There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves His children and comes to rescue them." Sally Llyod Jones: The Jesus Storybook BibleI'm overwhelmed by a relentless God. He is after my heart. He wants to rescue me from the lies I am believing and the prison I am living in, even though the cell is unlocked and the shackels have been broken.
Long story short.... The Gospel is power.
Not that I am an expert in the Gospel... I have to preach it to myself every moment of every day... but I have become sensitive to what Paul refers to as "adding to the gospel" in Galations.
Recently... I was thrown into confusion. #spiritualwarfare
It happens often. #schemesofsatan
"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ." Galations 1:6-7I had a lot going on this last week... and I knew I was unable to get through it alone. I wanted to experience what is referred to as "the same power that conquered the grave" living in me. Even though I was scared, I fixed my eyes on Jesus and stepped out of the boat.
However... Instead of focusing on Jesus... I focused on myself and began to doubt... and began to sink. #callmepeter
It was at that point that I started longing for something more. I began looking for what that something was...
One thing I know... God's word is true. And the Bible is alive and active! Mike's sermon was amazing yesterday at Eastview!
The story of Eve... Satan convinced Eve that Jesus wasn't enough. The same thing he tries to convince me of. The apple could represent our idols. Eve didn't trust God. She put her trust in a lie. #mistakenbeliefs
God has shattered my heart this week. For the Gospel, for Jesus, for His lost children, the lost sheep... And my Gospel was centered... and when the Gospel is the hub, the wheel works well. I was so excited to be participating in God's story. It's obvious the enemy felt threatened.
The devil definitely used people's words to get into my thoughts and bring confusion.
As I was searching and seeking... At first I was listening to sermons, then talking to people, reading books and articles on the internet.... I got even more confused. I started questioning everything. I even started to doubt things I have never doubted before. My mind was a mess.
But I am here to say that God is not dead. He's surely alive! He answered my prayer before I even prayed it!
As my thoughts continued to swirl down... I remembered to take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinth 10:5). I'm thankful for God's word being written on my heart so when He speaks to me I will know His voice.
Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts (2 Corinth 3:3).
I am the good Shepard. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10).I ended up looking up at a verse I have in my cube. Other verses began to flood my mind. I opened my Bible and the Word of God spoke to my heart. I found the Truth. His name is Jesus. And at the exact moment I thought I didn't have the Spirit, He proved himself alive and active. God is so good.
Mondays are my favorite because I love listening to new Steven Furtick sermons during my lunch. God is cool. He allowed me to wander around a little bit then decided to woo me back to Him. Todays sermon was titled, "Toxic Thoughts." I smiled. How can I doubt God when He has been constantly and continuously revealing Himself in my life. He is relentless. I was reminded of the battle between good and evil this week though. I forgot about the full armor of God for a moment.
As I realzied God was proving Himself faithful and His promises true I was overwhelmed with the Spirit. I decided to stop to blog so I wouldn't forget the work God is doing in me. Even though the Spirit isn't working in and through me like I want Him too... doesn't mean He isn't in me and working there. It's obvious He is. A wise Paul reminded me that my ways are not God's ways... and my thoughts are not God's thoughts. I felt encouraged to just trust God... and to trust God with the secret things in life instead of trying to figure them out and find answers for them.... specifically for things like God's judgement, suicide, interpretion of the Bible, mental illness, addiction, different religion, where people are born and live, the part humans play, the part I play, etc....
I thank God for being gentle with me and for discipleship- which is the Spirit powered process of Christ being formed in me. I'm super thankful for my committed and loving Paul who gives me so much wisdom and guidance in the Gospel.
So.... I will just trust God. In all things. How He wills. What He wills. When He wills.
And here are my sermon notes on "Toxic Thoughts" from Craig Groeschel at Elevation Church:
Toxic thoughts and detoxifying our thought life...
- The whole time he was locked in the closet- the closet wasn't even locked.
- Because he believed a lie it radically limited what he was able to do.
- So many of us are believing the toxic lies of our spiritual enemy.
- Because we are believing things that are not true, thinking on things that are not of God, we are dramatically limited and not doing all that God wants us to do.
- So many of life's battles are fought in the mind.
- Romans 7- why do I do what I don't want to do.
- Battle between spirit and flesh. Battle is decided in the mind.
- I'm not good enough, I'm not smart enough, I don't know enough... #insecure
- I was believing in my own abilities or inabilities and not believing in the power and presence of God.
- I was believing in the limitations of my own life rather than the power of God.
- Toxic: Anything containing poisonous material capable of causing sickness or even death.
- Poisoning our own soul with toxic thoughts.
- It's the thought that counts.
- Identify and reject toxic thoughts. With the help of the Spirit of God, try to identify specific negative toxic thoughts then with help of the Spirit we are going to reject them.
- Proverbs 4:23 "Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life."
- As a man thinks in his heart... so he is.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4 "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
- Prisoner locked by deception=greek word for stronghold.
- Our weapons have the power to unlock the prisoner who is believing the lies.
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
- Any thought that is not of God, we grab it- we are not it's prisoner, it becomes our prisoner and we shape it by the word of God and make it obedient to Christ.
- Negative thoughts
- I don't have what it takes. No matter how hard I try I can't do it. I can't do it all. No one appreciates me.
- Fearful thoughts
- What if I lose my job? What if I never get married? What if I don't have kids? What if I can't trust this person. What's gonna happen to my kids? Irrational things... Worry/Fear...
- Discontented thoughts
- I don't like my body. My appearance. Not attractive. Not happy unless dating. He isn't being good to me. I wish my husband was a better spiritual leader. Wish I had this in my life. Wish I had kids. If I had a bigger house. Different job. Not satisfied with where I am...
- Critical thoughts
- I'd never do that. This place wouldn't work with out me. I don't like my staff. Critical spirit...
We've got to guard our thoughts! Carefully! If you want to find things to be fearful about, discontent about, negative about, critical about... it is very easy. You choose what you think about. You can find what you are looking for.
The battle is fought in the mind... you get to choose. You're gonna find what you're looking for. Look for something bad you can find it. See God working you can find it.
Identify and reject your toxic thoughts.
- Jeremiah 12:3 "Yet, You know me, O Lord; You see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter!"
- If anything inconsistent with your character, with your heart, with your Truth, with you... drag these thoughts off like sheep to be butchered.
- Don't let my displeasing thoughts in my mind- I'm going to identify and reject those thoughts.
- Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
- Phil 4:8 "Whatever is true and noble and right and lovely and admirable... if anything is excellent or praiseworthy we should think about such things."
- Bad translations
- I'm believing this... but it's inconsistent with God's word- I'm going to butcher that.
- Scripture says this is true so I'm going to think about this.
- Thinking God's word then you are living God's word
- Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, please, and perfect will."
- Changed with the renewing of our mind as we take God's word in...
- Stop thinking lies and start thinking truth.
- Believe what God says and do what God says.
- Identify toxic thoughts. Recect them. Replace them.
**Don't be locked in the closet that Jesus has already unlocked. Open the door and do what God has called you to do. Don't you dare stay locked up in that prison.**
- I can't do it: No, You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.
- I'm not good enough. No God's word says you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus go do what God has called you to do.
- I'm just used goods. No you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, Behold, all of that stuff is gone I have been made new. OPen the door. Go do it.
- God's never gonna heal me, I'm not able to lead through this, I'm stuck... No, scripture says all things are possible.
- I can't handle this. No, I can handle everything with the power of Christ.
- I'm never going to make a difference. No, I have been created and chosen, called by God on earth at this time to make a difference for His name.
- My boss is a jerk. I am the light of the world. And I am God's secret agent sent into the world to shine the light of Christ.
- I can never forgive them. No Christ is in me... I can forgive I choose to I will forgive. I will be a blessing.
- I'm lonely and miserable. No, I've got more time to serve God than other people and I will maximize my life for His glory.
- I can't get it all done. No, I have everything I need for life and Godliness. You have everything you need to do everything God has called you to do.
*Don't you dare be locked up by lies in that prison. Jesus filled you with the spirit, identify the lie, replace it with the truth, think about good things, pure, lovely, open the door and do what God has called you to do.
I pray Your word would renew our minds with Your truth, I pray that we would identify and reject any toxic thoughts that poison our soul, replace them with Your truth, meditate on Your Word, and become who you called us to be. Thank you that we have the mind of Christ, that You that Your Word washes us and renews us. Thank You that Your Word is empowering Your church to make a difference in this town and beyond. Thank You that as we think on Your word we can do what You call us to do and You will get all the glory for Your work through Your church.
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