217 – Liberty and Freedom in Jesus Christ Part 2
By
Steve Jaynes
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The battlefield is the Mind.
Just like any soldier or an athlete getting ready for a competition, we need to be getting ready for our daily competition, our daily fight with our adversary. We do this in our minds, in our thoughts. We fight against the thoughts and ideas that come from our adversary.
2 Corinthians 10:3 - 5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"
NAU 2 Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,"
Ephesians 6:11 & 12 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [methods] of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Two kinds of wisdom:
James 3:13 - 17 "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
Two spiritual kingdoms:
God's kingdom and the devil's Kingdom.
Satan influences our lives by manipulating the world around us with endless suggestions and endless distractions. Both negative and positive distractions are sometimes called pressures or pleasures. In both kinds of distractions, you must judge if it's a distraction from what God wants you to do. We must know the word.
2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
NAU 2 Timothy 2:15 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."
Satan has fronts. He doesn't want you to know his true intention, which is to be worshipped like the true God or instead or above the true God.
Some of Satan's fronts are:
Yourself, To be a self-worshipper is to be a Satan worshipper.
Other people,
The environment,
Idols or Religion,
Politics which is religion. (A belief system.)
Families and Children,
Social Causes.
Let's look at families and children.
Matthew 10:34 - 40 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."
Remember, we should always keep God first, keeping our perpendiculars right with God.
Luke 8:19 - 21 "Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it."
Mark 3:20 & 21 "And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 And when his friends [friends: or, kinsmen] heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself."
NAU Mark 3:21 "When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses."
Mark 3:31 - 35 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
Matthew 12:46 - 50 "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
Matthew 13:54 - 58 "And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. 58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
Jesus' earthly family was not with Him in Mark 3:21, thinking he was beside himself or He had lost His senses, but maybe because of His stand on God's Word, you can see later that two of his brothers wrote Epistles. Scholars believe that the writers of James and Jude were Jesus Christ's earthly half-brothers.
Now let's look at 'social causes' as a big front of our adversary to get us off keeping God first.
Romans 1:21 - 25 "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature [creation] more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."
Stated we should keep God first, not some social cause. Someone may come up with some cause of vital importance that they think we should get behind with so much energy, focus and desire that we forget about God. That should never happen to us.
Another thing that I'd like to make clear is we should never look at the world for our sense of righteousness. Our righteousness comes to us because of the accomplished works of Jesus Christ. It is not from some man-made social injustice that we should spend all our resources, money, energy and time trying to correct.
What should we do instead?
Ephesians 5:1 - 21 "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."
Psalm 1:2 & 3 "But his delight is in the law [the Word] of the LORD; and in his law [the Word] doth he meditate [to talk to yourself and others about the things of God comparing spirituals things with spiritual things] day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Colossians 3:12 - 17 "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Until the next time we get together, may God bless you abundantly.
Agape,
The Teacher: Steve Jaynes
The Announcer: Maurice Coleman
Intro and Outro Music: Pamela LoVerme Janovyak's version of "Be Thou My Vision" from her CD Behold.
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