Series: Sonship

Sun am 19 September 2010 – Kobus Swart

A summary of the word that came over the past few weeks …

“EAT MY FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD” (reproducing the Christ)

The reality of the Word that became flesh

• The crowds who followed the signs and wonders left
• Peter’s cry: “where shall we go…?”

“SIR, WE WANT TO SEE JESUS!” (The cry of the world)

• The answer of Jesus: The SEED (Jesus) must die!
• They will then see the CHRIST in His many-membered Body
• The only answer to the cry of the world: the Word must become flesh again – in you and me!

How Will The Christ Impact The World Today?

• In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal. (Joh 12:25)
• Remove the religious paradigm that distorted our picture and understanding of Jesus
• Remove the religious prism of a historical Jesus
• We must spread the fragrance of Christ in the world
• You need BOTH character and gifts
• Gifts and charisma have to be backed up by the fruit of the Spirit.
• The answer is the Holy Spirit.
• We need to be trained in righteousness!
• Young people: refuse the passing pleasures of sin!

ROMANS 8

• THIS CHAPTER OFFERS A ROAD MAP TOWARDS REACHING THE FULL STATURE – CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF THE SON!

–      No condemnation

–      Discerning between the mind set on the flesh (death), and  the mind set on the Spirit (Life)

–      Sonship: being led by the Spirit of God

–      Understanding the sufferings of the present time

–      End of futility MUST come!

–      Creation in travail – waiting for the manifestation of the SONS

–      The groaning within ourselves

–      Praying in the Holy Spirit – True intercession

–      The POWER AT WORK IN US: All things working for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose

–      Predestined to become conformed to the image of His SON!

–      NOTHING can cut us off from His love!

Towards Being Saved To The Uttermost (The Role Of The Holy Spirit)

• We need the renewal of the mind and the power of the Spirit.
• Salvation is an unfolding process
• I believe it is possible to live a gloriously sinless life! But we also have to realize that it is never impossible to sin. But if we sin we have an advocate in Jesus. He is our Intercessor!
• If we can get a glimpse of the prize of what sonship means, nothing will be too much to lay on the altar.
• The finishing generation will be sanctified: spirit, soul and body!

Towards A New Motivation Of Spirit

• In order to run this race to the end, we must frequently upgrade our motivation!
• Often we will find that what has brought us to where we are, is not enough to take us further
• “In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.”
• When those old levels dry up, then it is time to shift to a new motivation of spirit!
• Has your brook Cherith dried up?
• Remember Elijah!
• Appreciate the Living Word that separates between soul and spirit

Sonship: Overcoming The Tempter

• Mature sons are overcomers.
• Note: Parents must help their children to overcome from an early age!
• Then comes the age of accountability…
• Jesus learned obedience from the things He suffered
• He was tempted in all things as we are yet without sin (Heb. 4:15).
• Sin follows when we fail to overcome temptation: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust” (James 1:13-15)

Sonship: Overcoming The Tempter

• You can’t say, “This is too much for me!” “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it”
  (1 Cor. 10:13).
• We are empowered by the same Holy Spirit that helped Jesus to overcome! (Acts 10:38)
• The temptation today for believers is to consider softer options, going for easier alternatives, refusing to pay the price of authentic sonship.
• “He who overcomes will be called my son” (Rev. 21:7).
• Keys to overcome the Tempter. “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb (finished works) and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life (referring to their soul life, the mind, emotions and will) even when faced with death” (Rev 12:11).
• You can’t leave neutral. When you hear this Word, you are left with a challenge: am I receiving it or am I rejecting it? There is no middle ground.

RECOGNIZE THE POWER WORKING WITHIN YOU!

• There is a tremendous responsibility resting upon us – a finishing generation – who are still running the race, to realise the finishing part that we are going to play in perfecting those who died in the faith without having received the promise.
• Our mind is either being renewed or it is at war with God. We have to keep the Big Picture before us at all times! God’s intention is to bring us to the full stature of His Son.
• “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). There is a power at work in every born again Christian, and that power will only work to the degree that you allow it. This power is always linked to the Holy Spirit.
• You want to escape? Jesus Himself prayed, “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one (John17:15)
• We are called to reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ . (Rom 5)
• “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19).
• Too many believers are praying for God to change their circumstances.
• Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world
• Inner victory releases outward reign.
• Your strength is in the power resident within.

WRITTEN ON OUR HEART

• Everything God works IN you, ultimately becomes you!
• Isaiah 13:3,4 (Ampl): Myself [says the Lord] have commanded My designated ones and have summoned My mighty men to execute My anger, even My proudly exulting ones [the Medes and Persians]–those who are made to triumph for My honor. (Isa 13:4)  Hark, the uproar of a multitude in the mountains, like that of a great people! The noise of the tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathering together! The Lord of hosts is mustering the host for the battle.
• Isaiah 41:15 “Behold, I will make YOU to be a new, sharp, threshing instrument which has teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff.”
• Now I have become it

–      I make YOU a roadway in the wilderness! (Is 43:19)

–      I prepare YOU a place (In My Father’s House) You become that place. (Jn 14:2)

–      Same with Righteousness, Peace, etc YOU become it!

• Luk 4:3-12 Jesus tempted in the wilderness.

–      Every answer Jesus gave started with, “It is written…”

–      Third time Satan came, he also quoted, “It is written…”

–      Then Jesus answered: “It is said…”

–      And the devil left Him.

–      WHY? The devil quoted scripture, but Jesus WAS THE WORD MADE FLESH; IT WAS WRITTEN ON HIS HEART!  A KEY FOR US TODAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN TEMPTED.

• Rom 8:14 When we are led by the Spirit, Satan cannot correctly anticipate what road we take next.
• Jude 5: After SAVING  a people out of Egypt, God destroyed those who did not believe!

–      Faith without works is dead!

–      Born again? Continue your thrust into the Land of Promise!

–      Allow the Spirit to write His Words on your heart.