B-12 to Pull Down Strongholds

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On This Episode -

B-12 to Pull Down Strongholds
Spiritual Warfare – Putting On The Armor Of God Part 1
This episode principally deals with motivation behind spiritual warfare, taking thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. Many of us know cerebrally what thoughts are unhealthy, but we lack the desire to aggressively take thoughts captive. Philippians 2:1-3 contains the blueprint for overcoming our fleshly lethargic response to spiritual imperatives. Before laying on the challenging, almost nonsensical command (according to the flesh) of doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit (v.3), Paul urges his recipients to consider encouragement in Christ, consolation of love and the fellowship of the Spirit. These gifts are essentially tantamount to the undergirding power of God that would motivate a believer to be Christ-like, doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. Paul will then motivate by pointing to Christ's self-emptying as an example. The goal of spiritual warfare is to replace ungodly thoughts with spiritual thoughts, and the driver behind this exchange is divine power, which we access when we abide in Christ. The above 3 bi-products of the Spirit are part of the divine arsenal, which is "divinely powerful for the pulling down of strongholds." (2 Cor 10:4) Believers are consequently urged to access divine power by abiding in Christ, thus motivating them to aggressively take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

Today's Topics -

  • 00:00:01 – Introduction to Spiritual Warfare
  • 00:00:41 – Motivation Behind Spiritual Warfare
  • 00:02:31 – The Mind of Christ and Selflessness
  • 00:05:58 – Encouragement and Consolation in Christ
  • 00:10:00 – Understanding Christ’s Sacrifice
  • 00:14:00 – Abiding in Christ for Strength
  • 00:19:31 – The Importance of Spiritual Warfare
  • 00:24:08 – The Consequences of Sin and Darkness
  • 00:27:12 – Taking Thoughts Captive
  • 00:56:21 – Conclusion and Prayer

On This Episode -

B-12 to Pull Down Strongholds
Spiritual Warfare – Putting On The Armor Of God Part 1
  • 00:00:01 – Introduction to Spiritual Warfare
  • 00:00:41 – Motivation Behind Spiritual Warfare
  • 00:02:31 – The Mind of Christ and Selflessness
  • 00:05:58 – Encouragement and Consolation in Christ
  • 00:10:00 – Understanding Christ’s Sacrifice
  • 00:14:00 – Abiding in Christ for Strength
  • 00:19:31 – The Importance of Spiritual Warfare
  • 00:24:08 – The Consequences of Sin and Darkness
  • 00:27:12 – Taking Thoughts Captive
  • 00:56:21 – Conclusion and Prayer

Today's Topics -

This episode principally deals with motivation behind spiritual warfare, taking thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. Many of us know cerebrally what thoughts are unhealthy, but we lack the desire to aggressively take thoughts captive. Philippians 2:1-3 contains the blueprint for overcoming our fleshly lethargic response to spiritual imperatives. Before laying on the challenging, almost nonsensical command (according to the flesh) of doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit (v.3), Paul urges his recipients to consider encouragement in Christ, consolation of love and the fellowship of the Spirit. These gifts are essentially tantamount to the undergirding power of God that would motivate a believer to be Christ-like, doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. Paul will then motivate by pointing to Christ's self-emptying as an example. The goal of spiritual warfare is to replace ungodly thoughts with spiritual thoughts, and the driver behind this exchange is divine power, which we access when we abide in Christ. The above 3 bi-products of the Spirit are part of the divine arsenal, which is "divinely powerful for the pulling down of strongholds." (2 Cor 10:4) Believers are consequently urged to access divine power by abiding in Christ, thus motivating them to aggressively take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

Today's Scriptures-

Philippians 2:1-5, John 17:26, Romans 5:5. 1 John 5:3, Hebrews 12:10, Galatians 6:8, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Ephesians 6:16, 1 Corinthians 2:12-14, Romans 13:14, Matthew 6:22-23, John 1:5, Colossians 1:13

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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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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