When you follow Jesus Christ your goal is never to replace truth with false love but to speak all of the truth in real love.
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You Can’t Stop God You Can Only Promote God
Posted on February 27, 2013 by SoSpression
You can’t stop God you can only promote God!
Ask the devils that crucified Jesus – if they knew they were just promoting Him, they would not have done it.
1 Corinthians 1:8
Which none of the princes of this world knew : for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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If You Had a Prayer Life, You Would Have a WORD
Posted on February 26, 2013 by SoSpression
God’s Word – Open rebuke is BETTER than secret love. Proverbs 27:5
Man’s word – don’t rebuke anyone in the open, just pray so people think you have love.
God’s Word – Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 1 Timothy 5:20
Man’s word – don’t address public sins publicly, that’s too negative. People need to feel comfortable while displaying their sin to influence others.
I’m so amazed when people honestly say cliches like “don’t preach the truth about people’s sin, just pray for people” or any variation of that.
What they don’t realize is this – IF YOU HAD A PRAYER LIFE, YOU WOULD HAVE A WORD that pricked men’s hearts and tried to get them to repent.
Jeremiah 23:22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
When you stand in Gods counsel room and talk to Him and He talks to you, you end up turning people away from evil. A sharp message that turns people away from evil is actually the RESULT of a real prayer life, it’s the PROOF of a prayer life and love, not the opposite of a prayer life and love.
That is, unless you just pray about money and success and being popular… The god of Fortune and Destiny will NOT give you a sharp message that turns people away from evil.
Isaiah 65:11 “But you who forsake the LORD, Who forget My holy mountain, Who set a table for Fortune, And who fill cups with mixed wine for Destiny…
When you are all about fortune and destiny instead of God’s Holy mountain, you tend to only say things that will increase your fortune and destiny and favor with man, and avoid the suffering, sacrifice, and reproach that comes with a true Word.
But if you had a real prayer life, you would have a real Word. And if you had a real Word, you would have a real prayer life. They go hand in hand, and stick together.
Jeremiah 27:18 …and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts…
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Harlem Shake?
Posted on February 14, 2013 by SoSpression
If you dance and have joy and fun in church you’re just emotional or too extreme… But if they put you on YouTube you’ll go crazy for 30 seconds and hump the air and call it a Harlem Shake?
Something’s wrong with this picture.
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Do you want Fans for self or Disciples for Christ?
Posted on February 13, 2013 by SoSpression
When you take the “teeth” or the cutting conviction and warnings out of your teaching and preaching, you end up with fans for yourself instead of disciples for Christ. Fans are good if you’re trying to build a kingdom of man, but fans are useless for the Kingdom of God.
Romans 11:22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God ; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness ; otherwise you also will be cut off.
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Holiness or Hell… and Grace?
Posted on February 10, 2013 by SoSpression
Holiness or Hell… and Grace?
It’s Holiness or hell. Don’t let the false prophets seduce you. They’ll be burning right with you if you don’t get away from them and into the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
It’s so crazy how people who claim to love God and think they are filled with the Holy Ghost just because they can speak in tongues, but they literally despise God’s heart and who He is – Holy.
Holiness, without which NO MAN shall see the Lord. In other words, you and your favorite gospel artist and preacher will be in hell together without a heart of obedience to the holiness of Jesus Christ.
Talent doesn’t fly in the kingdom of God, and when you value talent more than you value holiness, it just proves you really don’t know God at all.
Hell is going to have a lot of surprise guests. If you think I’m making this up, look at what Jesus said:
Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
But What About Grace?
“I just had a question… What exactly do you mean by “holiness or hell”? I fully accept the fact that we should be holy as God is holy, but I struggle with constantly feeling like I have to earn God’s love or that every time I sin, God’s love for me and/or my salvation are now questionable at best. Or that if I’m not perfect and making perfect choices every single day, every single moment, it’s only a matter of time before God’s wrath will meet me…
It’s been really hard for me to reconcile when the word says we are saved through grace and not works and then read messages that say ‘holiness or hell’”
Real Grace Creates Holiness
I love you and thank you for your question.
A couple scriptures I was thinking about with this:
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
This means that without holiness, no one will see the Lord.
Matthew 7:23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus said this to people that called Him Lord and did miracles in His name.
Grace is the Antidote for Iniquity, not an Excuse for It.
I don’t claim to be perfect yet, but I know that I’m saved because the grace actually works on my heart. Grace is not just favor, its favor AND power. I know God loves me, that’s why He gives me grace, which results in the power to love Him more than sin.
The problem comes when we reject his grace and choose sin, and the things that lead to sin, which are iniquities. When we continually choose iniquity, it gets worse and worse for us. Grace leads us closer and closer to the God that loves us. Iniquity leads us farther and farther away from the God that loves us. So if we really love Him, which do we choose?
You don’t need to be scared of hell or doubt that God loves you at all. But if faced with the choice between holiness and iniquity, and we constantly choose iniquity, which leads to sin, we should be scared of our own choices and the judgement that we reap from them. Once you develop that fear, you’ll begin to make the right choices and the grace of God will work mightily in your life.
There’s lots of scriptures on this but I’m sure you’ll look them up. Just a quick parallel to help you know how I see this:
Iniquity is the invisible virus that leads to sin, the visible disease symptom, which leads to death. Grace is the antidote that leads to holiness, which leads to life with God.
So the issue is to discern the virus (iniquity), and stay away from it. Jesus Blood is the health plan that paid for the antidote (grace), and you cash it out by faith. But if you don’t cash out what Jesus gave you, and you choose to juggle a bunch of used needles and shake hands in agreement with sneezing diseased folk, you end up with the virus, the disease, and the death that comes with it.
If you hate the sickness symptoms (sins), shouldn’t you also hate the viruses that lead to it (iniquity)?
So many times Christians become fans of iniquity, thinking they won’t catch it (the virus) and fall into sin. When the doctor warns them to “stay away from that iniquity”, and “wash your hands”, they say “you’re too spiritual” “you’re too holy” “you’re too extreme” “Jesus gave me grace.” Then they catch the iniquity, the sin, and the death…
And what is an example of iniquity?
The Original Iniquity
Ezekiel 28 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
This is just one example of the original iniquity found in satan, which he passed on to Eve in Genesis 3. Iniquity is evidenced by Lust and Pride in:
Merchandising Ability
Intelligence
Brightness
Beauty
Talent
Decision making ability
Wisdom
Ability to make a product and sell it
Getting success.
Lust of the Eyes, Lust of the Flesh, and Pride of Life
This iniquity caused satan to fall from a place of worshipping God to a place of using wisdom for himself in disobedience to God. Satan also used it to get Eve to convince Adam to disobey God. He told Eve she would be wise in disobedience, and Eve lusted after the beauty and taste of the fruit.
The antidote for iniquity is God’s grace (favor AND power to obey), which leads to holiness (separation to God’s purposes away from lust and pride), obedience, humility and a dependence on God.
I hope that clears things up. God is patient, so you don’t have to fear His wrath. But His grace is powerful, and you should be constantly growing in it the more contact you have with Him. The Bible exhorts us to examine ourselves, to see whether we are really in the faith. Nothing is better or more pleasurable than God, so there’s no reason to fall short of His grace.
The more you contact God, the more He works His powerful grace in you. He is able to keep you from falling.
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
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Don’t Light a Whorehouse when God is Building a LightHOUSE
Posted on February 5, 2013 by SoSpression
Part1: Being Married to Christ in a Day of Spiritual Prostitutes – here.
Please Note: this writing uses examples to express truth about the necessity of holiness in ministry. I am in no way saying that its wrong to preach the gospel to prostitutes or shine the light in dark places. I am saying it is wrong to come into agreement with darkness in order to try and shine the light into it:
2 Corinthians 6
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
This is adapted from a letter I sent to a friend who is “shining the light” in the music industry, but struggling to stay lit:
“I understand your desire to shine light in the dark places. But in the Bible the Lord has shown so much in about what He requires from His ministries. Satan is so skilled at corrupting God’s servants, especially in music, so I know its hard for you. God’s solution for the challenges you are facing is holiness, which means being set apart to serve him in your spiritual work. I’m sure you know this, but in the Kingdom of God, his Levites are called to be employed in the work of worshipping Him day and night. Music is a special calling that requires holiness. It’s something that can shine light, but it’s not necessary to separate from God’s Ministry to evangelize.
I’ll try to my best to explain it like this:
WIFE/PROSTITUTE
1a. If my wife wants to help me bring income to the family, the job I don’t want her to get is one of a prostitute.
1b. When you use your ministry gift to bring profit to a concert or organization that has a mission against the Kingdom, it advances the enemy even if you shine a light while you’re there.
CHURCH/INDUSTRY
2a. If I want children and my wife thinks she can’t have any, it’s not a good decision for me to try to get children by my mistress (like Abraham).
2b. In the same way, the music industry is a whore, and the church is the bride. We have to build up the Bride, not try to give God children by the whore. Artists see themselves as shining the light in dark places, but the devil is manipulating them to make the gospel ineffective. They don’t have the same perspective as the leader of the organization – so they miss the real effect of what they do.
I know there are not a lot of churches that can even support your gift, or even have the heart to let you flourish in your calling… but God is raising them up in our generation if we can only believe and not settle for anything less. You’ve got to sanctify your ministry gift for the church of Jesus Christ exclusively. God can build something better than the music industry for us if we believe and work accordingly.
CONTROLLER/CONTRIBUTOR
3a. It’s kind of like if you were just a singer, not a writer. Imagine if you were just a singer, and you had no writing ability. You sing songs, and your voice is great, and you smile… so you think you are shining a light. But whoever controls the lyrics has the real power of the message, and most of the power and effect in reality. You are contributing your “light,” but the controller makes it dark anyway.
3b. It’s a similar situation in ministry. Just because you say something good is not enough. If you say it within the wrong organizational mission and bottom line, it becomes void of power, and eventually will be corrupted by satan. So if you “shine the light” at a Slum Village concert, satan still gets the glory and the profit and the souls from the concert. You are contributing your “light”, but the controller makes it dark.
The bible says satan comes immediately to steal the words that are sown. So the people that heard your good word in satan’s house – satan came immediately to water it down, resist it, and tell them that they didn’t really have to repent from sin, obey Christ and join God’s Bride in love. This is why God commands holiness and separation from the world in ministry, because it’s more effective – even in evangelism. God is not just about “shining a light” he’s about building a “light house” under His control.
I hope you understand bro, I know this is long but please let me know what you think… please know that I am telling you this because you are much much too precious to God. I know you’ve been thru a lot, but realize God ALWAYS rewards double when you suffer in Him. Don’t let the devil deceive you at all, you have the power in God. The devil has nothing for you, and you don’t need his industry to succeed in your purpose.
Last thought: Imagine if every Christian in the music industry (shining the light and struggling to stay a light, then becoming darkness themselves)… decided that they were going to leave the industry and start a MINISTRY that honored God with music AND teaching, and created their own business where they didn’t have to join in agreements with satan’s deceivers. All the talent and the glory of God would attract people out of the secular concerts into the House of Prayer. We wouldn’t have to go sing on stage for Slum Village because the people would be joining us instead of them.
That’s exactly what God needs in our generation! We need a generation that will seek His face in holiness and we need you to lead by example!”
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Get thee Behind Me Satan – How Jesus Addressed Devilish Wisdom
Posted on February 4, 2013 by SoSpression
“Get thee Behind Me Satan” – How Jesus addressed Devilish Wisdom
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
This is what Jesus said when he heard Peter give him Devilish wisdom. Peter told Jesus that He didn’t want Jesus going to the Cross. In Peter’s mind, Peter was going to help Jesus win and help him fight the Pharisees. Jesus called him Satan and said “Get thee Behind Me”
Satan Got in Front of Eve because Eve got in Front of Her Authority instead of Behind Him
Satan spoke to Eve because he knew he could play on her pride. Instead of staying behind her husband Adam, she got in front of him. Then satan was able to tempt her with even more false wisdom and get her to doubt the Word of God.
When you get in front of your leader, satan can get in front of you.
When you get behind your leader, you can tell satan to get behind you.🌳🍎🐍
When wives get in front of their husbands, or disciples get in front of their shepherds, it’s often because Satan is trying to get in front of them both.
Unlike Adam to Eve, Jesus did not let Peter get in front of Him. He discerned that it was Satan working thru Peter, and he told him to ” Get behind me satan…”
Discerning Wisdom
True wisdom is always seeking and finding ways to obey God.
Devilish wisdom is always coming up with “smart and safe excuses” to disobey God.
Watch out for people passing you devilish wisdom that think they are helping you out.
Defining Offense
Notice that Jesus is also giving a picture perfect definition of the word “offense” in the Bible. Its not an issue of emotional harmony at all (Jesus was still friends with Peter).
In reality, biblical offense is an issue of disobedience to God based on your affection for man’s ways over God’ Kingdom. An offense is a “stumbling block” off the path of obedience in God. (I talked more about this common misunderstanding, and the effects of it here).
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False Fire and Eventual Apostasy without the Holy Ghost
Posted on February 3, 2013 by SoSpression
Without a passion for holiness and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, the most passionate evangelism is just false fire and eventual apostasy.
Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit for a reason.
You can try your hardest, and have great character and intentions, but you cannot achieve the perfect will of God without the Holy Ghost. Why?
Simple. The Holy Ghost’s desire is to glorify Jesus the Son extremely and magnificently and completely. It takes God to glorify God, so in order to do this He needs to find a human that He can influence 100% of their soul. His earnest envy is to possess our souls completely.
John 16: 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
James 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Lust and envy are usually bad words. But when it’s the Holy Spirit, His lust and envy is to dwell within us humans completely so that He can glorify the Son to the maximum.
3 people you don’t want to partner with in ministry, unless it involves teaching, preaching, and giving them MORE of the Holy Spirit:
– people that resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). They don’t believe in the Holy Ghost and choose to hold on to a dead man/system from the past instead of the living, speaking, gift-giving God of today. They identify themselves by a name brand rather than Jesus. This can happen in any type of church, even Spirit-filled. For some people the Holy Spirit is someone they watch but they don’t touch.
– people that claim to be filled with the Holy Ghost; but despise holiness. God is Holy because His purpose is transcendent and it is comes from Himself. The iPad gets its purpose from Apple. The Mustang gets its purpose from Ford. God gets His purpose from within Himself, because He IS Holy. Anything else that wants to be holy must be “separated to Gods purpose and glory.” the iPad that is used strictly for evangelism and ministry is a holy iPad. The mustang that Paul used to ride around and push the gospel and is a holy Mustang. The fish that was used to feed Jesus Christ is a holy mackerel.
People that despise the idea of every decision, action, relationship being separated from sin unto God’s purpose are people to avoid partnering with. If someone thinks that holiness is too extreme they are useless in the kingdom of God.
– people that have the Holy Ghost; but have desires that are different than what the Holy Ghost desires. The Holy Ghost desires 100% obedience for the glorification of God. A packed out building with halfway obedient souls is useless to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not out to make fans, He’s here to possess souls and create disciples that burn for the Son of God. Making lots of money but not saying what God wants said is a loss, not a profit.
The moment you decide not to say the difficult thing that the Holy Ghost wants said in order to keep the favor of man is the moment you become useless and detrimental to spiritual progress.
3 people you want to be, partner with, and fellowship with in ministry:
– People that desire gifts and movements of the Spirit, use them, and are not ashamed of them. I’m not talking about crazy unbiblical stuff, just the things that are used to glorify Jesus.
– people that love the Holy portion of the Holy Spirit. People that love unbelievers and spreading the gospel and love, but still know how to be separate in lifestyle and avoid agreement with unbelievers in fellowship and ministry. People that don’t mind turning the TV or the movie or the music off when it’s unholy and doesn’t fit within Gods purpose.
– people that desire what the Holy Spirit desires. People that believe harder for revival fire than for profits and applause. People that will say yes to what God wants and reach a few with the whole truth rather than reach many with the half truth. People that put the honor of God only above the honor of men, and are willing to look like failures to obey God rather than successfully half-stepping.
What God Wants:
The Holy Ghost would rather have 100% of 5 people than 50% of 5000 people. Because the 5 people will produce after their own kind, and spread the fire of God. It’s a cold world, and any soul less than 100% full of the Holy Ghost will eventually go down to 0. Spiritually it’s just like the 2nd law of thermodynamics.
But God is rich in grace and loves to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him, because Jesus paid the price and He wants us to be fully His.
This is the Good News:
Our Father doesn’t give the Holy Spirit based on the ministry brand name, He gives the Holy Spirit to those that ask and do not resist:
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: evangelical, evangelicalism, holy ghost, holy spirit, Pentecostal, spirit-filled | Leave a comment »
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