Series: “WIJD” — Sermon #4 “Jesus Is Imparting Spiritual Life”

Series: “WIJD” — Sermon #4 “Jesus Is Imparting Spiritual Life”

“It is abnormal for a Christian not to have an appetite for the impossible. It has been written into our spiritual DNA to hunger for the impossibilities around us to bow at the name of Jesus.”   Bill Johnson

Matthew 14:22-35 “But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’  ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ “Come,” he said. …

… Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”

If you don’t really believe the conclusion the outcome will always be out of reach or a struggle.

Peter thought about his actions and there was no belief system to support this activity in his subconscious mind for his conscious mind to connect.

“More doesn’t come through suddenlies. It comes through stewardship.”  Bill Johnson

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.”

Romans 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

Walking in the Spirit isn’t trying to be a good person — It’s walking in the Spirit.

“If the believer does not discern his own spirit he invariably is ignorant of how to commune with God in the Spirit. He easily substitutes his own thought or emotions of the soul for the work of the Spirit. Thus he confines himself to the outer realm unable ever to reach the Spiritual realm.”   Watchman Nee

Luke 1:80 “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts … ”

Luke 2:40 “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.”

2 Corinthians 7:1 “THEREFORE, SINCE these [great] promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring [our] consecration to completeness in the [reverential] fear of God.”

Ephesians 3:16  “…according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Proverbs 20:27 “The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” 

There are two sources of strength for any believer. 1. Born Again Spirit    2. The Holy Spirit   

Great men and women do not fall because of the lack of anointing they fall because of an untrained spirit.

Daniel 6:3 “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

Numbers 14:24 “…Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land…”

Luke 22:43 {AMP} “And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit.”

John 3:6 “…and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

4 Basic Spiritual Conditions 

1. Broken Spirit

Proverbs 18:14 “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?”

Proverbs 17:22  “A merry heart does good, like medicine,  But a broken spirit dries the bones.”

2. Haughty Spirit 

Proverbs 16:18  “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” 

3. Undisciplined Spirit

Proverbs 25:28 “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.”

Psalm 32:2 “Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” 

Psalm 78:8  “And may not be like their fathers A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.” 

4. Trained Spirit 

1 Corinthians 14:32 “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”

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

Ephesians 4:23-24  “…be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

The subconscious mind is a like a big memory bank that stores all of your previous life experiences, your beliefs, your memories, you skills, all situations you’ve been through and all images you’ve ever seen.    This informs all behaviour and actions.

Focus on your breathing.  Take several deep breaths.

That is your conscious mind taking over from your subconscious mind.

Your subconscious is said to be a million times stronger in your life than you conscious mind or will.

1 Peter 1:22   “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,…”

Soul “Psuche”:— the soul, the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)

James 1:21  “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

“Kakia” :— malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure, wickedness, depravity

5 Ways To Confront Toxic Clusters

1. Action

I can’t run … I can’t lift … I can’t do math … I can’t speak …

Philippians 4:13  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

2. Mentoring

A trusted source. That person has unfiltered access to your subconscious mind.

For better, for worse. Good person!

Philppians 3:17 “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.”

3. Belief System

This information will go directly to your subconscious mind, program it and turn to solid beliefs.

Romans 6:17 “…yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” 

“standard of teaching” (AMP)    “Pattern of teaching” (NIV)    “Paul’s system of truth.” (Weymouth)

“So many of us cavalierly gloss over what he has done and zero in on what we’re to do, and that shift, though it might seem slight, makes all the difference in the world. Our obedience has its origin in God’s prior action, and 

…. forgetting that truth results in self-righteousness, pride, and despair. As you study Scripture, remember that the imperatives are always rooted in the indicatives. God calls you to become who you already are in Christ.”   E. M. Fitzpatrick

“God has not given us power to imitate Him. He has made us partakers of His nature so that we can actually be like Him. You don’t become a Christian by acting like one. We are not on a performance basis with God.”   Neil T Anderson

“Your mind trying is catching up with what your spirit already knows.” C. Leaf (Switching On Your Brain)

4. Meditation

The subconscious mind learns by repetition and not by logic. Adding strong belief to what you focus on and it will have more impact.  Mindset

5. Love

“Love literally wipes out fear.”  C. Leaf 

1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Titus 2:11-12  “For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. It (GRACE) has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world,…”

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