help you improve the picture.  I better picture could help you discover that something new and different is actually possible, or it could help you see that doing something different is appropriate in a situation.

When it comes to spiritual things, i have come to appreciate that most folks have some serious flaws in the picture in their mind. Some of these flaws are absorbed from our emersion in a secular oriented society, Other flaws are conveyed from man made religious doctrines which have been introduced over the years. The good news is that the truth is available in black and white, and the Lord will reveal it to you if you ask with an open heart.

I find it helpful to explore the actual pictures people hold to help them accelerate the process of discovering the truth and tuning up their pictures. Once we get a handle on the pictures you currently hold in your mind, you can start to ask questions and He will help you see the opportunities to tune them up. If we can build an improved picture in your mind, you will quickly change your life.  

Your current pictures:

Let’s look at the current pictures you hold with regards to your engagement in spiritual reality:

Are you a lowly sinner struggling to survive in this fallen world, begging a distant God to have mercy and to flow blessings to you, hoping He is listening and wondering if it is His will to act?

—-or—-

Are you a born again child of God; Repentant and Forgiven, Saved by faith 

– Crucified in the flesh, setting aside self-consciousness and selfish agendas, fully yielded to the Lord.

– Living in His love; Knowing He loves you because He sent His son

– Flowing His love; Forgiving others as He forgave you. Loving others as you love yourself, Seeing all others as children of God struggling in a fallen world.

– Holy and beyond reproach through Jesus blood; At peace with Him, in perfect union, Entitled to the promises and inheritance of the saints.

– In personal communion with Abba Father, Drawn close to Him so He draws close to you, 

– Led by the Spirit into the mind of Christ; listening to His voice, asking for understanding, seeing from His perspective, following where He leads you.

– Acting as the body of Christ with Christ formed in you, perfecting His love as it flows through you as you live your life.

– Partnered with Him to rule this world; seated with Him in heavenly places. Committed to continue His work and make the devil His footstool.

-Using the authority He gives you to do the works He did, speaking His will into place on earth as it already is in Heaven,

-Shining as a bright light in the darkness, being a beacon for the kingdom.

Your perspective makes all the difference. Modern man-made religious doctrine can severely limit you and your journey. Ask the lord to illuminate His path for you. Let the spirit lead you into all truth. Let the truth release your potential and transform your life. The fruit will bear witness.

Piece by piece

The following section works through parts of the contrasting pictures aspect by aspect, piece by piece. First how you see your self, then how you see the purpose of your life, then how you connect to God, then how you engage and face challenges in your life.

Who God is

There is no God, The universe and all we see came from nothing VS God created the universe and all that there is with order, structure and purpose

There is no God, How could a loving God allow all the suffering we see VS God gives us free will, We suffer the consequences we created over generations, He sent Jesus to rescue us.

God is distant, He is up in heaven VS He is with us, In us, Operating through us

Who you are / Your identify

I am a good person because of how I live my life VS I am made righteous only through Jesus blood

I am a sinner, not worthy, and must suffer the consequences VS I have repented, I am forgiven, I am saved, I am made whole 

I am separated from the Father by my sin and must suffer VS I am reconciled to the Father by Jesus work, The Father sees me as Holy through Jesus blood, I am entitled to promises and blessings.

I am a sinner by nature  VS I am Born Again; My spirit is brand new and connected to the Holy Spirit, My mind is being transformed to understand and execute His will, and my body is submitted and complying 

I will always struggle with sin VS  The Holy Spirit helps me recognize my sins, I listen and repent,  and then He helps me to overcome them.

The problems of my past hold me back VS I am free from my past and focused on moving forward

God is either mad at me or He doesn’t care about me VS I am a Child of God, God loves me, God has plans for me, God is working to help me achieve them

Your purpose

My job is to get myself into heaven someday VS My job is to bring Heaven to others while I am here

I am working to find and fulfil MY purpose VS I am focused on His purpose for me

Life is long, it must be tolerated and endured VS Life is a very short time to make a difference, and every moment must be cherished and leveraged.

I am doing religious things so God will think favorably and I can get into heaven someday VS I am transforming myself so He can use me to bring Heaven to earth for others around me here and now.

i am adopting Christian values where convenient VS I have yielded myself to Christ, It Is Him living through me

I try to comply with the commandments as i try to fit in to society in this fallen world VS I separate myself from this fallen world, I am in the world but not of it, I present myself as a vessel worthy of the holy spirit, I repent when the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin, The Holy Spirit helps me transform and overcome Sin by renewing my mind, I never let sin against me become sin in me.

Life is a drag, I am just trying to survive VS Life is a gift, and I make the best of every second and shine as a light in the darkness 

I am watching on the sidelines VS I am engaged executing His commission for the kingdom

I am hiding privately in isolation VS I am shining as a bright light, a beacon in the darkness

Knowing God / Your relationship

God is distant / way up in heaven  VS God is with me, Working in me, Working through me

God is abstract and unknowable VS I have an intimate personal relationship with Him

I talk to God and hope He listens VS I have an ongoing dialog: I talk to God, I listen to His voice

God is a mystery VS The mystery is revealed through the Son and the Holy Spirit

I believe what others tell me about scripture VS I learn the Truth from the Holy Spirit 

I am Led by the flesh and my reasoning VS I am Led by the Holy Spirit

Your authority

I pray to God way up in heaven VS I am seated in heavenly places with Jesus

I am a victim of the devil VS I execute authority over the devil, nothing will harm me

I beg God to take action VS He already took the action, I am now receiving it. I am speaking His will into place on earth.

Only certain people can initiate miracles VS The works Jesus did I do and more

Signs and wonders are no longer relevant VS I am a believer, and these signs shall follow those who believe (Cast out demons, Lay hands on the sick and they shall recover)

I pray once and hope He heard me VS I pray fervently, Speaking His will into place on earth until it is complete.

Scriptures to help you draw improved pictures:

Your identity:

Once we have Faith in Jesus, We are born again, washed and renewed, regenerated as a gracious gift of mercy.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” (1 Peter 1:23)

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3)

You are loved, Know God loves you because He sent His son,  Love God because He loved us first.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:14-16)

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

You are God’s handy work, chosen, beloved, blessed

“But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit…” (John 15:16)

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved…” (Colossians 3:12)

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

Knowing God / Your Relationship:

Get to know God personally, and follow His commandments. it is the only way to eternal life and heaven

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven (follow His commandments). Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “(Matthew 7:21-23)

Ask the Holy Spirit to come into you to guide you and teach you

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit will help you overcome sin if you let Him.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27)

Live a life worthy of the price He paid, Be a vessel worthy of His presence, Able to be useful for the kingdom

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

“God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” (1 Corinthians 7:23 NLT)

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed…” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” ( 2Timothy 2:20)

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

He will manifest in you as you get to know Him and follow His commandment

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)

“At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:20-21)

The Holy Spirit gives us access to the mind of Christ:

“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)

We are the body of Christ:

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

We are to be led by the spirit, not the flesh or our own reasoning

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

Your purpose:

Your job is to leave a legacy that brings glory to God.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16)

Become Love like Him, Love others as you love yourself, Forgive others as He forgives you

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17)

“…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Get over yourself and let Christ live in you and through you:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

We need to yield ourselves and our self-centered interests, and focus on Christ’s purpose for us

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

Your purpose is to transform and pursue the kingdom of God, shine as a bright light, bear fruit in this life, and leave a lasting legacy which brings glory to His name

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Your authority:

When you embrace Jesus as lord of the universe, and receive Him as your Lord of your life, You become a Child of God.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12)

We have been raised up and are sitting (ruling) with Christ:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

We have all authority and power over the enemy:

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)

He expects us to use that authority to bring glory to His name:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” (John 14:12)

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:14-16)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:7-8)

We must speak God’s will into place:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”(Proverbs 18:21)

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:17)

Always test what you know and what you are being taught. Know correct teaching by its fruit:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

Conclusion:

Explore the pictures you hold in your mind.  Ask yourself is they are right.  The Lord will help you improve your pictures if you let Him. 

Happy to discuss your current pictures and help you build better ones. 

Have a wonderful day.

 

Who are you? Who, Who?.. Who Who?

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Who are you?  Who,Who?.. Who, Who?

 

Who are you?

There are some deep questions in life worth pondering. One of the most important questions is “Who are you?”. How you answer that question profoundly affects both how you choose to live your life, and it how and where you will spend eternity.

What defines who you are?

If someone walked up to you right now and asked “Who are you?”  how would you answer? The short answer comes quickly.  ex: Hi I’m John, I’m a retired Aeospace engineer based in Florida and we are traveling in this RV during summers. The deeper answer is more complicated and is more revealing.

Most people build a story line in their head using elements from a historic timeline? Who are your parents? Where did they come from? What was your childhood like? Where did you live? What was your family like? Was there a lot of love? Where did you go to school?  What did you do well at? What were your struggles? How do you spend your time? What do you enjoy doing? How do you make money? How do you choose to spend your money?  What kind of relationships do you have? What did you inherit from your parents? What will you give to your kids?

Along with this historical timeline, they also build a self-image based on how they believe others view them:  Pretty/Handsome or plain/homely, Smart or dumb, Fit or fat, Coordinated or awkward, Hardworking or lazy, Capable or useless, Successful or unsuccessful, Worthy or worthless, Victor or Victim.

This story line of “who you are” shapes your outlook on life and has a great influence on how you approach things.  If you view yourself as worthless or a victim, it will be unlikely you will ever recognize an opportunity in front of you, take the initiative to pursue it,  and rise above whatever obstacle you are currently facing.

So far, we have focused on the physical and mental aspects of your story line, lets add the spiritual.  How do you view your spiritual self? Do you accept there is a higher authority? What will happen when you die? Do you have a soul that might live on if you say or do the right things?  Will your life be judged? How will you make out with that? Where will you spend eternity? Given that. .how should I spend my remaining time in this life? 

How you view yourself spiritually has a great influence on how you live your life and what choices you make.  Just recognizing a couple of spiritual aspects could shift the behavior of an entire society: 1) God is everywhere and knows everything, and 2) You will pay the price in judgement for whatever you say or do in this life.  That is the threat/punitive side,  but there is also the promise/incentive side: God is love, He loves you, He wants you to prosper, and He will help you if you let Him.

You must invest some time and energy if you want to develop the spiritual aspects of life as they cannot be discerned through observation in the world. Spiritual laws are counter intuitive, they work the opposite of physical laws.  The physical world teaches you to take to get ahead, the spirit world teaches you to give;  the physical world teaches you live until you die, the spirit world teaches you to die so you can live.

You are composed of mind, body and spirit. If you define yourself only in physical / earthly terms,  I  encourage you to spend some time on the spiritual side, it will change the course of your life, now and for eternity.

If you already include a spiritual aspect in your self-image, I encourage you to explore the following extension or evolution:   

  • God loves you unconditionally
    • “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
  • When you invite Him as your lord and savior, You are born again.
    • “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  • You are now a child of God, HE is your father.
    • “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)
  • Everything from your past is wiped away, you are free from it.
    • “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6)
  • He helps you transform, from being self-centered to becoming love in action like him.
    • “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…”(Romans 12:3)
    • “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
    • “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Philippians 2:3)
  • You are part of the body of Christ…He is the Head, You are his “arms and legs”.
    • “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”(1 Corinthians 12:27)
  • He wants you to: be like him, Think like Him, and Act like him
    • “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
    • “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:29)
    • The Holy Spirit is in us and teaches us ” ..we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
  • He wants you to continue His work
    • “Jesus said… As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)
    • “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (John 14-12)

Why is this important? Why should you care? It is all about perspective, and faith.  If you view yourself as anything less than a child of God, striving to be Christ-like in thought and actions, forgiven of sins, and standing righteous In front of the father,  you will be vulnerable to attack in this world.  The things people say about you will matter more than God’s love for you, The things that happen day to day will matter more than your purpose for being on this earth…to become love in action.    

In a prior blog post i described the power of positive confirmtion, where you turn your understanding and beliefs into a positive statement of declaration. It is a very effective approavh to building confidence and growing your faith into actions. 

So if you have a spiritual identity and believe the scriptual statements above, consider the following answer to the question of who you are – it can be powerful and liberating

  • I am a born-again son of God,
  • I am not be defined by things of this earth,
  • I am defined by my creator, my heavenly father, who loves me deeply.
  • He loves me so much he sent His son to Die for me.
  • He created me for a reason, and He has never given up on me
  • He forgives my past so I can focus on going forward
  • I have the Holy Spirit inside me, guiding me, and helping me transform
  • I am a member of the body of Christ – his arms and legs on this earth
  • As the Father sent Him, He sends Me, I will do His work.
  • My father is pure love, I feel His love in me
  • I am His love in action, His love flows through me into every situation.
  • I view others as He views them – as his children needing love
  • My inheritance is the kingdom of God and I am proud member

My favorite speaker on this topic is Dan Mohler.  Here is a video where he explores the topic of Your Identity

I hope you find this discussion helpful. Leave me a comment.