Starting our God engine.... the missing piece of the puzzle.

Gideons300

Our awakening is beginning. Prepare to be amazed.
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Someone asked in another post what the most important discipline was that we should develop. Interesting (and important!) question. Rather than seem to hijack the thread, I thought I would answer here because my post is long. Sorry. Well, no I am not. LOL. Here goes...

The most important discipline we must rely upon above all else? I want to share what God shared with me now 10 years ago. At that time in my walk with God, I was at my lowest, ready to give up and tell God "What I see you asking from me your word.... Lord, I want you to know, I cannot BE that person." Mind you, I was not walking away from God. Where else could I go? No, I was simply out of answers. No more theories. I just finally came to the point where I admitted I had no answers, no way to rein in my lust. I was simply ready to admit that holiness for me was simply impossible, trying to be a "good" Christian" a fanciful pipe dream. I was ready to finally relax and stop worrying about the sins that still had me in their tentacle-like grip like everyone told me. After all, isn't that what grace is for, right?

No, wrong answer. Grace, real grace promises to teach us the HOW of a holy, victorious walk, how we can finally deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously and justly in this present world. THAT is real grace. That is the grace we need to be introduced to.

Wel, that amazing night, praise God, my introduction finally began, and with a boom. He appeared. Like really. Not face to face. More like face to trembling, crying, laughing back of neck. And God spoke. Like outloud spoke. I kid you not. Take it for what it is worth.

Upon my confession of total and complete failure in reining my flesh in, and at my lowest of lows, all my efforts a failure, these are the exact words as He spoke them to me that amazing night.

"For this my son, I am well pleased with you."

Say what?? For 38 years I had tried to overcome a very strong flesh, a rebellious flesh and truly tried to please God..... and failed. For 38 years I had longed to just once really feel like God was pleased with who I was ,warts snd all. And NOW? Now He comes and tells me He is pleased with me?? It made no sense, that is until He spoke His next words.

"I knew all along that you could not walk the walk I had for you, but YOU did not yet know it."

Yet. Wonderful word. Why was He pleased woth me? Simply because I had finally become a man with NO strength, no answers, a man who hated his flesh but could not escape its grip. I was the poster boy for Romans chapter seven, but saints, dear children of God, Romans 7 is our wilderness that all of us must pass through. All. No exceptions, for it is here we learn how in need of God we truly are. It is here we pass over into our promised land of victory, Romans 8. That, brothers and sisters, is our birthright. That is our home, our resting place, our 'promised land', And what happens when we cross over from death to life by arriving at the place of no strength, of total failure? It's mounting up with eagles wings time. Something was about to change.

God knew of the myriad list of things I'd tried. You name it, I tried it. I simply finally ran out of any more leaves to turn over. Some of you know exactly what I am talking about.

And He continued.....

"In all your tryings, did you ever do what I instructed you to do through the apostle Paul?"

And of course, He immediately took off my blinders, and let me see to what He was referring. It was none other than the missing key, the truth found in Romans 6 Yes, THE missing key. Bold statement? Indeed. Curious? Come see.

Ok, back to the "revelation". As I said...Romans 6. I almost knew by heart. Somehow I always knew that this was a pivotal chapter. You too? Here He tells us that there are two things that must be settled., things we are told we MUST know, down deep in our core. These are core foundational truths that must become rooted in our hearts.

1) First, that when Christ died, so DID we. The Bible calls that the " old" us. The old us is not "trying to die". It is dead.

2) That when Christ rose from the dead, so did we. He rose to newness of life, so DID we.

How are we to yield ourselves to God? Praise God, as those who are alive from the dead. Amen?
Our brains? "Yeah, yeah, ok". But that is where we stop. We forget the next verse. It is a commandment to DO something. Here is our part of this heavenly partnership... the key.

Ready? He who has ears, Lord, let them hear.

"Likewise reckon yourself to dead to sin but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

And suddenly I saw. Light. In all my attempts to defeat self, to rein it in, to bring it under my submission, not visa versa, i had never done THAT. And yet here God instructs us what to do when we finally break and give up, He tells us to believe these two truthes are OUR truths... MY truth. Now He instructs us to 'clothe ourselves with righteousness'... to 'put on' our new nature. He tells us to RECKON.

Reckon here means to add into inventory. It is a banking term. And suddenly I realized.... I had never done that. Not once. Thirty eight years. Not once did I ever arm myself with my sword, using God's word as TRUTH to fight off the accuser. My shield of faith? Oh, I had it, just not up, Ne. Layong in the corner gathering dust. Satan beating my spiritual brains out whenever he feels like it. My new clothes? Oh, I had them, just wasn't wearing 'em. Still folded up and sitting on the shelf. Me and a whole bunch of others.

So what did I "do"? I spoke. Out loud. Loudly out loud. I spoke loud enough for all the demons in hell to hear me. Loud enough for every angelic being in Heaven to hear. But most importantly, I spoke loud enough for my own ears to hear. Why? Because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Truth works no matter who speaks it.

"I am not the old me any longer. I reckon THAT me is not me any more. It is dead. Sin no longer has dominion over me. God does. I am new, a new creature. NOW. Not tomorrow, not when I get my crap togethet. Not ever. NOW. Down deep. In the very core of me, that me is pure and good. Perfect in God's eyes. And that me? That is who I now am."

Whoa.

And with those amazing words, i finally picked up my sword and shield. And what is our shield? Is it fasting? Prayer? Bible memorization? Witnessing? Serving? Never missing church? No, guys. What is it?

It is our TESTIMONY.

Do we remember what Revelations 17 teaches us about this amazing transformation we are all about to experience? We are about to stop being the First church of the Overcome. The tables are being turned. The overcome is about to become the overcomer.

And what are we told the secret was to why the end times church would become overcomers? Listen. Are you listening? All your heart, open minded, .... hungry listening?

Here you go. "They overcame him (satan) by the blood of the lamb AND the word of THEIR testimony." Light on yet? If not, it's coming. Promise.

And when I did, when I came into agreement with God, guess what? He did.... and boy, did He. We could finally walk together. Abide. Like 24/7 abide. In my weakness and total trust, I finally had armed myself with truth, truth that sets free. Like for real. What He has told us in Romans?... it was true.... IS true for me... that very day. Not tomorrow. Not when I get serious. Not when I get worthy enough. Those days do not exist. Figments of our imaginations. N O W.

I had drawn near to Him, believing something almost ludicrous. No, totally ludicrous. Sin was under MY feet. No more white dog, black dog, whoever you feed the most crud. Listen. The black dog that WAS you? He....she....is dead.

And what happened? The last tumbler clocked into place. The door swung open. He drew near to me. Not with me. IN me. New creature. Crazy, you say. I am smiling. You ate going to eat those words, and smile the whole time.

What I am shaing with you right now? It is real, and it works. It is like God has equipped us with spiritual super-cars. yet we have been content to just sit in our new Lamborghini, trying to look pretty. We claim to be born again. Listen, we ARE.

But if this is the case, some will ask, "Then why do we struggle? How do we reconcile these truths with us continuing to act like they are not? Easy.

According to our faith be it unto us.

We have believed a lie, and even though we are heirs to the throne, we still are under the law, whether we want to admit it or not. Failure has still been our daily bread. And why? Unbelief. Truth is, we do not believe it. Not really.

We have just been handed the keytocour nice new Lamborghini. Are we going to continue to sit there, always progressing, never getting anywhere. Shades of the ancient Israelites, running laps around Sinai. Ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Ouch.

Who do we believe we are? Down deep in our core, who we believe that we are is critical. Are we just sinners relying on grace to cover our sins, even the ones we continue to do, willingly and knowingly, expecting God to wink at them as if they were nothing? As if God smiles and whispers to us "Gotcha covered". Sad. Dangerous. Yet this is who we have been. Me at the head of the line. This has been our testimony. Praise God, things are about to change. Prepare to have your whole outlook on life altered in a way beyond wonderful, beyond anything you may have imagined possible. Latter rain possible... and the latter is going to be greater than the former. Book of Acts chapter two.

Who are we? Overcomers, overcomers because we are new creatures. We are about to armed ourselves with our testimonies. We are about to break our earthen jars by our testimony, and light our lamps. We are about to see every trace of defeat leave us forever. Ready. Good. Feel unworthy and totally unable? Good.

We are about to put the key in our spiritual ignition, and listen to our 'God engine' roar to life. Vroom. Prepare to be amazed.

I truly apologize again for my very long post. But trying to share what I just posted in two paragraphs? Impossible. Ain't happening...

Ah, the bones are beginning to rattle. I hope someone gets blessed by what God wants you to know and walk in, nothing less than Collosians 2:20. Remember? "I am crucified with Christ......".

Thanks for your ears....

Gideon
 
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Gideons300

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Has your experience caused you to behave in a more Christlike manner?

(I am a cessationist, just to let you know. I do not believe in encounters with God like that.)
That is a great question. Like "Does it really work?" Theories are great, and there are a myriad of them but the proof is in whether or not change.... real tangible change... occurs in ones life.

A bit about who I was. I was man man trapped in Romans 7. A very real part of me truly longed to be holy, to bear spiritual fruits. But the other 'me' was bound by lust. I was short tempered, angry, served a hard God so I wanted to make everyone else had to tow the line as well, LOL.

Let make sure I am very clear hear. I am not preaching sinless perfectionism. That is something WE achieve. But I am shouting from the housetops that God truly can and will keep us from falling, as we believe His amazing promise to do so. Am I different? There is no doubt. I have far to go on my road but I would be a liar if I did not say that once my shield of faith was held high as to who I was, God, once I was truly centered on the potter's wheel, He began to transform me. Impatience became patience. Anger gave way to empathy. Joy began to sprout up in my heart. I did NOTHING, except stand fast and believe the promises of God given to us.

I cannot express the joy of actually visibly seeing my tempermant changed, knowing full well that it was not me, it was now Christ in me.

As to your cessationist beliefs, I pray you do not get bogged down in my 'experience'. As amazing as that was, it pales in importance compared to the truth He opened my eyes to. That, dear brother is what you should weigh. Search the scriptures. Ask your own heart, 'Am I satisfied or is there a deep unspoken longing for more than just nice tidy doctrines and Sunday services? Am I really walking in the FREE INDEED Jesus promised us.?'

If I can be of any help or answer any questions for you, you have but to ask.

Blessings,
Gideon
 
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ChristIsSovereign

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That is a great question. Like "Does it really work?" Theories are great, and there are a myriad of them but the proof is in whether or not change.... real tangible change... occurs in ones life.

A bit about who I was. I was man man trapped in Romans 7. A very real part of me truly longed to be holy, to bear spiritual fruits. But the other 'me' was bound by lust. I was short tempered, angry, served a hard God so I wanted to make everyone else had to tow the line as well, LOL.

Let make sure I am very clear hear. I am not preaching sinless perfectionism. That is something WE achieve. But I am shouting from the housetops that God truly can and will keep us from falling, as we believe His amazing promise to do so. Am I different? There is no doubt. I have far to go on my road but I would be a liar if I did not say that once my shield of faith was held high as to who I was, God, once I was truly centered on the potter's wheel, He began to transform me. Impatience became patience. Anger gave way to empathy. Joy began to sprout up in my heart. I did NOTHING, except stand fast and believe the promises of God given to us.

I cannot express the joy of actually visibly seeing my tempermant changed, knowing full well that it was not me, it was now Christ in me.

As to your cessationist beliefs, I pray you do not get bogged down in my 'experience'. As amazing as that was, it pales in importance compared to the truth He opened my eyes to. That, dear brother is what you should weigh. Search the scriptures. Ask your own heart, 'Am I satisfied or is there a deep unspoken longing for more than just nice tidy doctrines and Sunday services? Am I really walking in the FREE INDEED Jesus promised us.?'

If I can be of any help or answer any questions for you, you have but to ask.

Blessings,
Gideon

I am willing to bet that your experience is much more valid than say, glossolalia or being 'slain in the Spirit.' God bless your journey in Christ.
 
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Gideons300

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I am willing to bet that your experience is much more valid than say, glossolalia or being 'slain in the Spirit.' God bless your journey in Christ.
Thanks so much for your kind comments.

There has bee a whole lot of debate over the term "Spirit filled". It has divided more than united, and truth be told, some of the most error filled, fleshly, experience-heavy teachings, such as the prosperity doctrine, had their roots in the charismatic church. Ouch.

People have debated back and forth what the real evidence of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is. I like what Leonard Ravenhill said.

"Can you explain how 120 men filled with the Holy Spirit could turn the whole world in one generation, amidst terrible persecution, and in a large city, there can be 120 churches claiming they have the exact same infilling and the people there not know or even care that they are there?"

David Wilkerson said this. The evidence of a man filled with an evil spirit is that he or she does evil things. And conversely, a man filled with the Holy Spirit becomes more and more pure and holy. That is why we are to be known by our fruits, not our doctrines or what church we attend.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not picking on the Pentecostals and Charismatics. Truth is, I have been a Charismatic for over four decades. But let's face it, there is plenty of blame to go around. We all have been playing church in our own way, content that WE have the real truth. All that is about to change.

What is about to happen? It is called the latter rain. Most know that in the past 100 years, many have stated that their movement IS the latter rain. They are wrong. The real latter rain will not be denominational specific. It will not be doctrinal specific. It will not be city specific. It will be "Do you love Jesus and want Him more than anything?" specific. And all who do will be swept up from lives of dallying with sin, of worliness and compromise, of trying and failing, of three steps forward and two steps back, and find themselves extricated off the highway TO holiness and planted on the highway OF holiness. We are about to be amazed.

It is this that is referred to in the parable of the 10 virgins. In the last days, ALL will be awakened to the truth of FREE INDEED. But be warned, not all will respond and joyfully light their lamps. God has, since the early rain ended shortly after Paul's death, let the wheat and tares grow together. Welcome to today's church. Our lives are so shallow, so compromised, so.... shall I say it?... lukewarm, that the world sees our hypocrisy and wants nothing to do with us except make us the butt of their jokes and the reason they want nothing to do with God. Can we really blame them? Let's be honest, more often than not, by outer observation, you cannot tell wheat and tares apart.

But listen, weary saints. Change is coming. Listen, people who claim they are 'Spirit filled". You are about to have your minds 'enlightened', and joyfully. Listen, cessationists, you are about to eat crow, and enjoy the meal. God is fixing to awaken His bride and breath on her. And our lives will never be te same?

We are told in Ezekiel 36 that this latter outpouring will change everything. Are we impressed with the saints in the book of Acts and how God used them mightily? The latter rain fixing to be outpoured over us will cause us not only match the deeds of the eacly church, we will SURPASS them, glory to God. And the world will witness our transformation and they will exclaim:

"Look! That which bore only briars and thorns has become again like the garden of Eden!"

Impossible, you say? Oh ye of little faith. The world is about to witness the REAL church, and hear the FULL gospel, not a half gospel that gets us forgiven but has no power to change us, free us, and instead keeps us earth bound by sin so thst we cannot mount up with wings of eagles as overcomers.

Buckle your spiritual seatbelts, you who secretly hunger for more, you who intuitivly KNOW that our walk with God was meant to be far more than weekly church attendance, 500 denomination at varience with one another, and struggling to keep our heads above water the other six days of the week.

Truth be told, there will be many who hear words like these and roll their eyes and scoff, and STILL, despite sin-hardened hearts, despite their contentment with things just as they are, our faithful God will nevertheles awaken all who are called, lift us up, center us on His glorious potter's wheel and begin truly changing us into His image.

For these, their brokenness, their full repentance, their fully surrendering will come AFTER their awakening, and God says thst it is then thst try will finally be ashamed for the compromised lives they lived, for the lack of hunger they possessed, for refusing to believe that our God can indeed CAUSE US to walk as obedient children, to will AND to do of His good pleasure.

We are told that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We are about to discover how true that really is. How desperately the world needs to see real authentic JOYFUL Christianity in action. How desperately do we need to hear again men lost in the world observe us as His body and exclaim "Behold how they love one another!".

Well guess what? The raindrops are beginning to fall. The clouds are gathering. We are about to become the blessed generation that utters in the return of our Jesus. It doesn't get any better than that, amen?

Blessings, Gids
 
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ChristIsSovereign

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Thanks so much for your kind comments.

There has bee a whole lot of debate over the term "Spirit filled". It has divided more than united, and truth be told, some of the most error filled, fleshly, experience-heavy teachings, such as the prosperity doctrine, had their roots in the charismatic church. Ouch.

People have debated back and forth what the real evidence of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is. I like what Leonard Ravenhill said.

"Can you explain how 120 men filled with the Holy Spirit could turn the whole world in one generation, amidst terrible persecution, and in a large city, there can be 120 churches claiming they have the exact same infilling and the people there not know or even care that they are there?"

David Wilkerson said this. The evidence of a man filled with an evil spirit is that he or she does evil things. And conversely, a man filled with the Holy Spirit becomes more and more pure and holy. That is why we are to be known by our fruits, not our doctrines or what church we attend.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not picking on the Pentecostals and Charismatics. Truth is, I have been a Charismatic for over four decades. But let's face it, there is plenty of blame to go around. We all have been playing church in our own way, content that WE have the real truth. All that is about to change.

What is about to happen? It is called the latter rain. Most know that in the past 100 years, many have stated that their movement IS the latter rain. They are wrong. The real latter rain will not be denominational specific. It will not be doctrinal specific. It will not be city specific. It will be "Do you love Jesus and want Him more than anything?" specific. And all who do will be swept up from lives of dallying with sin, of worliness and compromise, of trying and failing, of three steps forward and two steps back, and find themselves extricated off the highway TO holiness and planted on the highway OF holiness. We are about to be amazed.

It is this that is referred to in the parable of the 10 virgins. In the last days, ALL will be awakened to the truth of FREE INDEED. But be warned, not all will respond and joyfully light their lamps. God has, since the early rain ended shortly after Paul's death, let the wheat and tares grow together. Welcome to today's church. Our lives are so shallow, so compromised, so.... shall I say it?... lukewarm, that the world sees our hypocrisy and wants nothing to do with us except make us the butt of their jokes and the reason they want nothing to do with God. Can we really blame them? Let's be honest, more often than not, by outer observation, you cannot tell wheat and tares apart.

But listen, weary saints. Change is coming. Listen, people who claim they are 'Spirit filled". You are about to have your minds 'enlightened', and joyfully. Listen, cessationists, you are about to eat crow, and enjoy the meal. God is fixing to awaken His bride and breath on her. And our lives will never be te same?

We are told in Ezekiel 36 that this latter outpouring will change everything. Are we impressed with the saints in the book of Acts and how God used them mightily? The latter rain fixing to be outpoured over us will cause us not only match the deeds of the eacly church, we will SURPASS them, glory to God. And the world will witness our transformation and they will exclaim:

"Look! That which bore only briars and thorns has become again like the garden of Eden!"

Impossible, you say? Oh ye of little faith. The world is about to witness the REAL church, and hear the FULL gospel, not a half gospel that gets us forgiven but has no power to change us, free us, and instead keeps us earth bound by sin so thst we cannot mount up with wings of eagles as overcomers.

Buckle your spiritual seatbelts, you who secretly hunger for more, you who intuitivly KNOW that our walk with God was meant to be far more than weekly church attendance, 500 denomination at varience with one another, and struggling to keep our heads above water the other six days of the week.

Truth be told, there will be many who hear words like these and roll their eyes and scoff, and STILL, despite sin-hardened hearts, despite their contentment with things just as they are, our faithful God will nevertheles awaken all who are called, lift us up, center us on His glorious potter's wheel and begin truly changing us into His image.

For these, their brokenness, their full repentance, their fully surrendering will come AFTER their awakening, and God says thst it is then thst try will finally be ashamed for the compromised lives they lived, for the lack of hunger they possessed, for refusing to believe that our God can indeed CAUSE US to walk as obedient children, to will AND to do of His good pleasure.

We are told that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We are about to discover how true that really is. How desperately the world needs to see real authentic JOYFUL Christianity in action. How desperately do we need to hear again men lost in the world observe us as His body and exclaim "Behold how they love one another!".

Well guess what? The raindrops are beginning to fall. The clouds are gathering. We are about to become the blessed generation that utters in the return of our Jesus. It doesn't get any better than that, amen?

Blessings, Gids

It is hilarious how we view Christianity almost the exact opposite. This is NO place for debate and I am not going to get into semantics. I believe true Christianity is fading and that God foreknew it, yet preserves His flock 'till the very end.
 
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Gideons300

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It is hilarious how we view Christianity almost the exact opposite. This is NO place for debate and I am not going to get into semantics. I believe true Christianity is fading and that God foreknew it, yet preserves His flock 'till the very end.
Then I will leave you with two chapters to peruse at your convenience. Ezekiel 36 and 37.

There is no doubt we are dry bones. We both agree there. Thank God there is the "Live, bones, live" prophetic exclamation and a coming latter rain. Thank God we are told that the heathen shall KNOW that He is the Lord, when He shall be sanctified IN US before their very eyes. God's church will not start out with an explosion of power and joy and then limp out with a whimper as the overcome, not the overcomers. Men now totally bound by secret sins, women slaves to what the world tells them is of value, all who are true sheep WILL awake, hear His call to come up higher and light their lamps. And all the doubt and unbelief that has limited the Holy one of Israel will be washed away in a heartbeat by a spiritual tsunami called the latter rain.

Right now, the church has given multitudes of true seekers reason to NOT consider Christ's claim to be the son of God. Hypocrisy in His house reigns supreme. Shallowness is everywhere. We are those who draw near Him with our lips, but our hearts? They are OURS, not His....yet. We have slowly hammered grace into lasciviousness, a license to sin with God winking at us and telling us that all is ok, so don't sweat it.

But the truth is, if we knew that on the following Sunday, we would be examined by the Holy Spirit in the same way Ananias and Saphira were, I wonder how many would be missing from their pews? That is all about to change.

Bless you in your journey. Thank you for taking the time to respond. Hopefully we will see eye to eye sometime in the future. Until then, grab an umbrella, just in case.

Blessings,
Gideon
 
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