Sermon Tone Analysis

We're going to *pick up* we *left off* last time.

In *last week's message* be dealt with, *"Redeemed from the Curse of Poverty."*

The title of *today's message* is, *"Delivered from the World."*

*I) *Turn with me to *Romans 12:1-2a*.

*A) *In sharing this message of prosperity for God's people, *I want to make it clear* that *I am not saying that we are to be prosperous like the world.*

*1) **I have no desire to be like the world*.

*2) **I want to become like that delightsome land* *spoken of by Malachi* in (*Malachi 3:12*).

*(a) **He said* *all the world would look at these people* *and say*: *"They are blessed.*

*They have something we don't have.*

*The hand of God must be upon them."*

*(b) **When he says*, *"Be not conformed to this world;"* *he's telling us* *not to be like the people of this world*, but *even more specific* *not to think like they think*.

*B) **Romans 12:2a and b*.

*1) *The *word* *"TRANSFORMED"* is the *Greek word* *“METAMORPHOO”* which we get our word *"metamorphosis.*"

*(a) **It's like a caterpillar* *going through the process of metamorphosis* *to become a butterfly*.

*2) **We are going through this type of metamorphosis*, *a complete transformation*, *or process of change*.

*(a) **This process started* *when we're born again*, *but* we *have to move on from that point*.

*(b) *This *process affects our soul* (or *mind*, *will*, and the *emotions*), *but it also includes* our *body*, our *finances*, our *family*, our *health*, our *life*, and *all that were involved in*.

*3) **There is to be a complete transformation of our lives*.

*We cannot stay hooked up to the world system*.

*(a) *It *doesn't ma*tter what the *price of gasoline* may be; we're not tied to that.

*(b) *It *doesn't matter* what happens to the *stock market* *or* *interest rates*; we're not tied to that.

*(i) **We don't belong to that system*.

*(c) **We belong to the kingdom of God*.

*(d) **We are to be transformed* *from the ways of this world and to be completely revolutionized into the ways of God's kingdom.*

*C) **How is this going to happen?*

*1) **(Romans 12:2)* *says* that *it will only come to pass by the renewing of our minds.*

*(a) **Only as our old way of thinking like the world thinks* *is replaced by the truth of God's Word*.

*(b) **We have to change the way we think* *and the way we look at things.*

*2) **Once we begin to do that*, *we're on the road to prosperity.*

*(a) **We change the way we think* *by starting to think in terms of having a covenant with God.*

*(b) **When you find yourself in the middle of a need* *remember you're not standing there alon*e.

*(i) **Our God is in us* *and with us just as he was with Moses at the Red Sea.*

*3) **The same God who raised Jesus from the dead* *is telling us that he is going to meet our needs.*

*But we have to change the way we think.*

*We have to renew our minds.*

*WHY?*

*4) **(Romans 12:2)* *says*, *"That he may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."*

*(a) *The word *"PROVE"* is a *little blind* to us.

*(b) *The *Strong's concordance* *says* it means, *"To recognize as genuine after examination."*

*(i) **In other words*, *after your mind is renewed to think like God thinks* *you will be able to recognize that good*, *and acceptable*, *and perfect*, *will of God*.

*D) **We can't really begin to know God's will* *without renewing our mind* *and changing the way we think*.

*1) **But how do we renew our mind?*

*2) *James makes it pretty clear.

*James 1:21*.

*(a) **Here we have another biblical phrase*, *"saving your soul,"* which is *synonymous* *with renewing the mind*.

*(b) **How do we do that?*

*By receiving with a teachable spirit the Word of God.*

*II) **For us to walk in the covenant of prosperity* *we have to get it in our heart to such a degree* *that when a storm arises* *the 1st thing out of our mouth is* *that* *God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.*

*A) **It has to be in our heads* *in our hearts* *and in our mouths* *that God will always provide.*

*B) **Even when you're faced with a challenge*, *now don't anybody get flaky on me* *and say*, *"Well I'm not going to pay the minimum payment on my credit card* *because I believe that it's going to be paid off."*

*1) **If you don't pay at least the minimum paymen*t on your credit card *you just violated a contract* you have with the lender and *God's not going to honor that.*

*(a) **You just keep making the payments* *and believe God* *with all your heart* *that everyone of your needs are met* *and that everyone your bills are paid* *and that you have more than enough.*

*(b) **Refuse to doubt*.

W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, November 04, 2001.

And did on page 36 from the book entitled "Our Covenant of Prosperity" by Marcus Bishop.