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Showing posts with label Spiritual Warfare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spiritual Warfare. Show all posts

Saturday, December 2, 2023

Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course - Lesson 3 - The Enemy


Good morning,

This morning instead of my normal "Purity" Encouragment, I have decided to launch the next lesson of the Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course.  As I stated previously:  "I developed the Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course in 2020 as part of my master’s thesis in Christian Counseling to “fill in the gaps” of the Christian Twelve Step/ Celebrate Recovery – Teaching Curriculums by introducing concepts of Christian Discipleship that I found important in my walk of faith and in my recovery over alcohol, drugs, sex addiction, and food addiction." We hope it encourages you to follow Jesus and to overcome any hurts, habits, and hang-ups that still persist in your lives. 

God Bless You All,

M.T. Clark

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Listen to the podcast: Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course - Lesson 3 - The Enemy Podcast

Or Watch it on YouTube: 




Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course - Lesson 3: The Enemy

Discipleship Principle 3 – We must know that Satan and demonic entities are real and seek to destroy us by influencing the way we think. We must be aware of their tactics to be victorious over their attempts to deceive, tempt, accuse, or condemn us by knowing who we are in Christ and by living according to our faith.

The Bible documents the existence of Satan and evil spirits on the earth and the following verses show us that the enemy can even influence the thoughts and actions of people who want to follow the Lord, people like:

Judas - John 13:2  And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,

David -1 Chron 21:1  Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel 

Peter - Matt 16:23  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

If Satan could influence these men, Christians must recognize that the battle with the enemy takes place is in our minds, and that the things we think or feel could be caused by the enemy. In our recovery, we can see that the temptations and negative mind states we experience that drive our hurts, habits, or hang-ups may come from very real “personal demons!”

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2 Corinthians 2:11 (NIV) 11  in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Whether negative mind states or demonic oppression, there are common aspects of experience that are present in people who suffer and seek to mask their pain or comfort themselves with unhealthy substances or relationships like:

·       Depression

·       Constant temptation

·       Low self-esteem

·       Tormenting “voices” or thoughts

·       Anger – Rage – Hatred – Sarcasm

·       Fear – Anxiety – Guilt - Shame

·       Distorted thoughts about God


So, are these negative states of mind, just us, or could demons be influencing us to do wrong and make decisions that can harm and potentially kill us? Individual cases vary but the good news is that remedy of faith, Christian living,  and spiritual warfare overcome these problems whether they come from the flesh, the world, or the devil.

Enemy Tactics - To defeat the enemy, we must know how he operates.  The following are the ways he seeks to lead us into darkness and keep us from being who God made us to be. The battle is in and for the mind.



Deception

2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV) …. as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

As this scripture tells us, Satan is a liar and has used this attack since the original Fall of man.  His deceptions are cunning because they are often partially true.

For those in recovery, the fact of Satan’s lying ways should cause us to do two things:

·       Always seek the Truth.  To protect ourselves, we test any information we are given by the Bible’s standards for morality and whether it is factual.  Also, Christ as the embodiment of Truth is our example and can be called on to deliver us from temptation and to give us strength.

·       Always practice the truth. – If we are turning from our old ways to God’s way for our lives, we must make a personal commitment to always be honest.

Ephesians 4:25-27 says 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

=================================================================The enemy’s goal is to use lies to keep us locked in our vicious cycle of temptation, sin, accusation, and condemnation.

Temptation

Matthew 4:1 tells us that “Jesus was …. tempted by the devil.”  

Genesis 3:4-5 tells us that the enemy lied and tempted Eve by saying, "You will not surely die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

If the devil tempted Jesus, he would certainly tempt you and me. From the first temptation of Eve in the garden, we can discern a few things about his methods. When the enemy tempts us, he:

·       contradicts God’s word.

·       attempts to convince us to meet legitimate needs in illegitimate ways.

·       often exaggerates the desirability of the object of temptation to the exclusion of other aspects of it or from the consequences of giving into temptation. 

So, when we are tempted, we need to follow our first principle and seek the truth. If it is against God’s word, we need to stop and refuse.  If the immediacy of giving in is being pushed, we need to pause and contemplate the consequences of giving in. 

Will giving in go against what you what you want as a follower of Jesus Christ?

Will it result in eventual shame, guilt, or emotional, mental, or physical pain?  

1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that  “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

If we examine our desires, thoughts, and experiences as they happen, we can:

·       see when we are tempted,

·       challenge the temptation with the truth, and

·       stop the vicious cycle in its tracks.

We take “the way of escape” by changing what we are thinking, and what we are doing, or by physically leaving where we are.  Since coming to faith in Christ we have been set free, but we need to believe it and take the “way of escape.”

If we say no to temptation one time, we prove we are free. Sustained victory is just continuing to believe that we are free and repeating that victory, one day at a time. This is how our freedom can be won and maintained: through our faith

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That seems simple enough, but can it really work? With God nothing is impossible, but we have to cooperate with Him and understand the sin that so easily besets us. 

Sin

1 John 5:18-19  We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.  We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

These verses tell us that the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one but the Christian is different. Those who put their faith in Jesus are born of God and have the power to say no to sin.  To help us to make that truth a reality, we must understand sin.  

Sin is meeting legitimate needs in illegitimate ways. Sin is “missing the mark”, by not living according to the way God’s word instructs us. God does not deny us pleasure, but He does prohibit that which will harm us or lead us into darkness.

For every need we have, God has a plan to meet it. The need for sustenance is met in nutritious food and drink. The need for intimate love is met in marriage. The need for joy is met with enjoyment, gratitude, and contentment for the things God has provided and for the fellowship we have with Him and others who know and love Him.

The Bible makes it clear that Christians do not make a practice of sinning.  To be in harmony with who we are in Christ and God, those in recovery need to embrace their freedom from sin and turn from the old ways that would associate them with the enemy. To do this we need to do two things: We must love the Lord and learn to hate our sin.

John 14:15 (NKJV)  15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

·       Love - We need to love God and make our obedience to His word an expression of our love for Him./  The way we live and communicate with God is our relationship with Him. Our obedience demonstrates that we understand and love Him.

Psalm 119:104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore, I hate every false way.

·       Hate – We need to change the way we think about our sin. We need to hate it.

Our substance or sin of choice is something we find pleasure in. We enjoyed the sensations of our sin and that is why walking away can feel so unnatural. 

However, if we honestly look at our sin, we will see that there was a good deal of pain, desperation, and suffering involved with it.  Our sin’s darkness was revealed by its bad consequences. Our not following God’s ways leads to shame, guilt, loss, and pain.

To hate our sin, we must look at the truth of how bad it truly was and change how we think and feel about our sin. We must remember the consequences and learn to hate our sin for what it is: a lie and a trap of the enemy who seeks to destroy us.

=================================================================Accusation

 Revelation 12:10 …. the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

When we sin, the enemy is delighted and uses our sin to accuse us of not being “real Christians” and that we are not free from sin. He claims that our failure proves that sin is a fact of our life that we cannot escape. If we believe him, we stay in bondage.

Condemnation

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Condemnation is a feeling of “strong disapproval”. While accusations usually cease after sins are committed, the enemy keeps a steady stream of condemnation in the afflicted person’s mind to keep them in chains. What we may think of as negative self-talk could be assisted or created by the enemy’s influences.  His condemnations make us feel low, but he is only setting us up.

When we are low enough, the enemy is there to lie and tempt us to sin once again, completing the vicious cycle of deception, temptation, sin, accusation, and condemnation!

But the good news is that when we are in Christ there is hope because the battle has already been won by Jesus. We just must use the authority He has given us and claim our victory. 

Authority

Matthew 28:18 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Luke 10:17 (NKJV) 17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

Christ’s victory on the cross has been passed on to those who have faith in Him. We have the authority to cast out evil spirits, say no to sin, and live a victorious new life.

Resist Him – Fight

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6  and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

These verses tell us that even though we have authority over the enemy, we must resist him. Our battlefield is the mind. Resisting the enemy involves challenging every thought that would tempt, accuse, or condemn us as untrue. Proclaiming and living according to truth and our identity in Christ is our means of victory.  Our tactic is to stand on the truth of God’s word and reject any thoughts that would come against us. When we have the truth of God’s word as our foundation for living, we can break the enemy’s vicious cycle and begin living in the Spirit where God guides us into a virtuous cycle that bears witness of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.

The Holy Spirit indwells all believers and motivates us to live according to God’s will for our life which results in “good works” such as refusing to sin, reading the Bible, praying, going to church, doing acts of kindness or service, being generous, being loving, forgiving others, sharing the gospel, and seeking to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.  The good works confirm that the word of God is true and that we are new creations, and this encourages us to endure and to continue to follow Christ regardless of circumstances. Living our lives for God confirms our identity in Christ which encourages, and motivates us to progressively follow Him into more freedom.

To break the vicious cycle that has plagued our lives, we must live out our new lives in Christ by renewing our minds to think and act according to God’s way for our lives, replacing our hurts, habits, and hang-ups with the hope, love, and joy that comes from living a life that is infused with meaning and purpose from God.

 


Wrap Up

In this lesson, we presented the fact that as Christians we all have a common enemy in Satan and the forces of darkness. He seeks to destroy us but will settle for making us ineffective by keeping us in bondage to our sin.  The enemy’s primary tactic is deception. If we believe the enemy’s lies rather than the truth of who we are in Christ, we make ourselves vulnerable to his attacks. 

The battlefield is the mind as scripture has indicated that the enemy can put thoughts into our consciousness to deceive us, tempt us, accuse us, and condemn us.  The enemy uses our weaknesses against us and causes us to stay locked in our “vicious cycles” through a cyclical strategy to tempt us into sin only to accuse and condemn us to make us prone to another subsequent fall. 

The fact that these are spiritual attacks makes it difficult to discern if we are just battling our flesh or if it is indeed an enemy agent that is continually pulling us into darkness.

 

The good news is that the remedy for either one is the same. We are to resist the enemy by appealing to the Truth of God’s Word and who we are in Christ. If we continually seek the truth, we will see the enemy’s lies for what they are and reject them.  We rely on God to show us His will and ways for our life.

We can further confound the enemy by renewing our minds to hate our sin and grow our relationship with God so our obedience to His will for our lives becomes an expression of our love for Him. 

When we live life in the Spirit, we will be guided by Him into good works which will confirm our identity in Christ and encourage and motivate us to continue to live a righteous life. Through our cooperation with God, our vicious cycle is ended, and our virtuous cycle of abundant living can replace it. 


------Join us next week for the next Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course Lesson----

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, and "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship


Sunday, November 19, 2023

Celbrate Freedom Discipleship Course - Lesson 2 - Idenity

I received word yesterday that due to a health concern (pain in back), Arthur Cincotti would not be able to join us for our regular Bible Study with the Cincotti's podcast, and as I had just completed the finishing touches on the next installment of the Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course, I decided to fill our Bible Study time with a presentation of "CFDC - Lesson 2" - on Identity.   I planned on releasing these lesson every Wednesday originally, until all seven lesson were released, but have decided to follow the example of Dallas Jenkins of  "The Chosen" - who has been known to release episodes unexpectedly as soon as they are edited and ready to go.  So I am not 100% sure on what the release dates will be for the remaining Lessons of the Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course , but I will endeavor to have all of the remaining episodes completed and uploaded by New Year's Day 2024. 

I developed the Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course in 2020 as part of my master’s thesis in Christian Counseling to “fill in the gaps” of the Christian Twelve Step/ Celebrate Recovery – Teaching Curriculums by introducing concepts of Christian Discipleship that I found important in my walk of faith and in my recovery over alcohol, drugs, sex addiction, and food addiction. 

Listen to The Lesson at: Lesson 2 - Identity - Podcast

Or watch the Video Zoom Session of our Study on YouTube: 



 

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Destruction or Abundance – A Mindful of Christ Encouragement - Purity 1201


Destruction or Abundance – A Mindful of Christ Encouragement - Purity 1201

Purity 1201 11/17/2023 Purity 1201 Podcast

Purity 1201 on YouTube: 



Good morning,

Today’s photo of the silhouettes or trees and a rustic barn in the foreground of a sky painted by the fading light of sunset comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene at the “end of the Road” last weekend in the farmlands just off of Waite Rd in Easton NY.  

Well, It’s Saturday and I am back at my countryside home with my wife TammyLyn for the weekend and yes – we are reunited and it does feel so good – as we will spend the day today on another hike somewhere in the Saratoga or Adirondack areas of the “real upstate NY”– or as I call it “ The Great White North” and possibly go to see the new Nativity inspired – Christmas Story Musical, “Journey to Bethlehem later today.  I’m not sure exactly where the day will take us, but I hope to we hope to continue to experience the fullness of joy that we continually find in our God-centered marriage.

However, as happy as I am in my marriage to TammyLyn and look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I recognize that for many November of 2023 has brought some real challenges in the form of disappointments, failures, broken relationships, and death.  I also recognize that this transitioning time from autumn to winter, and the movement into the holiday season can bring with it memories of previous losses or the ways things used to be but will be no more.  Quite a few of my friends are suffering this year, and some are experiencing the anniversaries of losses and painful changes, that are over or not quite a year old.    

For those of us who are content or happy right now, we should be grateful but also be aware and sensitive to those who are suffering by offering our presence, prayers, help, or understanding to those whose problems, pain, or losses make it difficult to be thankful.  

We have to walk the fine line listening and be present with those whose pain is great and knowing when to offer an encouraging word that could help them to rise out of the depths of despair.  We have to try to be aware of the “time of the season” and respond appropriately.    

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV) tells us
1  To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:
2  A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
3  A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
4  A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
5  A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
6  A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
7  A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
8  A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

So, we have to try to be wise and discerning in terms of the help we give because any one of these situations could be playing out in the lives of the people we encounter this week.  

While silence may be the appropriate response to much of what you run into this week, I both exercise that option and not practice it by sharing an encouraging word from Lauren Roskilly of Mindful of Christ.net who shared this “Word for Wednesday” that teaches us that the spiritual forces of darkness may play a part in your suffering and that we are not helpless against our negative thoughts or emotions and that we can choose by faith to respond rather than react to the enemy’s attacks or the negative circumstances of our lives to experience the life of peace that God wants us to live, regardless of the “times of the season.”  Lauren shares:

John 10:10 (NLT2)
10  The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Destruction or abundance?

Whenever you come across any thought, situation, person, or experience that takes away, ruins, or eliminates your faith, peace and joy and takes you away from Christ and His plans for your life then know that that thought, situation, person, or experience is from the devil & his minions. He is the one that wants to ruin you and your relationship with the Triune God.

God intends and promises you abundance, in mind, spirit and soul. You CAN know His peace.

Note that God doesn’t promise we won’t have to deal with the devil’s schemes, we will, but He does promise us His comfort and strength to deal with them. And that abundance includes the fruit of the Spirit; peace, love, joy, patience, kindness gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Notice how you respond and react to each thought, situation, person, or experience. You can choose destruction and lack, or you can choose to stand against the devil and choose the peaceful and abundant life that God has for you.

When a thought, situation, person, or experience occurs, ask yourself, “Is this from God or will it steal, kill, or destroy my faith or growth with Christ?”

What will you choose?

-Lauren Roskilly, Mindful of Christ (https://mindfulofchrist.net/) – Word for Wednesday 11/15/23 ”

Thank You, Lauren.  Her words expose the enemy’s strategies to drive us into despair and destruction and unfortunately, he doesn’t take it easy on those who are already suffering loss, pain, or heartbreak.  So whether you are just feeling low in general or have some very real and present problems and heartaches, remember to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ – just because you feel down doesn’t mean we stop doing what is right – and choose to remember that the Lord is with you and choose to spend time in His presence to receive the comfort, wisdom, or strength you need to help you to endure or to change your perspective by focusing on the good that is present in your life right now and the God who will never leave you or forsake you in any time or season.

When we keep walking and talking with God, we can overcome anything and we remember to submit to God, and resist the devil, we can experience the peace that goes beyond all understanding and beyond our current circumstances.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Church, Communion of the Saints.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (ESV)
1  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
2  You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
3  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
6  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
7  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

8  For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Today’s verses are the second of two passages of scripture that fall under the fifth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Church, Communion of the Saints.

 5. Gifts of the Spirit differ. Each member must use his or her gifts to serve others.

Today’s verses encourage us that we don’t all have to be the same. There are different gifts that the Lord has for us that can be used for God’s glory and for good of the body of Christ.   So you be you and I’ll be me and let’s both consider the gifts that the Lord has given us and rejoice in the fact that He knows us and loves us for who we are and allows us to ‘be ourselves” in the way that we follow and serve His kingdom.    

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we are sharing from A. W. Pink’s – The Arthur Pink Anthology  - a collection of A.W. Pink’s tracts brought together in one book and dispersed here on the blog for your encouragement.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available online for free as a PDF at many sites, but printed copies of collections of A.W. Pink’s books are available for purchase wherever Christian books are sold. 

The Arthur Pink Anthology – 6

Christian Fools – Part 5 of 8

And listen again! If God’s truth is to be presented proportionately and effectively then each truth of God’s Word must be presented separately. If I am speaking upon the humanity of Christ, if I am seeking to emphasize the reality of His manhood, how that He was made like unto His brethren in all things, how that He was tempted in all points as they were—sin excepted—I would not bring into my sermon a reference to His Godhood; and if you were to hear me preach the next twelve Sunday nights on the manhood of Christ and never refer to His Deity in those sermons, I hope none of you brethren would be so foolish as to draw the conclusion, Oh dear me, Brother Pink no longer believes in the Godhood of our Savior.

Again, if I am preaching on the wrath of God, the holy hatred of God for sin and His vengeance upon it, I would be weakening my sermon to bring in at the close a reference to His tenderness, mercy and love, for in my judgment that would be to blunt the point of the special truth I was seeking to press on the unconverted. And, in the same way, if I am pressing on the unconverted their need, their duty and importance of seeking the Lord, calling upon, coming to and believing on Him for themselves, I would not bring in or explain the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion.

Each truth needs to be presented separately that it may have its clear outline presented to the heart and to the mind. And after all, my friends, we are not saved by believing in the Spirit, we are saved by believing in Christ. We are not saved by believing in the work of the Spirit within us (no man was ever saved by believing that); we are saved by trusting in the work of Christ outside of us. O may God help us to maintain the balance of truth. There is something more in this Book, brethren and sisters, beside election, particular redemption and the new birth. They are there, and I would not say one word to weaken or to repudiate them, but that is not all that is in this Book. There is a human side. There is man’s responsibility. There is the sinner’s repentance. There is the sinner’s believing in Christ. There is the pressing of the gospel upon the unsaved; and I want to tell you frankly that is a church does not evangelize it will fossilize: and, if I am not much mistaken, that is what happened to some of the Strict Baptist Churches in Australia. Numbers of them that once had a healthy existence are now no more; and some others are already dead but they are not yet buried; and I believe one of the main reasons for that is this—they failed at the vital point of evangelism. If a church does not evangelize it will fossilize. That is God’s method of perpetuating His work and of maintaining His churches. God uses means, and the means that the Holy Spirit uses in His work is the preaching of the gospel to the unconverted, to every creature. True, the preaching will avail nothing without the Spirit’s blessing and application. True, no sinner will or can believe until God has quickened him. Yet he ought to, and is commanded to.

Now I meant, if time had allowed me, to come back again to the text and give you a few striking examples of where many have failed in holding the balance of God’s truth. Take for example the Unitarians. I have met numbers of Unitarians who believe this Book is God’s word, and believe that they can prove their creed from this Book. They appeal to such Scriptures as Deuteronomy 6:4—“The Lord our God is one Lord.” Their creed is the unity of God and they argue that if there be three divine persons there must be three Gods; they cannot harmonize them, they cannot reconcile three persons with one God; so what do they do? Well, they hold fast to the one and they let go the other. They say the two won’t mix—either God is one or else He is three; He cannot be both. When they come to the Person of Christ they emphasize such passages as—“He grew in wisdom.” Well, they say, if He was a divine person, how could He grow in wisdom? They emphasize such passages as “He prayed,” and they say it is an absurdity to think of God praying to God. They say, He died—how could God die? No, He cannot be divine: He is a good man; He is a holy man; He is a perfect man; and because they cannot reconcile the two classes of Scriptures they believe the one and reject the other. And Christ says to them, Ye are fools because ye are slow of heart to believe all.[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)    

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship



[1] Arthur Walkington Pink, The Arthur Pink Anthology (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2005).

Saturday, October 7, 2023

The 3 Levels and 5 Engines of Breakthrough - Purity 1166


The 3 Levels and 5 Engines of Break Through - Purity 1166

Purity 1166 10/07/2023 Purity 1166 Podcast

Purity 1166 on YouTube: 



Good morning,

Today’s photo of the mammoth doorway of Deeper Walk International’s brick-and-mortar headquarters under a light blue cloud-filled sky comes to us from yours truly as I was quick to capture a couple of shots of the front of the property at 7983 Grand Blvd in Hobart when the Indiana sun finally made a stunning yet brief late afternoon appearance.  

Well, It’s Saturday, and although the weather here in Indiana has been somewhat Blah over the last couple of days, the atmosphere inside at Deeper Walk’s 35th Anniversary Breakthrough Conference has been filled with the warmth and light that can only come from the Holy Spirit’s anointing and blessing on a gathering of Christians brought together in unity.

Psalm 133:1 (NKJV) says
1  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

The word of God is true and the last two days at the Deeper Walk Conference has been good and pleasant, despite the generally gray skies outside, because the Christians  gathered here are united to celebrate Deeper Walk’s 35 years and are committed to continue the work to help more of the body of Christ church to experience their freedom in Christ and the heart focused discipleship community that results when Christians come together to help one another to learn, heal, and grow by resolving their personal and spiritual conflicts in the presence of the Lord.    ‘


TammyLyn with the Sun's light pouring down as she waits for me to go into the afternoon sessesion. 

 I love how Deeper Walk provides the tools and teaching that can help people to move beyond traumas of the past and to fill in the gaps in their maturity that are keeping them stuck or from being the people that God created them to be and how their models for freedom, victory, and community require Christians to not only know what they believe and why they believe it but to actually practice biblically sound principles for Christian living and the techniques based on brain science that result in increased emotional resilience and joy.  

Deeper Walk’s president, Dr. Marcus Warner’s teaching this weekend, and his latest book which will be released in March of 2024, highlights the ministry’s holistic approach for helping Christians to experience healing and freedom that addresses the “five engines of breakthrough”.    In reviewing traditional discipleship and pastoral counseling efforts within the body of Christ, Warner noticed that often the solutions offered to help the Christians to grow or overcome struggles were based on a single strategy – such as changing one’s beliefs and worldview through Bible memorization, changing behaviors with community and accountability support, or employing spiritual warfare encounters to cast out demonic influences. While these single strategies could lead to breakthroughs, Warner noticed that single-strategy approaches tended to not resolve all of a client’s problems and the positive results gained through them often diminished or disappeared over time because they failed to move people through the three levels of break through because they didn’t address the 5 engines that drive one to break through.  

 

Warner explained the three levels of breakthrough to include:

 

1.    Relieve Pain – to make the hurting stop.

2.    Repair Damage – to help someone heal from the trauma they suffered.

3.    Rebuild Maturity – to help someone grow in skills and Chrisitan character to consistently “act like themselves” and to “return to joy” more quickly– to be the people that God created them to be regardless of circumstances, even in the midst of trials.

 Warner admitted that while good work is being done to move people through the first two levels of breakthrough, far too few people are provided with the means to grow into maturity, in part because single-strategy approaches fail to address all five engines of breakthrough.

Warner’s call for a holistic approach for breakthrough calls for our strategies to address the “five engines” of breakthrough” – the 5 areas that if properly dealt with would “drive” one to experience all three levels of breakthrough.   

The five engines of breakthrough are:

1.    The Body – Our emotions can affect our bodies and our physical health can affect our emotions.  Single strategies for help would either completely focus on, or completely ignore, the body.

2.    Beliefs – (Left Brain) – our beliefs (our worldview, personal narratives) influence what we believe is possible in life and tell us how life works. Gaps in our beliefs can cause us to not properly see possible causes and solutions to our problems.

3.    Bonds – (Right Brain) – Our attachments – our relational dispositions – define how we interact with one another and the situations we face in life– causing us to bond and respond to one another, or life in general, out of fear or joy. 

4.    The Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Truth and will guide us in the ways we should go. If we are not seeking His guidance, we will undoubtedly suffer by believing “lies” about what will satisfy us in life.

5.    Wicked Spirits – the Bible clearly teaches the reality of spiritual forces of darkness that seek to tempt, condemn, accuse, and deceive mankind to lead them to destruction. If we don’t believe in or adequately guard against demonic influences we are liable to suffer torment.

Warner teaches that only a robust dynamic strategy for helping people to heal and grow that addresses all 5 engines of breakthrough will “drive” them to discover through the three levels of breakthrough and live in the peace of maturity. 

The conference attendees have been blessed by the teaching that has been provided this weekend and I would encourage anyone who seeks to find their freedom in Christ or who seeks to help other Christians experience breakthrough to check out the vast array of resources available to help, including videos of the conference’s teachings (https://deeperwalkinternational.org/product/35th-anniversary-conference/) at https://deeperwalkinternational.org/.

God has made us to experience the joy of living in His presence by His guidance but we have to step out in faith, and address all 5 engines of breakthrough, to experience the abundant life of joy that He wants us to have.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Assurance of Salvation.

Romans 8:16-17 (NLT2)
16  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
17  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Today’s verses fall under the second point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Assurance of Salvation.

 2. The Spirit testifies with our spirit.  

Today’s verses testify of the reality of the Holy Spirit’s power to drive us to the breakthrough realization that we are children of God.   The Holy Spirit comes to indwell those who put their faith in Christ to tell them in their spirit that – “YES – you are saved. Yes, you are forgiven. Yes, you are a new creation.  Yes, you – that’s right you - you are a child of God!”  

While we may be afflicted with doubts about our salvation, those who have sincerely put their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior – were never meant to be. Christians are supposed to believe what the word of God says is true and to embrace the truth of what the word says about us who are “in Christ”.

When we put our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters dwells within us and seeks to guide us through life. When we are “walking in the Spirit”, we respond to life by faith – we do what the word of God and the Holy Spirit guide us to do because we have become children of God- we are new creations so we begin to live and think in a new way! 

So agree with the Holy Spirit and the word of God and be assured that you are saved because the Spirit of God lives in you and testifies to your spirit that you are in God’s kingdom now and forever more.  

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from  The Holy Spirit By A.W. Pink.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase A.W. Pink’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available online for $0.99 (https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Arthur-Pink-Collection-ebook/dp/B008CM5292/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AHKAQOM39CTN&keywords=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit&qid=1684376225&sprefix=a.w.+pink+the+holy+spirit+%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-3

A.W. Pink’s The Holy Spirit

28 -The Spirit Preserving

Regeneration and Preservation

There are two eminent benefits or spiritual blessings which comprehend all others, filling up the entire space of the Christian’s life, from the moment of his quickening unto his ultimate arrival in Heaven, namely, his regeneration and his preservation. And as the renowned Puritan Thomas Goodwin says, “If a debate were admitted which of them is the greater, it would be found that no jury of mankind could determine on either side, but must leave it to God’s free grace itself, which is the author and finisher of our faith, to decide.” As the creating of the world at first and the upholding and governing of all things by Divine power and Providence are yoked together (Heb. 1:2, 3), so are regeneration and preservation. “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24)—i.e., preserve (v. 23). “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope … to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled … who are kept by the power of God through faith” (1 Pet. 1:3–5).

The same blessed linking together of these eminent benefits is seen in the Old Testament: “Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not He thy Father that hath bought thee? hath He not made thee and established thee?” (Deut. 32:6); “And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made and I will bear” (Isa. 46:4); “Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved” (Ps. 66:9)—the verb has a double meaning, as the margin signifies: “putteth” at the first, and “holdeth” or maintaineth afterwards. How wonderful is this in the natural: delivered from countless dangers, preserved from epidemics and diseases which carried off thousands of our fellows, recovered from various illnesses which had otherwise proven fatal. Still more wonderful is the spiritual preservation of the saint: kept from the dominion of sin which still indwells him; kept from being drawn out of the Narrow Way by the enticements of the world; kept from the horrible heresies which ensnare multitudes on every side; kept from being entirely overcome by Satan, who ever seeks his destruction.

What pleasure it now gives the Christian to hear of the varied and wondrous ways in which God regenerates His people! What delight will be ours in Heaven when we learn of the loving care, abiding faithfulness, and mighty power of God in the preservation of each of His own! What joy will be ours when we learn the details of how He made good His promise, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isa. 43:2)—His Providence working for us externally, His grace operating internally: preserving amid the tossings and tempests of life, recovering from woeful backslidings, reviving us when almost dead.[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)  

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship



[1] Arthur Walkington Pink, The Holy Spirit (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, n.d.).