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Now displaying: Page 1
Jul 6, 2020

Yet, as God’s servants, we prove ourselves authentic in every way... 2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:4‬ ‭TPT‬‬

 

'We have proved ourselves by... showing kindness, by the Spirit of holiness (by the Holy Spirit within us), and by our uncritical love for you.' 2 Corinthians 6:6 TPT

 

So  we decided we're going to park here for a little bit and really talk about what the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. So we are looking at Galatians at a deeper level which of the attributes of the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. 

 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… Galatians 5:22-23

 

but this is what you got to understand about God he will never force you to be you are called to be. The holy spirit will convict you and the Holy Spirit Will directs you but you've got to choose to walk in the person that God wants you to be.  Secondly, you need to understand that these attributes are not ala carte That you can't say you want peace and joy and not want patience or self-control. these attributes build off of each other like we discussed last week and I encourage you the watch last week sermon and it is why I titled these sermons Driven by love because Love is the foundation. Lastly, you need to understand these attributes have an outward impact.  Many times we read them with this inward focus on self… OOOO I want joy, I want peace, and I want to be loved, but actually these are what the HS produces in you to give to the world around you!

 

Self-Control: egkrateia 

Mastery; More Properly Dominion Within

 

means strength within… It is about an inner character…It’s about being a person that reflects the character as much in private as we do in public…

 

Now the fullness of this is a strength that comes from God, but it is a decision that comes from us. This type of Mastery can only be accomplished by the power of the Lord. 

 

First, let’s understand a little about self-control…

 

SELF CONTROL IS A BATTLE WITHIN AND THE DISCIPLINE TO MOVE FORWARD

 

That we have this battle between a divided self inside us… Listen to what Paul says…

 

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.  Romans 7:18-19

 

You ever felt like that?  You ever felt that battle rising within… Paul says what a miserable person I am… You ever thought that about yourself… He goes on to say Who will free me?  Then he says Jesus… We will get into this a little later… But what Paul is saying here is that we have to first identify that there is a battle going on in our hearts!

 

Jesus said this…

 

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23

 

Jesus says that Daily we have to understand this battle and daily we have to make conscious decisions on which self will have control of our sinful desires or spiritual… Now many people hear this and they become overwhelmed because they are like you mean Daily I have this choice and this battle that seems like a lot…

 

But the question is what in life that has value is not filled with these daily choices… You want to be a good parent sometimes you have to make conscious decisions even if you don’t feel like… Sometimes you are exhausted and you don’t want to feed them, I don't care if they are juggling knives I don't want to deal with it, sometimes you just want to scream GO TO YOUR ROOM I DONT WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE THE REST OF THE NIGHT…. But even if you don’t feel like it you know daily you have to have the discipline choose to do what is right as a parent.. 

 

The same thing as being a spouse sometimes you just want to be selfish and have this fend for yourself mentality I am doing my own thing regardless of your feelings or you emotions are on the rise and you just want to go off, but you have to have the discipline to make that choice

 

Or as a leader in your influence… Sometimes you just want to yell just do what I said I don’t feel like telling you why we do what we do… I don’t want to help you problem-solve… Just get together…You have to have the discipline choose to be an effective leader

 

And we make mistakes in all these just like we do spiritually, but we have to recognize its a daily battle

 

WE ARE ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING. WE ARE EITHER FIGHTING FOR A HEALTHY SELF OR AN UNHEALTHY SELF.

 

Regardless no matter what it's still a fight and we have a choice on where that fight will take us… that choice is fueled by our discipline…

 

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it todo what it should. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

 

Notice Paul says “I” discipline my body which means he is making a conscious decision to daily examine his life. An athlete understands the disciplines they need to place in their life to go to the next level… They also understand they need discipline in their lives to stay away from things that keep them from going to the next level.

 

Now the writer of Hebrews tells us we must throw off the sin that is slowing us down and the sin that is tripping us up and how do we do this????

 

'We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ' Hebrews 12:2

 

Fix our eyes on Jesus- We imitate the lifestyle of Jesus he was the perfect model of our faith… When we do that it initiates something in our life we want to strive like Paul says to be perfect reflection of the design God created us to be.  We know we aren’t perfect but daily we strive to get rid of the negative things in our life and strive to be who God created us to be! All of this happens because of the death and resurrection of Jesus and that resurrection Spirit that is moving in us… 

 

Remember the HS will point things out but we must choose to embrace it and want to change. So we must understand what disciplines we need to add to our life and what we need to be disciplined to stay away from…

 

So think clearly and exercise self-control. 1 Peter 1:13

 

Both the Corinthians said that our bodies our souls are temples for the Holy Spirit…  So what we put in and expose ourselves to matters beyond just ourselves, but also matters because it shows our gratitude and respect towards God… 

 

So Paul says the way we readjust this is…

 

I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1

 

So we must offer our bodies to God… Let our hearts be pleasing to God… So we are going to talk real quickly the areas we need to be careful on exposing ourselves to unhealthy disciplines and what are the healthy disciplines we need to go to the next level…

 

  1. WHAT DO WE EXPOSE OUR TONGUES TO?

 

What fills our speech… Avg person speaks 18,000 words a day and now with social media, many of those words are now reaching people that normally would have never been exposed to our daily speech.  What things do we expose our tongues?  Are they life-giving or life-taking because that will start to affect you?

 

The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. James 3:5-6

 

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21

 

You may think your post on social media is no big deal, or the way you talk to that coworker, or how you speak to your wife or children is no big deal.  It is just something small I said.  But it grows.  We have the choice of what are we going to expose our speech with because it will start to expose our future… Either future of life or death…

 

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

 

“A tongue that brings healing is like a tree of life. But a tongue that  tells lies produces a broken spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 

 

Are we going to be those that heal or are we going to be those that destroy…  So here is your heart check… Start replaying your conversations… Are you talking about people, are you constantly being negative or are elevating people and speaking life.. Also, see what fills your FB statuses and comments because those are your digital words are they life-giving or taking and if you have to wonder then I would say I wouldn't press send or speak it…. Think before you speak and think before you type and ask does this imitates Jesus because I promise if he becomes your filter it will save you a lot of heartache in life!

 

  1. WHAT DO WE EXPOSE OUR EYES TO?

 

The very words of Jesus says,

 

Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. Matthew 6:22-23

 

Our sinful nature is a lot like the story “give a mouse a cookie”  glass of milk, then he will want a straw, then a napkin, then a mirror, etc… Which on a side note is my son Kingston!!!!

 

but it is especially dangerous with what we watch.  The more unhealthy things we see the more desensitized we become… Things tend to not shock us as it once was and when Jesus it says that effects your entire body its because it starts triggering your emotions, filling your thoughts, and sometimes hinders your desires…

 

You can really see this in culture… Things that we are appalling decades ago are normal now… Things you would never see on TV or in magazines is normal for the world, but is detrimental to your moral character… Violence, hate rhetoric, everything is over-sexualized, language is just filthy on all the sites.  

 

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2

 

That means despite what culture tells us is right or wrong we must have the discipline to make the healthy choice even if its the road less traveled… Maybe there are certain shows, movies, magazines, websites that we just shouldn't expose our hearts to…

 

I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. Psalms 101:2-3

 

  1. WHAT DO WE EXPOSE OUR EARS TO?

 

1 Corinthians says bad company corrupts good morals… 

 

NEGATIVE INFLUENCES ALWAYS DESTROY POSITIVE RESULTS.

 

That is why they say show me your friends and I will show you your future… That’s not just a school assembly cliche its a reality… Leadership Studies show that people with success that are high caliber leaders surround themselves with other high caliber leaders… 

 

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

 

I want to surround myself with people that build me up… I don’t want to be surrounded by negative people, I don’t want to be around a gossip bashing festival, I don’t want to be around people that are not motivated… I want to be around people that encourage and build me up!!! 

 

  1. WHAT DO WE EXPOSE OUR HANDS & FEET TO?

 

Oh that our lives are summed up with an eternal purpose… That we live for life beyond ourselves… That we expose our hands and feet to do something with meaning in this life… 

 

I’ve said this before

 

DON’T POUR SWEAT, SPILL BLOOD, AND SHED TEARS OVER SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T CARRY ETERNAL INTEREST

 

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Romans 12:11

 

Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58

 

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:23-24

 

It is so tempting to live and work for ourselves… It is so tempting to strive for convenience and be comfortable, but it is the moments that when we live beyond ourselves we find meaning and we are stretched and taken to places we could never imagine!

 

Too many times we are chasing what the world calls success and but those things die when we do, but when we invest in people they carry on…

 

If you chase money and temporary you will never catch it, but if you chase purpose it will actually push you to greater distances… 

 

So let’s expose our works to purpose…

 

  1. WHAT DO WE EXPOSE OUR MINDS TO?

 

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

 

The mind is a battlefield and once we starting doubting the nature and character of God and the power of God… We start suffering spiritually…

 

That’s why Isaiah says this…

 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

 

That we have peace when we trust that God is who says he is and our minds and thoughts are fixed and focused on that!  

 

WE DEVELOP INNER STRENGTH WHEN OUR THOUGHTS ARE FIXATED ON THE THINGS OF GOD

 

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.' Philippians 4:8-9

 

The way I love to look at this scripture is this… The more I read God’s word and the more I meditate on the promises of God… The more I start becoming who I was always created to be… That my inner thoughts, desires, destiny, and dreams start coming to the surface…

 

Do we understand who God is and what His promises truly say? Are we feeding our minds and souls with the promises of God… Because if God is for me who can be against me… What weapon formed against shall prosper… I will never drown because God is my strength… I am Gods workmanship created with a purpose… I am child of God not a slave to fear… I am a new creation the old is gone… 

 

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded... But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6;8

 

As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3




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