Review of Week 50: 

CRUCIFIED: Our flesh must be painfully and publicly destroyed.

SPIRITUAL: It takes sacrifice and discipline to walk by the Spirit.

PERSONAL LIFE: Our place in the kingdom is far more valuable and fulfilling than anything individuality can attain.

UNITY: Agape brings individuals into shared personal life in the kingdom.

INTERCESSION: A connection between people and God’s reality.

PEACE: The assurance of heaven’s resources and outcomes.

TRUTH: Real truth is found by those who wrestle with God.

Dec. 16 - PRAYER WRESTLING

Ephesians 6:13,18 “...Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm... With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,...”

Context of Chapter 5,6: There is a right way to walk

- in love, as children of the light.

- wisely, making the best use of the time.

- in reverence, one for another (wives/husbands, children/parents, slaves/masters)

- it takes armor to stand against the schemes of the devil.

- it takes truth, righteousness, gospel of peace readiness, faith, salvation, the Word of God, praying at all times.

Have you been in any wrestling matches lately?

What have you wrestled with?

- what to say?

- what to do?

- how to get control of a situation?

Do we wrestle against the correct foe?

- should we wrestle with God?

- should we wrestle with flesh and blood ? Ephesians 6:12 “...our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places...”

- should we wrestle against forces that work against a proper relationship with God, for us or others?

Who is scheming against us? [the devil]

How can we stand against him? [the full armor]

How is prayer to be used in our wrestling match?

- we take our stand against evil.

      - we wrestle through things before God.

      - we move toward His providential will for us.

Dec. 17 - COMPREHENSION

1 Corinthians 2:14 “...But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised...”

Context:

- preaching Christ and Him crucified.

- in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

- leads to faith in the power of God.

- human eyes don’t see what God has prepared.

- only the Spirit comprehends the thoughts of God.

What does it mean to have our morality within our grasp?

- to judge our moral standard from our limited human understanding.

Why does the Spirit convict the world of sin?

- flesh doesn’t comprehend or understand sin.

- we need to see our desperate need.

Why does the Spirit convict the world of righteousness?

- we must become aware that righteousness is only available through Christ.

What is the critical role of our asking God for something?

- there are things He provides without our asking, but many things are not given until we ask.

Why do the wise works of man fall short of accomplishing the Spirit’s work?

- without the Spirit, we don’t comprehend.

- without comprehending, we don’t realize our desperate situation.

- without realizing our desperate situation, we don’t ask for redemption.

Beware of wisdom without power!

Dec. 18 - WORKING for GOOD

Romans 8:28 “...And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose...”

Context:

- the natural universe takes us toward death.

- walking according to the flesh, with minds set on the flesh, leads to death.

- walking according to the Spirit, with minds set on the Spirit, leads to life and peace.

- the Spirit dwelling in us gives life to our mortal bodies.

- we are fellow heirs with Christ provided we suffer with Him.

Is there suffering in this world?

Is there groaning in the world?

How does the Spirit help us?

- helps us when we don’t know how to pray.

- lines us up with the will of God.

- conforms us to the image of Son.

Who is in charge of circumstances?

- chance, us, others, the devil?

How do circumstances test our loyalty?

- we can choose to grumble or complain.

- we can choose to fight for our perceptions.

- we can surrender to Jesus Christ.

Are we working for God, or is He working through us? What is the difference?

Dec. 19 - DIRECT CHALLENGE

Matthew 10:34 ”...Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword...”

Context:

- Jesus called His disciples and gave them authority.

- Jesus sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of heaven.

- Jesus told them to take peace to those that would receive it.

- Jesus warned them that people would turn against one another, that they would be hated, but must endure.

- the people of God’s household will be maligned.

- the Gospel stirs up enemies.

Why do people reject the Gospel truth? [people want what people want]

Why do people reject the Spirit’s leading? [people want what people want]

Why must the Gospel message get to the point of antagonism and resentment?

- until we face the place of our resistance, we can not move on with God.

- until we come face to face with our failure, we can not be changed.

Which do we prefer, a feel good message, or a direct challenge to life we’re living?

Which do we need to hear?

How do we get from where we are to where God wants us?

- by hearing His truth.

- by repenting.

      - by living by the Spirit, not by the flesh.

Dec. 20 - STERNLY SURGICAL

John 12:32 “...And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself..."

Context:

- following the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

- Jesus reveals to His disciples that “...the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified...”

- to serve Jesus is to follow Him.

- a voice from heaven says “...I have glorified it, and will glorify it again...”

- it’s time for judgment of the world and for the ruler of the world to be cast out.

- Jesus reveals how He is about to die.

How can sympathy or understanding cause us to be traitors to Jesus Christ?

- dealing with people without the cross.

- helping without proper recognition of human need for Christ.

Why do doctrines not embedded in the cross of Christ lead people astray?

- Satan is the master of alternatives.

- anything that deemphasizes the cross is an alternative.

How does our usefulness to God depend upon our relationship to Christ?

- if not properly related, not useful, even though we may think we’re working for Him.

What is the difference between being poetical and being sternly surgical?

- poetical involves beautiful discourses, wonderful, sweet, and peaceable.

- sternly surgical is probing, uncovering sin and offering Christ alone as the solution.

Dec. 21 - REALITY REVEALED

1 Corinthians 2:12 “...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,...”

Context:

- Paul’s proclamation was of Christ, and Him crucified.

- it wasn’t lofty speech or words of wisdom.

- it was Holy Spirit power.

- the world simply doesn’t know and can’t imagine what God has prepared.

- the Holy Spirit knows, and leads people who love God into understanding.

What change occurs when one is born again?

- like our first birth, we move from a position we’ve known as normal, to a place vastly beyond our previous awareness.

- the kingdom of God is not the same as the kingdom of man.

Do womb experiences help an infant understand the world they will be born into?

- the birthing process ushers an infant into the reality of a bigger dimension.

- can infants get together and understand this new bigger reality?

Do our fleshly experiences help us understand the kingdom of God that our spiritual birth brings us into?

- the reality of redemption and the thoughts of God are not something we can comprehend without the Spirit.

Are we more confident in the sum of our experiences or in the reality of Christ’s sacrifice and the mission of the Holy Spirit?

Dec. 22 - TRANSACT

John 6:44 “...No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day...”

Context:

- Jesus feeds five thousand men from five barley loaves and two fish.

- Jesus walks on stormy water.

- Jesus warns people to not labor for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life.

- Jesus claims to be the bread of life.

- everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him will be raised up on the last day.

Who comes to Jesus?

- those that the Father draws.

What is an individual’s responsibility to the drawing of the Father?

- a person must make the transaction, taking action across the space between them and God.

How can intellect actually deter a person from making the transaction?

- we are not surrendering our will to God if we must first clear things with our own understanding.

Does God expect us to reach out beyond our grasp?

Why do so few make the transaction?

- there is a great tendency to lean upon our own understanding.