Friday, September 28, 2012

The 'new normal'

I was listening to a woman tell me she felt frustrated within herself pertaining to her own spiritual growth.  She said she felt stalled out & had run out of gas.  I listened intently for her explanation as to why she had stalled and she gave no answer, just those rolled up eyes and that frustrated deep breath people take when they are stuck.  I want to lay out an explanation that I believe fits that feeling. (Of course there are other reasons for that. No spiritual issue is generally limited to any one solution.)
Recently we are, yet again, being "force-fed" culture's idea of a "new normal". In actuality, it is really just the same old sin the devil has deceived people with down through the course of history....with disastrous results. But I want to talk about a new normal for the child of God....one of power and knowledge of how to live a solid life in Christ.
Lets start by looking at the Apostle's. Their life is a great model.  Note that the apostle's were saved while enjoying very powerful personal times with Jesus, but it's important to realize that they showed very little power while with Him. It wasn't until Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit juiced them up, that their lives took on a power they hadn't had previously.
 This was the beginning of a great heavenly deposit of power into the Apostles life and it was just the start.  When the Holy Spirit began to move in these men of God it was a time when what they had known as a Jew, or a carpenter, a tax collector, or fisherman was shattered by what was now going to be their 'Christ life', their 'new normal'.  In order for what was going to be the 'Christ life' to become the 'new normal' the Apostle's had to crucify their flesh and accept these new moves of God. There was going to be a 'new normal' for these men as they would now walk in not just a knowledge or intuition but a very real, demonstratable...... 'POWER' of God.
I would like to make this next statement the thrust of my thoughts today. You must have a relevant 'cross life,'  before you can have a sustainable 'resurrection life,' or life in the 'Spirit,' which is a Christians 'new normal.' In order for the apostle to enjoy the power of their 'new normal,' they had to continually lay their carnal life down at the cross.  They had to subdue their flesh, they had to continually be crucified.  They had to maintain an active yielding of the things and desires of the flesh so as to enjoy the 'POWER' of the resurrection life.
You know, one of the perils for those of us who live in the Spirit is to forget the necessity to continuously put to nought the flesh and the desires of the flesh.  We always have a carnal nature that will try to subdue that 'new normal.' For a 'new normal' to flourish and get stronger there must be a death of the flesh "stuff". You can't have a resurrection life without a death. The problem today is that to many Christians get saved and they crucify their flesh and put the 'self life' on the cross, nailed down tight at first but then as their walk progresses they forsake the position of death and try to live a resurrection life based simply on that first visit to the cross. (That is the danger of becoming "lukewarm" which Christ warns us against.) In order for your resurrection life, your 'new normal,' to thrive there must be a continuously maintained death of the flesh. It is ongoing, constantly needing kept in check! That is why a Christains life sometimes stalls out. We have to be aware that the 'Spirit' life is the strongest when the carnal life is the closest to death. (Gal 5:24-25 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (KJV)
Continually review your wants and desires and always keep your ear to the Lord (read the Book He wrote for you) so He can show you how to live a POWERFUL 'new normal.'



Friday, September 21, 2012

Praise a Weapon of Spiritual Warfare Part 3

It doesn't seem long ago when Karen and I and the boys were on the farm.  Farm life was good and I loved it.  But farm life is different from regular life in that a farm community's life is so often based on the future, on an uncertain tomorrow.  But that life, while based on uncertainty, has to be lived out in a positive hope-filled today.
Let me explain this because it represents what I want to teach but I'm sure it isn't clear yet. A farmer goes and spends a small fortune on seed. [This summer we met a farmer in Kansas who spent $40,000.00 on seed for just one field.] That farmer takes that seed and he plants it into the ground.  From that time on he has to hope that rain, or sun, devastating hail or plagues of insects do not destroy that field. What a huge gamble it is! But if you talk to the farmer and his humble family they will talk about the crop that they will harvest as though it were already totally grown and at the market. They base their family income on the hope, not the certainty, that that seed will bring an acceptable harvest. They plan on the future even though it is not in. The new computer, the mortgage, the new truck, or barn repairs are all coming out of that crop and they are living in the hope that that harvest comes in. "But it isn't even half grown yet", you might say. They are living now while the crop is still just coming up and spending the money hoping the harvest is good tomorrow.
That is risky business but it's an example of a biblical truth about 'praise.' That farmer is grateful even before the crop is in.  He is talking about what he will do before the crop has even gone to market.  His hope and future is being talked out even before the reapers have hit the field.  It is his 'faith talk'. He is grateful that it is coming, it is going to fill the trucks, it is going to prosper them and bring securty.
What person announces gratefulness before the thing to be greateful for has even come?  Who gives thanks for something before it has even arrived? What army goes to battle singing the victory song before the battle has been won, or what soldier says to his wife we will do this and that with the spoils from our coming victory!
It seems to me that the farmers big hopes and gratefullness or the army singing the victory song before the battle are all out of order. But they aren't, it is their 'faith talk.' Shouldn't you win the battle before the band plays on? Shouldn't you have the harvest money before you begin to think of spending the money?  But the farmer, or soldier or the army gave thanks for what they were about to receive.  They are wearing their 'faith talk.' Their gratitude springs forth before the blessing had arrive, in an expression of trust that it was certainly on its way. Their 'faith talk'  is the exact opposite of the groans of wavering faith and the complaints of discouraged hearts. The 'faith talk'  goes before the miracle!
Praising is actually the most vital thing you can do if you are trusting for a miracle! You need to sing God's praise even before the miracle. You need to be grateful even before the thing has arrived.
So many things God does comes out of our 'faith talk.' If you need a miracle today begin to put on your 'faith talk,' and praise God and trust God and live knowing and believing your harvest, victory or spoils are on their way. Even though you see nothing that resembles an answer, praise Him because God responds to your ''faith talk' called praise!

Friday, September 7, 2012

Praise: A Weapon of Spiritual Warfare Pt #2


Prov 11:25b,
"he that watereth shall be watered also himself'. (KJV)
When we talk about praise we don't always have to talk about it only in the context of us using it to worship. We can also talk about praise as a weapon of warfare.
In our last article I talked about Jehoshaphat and the army of Judah defeating their enemy, the Moabites, when they sang and praised the Lord. It was then that the Holy Spirit moved against the enemy warriors, causing them to turn on each other and eventually destroying themselves. Such a story found in 2 Chronicles 20!  But the long and the short of it is the people began to bless God. 
What I am trying to get you to see is that when the people blessed God, then God turned around and blessed the people back.  Then, they didn't just win the battle, but on top of that they were given the spoils, an over abundance, so much that it took 3 days to gather up all the blessing. They didn't just win the battle, that was their prayer, but they got an over payment. More! Exceeding expectations! Is that kool or what?
Our scripture says, 'He that watereth shall be watered also himself." What that scripture means is when you bless another, there will come blessings for you. When we bless the Lord with the proper heart condition......then.....He can and will bless you.
Let's model this thought with Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. The people blessed God, honestly to bless Him, and He blessed them in a much bigger way than expected...'He that watereth shall be watered also himself.''  That is how praise becomes a weapon. When you begin to praise God; 'you are watering,' then He begins to bless you; 'those that watereth shall be watered himself,' and when He begins to bless you, the enemy is defeated, troubles begin to get resolved, encouragement begins to flow into your life, the Holy Spirit begins to work on you and your sanctification (goodness & growing to be like Christ) gets to be rich and thick. 
Then get ready for an abundance!