Critical Adversaries – Lesson #.5 How the self life is defeated or changed. – Part A Every one of us comes into this world with a dysfunction we inherited from Adam. When the Word says we are shaped in iniquity, part of it means the dysfunction of a soul driven life that was activated at Eden by Satan as the previous lesson shows clearly. The outcome of that dysfunction is that every person on earth develops a mindset. This mindset accumulates through what we acquire by family upbringing, education, other relationships, indigenous mores, lifestyle and preferences. These sum up to constitute a cultural strong hold, so to say. When the individual is saved he/she is a new creation immediately. The spirit-man is immediately made alive into a brand new creation. But the issues of strongholds and mindsets in the soul do not disappear immediately we are born again. In the sight of Yahweh, we are righteous by reason of the faith which we exercised on the propitiatory death of Yeshua, Jesus at the Cross of Calvary. In other words, even though there are issues in the soul related to the strongholds of worldly culture, the gift of righteousness is just that: a gift that is unconditionally given as an expression of the love and mercy of Yahweh which is what is called Free, Unconditional Grace! Grace does not say: you cannot be received until the issues of your mind will and emotions are dealt with! It is given by Divine Love and received by Faith! What Grace now does to he/she who has been adopted into the family of Yahweh is to supply the desire to grow in newness of life in Yeshua by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within the saint: Philippians 1:6 (KJV) 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 2:13 (KJV) 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. The grace of Yahweh released by the Holy Spirit goes to work to reveal those hidden things of the soul (strongholds of worldly thought process/mindset; negative emotions such as anger, rage, unforgiving spirit, offences and wrong exercise of the will) which are inconsistent with the new life in Jesus. The Lord therefore takes us on a new journey of perfection in the realm of the soul to bring it to the state where it is in perfect alignment with the spirit-man which in turn is subject to the Holy Spirit who resides therein. The idea is to bring us to the state of irreproachability as sons of Yahweh manifesting the culture and lifestyle of the Kingdom right here on this side of eternity: Romans 8:1-4 (KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Philippians 2:12-16 (KJV) 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 1 Peter 2:9-12 (KJV) 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. How Yahweh deals with the soul: 1. By mInistry of the Word How do we attain to this state of Kingdom living wherein our mind, will and emotions do not have motions or proclivities at variance with our spirit-man which yielded easily to Yeshua, Jesus as Lord on the day we became born again? Let us first take note that true holiness cannot be attained by humanistic methods or religiosity which tends to outward show of piety! Colossians 2:16-23 The answer is that Yahweh has a plan to sanctify or purify/cleanse every soul that is His, provided His children will embrace the appointed process. Those who yield heartily and fully obtain the fullness of sanctification in record time while those who resist delay the process. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (KJV)23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. As Yeshua, Jesus went to the Cross, the purpose was also to release that which is potent to sanctify mankind on the three dimensions of being: spirit, soul and body! Hebrews 13:12 (KJV) 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. The soul realm needs to be dealt with first in a crises experience which brings it into a state of heightened awareness of the Holy Standards of Yahweh and secondly, in a systematic and consistent fashion through most of life until it becomes fully subject to the spirit-man which is the realm of full holiness! We trust Yahweh that this download will show us the way clearly and simply! 1. Yahweh uses the Word to deal with the soul! The Word of Yahweh is one core instrument the Holy Spirit uses to achieve these effects on the human soul: Through the Word, Yahweh exposes the filth within it. That is why the Word is called Sword of the Spirit: Hebrews 4:12-13 (KJV)12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Cleanse the Soul from its filthiness of thought, raw emotions, desires and ideas it clings to. Any of these filth which tries to latch onto the spirit-man is also cleansed by the Word which is food of the spirit too! John 17:17 (KJV)17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 2 Corinthians 7:1 King James Version (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Yahweh uses the Word to Renew the mind (change the way it was configured originally as a carnal faculty) by engrafting therein, the culture of the Kingdom to replace all old worldly cultures and mindsets. Ephesians 4:23 (KJV)23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Romans 12:2 (KJV)2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. An example of the clash of cultures and the road map to true Kingdom culture is found in the Sermon on the Mount. There, Jesus repeatedly told those who heard Him what Moses said and demanded higher standards from saints! From Matthew chapter 5, 6 to 7, we see a summary of how differently God wants His own to live here on planet earth. No one can achieve same by memorizing and trying to tackle those instructions in a religious fashion. It will take total sanctification in spirit, soul and body for saints to live the way Yahweh desires. · Feeds the soul so that it becomes stronger until full maturity is attained: 1 Peter 2:1-2 (KJV) Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: As we grow up in Yeshua, there needs to come a time when we no longer linger on our babyhood stage always needing words of encouragement. At this stage, the law of growth demands that we open up to strong teaching where the Word is rightly divided to enable us to know Yahweh on a deeper level and receive the fullness of His counsel on how to live on this side of eternity as citizens of His Kingdom: Hebrews 5:12-14 (KJV)12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. As we abide in Yeshua and His Word abides in us, we can become all that He made us to be! John 15:1-7’ To be continued. Please share this freely so that the Lord may reach some people within your loop of influence with liberating truth! If you need clarification, please contact us. If you need prayer support, please write to frontlineprayer7@gmail and real prayer warriors will stand in the gap for you.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 12:27:08 +0000
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