Can You Handle the Truth?

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On This Episode -

Fighting Spiritual Warfare : Putting On The Belt Of Truth
Part 1 – Can You Handle the Truth?
This episode begins the application of putting on the belt of truth in the context of spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-18). It begins with the challenges of being led by the Spirit when confronting someone else with the truth, noting the necessity of relying on God's power and wisdom. Most can't handle the truth, so minimally believers need to wait on God's power and direction in confrontation. That most people resist the truth highlights the initial universal rejection of truth, according to Romans 1:18. Yet, in the case of believers, the Holy Spirit overcomes this resistance. The episode elaborates on the convictions of John 16:8-11 and explains how the Holy Spirit reverses the Great Exchange, where all of us exchange the truth of God for a lie.

Today's Topics -

  • 00:00:27 – Introduction to “Can You Handle the Truth?”
  • 00:01:18 – The Armor of God: Defensive Posture
  • 00:02:15 – The Trojan Horse Within
  • 00:06:12 – The Pain of Truth
  • 00:10:13 – The Safety of God”s Truth
  • 00:13:08 – Consequences of Sin for Believers
  • 00:18:09 – Resistance to Truth
  • 00:22:28 – Discipline and Spiritual Growth
  • 00:30:06 – Making Straight Paths for Your Feet
  • 00:56:41 – Closing Prayer and Encouragement

On This Episode -

Fighting Spiritual Warfare : Putting On The Belt Of Truth
Part 1 – Can You Handle the Truth?
  • 00:00:27 – Introduction to “Can You Handle the Truth?”
  • 00:01:18 – The Armor of God: Defensive Posture
  • 00:02:15 – The Trojan Horse Within
  • 00:06:12 – The Pain of Truth
  • 00:10:13 – The Safety of God”s Truth
  • 00:13:08 – Consequences of Sin for Believers
  • 00:18:09 – Resistance to Truth
  • 00:22:28 – Discipline and Spiritual Growth
  • 00:30:06 – Making Straight Paths for Your Feet
  • 00:56:41 – Closing Prayer and Encouragement

Today's Topics -

This episode begins the application of putting on the belt of truth in the context of spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-18). It begins with the challenges of being led by the Spirit when confronting someone else with the truth, noting the necessity of relying on God's power and wisdom. Most can't handle the truth, so minimally believers need to wait on God's power and direction in confrontation. That most people resist the truth highlights the initial universal rejection of truth, according to Romans 1:18. Yet, in the case of believers, the Holy Spirit overcomes this resistance. The episode elaborates on the convictions of John 16:8-11 and explains how the Holy Spirit reverses the Great Exchange, where all of us exchange the truth of God for a lie.

Today's Scriptures-

Ephesians 6:10, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 1:18, John 16:8-11, Acts 2:37, Isaiah 6:5, 1 Corinthians 12:3, Isaiah 64:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:2, Hebrews 2:14-15, Ezekiel 18:4, Colossians 2:15

Break up Your Fallow Ground, and Let the King of Glory Come In!

This final episode of the series encourages and challenges believers to break up fallow ground and seek the Lord until God rains His righteousness on them. (Hosea 10:12) The series has lately highlighted how genuine and consistent seeking after God doesn’t just lead to righteousness but encounters with God Himself. The psalmist in Psalm 84 consequently longs for God’s dwelling place, and in psalm 26:8, David calls it the place where “His glory dwells.” Taken together, the Scriptures call for believers to balance the call to deny themselves in breaking up the fallow with the ultimate reward of being so transformed that God Himself, the river that never runs dry, satisfies the longings of the Christian. The latter part of the episode addresses the challenges of breaking up fallow ground. While it definitely includes hardened sinful habits, the program deals with the thought life of many believers that, while not overtly sinful, nevertheless amount to vast fields of wasted mental engagement on things that go nowhere. God wants to dwell in our minds, so the initial daunting task of reorienting thought life around what is pure, noble and excellent (Philippians 4:8) is nevertheless a mandate. The episode closes with a practical challenge to seek God consistently through prayer and reading of the Scriptures, to the exclusion of social media and even news.

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Are You REALLY Seeking after God?

This episode contrasts “crises searches” with “love searches.” Many seek God principally based on crises and don’t pursue Him on a regular basis. The ideal is that we seek God continually, based on our desperate need to be molded by Him into the image of Christ. Hosea 10:12 highlights the positive motivation behind love-searching..”until He rains righteousness on us.” Many unfortunately don’t transition from crisis seeking to love seeking and consequently “invite” more God-orchestrated crises into their lives till they seek Him continually based on love. The latter half of the episode addresses the model “love search” of the psalmist in psalm 84:1-7. The psalmist is only happy in God’s “dwelling places,” and “highways to Zion” characterize his heart on perpetual pilgrimage. The program then applies the highway metaphor to Ephesians 3:16-19, the sanctification road in which Christians who abide in Christ are empowered by God and come more and more under His Lordship, resulting in greater capacity for God’s presence.

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Seek His Face, Not Just His Hand

This episode addresses the motivation behind searching for God. While God honors “crisis” seeking, where He aids us in crisis moments, He intends that all believers become life-long “love”-seekers who hunger and thirst for God Himself. The program addresses the dynamics of how God transforms crisis-seeking to love-seeking, often by making lasting victory over sin and circumstances elusive, requiring persistent seeking after God Himself. This resting in God is discussed based on Ephesians 3:16-19, where progressive abiding in Christ leads to greater capacity for His rule, potentially leading to being “filled up with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:19) This quasi beatific vision is based on an intimate knowledge of the love of God where the diligent search for God is rewarded. The episode repeatedly emphasizes that mere crisis searching is unacceptable. Love seeking is the Biblical ideal that culminates in the knowledge of God.

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