"ARE YOU A LIGHT TO THE WORLD?" January 17, 2010 Sermon by Eben Roux
(scripture references below)
Winston Churchill "Honey I was born for this" (was called the saviour of that nation)
Every one of us was born to be a son of God,
(Spiritual terminology - not gender based.)
We mustn't be satisfied with anything less – just think of all the benefit – we have as sons in God's house.
Just as in the physical we grow from being babies to adults that can produce more children...
"HOW DO WE CRUCIFY OUR FLESH ?"
- Jn 1:12 (Definition of "son of God")
Not "children of God" - you BECOME a son of God, but when you accept Christ you become a child of God -
Now as a child of God, once you receive the Spirit, the Spirit is then in you to empower you to become a son of God.
If one stays a child, you're going to keep behaving as such, unable to understand mature topics.
A spiritual child can't reproduce.
- Eph 1 :14
- Rom 12:2 – Reformation – to change
- Act 17:11 – Study of the Bereans, searched the scripture to test what they were taught, didn't just kick against
"Reformation": to restore original INTENT; God is restoring the church back to what He originally intended it to be; He does this using the PROCEEDING WORD.
Therefore it's everyone's responsibility who hears this proceeding word, to ensure that their lives change according to the proceeding word.
PROCEEDING WORD: The best wine that's kept for last, it's now in this end times, that this "wine" is served since it assists in accelerated growth in maturity, because time is running out, the Jubilee year has begun...
We must UNDERSTAND what's being covered (/what issues are presently on the table )in this last wine (like with Jubilee) – we must study and meditate these topics.
It's the believer's responsibility, not the leader -
Reformation is also to bring the believer to true obedience, so that they can cultivate a reformation culture in their lifestyles.
The proceeding word – is correctly applicable to our time context, it is perfectly relevant to the times...
Where are strongholds formed? In our thoughts.
Our fight is against the strongholds in our thought patterns The battlefield is in the mind.
God changed Satan's diet to eat "DUST" - at the fall's curse & "on his belly" means he is under our feet. Satan's thus in an inferior position naturally because of the curse.
Now what he consumes is our flesh ,IE; Dust – Flesh isn't physical, but souls' – thoughts, feelings, decisions... word says he prowls like a lion to destroy – it's the positive word in our flesh (soul) that he consumes...thus devouring our souls (since without God's word/light in our souls our; death is activated in the absence of God's life.)
Satan comes in by the "thin side of the wedge"; i.e. it's easily unnoticeable
There's no way a demon can come to someone without a stronghold in your soul – believers give them the right to inhabit by allowing the strongholds (lies) In which they dwell to remain in their thought patterns. We give them the right to ascend to high and lofty places in our souls from their inferior positions on their bellies where they should be.
(The moment we break these lies in our thoughts down;)
If evil can get hold of your thought patterns – they can influence your behaviour.
◦ Cast down arguments
◦ Bring down ideas that exalt themselves against the true knowledge of God; Pride, tradition, intellect – typical techniques of the enemy to prevent the proceeding word from germinating in people's lives.
◦ We must keep at it, to the obedience of Christ, how was Christ obedient? To the death; so we must crucify those ideas until that flesh is dead, so the spirit can be released to come forward.
◦ the testament of His will was read out 2000 years ago, yet few believers are living in their inherited birth right
◦ How can we be obedient to the death (of those ideas);
▪ We must be READY or PREPARED to punish obedience.
▪ By being obedient to the proceeding word – since that word's specific purpose is to transform us.
▪ The churches aim must be to be obedient to the point of the flesh's death...
- Ez 11:19: At the fall; the knowledge of good and bad entered humanities psyche – and the humans' spirit man died, and the soul was fractured.
◦ prophesy is history written in advance, as Ez said here, he was speaking of would happen – and is happening now
◦ so now we have a new spirit, so that the soul and spirit can be one and the new heart can be restored and made 1 whole
◦ now we need to develop spiritual common sense, which the average believer does not have
◦ IE; develop a spiritual reasoning/logic – then one can easily perceive God's will in His word and in circumstances
◦ The source of obedience is not our WILL, the heart is the source. The will simply enforces what's in the heart. The will is in submission to the heart
◦ Your soul with either reflect the fallen flesh or the living spirit in us, depending on whether Rom 12:2 has become a reality in one's live -
▪ Unfortunately most are spiritual schizophrenic, since they're double hearted having 2 opposing natures in conflict in them.
▪ Eph 1:17-18
· It's actually simple for the believer to journey in victory
· a true survivor is one who has overcome the flesh (like substance addiction, etc)
· "Your eyes must be flooded with light" - we must flood our hearts with the proceeding word, in order to understand God's mysteries.
▪ Ps 119:105 – our minds must be changed, by having the eyes of our heart flooded with light through our ears (since faith comes by hearing)
· if you want to be healed of brokenness – flood your heart with light
◦ When your thoughts are not renewed with this proceeding word then you will have the following present in your life;
▪ Sin, struggle, sickness, rebellion, poverty, disobedience
· So one who struggles with something simply doesn't have enough light in them; this is the purpose of counselling, to guide the person to replace lies with truth
· the more your heart is flooded with light the more you journey to maturity in victory – since there's nothing but God's light to reflect . .
· how u perceive reality and interpret truth depends on how much light is in you
▪ the battlefield in the mind because we're double hearted
Unfortunately most believers have souls' schizophrenia, they believe or agree with the proceeding word, but continue to do their own thing – they have 2 masters, 2 tables, 2 cups
Webster "SCITZOPHRENIA"; "a mentality/approach characterised by inconsistent or contradictory behaviour
· u say u believe but u actions show something else
· it is a breakdown in the relationship between ones thoughts/emotions and behaviour leading to faulty perceptions
· leads 2 withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and deception;
· people who have isolated them from the body (they God is my Father, the Spirit leads and teaches me, God has shown me) – n context with not operating in Christ's body – it's fantasy;
· this is people without light in their hearts or spiritual common sense
◦ spiritual common sense allows the believer to apply the word of God
◦ 2 hearts; Sunday 1 way, Monday another – living in a fantasy world of fairy tales
▪ Pr 18:1
· one who seeks to isolate themselves; seek their own will
▪ Mt 15:8
· traditions of people (opposes Christ)
Every believer must ask themselves if they're;
- double hearted
- do I have enough light in me
- do I have spiritual common sense
- do I live the kingdom principles or just talk about it;
◦ if not then you're a friend to the world and an enemy of God
◦ we can't live our worldly culture
▪ only thing we have to do in the world is reach out to them evangelical
▪ if we enter into their camp – we partake in their suffering
▪ it's tragic to think we can live our worldly culture and actually grow
▪ u must ask u self "can I bring Jesus in here" - if not then your plan must b 4 missionary outreach
▪ parents can see the child's blind spots – parents understand the deception of the world
· people can't say "look at the youth"; since it's the parents who r raising the youth 2 b that way
God's word is powerful and can cause tremendous positive change;
- God wants to equip His sons with power, might and authority – so that the unsaved will flock to the church to see what's going on
- it's clear there's no time to waste / play around
- The only way we can break down strongholds is to flood our hearts with Light
- God's first accomplishment was the creation of light – which wasn't physical light, since the stars were created later
Rough transcript by Sean Keys
Scripture references:
Romans 12 :2 And 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.
John 1 :12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Ephesians 1: 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Acts 17: 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Proverbs 23: 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
2 Corinthians 10: 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Ezekiel 11: 19 "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
Ephesians 1: 17-18
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Psalms 119: 105 NUN. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Luke 16: 13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
1 Corinthians 10: 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.
Proverbs 18: 1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
Matthew 15: 8 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
