Sunday, November 3, 2013

I am a freedom fighter!



 

This song is the cry of my heart!! 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdCwxnZhk6Q

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

We have been set free, but set free to do what?  We are called to a life of faith expressing itself in love. Paul finishes this paragraph by saying, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6b   


But here’s the problem… You can’t give away what you don’t have!


We don’t have an adequate revelation of the love of God.  Religion has diluted it and corrupted our impression of God’s love and so often we find that people have settled for much less than what our Dad and Father wants to show to us.

Many people are saved and stuck!

Some people think that God punishes them for bad decisions.

Jesus said in John 13:34  “love one another as I have loved you.”   We are challenged to show the same love that He showed us and that love is unconditional, but we have settled for a love with conditions that we have made up or others have shaped for us.

God’s love is not conditional, it is not condemning and we really have to soak this in because we are hard ground!

In Ephesians 1 Paul wants us to get a revelation of what God has already done and show us that we have all the spiritual blessings we need and in Ephesians 3 we receive a greater revelation of God’s love.  So, how do I get a greater revelation of God’s love? Jeremiah 29:13 – seek it with all your heart!  He wants to reveal it more than you want it! 

Psalm 46:10  There is benefits to getting still – getting in the presence of God and we need more than 5 minutes!!!


Ephesians 3:14-21  Praise and worship will put you in the spirit realm.  It is an amazing entry point for us to experience the love of God.  There is counseling out there and it’s good, there is 12 step programs and they are needed; however don’t be mistaken by the power of God that can move through worship.  When we worship God with all of our heart, it changes our heart, it changes the atmosphere and it so often creates breakthrough in our lives!

Many people look at God’s love like a painting  and they only see it is one dimensional, but we need to go beyond that see all of its dimensions as Ephesians 3 challenges us to get an overview of His love, to be submerged in His love, to see His love completely spread out and washing over us.
Here is the truth.  You will produce fruit and grow when you experience His love.  We need to be rooted and grounded in it.  Love is the soil that we need to be planted in and it gives us the raw materials to love in word and in action!

Adam knew his wife.  The Bible uses the word know to describe the sexual relationship between a man and a woman.  To know this love in the passage is speaking of a very intimate knowledge – an experience that passes mere intellectual understanding of it.
Sometimes you have to get out of your normal context for God to get your attention.  Sometimes we have to get out on the mission field to experience it.

Many people want to be filled with the things of God,  the fullness of God, healing, prosperity, peace.  You need to have an experiential understanding of it.  It takes time and separation.  Its not about your timeline, it’s His.

Ephesians 3:20 It is according to the power that works in us.  Let the love of God flow on the inside of you.  He doesn’t flow outside of us.  One pastor shared that “Revival doesn’t come because you pray for it, you just need a revelation of it.”  It flows through people!

God is a real giver!   Get around a real giver and you start praising God and thanking Him for everything. It will start blessing you  Acts 13:2

God inhabits the praises of His people Psalm 22:3 KJV
He created you for relationship 1st , not service.  You can’t out give God.
When my child blesses me, thanks me and embraces me, it enlarges my heart towards them.  Now think of your heavenly Father and He wants to open the floodgates of heaven to you.  He gives good gifts to His children in spite of us.

When I look over in church and see my son raising his hands in worship, it brought tears to my eyes.  Why?  It is because I know he is entering in and engaging his spirit with the Spirit of God and something is happening inside of him.  Do we have to raise our hands?  No, but when we do, it is often an outward display of an inward reality.  1 Timothy 2:8

In order for us to get a greater revelation of God’s love we need to stop focusing on the negative things and get clarity on what is good, positive, uplifting.  Phil 4:8  It is a real drag to be around people who only talk about everything that is wrong in the world.  It sucks the life out of me.  Surround yourself with those who are carriers of God’s presence, His love and joy!

Also, don’t question God’s love for you.  Tear down the wrong doctrines that have set you back in this area.  We don’t always “feel the love”!

Philemon 1:6  We need to acknowledge it!  Don’t pray, “God, help me to feel your love” Begin to rejoice in the fact that God loves you, not the feeling of it.  You can’t trust you feeling.  If you feel it and get goosebumps, great, but don’t live for that it.  Thank him for the peace and the joy.  You already have it, just acknowledge it!

Some of you are feeling junkies, get over it.  Don’t wait to ask God for something you already have been given!!

Most people go by what they feel but remember that God is always present.  Whether you see or it or not, He’s there.  Remember God loves you and you are His amazing child.  Thank Him for what He says about you.  Get to the place where the Word is enough. For example, believe that when the Word says you will lay hands on the sick that they will be healed!  Don’t wait for the feeling – pray in faith.

You can’t sustain the spiritual emotional highs.

He is more desirous to reveal himself to you than you are to look for Him.  Thank Him for what you are experiencing NOW even before it happens.

When you get to the place where you seek God with all your heart, where you long for it, you will find God and REMEMBER it looks different for everybody!

So, thanks to everyone who joined us for Friday Feast as 20 people joined us for a great time of food, worship music and sharing with each other.    Here is a testimony from one of those who joined us.

When I worship God I am led by the Holy Spirit, I mean in terms of how to worship. I stay in the moment and move about as I am led. Last night I was in the prone position at some points because I knew I was in the presence of a Holy God. When standing on a chair I experienced the worship rising up, what an awesome and amazing experience, our worship is our love being sent upward, at least that was what I felt on that chair the adoration we all have for our Creator. What a joy and pleasure to worship with you all. 

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