“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
• Paul writes to the Church of Corinth because he was engaged in warfare himself. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul mentions the thorn in his flesh being the messenger of Satan.
• We must be aware of the fact that the enemy delivers messages.
• You never know when a thought is prompted by flesh, pride or if the enemy is using the weakness of your flesh to give you a prevailing thought.
• Two things will come when you hear the word, faith (Romans 10:17) and the enemy (Mark 4:14-15).
• The enemy will always come to test what you’ve heard. It is not faith without a trial.
• Verse 5 (2 Corinthians 10:5) speaks about images and thoughts that have to be cast down. You must know what the word says about everything in order to discern your thoughts and bring those thoughts into obedience to Christ.
• Sin is disobedience to God. Through temptation, sin accomplished by not doing what God called you to do (omission) and also by doing something God tells you not to do but it is done any way (commit).
• After you cast a thought down, you need to have a readiness to revenge that thought with something positive. You cannot remain neutral and win. Example: If you were going to say something ugly to someone and you cast the thought down, say something nice.
• This is a constant battle of thoughts coming in our mind that the enemy wants us to act on
• You win through the Word
“As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:30-32
• Jesus is addressing those who were believers about what it takes to be a disciple (continue in the word). Disciple means disciplined one.
• Every believer is called to be a disciple but not all believers become disciples because not all believers continue in His Word. (Continue: habitually get in the word)
• Verse 32: those who continue in the Word will know the truth. Truth is defined by Jesus in John 17:17.
• A disciple is one who has disciplined their life to the Word of God in every season of life.
• The truth will make you free from whatever it is that has you in bondage.
• Truth moves you from outside the domain of liberty to inside His freedom
• Freedom = Free Domain (Liberty)
“Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”
Joshua 1:6-8
• Every area of your life can be prosperous. Biblical prosperity is described in 3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
• Kingdom prosperity – wholeness mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially.
• Corporate prosperity – you’ve made it because you have money. This is not wholeness!
• Whatever it is that worries you, masters you. These anxious thoughts take us off the word.
• The word has to be your first and final thought! Don’t waiver, continue and it will become habit.
• We should get to a place where our response is in line with God’s word. (Proverbs 18:21)
• Not everyone wants to sit up under the Word. Not because they don’t believe it, but because they don’t want to be held accountable to it. We should observe to do all the law.
• Understanding = comprehension to the point of application.
• Distance of the Word leaves you with a lack of freedom, freedom creates new habits which are a process.
• Only after we meditate on God’s word day and night do we observe to do all that He has written.
• The way we think guides the way we act. (Provers 23:7).
• Time in God’s word makes the Word your first thought. The word will rearrange the way you think and make you prosperous.
• God tells us that the courage we need comes from God’s word.
• Courage is not the absence of fear. It is not needed until there is fear.
• You don’t need courage until you are faced with an opposing thought. You have to act out on the word, contrary to the thought or fear that is opposing you.
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord . And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.”
Joshua 6:1-6,10,15-16
• God is trying to get Joshua to see with his faith eye what he cannot see with his physical eye.
• You have to see what God said no matter what you are seeing in the natural.
• When you speak, you make your thought public. Everyone won’t agree with the word you’ve heard. Sometimes you need to meditate on what you’ve heard and get it in your heart so that the enemy can’t talk you out of it.
• We are bad about speaking on what we don’t have. Your words, actions and thoughts should all be in harmony. What if we didn’t have to walk around wanting to retract things we’ve said?
• We talk too fast. Words are an endorsement of thoughts, you don’t need to endorse every thought.
• Don’t let your present view shake your faith. See it through the eyes of God’s word and what He says about a thing. Let the Word of God be your reality.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019 6:30PM