Skip to main content

Meat Makes Your Heart Stronger

I have a real heart to see the true church change in such a way that she becomes more effective in people's lives, and that the Kingdom of God is advanced.

Recently I have been back doing some simple ministry at a new church - it's a safe place with some folks that love me. That's a real change from the last few years. Thank you Jesus.

In the process, I am beginning to experience personal revival - yes - even yours truly needs to press in. Hanging onto our faith; the substance of which is the power of God to work through us to accomplish Kingdom objectives, is not enough. I have been studying, reading, and worshipping. I was before, but I seem to be connecting with God better. In the process I have uncovered few things that make some sense to me now.

The first is healing prayer. Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. If you take even a few moments to look over your own life, there is going to be some soul sickness there. There will be wounds, curses will have been spoken over us, and in the worst cases demon possession.

I realize that getting "well" is an ongoing process, and sanctification takes time. What I have noticed is that spiritual health is a blend of truth which we put into action, divine intervention; both sovereignly and through prayer, and confession of our sins one to another.

Here are some areas that we can address in order to have greater spiritual health. It is unlikely that we will have any success without surrounding ourselves with others that can minister to these areas in our lives.

- Sin: There is nothing that can replace heart felt confession. The greatest healing we can have is to confess our sins to God and another; getting relief from guilt and shame. Peter says that in that alone we will be healed.

- Appropriating Truth: Is your life stressed out or filled with worry? What keeps you from apprehending the truth of a verse like this: Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." We have to partner with God to mature into a faith that believes His word and maturity that puts it into action.

- Functioning Relationships: We cannot be lone rangers. Without loving relationships, we will have trouble relating to God. He has given us each other, and spiritual gifts, as well as limitations so that we will minister to, and need each other in the body.

- Purpose: We need to have desires and a purpose that is from God. The American dream is not a biblical reality. There are many Christians throughout the world that do not have a family with children, a house with a white picket fence, and 2 cars in the driveway. On a good day our "lot" in life is only a small part of our purpose here on earth. True purpose comes from being valued by God, and understanding His destiny for our lives and being obedient to follow His will. Letting go of our own ideas is the hard part.

- Curses/Possession: You cannot counsel out generational curses or demons. It is a purely spiritual matter. I am not sure that one can even do it on his own. I do know that getting free of oppression, and possession is through prayer. There are lots of ways this stuff manifests in our lives. Some we bring on ourselves by dabbling in various forms of the occult, and some is brought on by simply being the next generation. Addiction, divorce, hereditary physical ailments - it is all under God control, and can be stopped in its tracks with prayer.

- Healing Prayer: It is essential that we recognize our need and get with folks that can help us get free of the "fleshy" things that keep the "old man" from dying. Our "new man" is perfect, and waiting to be fully released!

How about you, do you feel spiritually healthy, and free of bondage?

Comments

Tony C said…
I agree brother that church CAN be effective in people's lives if the church is focused on serving God. Too often, the mission for the Kingdom is lost in selfish, narcissistic behaviors.

Confession is crucial for revival too. Broad sweeping confessions of 'forgive me for my sins' or 'forgive me where I fail you' are generic and worthless. God sees each and every sin, and until we see them in our lives and confess each one to Him...you've got an albatross necklace my friend.

Just a few Sundays ago, my pastor challenged the congregation in a 'double, dog dare' (serious stuff) to write down specific sins that needed repentance. Not 'forgive me for lying' but i.e. 'forgive me for telling Candice _________ which was a lie.'

Talk about revival! Looking at my list quickly reminded me how much I need God daily in my life.
photogr said…
Spiritually I think I am ok. I put my trust in the Lord to lead me in what I should do and let Him handle a crisis that pops up in my life. Lately there have been many in this community I live in but He seems to have control of that.

The one thing I have problems with is being in a church environment the way God wants us to be. I find it hard to open up or even try after my recent experiences at one particular church so I just avoid the physical contact but yet continue on in my faith by praying, reading scriptures, and tending to others in need in my community.

Popular posts from this blog

Mad Libs: An Unforgettable Church Service

Hopefully you have heard of Mad Libs (R) ! They are stories that you blindly fill in the blanks for articles of grammar and then read the completed story. Since I was a kid, these have always been a hoot. I decided to make up my own. Just fill in the blanks next time you are at small group and then read it back. It is sure to shake up a few religious spirits. An Unforgettable Church Service We arrived at _________ ( time of day ) at the Church of the Holy _________ ( noun ). It was ___________ ( day of week ) and we got out of the _________ ( mode of transportation ). We were dressed in our __________ ( day of week ) best. We all held _________ ( plural body part ) as we crossed the street. Today was special because it was ___________ (holiday) and the kids look forward to receiving _________ ( noun ) as part of the celebration. Pastor _________ ( name ) was there to greet us and shake our ________ ( body part ). He welcomed my __________ ( family member ) with a big _________ ( bodil...

God is Great, Beer is Good, and People are Crazy

There was a discussion on Facebook today about how some people think Christians are "whack jobs." Regardless, God is still great. I don't really know much about beer. I haven't had one in just about 30 years. There are a lot of folks that consider themselves to be Christian. Some because they do good, and others because they have faith in God or are born again-- and others because they grew up in a Christian denomination. Far be it from me to decide who is in, and who is out. Some say we'll be surprised at who is going to be there, and others say who think they are in will be surprised when they are rejected at the Pearly Gates. Hmmm... But let's say you are a real Christian who is feeling passionate about doing something for God. You know something beyond throwing a few bucks in the offering plate and trying to be a good person. The church calls it service or ministry, which could include such things as: reading scriptures on Sunday morning, planning a harves...

5 1/2 The Home Group Experience

For years I have attended small groups, or home fellowships as they are sometimes called. They are an interesting blend of intimacy, arm chair theology and the real Jesus. Here is my take on the anatomy of a home or small group meeting -1 Worship: This is the time when we tell the Lord how much we love him in song. We praise him as the wight of the world lifts off our shoulders and we come into the presence of Almighty God. Err - get something to drink, take a large handful of chocolate covered pretzels because we skipped dinner, and make a plan for the soft couch instead of the miniature folding chairs from kids church. -2 Unofficial Potty Break: On the 15th chorus of I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (how come no one dances to that song?) it's a good time to beat the rush. Beware, once someone gets up, it is a sign for others to make their moves for the coffee pot, the peanut dish and the brownies. It is a li...