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CHAPTER 6HIDING FROM REALITY[They are] always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. - 2 TIMOTHY 3:7If God sent you do not leave until God releases you. If the Lord is silent, He is often saying, 'Don't change a thing. Do notleave. Stay where I have placed you!"Your departure should not be based on the actions or behavior of others but instead on the Spirit's leading.To leave with an offended or critical spirit is not the plan of God.Immature Christians are less likely to follow the leading of the Spirit of God. Most often they react or respond emotionally orintellectually to circumstances they face. They have not yet learned to act only on the Spirit of God's leading.Physical growth is a function of time. Intellectual growth is a function of learning. Spiritual growth is a function of neither time nor learning, but it is a function of obedience.Our knowledge of Scripture is not the key. Obedience is.We have people in the church who have been Christians for twenty years, who can quote verses and chapters of the Bible, have heard a thousand sermons, and read many books, but still wear spiritual diapers.They never come to the knowledge of the truth because they do not apply it.There is a false sense of self-protection in harboring an offense. It keeps you from seeing your own character flaws because the blame is deferred to another. You never have to face your role, your immaturity, or your sin because you see only the faults of the offender.When God releases you in peace, you will not have pressure to justify your departure to others. You will not be under pressure to judge or critically expose the problems your previous church had.The way you leave a church or a relationship is the way you will enter into your next church or relationship.If we leave a church or a relationship resentful and embittered, we will enter into the next church or relationship with that same attitude. It will then be easier to leave our next relationship when problems arise.In blaming the other we are blind to our own role or faulty characteristics."Many times God will allow people to run from situations He desires them to face if they are set on running from them in their hearts."The story of ElijahElijah had just executed the evil prophets of Baal and Asherah.Jezebel found out and threatened to kill Elijah within twenty-four hours.God wanted Elijah to confront her, but instead he ran.God sent an angel to feed him with two cakes and allowed him to run for forty days and nights to Mount Horeb.When he arrived, the first thing God asked him was, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"God knew Elijah was set on escaping the difficult situation. So He allowed it, though it is obvious from His question that it wasn't His original plan.He then said to Elijah, "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place""If we are so set in our hearts not to face difficult situations, God will actually release us even though it is not His perfect will."The Story of BalaamBalaam wanted to curse IsraelHe asked the Lord the first time if he could goGod showed him that His will for Balaam was not to go.Balaam went to God again.this time God said to go with them.Balaam was so set on going that God let him go.We can pester the Lord regarding something for which He has already shown us His will He will then allow us to do what we want even when it is against His original plan-even when it is not in our best interest.Often God's plan causes us to face hurts and attitudes we don't want to face.Refusing to deal with an offense will not free us from the problem. It will only give us temporary relief.It is impossible to establish a healthy relationship with a person who has left another relationship bitter and offended.If we have truly overcome an offense, we earnestly seek to make peace.The time may not be right immediately, but in our hearts we will watch for an opportunity for restoration.It is the path of humility and self-denial that leads to healing and spiritual maturity.Pride cannot travel this path, but only those who desire peace at the risk of rejection.DECLARATIONSFather, make me not only Your son [or daughter], adopted into Your family by my new birth through Christ, but alsoYour son, able to be identified as Your son [or daughter] because I display the godly characteristics of my Father.As a mature child of God, I am led by the Spirit of God, and I will act only on the Spirit's leading.Holy Spirit, I am committed to obeying the Word of God that is spoken to me from You, that I may grow and mature in my times of conflict and suffering.I will allow Your truth to have its way in my life so that I am not like those who are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"(2 Tim. 3:7).The devil will not be able to snare me in the trap of offense through a false sense of self-protection by harboring an offense. I will willingly allow my heavenly Father to develop Christlike character in me through my obedience to His instructions.I will not harbor resentment in my heart against others, which causes me to leave a church or relationship, because I recognize that the same attitude will be foremost in my heart in a new setting. I will follow the advice of John 20:23 and forgive the offense of others.When the plan of God for my life causes me to face my hurts and wrongful attitudes, I will not run from these things but will find healing and restoration from dealing with my hurts through the power of the Holy Spirit.Love forgets wrongs and gives hope for the future. I commit my life to loving others and to finding opportunities for restoration, healing, and peace.Father, I willingly choose the path of humility and self-denial that leads to healing and spiritual maturity.I’ve decided to make others' well-being more important than my own, even those who’ve brought me great sorrow.I will remember the example of Elijah, the great prophet of God who allowed discouragement and threats to take him out of the plan of God. When I am discouraged and flee from God's direct will, I will allow Him to lead me back into the center of His will.I will not become a Balaam who seeks personal rewards rather than obedience to the will of God. I will not seek temporary relief from my hurts, but I will allow my God to lead me in the path that is best for me.Father, fill me with the power of Your Holy Spirit that I may fulfill the assignments You have given me. I will be Your unmovable obedient servant.My life will be filled with the love of God, which causes me to forget all wrongs and fills me with hope for the future.I refuse to walk the path of God in pride, but I desire only peace, even at the risk of rejection. The road that leads to life leads through humiliation and abasement, but it ultimately leads me to everlasting peace with GodCHAPTER 7THE SURE FOUNDATIONTherefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily." -ISAIAH 28:16A person who acts hastily is an unstable person because his actions are not properly founded. This person is easily moved and swayed by the storms of persecutions and trials.Simon Peter.Jesus had entered the region of Caesarea Philippi and asked His disciples, "Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?"Some disciples share the opinion of the crowdsThen Jesus asks "But who do you say that I am?"Peter responds "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16).Jesus says "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven" (v. 17).Jesus was explaining to Simon Peter the source for this revelation. Simon Peter had not received this knowledge by hearingthe opinions of others or by what he was taught, but God had revealed it to him.Once you receive revealed knowledge from God, no one can sway you. When God reveals something to you, it doesn't matter what the whole world says. They cannot change your heart.When we possess solely a head knowledge, two things can happen: (1) we are easily susceptible to hype or emotionalism, or (2) we are bound by our intellect. Jesus’ church would be founded on the revealed Word, not just memorized verses.When we listen to an anointed minister speak or as we read a book, we should look for the words or phrases that explode in our spirits.Often a minister may be speaking on one subject, yet God is illuminating something totally different in my own heart. On theother hand, God may anoint the exact words of that minister, and they explode within me. Either way it is the revealed Word of God to me.Jesus compared the unveiled Word of God to a rock the parable of the two houses, with one built on rock and the other on sand. When adversity- such as persecution, tribulation, and affliction- stormed against both houses, the one built on sand was destroyed, while the house built on rock stood.What God reveals by His Spirit cannot be taken from us.A person who is not founded in the revealed Word of God can be easily moved along by the storm of offense.We can only live and proclaim what is revealed to us by God.When you know God has put you in a relationship or a church, the enemy will have a much more difficult time getting you out. You are founded on the revealed Word of God and will work through the conflicts even when it looks impossible.The revealed Word of God is the solid rock on which we are to build our lives and ministries.After Simon told what the Father revealed to his heart, Jesus said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it"Trials and tests determine where you are spiritually. They reveal the true condition of your heart.Be sure that you build your life on God's revealed Word, not what others say.DECLARATIONSWhen the storms of persecution and trials enter my life, I will not be swayed into making hasty, unfounded decisions. I will trust the Lord, my cornerstone, and will find my stability in His sure foundation (Isa. 28:16).When Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" (Matt. 16:15), they were confused, fearful, and living off the speculations of others rather than being established in their own hearts as to who Jesus Was. But like Peter I am confident that my Savior is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v. 16).Lord, like Peter I am hungry for the things of God. I want to hear directly from the mouth of God, and I will not settle for someone else's opinion.My life will be built on Your revealed Word alone. Your revelation to me gives understanding. It illuminates and clarifies my path.The illuminated Word in my heart changes me from being void of understanding to being mature and filled with understanding. His Word in my heart stabilizes me and strengthens me. I shall not be moved!I will seek the revealed Word of God to instruct me in every decision of my life. With His Word alive in my heart I will not be easily offended by trials and tribulations that try to blindside me.My spouse and I know beyond a doubt that God has ordained our marriage. We will not be moved when our relationship is tested by the trials of life. God will keep us together, and we will seek only Him and consider no other option.Holy Spirit, you have planted a supernatural seed of life in my heart. This marital storm I am facing will not cause me to lose hope because of the strife that has attacked our home. I will hold tight to the promise of God. It is an anchor for this time when I need it.Father, I am trusting You to Heal our marriage and our home. I believe that You are bringing our flaws to the light so that we can grow through them and move into healing and forgiveness. I refuse to let go of the promise of a godly home and marriage.I will build my life and my home on the solid rock of the revealed Word of God. I will not allow the trials we face to deceive me and cause me to look at the offenses instead of my own character flaws. I will allow God's revealed Word to transform my life and my home.I praise Your name, O Lord, for You have enabled my family to become living stones that are being built up into a spiritual house (1 Pet, 2:5). Strength, stability, and power are found in Your Word, and our lives will produce godly fruit.I praise You, Lord, for Your revelation has taken root in my heart, and I know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, I am a living stone, set on the established rock of the living Word, and I refuse to allow offense to distract me.I have built my house on the solid rock of Christ Jesus, and I do not fear the strongest hurricane the enemy may send, for I shall not be moved.I will seek only the Lord and will listen only to His revealed Word that speaks within my heart. I will seek only Him and will stand only on the revelation He has illuminated in my heart.There is no other foundation that I will lay in my life except that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). ................
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