God wants you to think supernaturally
Notes
Transcript
Handout
God wants you to think supernaturally
God wants you to think supernaturally
One day at the church
By the time the morning service was about to being, there was only one man in the church.
The pastor said to him "It looks like everyone has slept in. Do you want to go home, or should I preach the sermon?"
The man replied "When I go to feed the cows and only one comes, I still feed it."
The pastor took that as a yes, mounted the pulpit and delivered an hour long sermon.
At the end, he asked the man, what he thought.
The man replied "When I go to feed the cows, and only one comes, I don't give it the whole bay of hay"
Series: What God wants us to learn from Covid 19
Series: What God wants us to learn from Covid 19
1. Trust God over Man
1. Trust God over Man
2. Be continually Filled with the Holy Spirit for the purpose
2. Be continually Filled with the Holy Spirit for the purpose
3. We are Better together
3. We are Better together
4. Don’t forget God when He Prospers you (Lukewarm)
4. Don’t forget God when He Prospers you (Lukewarm)
5. God wants you to think Supernaturally
5. God wants you to think Supernaturally
pray
Retired Preacher man Sits on his sofa....
And he sees on the news channel there's a massive storm and flash floods coming.. news channel says to evacuate but he's stays put...
The Rain begins and so the flood waters rise.. his sofa starts to float .. so he climbs out onto the window ledge and a rescue boat comes along..
" *Jump on buddy we will save you* ! " shout The rescuers...
the old preacher says.. " *No.. I have my faith.. God will save me* .. *
So the rescue boat leaves... And the flood waters rise and the rain gets harder..
Now the preacher man climbs the drain pipe and is standing on the edge of his roof... Flood waters raging past.. and another boat comes along and they shout to him... " *Jump on buddy we will save you* !"
" *NO* " ! replies the old man.. " *I got my faith and God will save me* "
So the boat leaves... And the rain doesn't stop.. and the waters get higher..
So the preacher man is standing on his chimney.. holding onto the TV antenna for dear life...
A helicopter hovvers overhead throws down a ladder and shouts
" *Jump on buddy will save you* !"
" *NO* " ! shouts the old man... " *I HAVE MY FAITH AND GOD WILL SAVE ME* !"
SUDDENLY
THE FLOOD WATERS WIPE THE OLD MAN OUT HE DROWNS AND DIES....
so now the old retired Preacher man is walking through heaven.. and he sees god sitting on his chair Infront of him..
He says to God .. " *GOD I HAD MY FAITH... WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ME* ? ! "
GOD replies.. ", *well I sent two boats and a helicopter... What more can you ask for* "
God works in some practical -natural ways. there is no denying that
But I feel God is wanting his Children to go deeper into the Supernatural.
Since God is supernatural, everything He does is supernatural
the Supernatural is natural to Him
So when God works through us, it should be supernatural.
One of the biggest shortcomings of the church is we often try and do church in the natural.
figure out this or discover how to do that,
generally through our own human logic and abilities
But I believe God want to shake that up!
I believe for the church to accomplish the will of God we have to embrace the Supernatural lifestyle
I believe for the church to accomplish the will of God we have to embrace the Supernatural lifestyle
and that all begins with changing the way we think
We need to think God thoughts! So we can do God things!
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Don’t simply think what the world thinks
be changed because you think different than the world
So the will of God can be carried out in your life!
If you want the will of God done in your life, you can’t afford to think the way the world thinks.
If you want the will of God done in your life, you can’t afford to think the way the world thinks.
So How do we do that?
The process is called renewing the mind
it can be described as changing from thinking like a person to thinking the way God thinks
Thinking God thoughts.
The issue many Christians have, is their thoughts are not very different from the way the people in the world think.
sure we may have a little more hope
treat one another with respect
don’t lie or steal
don’t cheat on your spouse
these thoughts are similiar with how many in the world thinks
there are many moral people who are not Christians
So what exactly needs to be renewed?
Well lets expand this verse a little
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
We cannot begin the process of renewal if we aren't willing to lay down everything that isn't Him.
For a moment, imagine yourself in the throne room of God. Standing before Him, you hold a beautiful silver tray. On the tray are beautifully wrapped boxes with white ribbons. Each box is labeled - my mind, my heart, my personality, my life, my body, and my emotions - all stamped on little tags. Standing before God, you hold out this tray. You are presenting a living sacrifice. You ask the Lord to take it all. You offer everything on that tray.
CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD.
CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
When we conform to the world, we are fashioning our lives and conduct by those around us instead of living a life that resembles the life of Christ.
Conforming to the world looks like:
Fashioning our lives or conduct by the thoughts and opinions of those around us, including those we follow on social media, rather than on what Scripture says.
Trying to fit in with the behaviors or customs of the world at work, in relationships, or even in the church.
Placing our worship over and above anything else but Jesus.
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Transformation can only come when we change the way we think.
What is conceived in the mind, is carried out by the body.
The enemy of renewal
The enemy of renewal
“The great enemy of renewal is conformity. The work of the Holy Ghost first begins in the understanding, and is carried on to the will, affections, and conversation until there is a change of the whole man into the likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. To be godly, is to lift up ourselves to God.” - Matthew Henry
CONFORMED PEOPLE:
Follow the crowd
Put on a mask
Assume an outward expression that doesn’t match what’s happening inside. It’s an act, a show, and an attitude that says “Fake it until you make it”.
TRANSFORMED PEOPLE:
Metamorphoō as the Bible says.
They undergo a process of metamorphosis and literally change into another form . . . that being the image of The Father.
When our lives are yielded to the will of God, that will is good and acceptable and lines up with our will because we are renewed in Him.
Our life becomes His. By allowing God to transform our minds, we will know the perfect will of God for our lives, and begin to walk it out.
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
When the sons and daughters of God are revealed – when the presence and Kingdom of God is manifested in us and through us, when we meet with God – something happens in the natural world as a consequence.
I can’t explain or describe it, but something happens between heaven and earth when we, as the children of God, encounter God and His power and presence.
This is why creation longs for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed – it longs for the connection, the revelation, the transformation that happens to it when we are revealed.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
I have spoken many times on God’s desire to see His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
God has chosen to manifest this through His children.
when God’s Kingdom is revealed, and God’s will is done here on earth as in heaven, something shifts in the natural world.
What that will look like I do not know
You may be thinking aren’t all christians God children.
In theory Yes ......In practice NO
Operating in this relationship is a direct product of renewing of your mind.
Let me explain
There is an evolution of relationship
Not in the way the God sees us, but in the way we perceive ourselves before God
Slave> Friend > Child>Joint Heir
Slave
Slave
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Slave does what they are told, not always why?
the goal here is obedience
Friend
Friend
“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Now you developed more intimacy with the father.
you have a knowledge of What God is doing
Obedience is still present, but it allows you to progress in greater knowledge and understanding in the Father’s will!
Child of God
Child of God
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
Lead by the Spirit of God
Obedience>knowledge>Led by the Spirit
Joint Heir with Christ
Joint Heir with Christ
and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Realize that historically, adoption was a very serious subject.
To be adopted, especially in a royal family, meant that the child would receive the same rights, name and inheritance that the blood children received.
Families did not give that privilege lightly.
They worked to preserve the lineage of families so that royal blood flowed through every successor.
God made a way for every person—Jew and Gentile—to partake in His inheritance.
And what an inheritance it is!
God didn’t give this inheritance so that you would cower in the corner and refuse to make contact with Him.
He didn’t give this inheritance so that you would repeat over and over (either verbally or mentally),
“I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy.”
And He didn’t give this inheritance so that you would refuse to claim your rights, saying,
“Oh no, I couldn’t ever do that. I’m just a sinner saved by grace.
I’ll just sit here, take whatever comes my way and be content.”
No, your Father gave you a royal inheritance so that you could “quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us”
“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
So, get rid of the religious attitude that says you’re a sinner saved by grace.
Start seeing yourself as a child of the Most High God—a joint heir with Jesus
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
The change will come to this world and to nature when God’s kids start understanding what that is and what it means.
The church can no longer conform to the thinking of the world
We must make effort to renew our minds so we can start thinking the way a child of the King thinks!
Step 1 Stop waiting for an outside miracle to change your mind
Step 1 Stop waiting for an outside miracle to change your mind
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Step 2. Stop believing that you can’t control your thoughts.
Step 2. Stop believing that you can’t control your thoughts.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Step 3. What you feed your mind with becomes a mindset.
Step 3. What you feed your mind with becomes a mindset.
Garbage in garbage out
Step 4. Confess what you believe, not what you feel.
Step 4. Confess what you believe, not what you feel.
Don't use your mouth as a thermometer, which only reads the temperature of your current condition, allow God's word to turn your mouth into a thermostat, which changes the temperature of your life by confessing what God says.
Step 5. Resist negative thoughts, assist positive thoughts
Step 5. Resist negative thoughts, assist positive thoughts
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Step 6. Celebrate the process.
Step 6. Celebrate the process.
It is going to take time to see change in your mind.
I think there is a reason why God took six days to create the world instead of one day.
He wanted to show us how to go through the process of change.
Each day something great was done and God would end the day by celebrating what was done, instead of complaining about what was still not done.
On the third day, when there was still so much work to be done, God saw that it was good.
God did not look at what still was unfinished.
Much was yet to be done but He celebrated what was complete.
Step 7. Expect miracles
Step 7. Expect miracles
“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Expecting something good to happen is a choice.
It is an act of our faith.
A person with a renewed mind has positive expectations in the forefront of their mind.
Do not let your imagination create an image in which things will go bad for you, such as sickness worsening, relationships breaking, business failing, etc.
Replace those negative imaginations with promises from God’s Word.
Prayer