Transformation Road by danievt

TRANSFORMATION RD

Transformation by the renewing of your mind

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Transformation Road Second edition 2011 Resource by Urban Life Church

info@urbanlife.org.za | www. urbanlife.org.za | 0861 CHURCH

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Contents 1 | Introduction

30 | Forgiveness

2 | Transformation

32 | Pride

4 | God our Father

40 | Humility

14 | Sonship

42 | Gladness of Heart

18 | Cycle of Wellbeing

42 | Conclusion

20 | The Battle

47 | Suggested Reading

26 | Offence

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Introduction The transforming power of God is part of the inheritance we receive when we come into a relationship with God through Christ. The purpose of this book is to assist you in establishing a platform in your life that leads to a continual process of transformation. Our encouragement to you is to make the most of this opportunity. Open your heart and life to those who lead you in this process. Allow the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. Submit to the work of the Holy Spirit. Take notes, ask questions, stir you faith and let your Heavenly Father minister to you. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am convinced that it is no coincidence that you are doing this course. God has a plan for your life and God is committed to completing the work He has started in youâ&#x20AC;? (Phil 1:6). Enjoy the journey!

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Transformation

Tranformation The Exodus Journey

Egypt

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• Land of “Not Enough” • Land of Deliverance • Land of Slavery • Land of Vision • Land of Captivity

• Lan • Lan • Lan • Lan • Lan

Greatness of God

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In every area of our life, God takes us on a journey. 2|

EXER you a

Desert

Promised Land

• Land of “Just Enough” • Land of Preparation • Land of Occupation • Land of Process • Land of Liberty

• Land of “More than Enough” • Land of Promise • Land of Possession • Land of Inheritance • Land of Intimacy

Commitment of God

Purposes of God

EXERCISE: Look at Ezekiel 20:1-20, think about the land of “Egypt” and write down two things that God speaks to you about. |3

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God our Father

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The Father Heart of God INTRODUCTION

as our Father in heaven and spend eternity with Him (Matt 11:27).

This biblical truth is foundational to our understanding of how to respond to our God, our heavenly Father.

1. WHY THE FATHER HEART OF GOD?

‘Agape’ (the sacrificial love of God), in the words of Leon van Daele, “is the most powerful single force in the universe”. It is this love that motivated the heart of God to reach out to us. God’s love is so totally different from any human love we have ever known: it is unconditional, undeserved and absolutely perfect. We do not have to work to receive this awesome love: this is something that we as humans find so difficult to accept. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a well-known passage on love. Most Bible scholars agree that the love described in this passage is not human love but the love of God. It is impossible for us to have this love - it is given to us by the Holy Spirit. It describes perfect, divine love: the love that our heavenly Father has for us, His children.

God’s profound love for us is demonstrated in Him choosing His only Son to die so that we, as fallen man, may have the privilege to know Him

Why devote a whole section of this manual to the father-heart of God? Because God is a person, He can enter into personal relationships, and the one that is the easiest for us as humans to understand is that of “father.” Jesus taught those who entered the kingdom of God to regard God as their Father. He taught His disciples to address God as “Our Father in heaven” (Matt 6:9). All Jesus’ teaching encourages a relationship with the Father that is intimate, close and tender. We need to understand that God as Father is the perfect Father - He eagerly desires that we rely on Him for: · Care and provision in even the most practical matters of food and clothing (Matt 6:25-34). · Protection (Matt 10:28-31). · Provision of all good things (Matt 7:7-11). Not all of us have had the privilege of having godly fathers. Many of our fathers have let us

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down in many ways on many occasions and are nowhere near perfect. Sin has destroyed countless father-child relationships to the point that they not only function sub-optimally, but in many cases, totally break down (for example, adultery, divorce, alcoholism, sexual abuse or attitudes of disinterest). Floyd McClung, the author of The Father Heart Of God, quotes a psychologist as reporting that, “70% of all violent-impulse crimes are committed by children from divorced homes or single-parent families” and that ,“the average parent in Europe watches television three and a half hours each day and spends thirty seconds communicating with his children.” In Genesis we see that God created both male and female in His image and so both are part of His nature and character. In order for a family to receive a full revelation of God’s love, both father and mother are needed as they both represent unique aspects of God’s character. Where there is a single-parent family, it is important to know that God can compensate for the missing love of a parent. Because we are continually faced with imperfect father figures, our concept of what a father should be becomes distorted and we, |5

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often sub-consciously, transfer this to our relationship with God. It is at this point that we need to consider what

thoughts come to mind when we hear the word ‘father.’ Is it the loving, gentle, warm, forgiving, protecting, providing, doting father that Scripture reveals, or have we allowed our earthly fathers and other authority figures to veil who God really is as our Father? Picture these situations: • A young boy spends all afternoon carving what he believes to be a horse out of piece of wood. At the end of the day he excitedly waits for his dad to come home to show him his handiwork. A tired, preoccupied man finally arrives and barely casts a glance in the direction of his son. • A young teenager going out for the night with her friends looks eagerly in the direction of her father, hoping he will show some interest in her activities. All he does is reach for his wallet and ask her how much money she needs. • A toddler’s father places him on the kitchen counter and tells him to jump and he will catch him. As the little son trustingly jumps toward his father’s arms, his father turns his back. Three 6|

times this happens and finally the father reveals the moral of the exercise to his son: “Son, never trust anyone!” A parent with no time, a parent with no interest and a parent that cannot be trusted. We need to ask God to help us set aside our preconceptions and experiences of earthly fatherhood in order that we may relate with Him as He intended. In the words of Floyd McClung, “Don’t ever resent the failings of your human parents. They are just kids that grew up and had kids. Rather rejoice in the wonderful love of your Father God.” In God we have a perfect Father. We can unreservedly trust Him to always be the same: His character and attributes are both constant and consistent (Matt 5:43-45, Matt 7:9-11, Jam 1:17). Unlike the fathers in the situations above, our heavenly Father always has time for us, delights in us, longing that we will come to him not with clasped hands, but open arms and He desires us to put all our trust in Him. Scripture continually expounds God’s passionate love and goodness toward His children. 2 Corinthians 6:18 states, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

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2. WHAT MOTIVATES US TO SERVE GOD?

3. RECEIVING GOD’S LOVE FOR US?

If we know our God as Scripture reveals Him, and also His love for us, His sons and daughters, then serving Him will not only come naturally, but will be a privilege.

But the ‘agape’ love of our God is so very different - God is love (1 Jn 4:16). Because He is love, His very nature means that we do not need to do anything to get Him to love us. All He desires is that we be found in His presence and receive His love. As with any love relationship, there needs to be both giving and receiving of love.

We live in an “if … then …” society where accepFear? Selfish gain? A desire to be successful? tance is performance-orientated and therefore conditional. Many children believe that they are A need to be accepted by others? Surely if only worthy to receive the love of their parents if this is the motivation, we do not know God! they receive a good report card, if they are sucHe is our Father and we are His children. He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19) and in response to His cessful in sport, or if they work hard around the divine care and protection, we need to serve house. Their concept of love is that it is conditional: if you perform, then you will be loved and and obey Him. 1 John 5:3a says, “This is love accepted. for God: to obey His commands.”

Think of how a young child looks upon his father with awe and passionately defends and boasts about his dad among his friends: “My dad’s bigger than your dad,” “My dad’s clev- Imagine how a wife would feel if she gave her husband a tender, loving hug to express her love erer than your dad,” and so it goes on. for him and he pulled away, asking what he could do for her. She would be totally devastated. In We need to be like children: we need to love and serve our heavenly Father simply because the same way, you want nothing in return but the other person’s response of love. What is your He loved us first. We need to seek out opporresponse to God when He tells you that He loves tunities to boast about Him and to tell others you? Do you tenderly receive His love or do you of our love for Him.

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anxiously His love or do you anxiously and actively search for a way to earn His approval? 1 John 3:1 puts it this way, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” If you have been disappointed by your natural father, soak yourself daily in scriptures that portray the qualities of your heavenly Father - for it is only truth that will set you free (Jn 8:32).

4. YOUR FATHER REVEALED Your real Father is waiting eagerly to reveal Himself to you. All He desires is that you ask Him.

Adopting Father • “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:4b-5a). • “In him we were also chosen” (Eph 1:11a). • “Yet to all who received him, to all who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, ...but born of God” (Jn 1:12-13). • “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of 8|

sonship” (Rom 8:15a). • “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Gal 4:4b-5). • “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters” (2 Cor 6:18a).

Father to the Fatherless and Defender of Widows • “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Ps 68:5a-b). • “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow” (Deut 10:18a). • “The LORD ... sustains the fatherless and the widow” (Ps 146:9a). • “God sets the lonely in families” (Ps 68:6a).

Covenant-Keeping Father • “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills

be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Is 54:10)

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• “In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed”. (Is 61:8b-9). (Also see Luke 15:11-31 for the story of the Prodigal Son clearly depicting God’s amazing love and grace in keeping covenant with His children).

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Rewarding Father • “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Heb 11:6). • “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matt 6:3-4). • “Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because

Rembrandt’s painting of the Prodigal Son

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he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” (Matt 10:41-42). • “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:12). • “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free (Eph 6:7-8).

Prayer-Answering Father • “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Lk 11:9-13). 10 |

•“You do not have, because you do not ask God” (Jam 4:2d). • “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (Jn 14:13-14). • “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (Jn 16:23-24).

Giving Father • “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ... your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matt 6:25-33)”. • “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps 37:4). • “Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing” (Ps 34:9-10).

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• If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt 7:11).

Forgiving And Redeeming Father •“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9). • “The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Lk 15:21-24).

Disciplining Father • “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating

you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Heb 12:7-11).

• “But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate” (Lk 15:21-24).

• “My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. God’s discipline as Father produces righteousness, peace and joy” (Ps 3:11-12).

• “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matt 6:14).

Psalm 66:18 indicates God’s silence as His discipline. If you are not hearing God, ask yourself: “Have I obeyed what He last said to me?”

Jesus’ prayer at Calvary is a dramatic demonstration of God’s forgiveness!

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Loving Father • “For God so loved the world that he gave his one

and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

• “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him” (1 Jn 3:1). • Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (Jn 15:13). • “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” (1 Jn 3:6).

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• “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ

Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:35-39). • “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine” (Ps 33:12-19). • We are the “apple of His eye” (Deut 32:10, Ps 17:8, Zec 2:8), His treasured possession (Ex 19:5). At the end of the world His sons and daughters will be His inheritance: a Bride (Rev 21:910) for His Son for all eternity.

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Sonship

Sonship Son, Slave or Orphan? INTRODUCTION SON: A female /male descendant , a spiritual descendant. We are called to be sons and heirs of our Father in Heaven (Gal 3, 4). Many people don’t realise they are a sons and don’t live as sons. Perhaps you don’t know what it is to be a son, or how to be one? (Note: The word “son” is not a biological term but a condition of your heart).

1. HOW DO YOU BECOME A SON? “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (Jn 1:12). • Receive Him • Believe in His name

2. WHAT ABOUT MY EARTHLY PARENTS?

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So, how does this happen when we already have earthly father and mothers? A legal transaction takes place in the heavenlies, we become part

of God’s family and take on His name. We were once separated from the Father but when we are reconciled to Him, through Jesus Christ, we are adopted into His family. ADOPTED: To take in, accept as one’s own. Choose, select, embrace, take on, formally approve and accept responsibility for. “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” (Eph 1:4-5). • We take on the name of our adoptive Father. • We immediately receive all the rights and privileges of a son/ daughter. We have access to what the Father gives/ provides: - Protection - Provision - Love - Authority / Power • We have an inheritance here on earth and stored up for us in heaven.

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3. WHAT A SON IS NOT • A Servant (who gets certain privileges but know His distance). • A Slave (who does the masters bidding but is not even known by the master.

4. SERVANT, SLAVE OR SON? Servant: Do you maybe have this view towards your Heavenly Father? Do you subconsciously act and think like a hired hand, doing your duties at church and getting some privileges but there is a distance between you and the Father? A Servant - Master relationship, not a personal loving relationship where a son came come to a Father anytime for anything and sit on his lap? (This is a religious view of God). Slave: Do you maybe have this attitude towards your Heavenly Father - “I do what I do because I have to. I am bought with a price and owned and will just do what I am told”. (This is also a religious view of God). This all comes back to our hearts. What is the condition of our

hearts and how does this affect my view of “sonship”. Our hearts (mind, will & emotions) need to be renewed.

5. AN ORPHAN SPIRIT If we do not allow God to change our heart when

we become His sons, we can have a very severe heart-sickness - “An Orphan Spirit”. Take a look at the differences between an Orphan spirit and the Heart of a son on page 16-17. As we prayerfully compare, let us be open to question if we have any of these symptoms of heart sickness and let God change us.

6. OUR IDENTITY AS SONS • The Father wants us to live in a spacious place. He has an inheritance for you. (Ps 16:6). • Sons are disciplined by the Father. This does not mean that He is rejecting us or that He is a harsh Father. (Heb 12:6-8). • Sons are free! (Gal 5:1). • Sons have power of the Holy Spirit and they are led by the Spirit. (Rom 8:14-17, Lk 11:13). • Sons represent the Father here on earth, just as Jesus did. (Jn 5:19).

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Sonship

CONTRASTING THE ORPHAN HEART AND THE HEART OF ADOPTION ORPHAN HEART See God as Master

IMAGE OF GOD

See God as a Loving Father

Independent/ Self-reliant

DEPENDENCY

Interdependent/ Acknowledges need.

Live by the Love of Law

THEOLOGY

Live by the Law of Love

Insecure/ Lack Peace

SECURITY

Rest and Peace

Strive for the praise, approval, and acceptance of people. A need for personal achievement as you seek to impress God and others, or no motivation to serve at all. Duty earning God’s favor or no motivation at all “Must be” holy to have Gods’ favor, thus increasing a sense of shame and guilt Self rejection from comparing yourself to others Seek comfort in counterfeit affections: addictions, compulsions, escapism, busyness, hyper-religious activity Bondage Feel like a Servant/ Slave 16 |

HEART OF SONSHIP

NEED FOR APPROVAL MOTIVE FOR SERVICE

MOTIVE BEHIND CHRISITAN DISCIPLINES MOTIVATION FOR PURITY SELF-IMAGE

SOURCE OF COMFORT

CONDITION POSITION

Totally accepted in Gods’ love and justified by grace. Service that is motivated by a deep gratitude for being unconditionally loved an accepted by God. Pleasure and Delight

“Want to” be holy; do not want anything to hinder intimate relationship with God. Positive and affirmed because you know you have such value to God. Seek times of quietness and solitude to rest in the Father’s presence and love.

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ORPHAN HEART

HEART OF SONSHIP

Accusation and exposure in order to make yourself look good by making others look bad.

HANDLING OTHERS’ FAULTS

Competition, rivalry and jealousy towards others’ success and position.

PEER RELATIONSHIPS

Guarded and conditional, based upon others’ performance as you seek to get your own needs met. Conditional and Distant

EXPRESSION OF LOVE

Spiritual ambition; the earnest desire for some spiritual achievement and distinction and the willingness to strive for it; a desire to be seen and counted among the mature. Fight for what you can get! See authority as a souce of pain; distrustful toward them and lack a heart attitude of submission. Difficulty receiving admonition; you must be right so you easily get your feelings hurt and close your spirit to discipline.

SENSE OF GOD’S PRESENCE

VISION

FUTURE VIEW OF AUTHORITY VIEW OF ADMONITION

Love covers as you seek to restore others in a spirit of love and gentleness

Humility and unity as you value others and are able to rejoice in their blessings and success. Open, patient and affectionate as you lay your life and agendas down in order to meet the needs of others. Close and Intimate.

To daily experience the Father’s unconditional love and acceptance and then be sent as a representative of His love to family and others. Sonship releases your inheritance! Respectful, honoring; you see them as ministers of God for good in your life. See the receiving of admonition as a blessing and deed in your life so that your faults and weaknesses are exposed and put to death.

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Cycle of Wellbeing

Cycle

Wellbeing

Cycle of Wellbeing vs Cycle of Law

ACHIEVEMENT ACCEPTANCE

SIGNIFICANCE SUSTENANCE

1. CYCLE OF WELLBEING OR GRACE God wants us to live in the cycle of grace or wellbeing. This leads to life and peace. • All believers need to start with the knowledge that they are accepted by the Father- freely and utterly. (Heb 4). We can approach the throne of Grace with confidence. As we have discussed, this requires a mind change and a faith step. • We are sustained in our sense of being accepted by the Father as we continue being filled with the Holy Spirit. The God of all hope fills us with peace and joy. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is part 18|

of this life of intimacy with God. • Our significance is derived not from what we can do but by who we are. As the Holy Spirit testifies to our spirits that we are children of God, the sense of the Father’s heredity within us conquers the need to strive. We are able to stand tall and strong. • Then we can achieve what God has planned for us. We are not motivated to earn approval but naturally do the works God has prepared for us to do. We fulfil our destiny by being led by the Spirit not driven by the flesh. Jesus as our example: • In Mark 1:9-11, Jesus receives a revelation of God’s love for and acceptance of him - “This is my Son, whom I love, in whom I am well pleased”. It wasn’t an anointing for ministry, simply an affirmation of an already existing sonship. • Jesus sustained his sense of his Father’s acceptance by his intimacy with him. He addresses God as “Abba” or “Daddy”. • The Son’s significance and self worth is wholly tied up with the value placed on him by His Heavenly Father. He was happy in his own skin; He was confident in who he was; He carried an

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authority. He spoke about his significance: ‘I am… The Bread of Life; The Way; The Truth; The Light of the World’. • Jesus achieved the destiny and plan that God intended for him, not because He needed God’s approval but because of his intimate relationship with His Father.

ACHIEVEMENT ACCEPTANCE

SIGNIFICANCE SUSTENANCE

2. CYCLE OF LAW So often we live in the opposite, the cycle of Law that leads to striving, exhaustion and stress: • We strive to achieve and to be noticed; • That leads to a feeling of significance and standing and false authority; • We sustain that with activity, ‘doing’ rather than being; • So that we will be accepted. Our acceptance by our heavenly Father needs to be sustained otherwise we start going back to our old way of trying to earn God’s love for us. The Bible is full of affirmation and acceptance. When we feel pushed into a place of inferiority, condemnation and low

self esteem, speak the Word of God over yourself. What does God say about you? Memorise and meditate on appropriate scriptures. Our significance lies not in who we are or what we can perform but by our position in Christ. “Royalty is my identity; (significance) servanthood is my assignment (achievement); intimacy is my lifesource (sustenance)”.

Suggested Reading: • Orphans or Heirs - Mark Stibbe • The Return of the Prodigal - Henri Nouwen |19

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My Heart and Mind

murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matt 15:19). • So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matt 18:35). • For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt 6:21). • I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezek 36:26).

1. WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY ABOUT OUR HEARTS? • One of those listening was a woman named

Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message (Acts 16:14).

• For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Rom 10:10). 20 |

• For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,

• But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7) Paul understood that our heart is the key to living out the salvation our spirit has received. Our heart is our mind, will and emotions. If our minds are renewed it will impact the way we live our lives. If we are to live godly lives and have victory over the attack of the enemy we must change in the way we think. • “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,

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holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is -his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:1-2).

Conforms to the patterns of this world “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2).

• “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4:22-24).

Is set on natural desires “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (Rom 8:5).

• “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pet 1:13).

Is hostile to God “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom 8:7).

2. THE CONDITION OF THE UNRENEWED MIND The condition of the unrenewed mind: Leads to death “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” . (Rom 8:6).

Does not submit to God’s law “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom 8:7).

Romans 11-12 Word Study: Conform: To comply with rules or general custom, to be fashioned after and adapted to, to fit in without question. Pattern: Regular or logical form (e.g. sewing pattern). | 21

Transformation Rd

The Battle

Transform: Make a dramatic change in the form, outward appearance and character. Metamorphose (Greek): The change from immature form to adult form - e.g. caterpillar to butterfly). Renewed: Make new again, restore to original state, improve moral condition, impart new, more vigorous and spiritually greater life.

3. HOW DO WE TRANSFORM? Decide Not to Conform “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world” (Rom 12:2).

22 |

Don’t harden your Heart

• The world wants to squeeze us into its mould. • Repentance (metanoa -change of mind). • Faith with deeds.

• Stay soft hearted towards God (Eph 4:18). If we are not repentant or do not submit to God and godly authority we are in rebellion. (Ps 78:8, Is 30:9, Ezk 12:2)

Have the Mind of Christ

Set Your Mind on the Spirit

• Ask yourself: Is this a degenerative thought pattern or is it regenerated thinking. Choose to change - with the grace of God! (1 Cor 2:14-16, Rom 13:14, Phil 4:6-8).

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires”. (Rom 8:5)

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“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:2). “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (Heb 3:1). • Set / Fix - to apply , fix ready in position for purpose • Computer law - Junk in = Junk out

Submit to God’s Law “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so (Rom 8:7). “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb 4:12). • God’s Word is alive and active. • Not “mind over matter”or “positive thinking”. • It is us making a decision to allow God’s Word to do it’s work in our lives.

• We need “brain washing” - our minds need to be washed / cleansed from all the filth and ungodly input and thought patterns it receives daily. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Is 55:10-11).

Take Captive Every Thought “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov 23:7).

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). • This is War! • We need to take prisoners of war - those arguments and pretensions against God. • Deal ruthlessly with temptation. • The Bible teaches us that we can overcome temptation with help of God.

| 23

Transformation Rd

24 |

The Battle

• Temptation is not sin, but we have two options with temptation: - Entertain temptation - Take it captive • When we entertain it, it becomes sin. • Not only sexual temptation. • Also temptation to critisize, slander. • We must deal with thoughts of discouragement, negative self talk, negative thinking. • Take captive thoughts of negative self image, negative role models. • To do this we need healing through forgiveness of those through whom we have had negative experiences in relationships etc. • We spend the bulk of our time being vulnerable in the workplace to carnal thoughts and actions. • We have to make an effort to expose our minds to the things of God. • Starve negative/ destructive thoughts (While we feed him them will stay and grow. When we starve them, they will leave). • The pattern does not start with the evil spirit or temptation, but with us entertaining and acting on ungodly thought and input. This then gives the evil spirit the right to make itself at home.

Prepare your Mind for Action

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be selfcontrolled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pet 1:13). • The input into our minds should prepare us for enjoying God and taking part in the things of God. • We must be selective about what we watch, read, hear, meditate on and who we spend time with. • When we dwell on the input of negative thinking or ungodly books and TV / films, we develop thought patterns that are controlled by these influences. • People complain about always feeling depressed, but when you look at what they listen to etc. it is no wonder. • Train lazy TV and computer minds.Learn to respond to the Spirit, not only to technology. • Negative and discouraged people always seem to find each other and encourage one another in their negativity and discouragement. • Exercise and train your mind in the things of God.

• Think and meditate on positive things and on the Word.

Pleasing: Make glad and give pleasure Perfect: Complete, not deficient, blameless

us ngs

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things” (Phil 4:8).

We need to be able to discern how God wants us to live, respond and make decisions in every area of our lives.

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“Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thess 5:22 - NIV). IF WE DON’T FIGHT, WE WILL NOT WIN!

4. GOAL “... Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2). Test: Critical examination Approve: Conform and sanction Will: God’s desire for us Good: Morally excellent

• “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Heb 12:11) . • “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6). • “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). Do people immediately recognize the fragrance of God in your life?

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Transformation Rd

Offence

Choose not to take Offence! INTRODUCTION OFFENCE: an illegal act, a wounding of feelings, resentment, stumbling block, violation, error, to be angered or enraged or hurt, irritate, “Miff”, put nose out of joint, tread on toes, rattle. Jesus was called the Rock of Offence. “He will be a stone that causes man to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and for the people of Jerusalem He will be a trap and a snare”(Is 8:14). Wherever Jesus went He was a rock of offence and He offended the people of the day. Most of the people He offended were the religious leaders and those that knew the Law and the Word of God. Read Matthew 11:1-6. John sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Coming One. John began to doubt and possibly took offence! He had acknowledged that Jesus was the One of whom he had been talking about when Jesus came to be baptized. He even said in Matthew 3:13-14, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptizes by John. But John tried to deter Him saying ... I need to 26 |

be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” John even heard the Father’s voice saying “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am pleased” . Yet he was still asking now if Jesus was the One! Do you not think he could have been a little bit irritated? He had done all the hard work and now suddenly, the one he had been preparing for was there - preaching and gathering followers while he sat in prison! Have you ever asked yourself why John sent his disciples to ask Jesus? Why did he still have disciples if he had been preparing the way for Jesus? Surely they should have now been following Jesus? “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me”. (Matt 11:6) ”And they took offence at Him” (Matt 13:57). A prophet is without honour in his own home town. People all around Jesus had to learn to deal with offence and move on or be offended and lose out.

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1. THE OFFENCE TEST Learn how to deal with offence in the following 3 areas:

(1) ME • When others offend me, how do I react or respond? Do I gather people around me to get them on my side against my offender? • If I trained someone in something and now they are doing better than me, do I praise them or do I still try keep a hold of the reins? • If I am preparing my friends for another friend or family members’ arrival and when they come, everyone fusses over them and forgets me, do I try gather everyone back to me and catch a wobbly? • Do I play the “Ignoring Game” or “Quiet Game”?

(2) PICK UP OTHER’S OFFENCE • If your husband gets treated unfairly at a meeting. Do you climb on the bandwagon with him and hold onto that offence long after he has worked it through? (Wives - We are notorious for this, but men are just as

bad!) Often the one who shared the offence has long since dealt with it and moved on, but we have picked up someone else’s offense and we are still carrying it, still holding unforgiveness toward that person etc. • If you hear about someone totally unrelated to you who was unfairly treated, do you climb on the bandwagon with probably no facts to what happened?

(3) OFFEND MYSELF This is a hard one. Often we offend (anger, en-

rage, irritate) ourselves by something we don’t like about ourselves and we even cause ourselves to stumble! We need to examine our hearts!

2. THE “MIFF TREE” Have you ever been miffed? Well to be “miffed” is to be offended. This is a very large tree that we climb up when someone “offends” us. Don’t climb up the miff tree. • We can choose how long we want to stay up the miff tree. | 27

Transformation Rd

Offence

• The longer we stay, the more potential we see to stay “miffed” and start building a “miff tree house”. • A miff tree house is when we choose to stay offended and make sure that others know about it by sulking, ignoring, the cold shoulder etc. • Then, if we really can’t get down, we begin to put up curtains and... Do you get the picture?

3. DEALING WITH OFFENCE • Don’t curse it. Don’t get all worked up about it. • Don’t nurse it. Don’t enjoy it or build a miff tree house! • Don’t rehearse it. Talk about it or run it over in your mind. BUT... • Disperse it. Give it to God • Reverse it. Let God reverse it and take you down another turn off. That turn-off or road is called: FORGIVENESS. • Forgive in the same way you have been forgiven. 28 |

• You have no right to remember what God has forgiven. • You can’t drive a car by looking in the rear-view mirror! “Forgive us our debts as also we have forgiven our debtors, For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins your Father will not forgive your sins”. (Matt 6: 12,14,15). What about mistakes and sin? 1. Admit it 2. Quit it 3. Forget it

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view

Notes:

sin sins 6:

| 29

Transformation Rd

Forgiveness

The Key to Blessing INTRODUCTION

Forgiveness is the key to blessing. It unlocks not only the person you forgive, but yourself.

1. CHOOSE TO FORGIVE Jesus commanded us to forgive– 70 x 7 times. (Matt 18:22).

“Another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good”. (Job 21:25)

When? Straight away! Then there is no place for sin (unrepentance and bitterness) to take root in your heart.

Unforgiveness dries up the bones – (Prov 17:22) It drains life, creativity and vision from you.

When we understand how much God loves us, and how much we have been forgiven, then the choice is easy!

3. HOW DO WE KNOW WE HAVE FORGIVEN?

When we understand the character and nature of God, the ultimate forgiver, we can’t help but forgive. We need to choose to repent of judgement. God’s mercy triumphs over judgement. We often want God’s mercy over us but God’s judgement upon others. (Jms 2:13).

• We no longer ‘react’ when we see or think of the person. • We can pray for them to be blessed and thrive. • We are walking in life and fullness. • We are no longer dogged by negative thoughts

2. FRUITS OF FORGIVENESS When we live in forgiveness, a load is taken from 30 |

us - we walk lightly. Forgiveness and repentance opens our hearts to God and allows His life to flow through us. Forgiveness brings freedom and liberty – for all involved. Unforgiveness is exhausting. It leads to bitterness, and eventually drains ‘life’ out of you.

Suggested Reading: • The Importance of Forgiveness – John & Carol Arnott • Total Forgiveness – RT Kendall

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| 31

Transformation Rd

Pride

Be Humble or Stumble INTRODUCTION Did you hear about the clever salesman who closed hundreds of sales with this line: “Let me show you something several of your neighbors said you couldn’t afford.” PRIDE: Inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one’s own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others, an ungodly focus on one self. We will be successful or fail in life based on the three areas of our thoughts, our heart condition and our kingdom culture (the things we do): 1. Our Thoughts – must be in submission to the Word of God. 2. Our Hearts – must be shaped by the Word of God. 3. Our Actions – must be in obedience to the Word of God. Lucifer (or Satan) fell from heaven because of his pride. (Read: Is 14:12-14, Ezek 28:17). 32 |

Sculpture of Lucifer the Fallen Angel

- Lucifer thought in his heart - It affected his heart condition - It determined his action - It led to his downfall

1. WHAT DOES PRIDE DO? Pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick but the one who has it. • “Be humble or you’ll stumble” - D.L. Moody. • “Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace” - C. H. Spurgeon. • “They that know God will be humble,” John Flavel has said, ‘ and they that know themselves cannot be proud.”

D. Pride brings disunity • “Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom”. (Prov 13:10 KJV)

E. Pride brings destruction

A.Pride is deceptive

• “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand joins in hand, he shall not be unpunished” (Prov 16:5 KJV). • “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18). • “He that is of a proud heart stirs up strife: but he that puts his trust in the LORD shall be made fat” (Prov 28:25 KJV).

B. Pride hinders prayer

F. Pride brings resistance from God

• “There they cry, but no one gives answer, because of the pride of evil men” (Job 35:12 KJV). • “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things” (Ps 12:3 KJV).

• “But he gives more grace. Wherefore he said, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble “(Jam 4:6).

C. God hates pride • “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov 8:13 KJV).

“Humility does not mean thinking less of |yourself, it means thinking of yourself less”.

2. SYMPTOMS Symptom: A sign of the existence of something,

evidence, clue, indicator.

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Transformation Rd

Pride

1. Pride wants to apply truth to others, not ourselves. If you sit there thinking “this is for...” or “I wish … was here”. 2. Pride produces a lack of responsiveness to the preached Word: • I don’t need to listen to this • I’ll think about it • Surely God doesn’t want me to do this

7. Pride gets angry when it cannot have its way.

3. Pride produces a lack of prayer: • I don’t need God, I can handle life myself • I will make it happen on my own • I am a self made man or woman.

8. Pride leads to insecurity • Are they talking about me? • Unnatural need for affirmation. • Pushing yourself to be noticed.

4. Pride produces a lack of repentance: • If I was wrong • If I hurt you • I was wrong, but…

9. Pride makes us feel special and more unique than others. • We think we are more talented. • We think we have more spiritual gifts. 10. Pride leads us to concentrate on our rights and not our responsibilities. • We have a right to water – but we also have responsibility to pay for it. • Right to get paid – responsibility to do a honest days work. • I have a right to be in the church meeting –

5. Pride produces an unwillingness to minister: • I don’t have time for… • I’m too busy for … • I’m a mature believer, I’m beyond … • I work hard all week, now they want me to … 34 |

6. Pride is opinionated. • “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov 26:12). • Have you got something to say about every thing, even things you know nothing about? • Quick to tell people how things should be done, even if not asked.

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responsibility to serve and extend the kingdom. 11. Pride leads us away from a servant attitude. We tend to want to be served rather than serve. 12. Pride is protective over material possessions. • We need to take the spoiling of our goods cheerfully for the sake of the kingdom. 13. Pride likes to talk about itself. • Telling about my achievements. • Talking about my problems.

–

14. Pride stops us from fulfilling our commitments. • We arrive late without an apology or a call to say we are going to be late. • We don’t arrive at all. • We don’t do things we committed ourselves to doing. 15. Pride causes us to feel indispensable. • I make this ministry work • If I leave this church will fall apart • Never letting people we counsel

go, but attaching them to us. 16. Pride inhibits our public prayer, praise, worship and gifts of the Spirit. 17. Pride makes us unable to receive • No thanks. • Give to someone else. • Receive help, money, service, friendship, love. 18. Pride enjoys flattery • Encourages people to flatter them by asking or comments. • Won’t give glory to God, but soaks up flattery. 19. Pride makes us have a lofty elevated view of ourselves that is not related to reality. 20. Pride is often expressed in the bottomless pit of self pity. • Self pity requires repentance, not attention 21. Pride produces ungratefulness • We have a demanding attitude. • We fall into the trap of comparison.

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Transformation Rd

Pride

• We look at what we don’t have rather than what we have. • Ungratefulness stops growth. 22. Pride produces a root of hardness • Unloving and insensitive. • Focussing on peoples’ weaknesses and not their strengths. • We think we know all the answers for them. 23. Pride makes us envious of what others have. • We think we deserve it. 24. Pride leads us to care more about what others think of us than what God thinks • Fear of man. • Insecurity. • Quick to ask others what they think after we have done something – looking for their approval and having our back scratched. • Overly self-conscious. 25. Pride does not want to adjust • Failures, needs or weaknesses

36 |

26. Pride makes us think that every one is against us.

• If you think I am preaching at you, it is pride. • You are not so important that we will make the whole congregation suffer so we can tell you some thing. • Self preservation. 27. Pride refuses to admit when it needs help. • It is self sufficient. • “I can handle it”. • “What makes you think I need your help”. • It looks down its nose at others. 28. Pride makes us take credit for good things, rather than giving God the glory. • “I did it” • “I fixed it” • “Everyone must thank me” • Proud about our spiritual growth. • Proud about overcoming a specific sin. • Likes to tell others about what we have accomplished. 29. Pride is divisive and factional. • There is no character clash that God accepts. • “Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” (Prov 13:10 KJV) 30. Pride prefers my interest to yours.

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31. Pride leads to perfectionism. • Perfectionism is a form of exalting yourself. • There is a difference between doing things well and being a perfectionist. • Perfectionist always believe that they are better than others. • Not willing to admit mistakes. 32. Pride stops me from allowing others to make mistakes. • “What is wrong with you”. • Arrogance about areas where we may be more talented than others.

• We talk continually about ourselves

33. Pride makes us believe that what has been accomplished for us has been done by ourselves rather than by God or others.

37. Pride produces hearts of sarcasm • Humour that belittles others is not humour. • Humour that hurts is not funny.

34. Pride does not admit mistakes but excuses them or blames others.

38. Pride produces independence and selfsufficiency • Rebellion against God and authority • “It’’s about “me” and “I”… • Pride expresses itself in rebellion. • We don’t want to be accountable. • We don’t want others involved in our decisions. • Independence removes compassion

35. Pride produces an unteachable spirit. • Correction is hard to receive. • We refuse to listen to advice. • We think we are above the input of others. • We would rather be right than good. 36. Pride causes us to be inward focussed

| 37

Transformation Rd

Pride

• I don’t have a constant awareness that my every breath depends on God. • I think I have enough strength, ability and wisdom to manage my life. • My practice of spiritual disciplines are superficial and inconsistent. • I don’t like to ask others for help. 39. Pride produces criticism • Judges teachers. • Something critical to say about everyone and everything. • Look beyond the package.

44. Pride produces envy. • Why have I not have what they have got, or why can I not be what they are. 45. Pride produces disloyalty and lack of commitment. • To the body of Christ and other believers. 46. Pride produces a lack of faith • We trust in ourselves and our abilities. • We won’t go beyond what we cannot do. • Without faith it is impossible to please God.

40. Pride produces impatience • Do it my way and hurry up 41. Pride produces anxiety and fear of the future • I cannot sleep because of fearful thoughts and burdens 42. Pride produces impulsiveness • Not waiting for God’s timing. • Not waiting for God’s direction. 43. Pride produces comparison. • Measuring ourselves against others. 38 |

Pride comes before the Fall... William Beebe, the naturalist, used to tell this story about Teddy Roosevelt. At Sagamore Hill, after an evening of talk, the two would go out on the lawn and search the skies for a certain spot of star-like light near the lower left-hand corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. Then

Roosevelt would recite: “That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say, “Now I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed.”

Former heavyweight boxer James (Quick) Tillis is a cowboy from Oklahoma who fought out of Chicago in the early 1980s. He still remembers his first day in the Windy City after his arrival from Tulsa. “I got off the bus with two cardboard suitcases under my arms in downtown Chicago and stopped in front of the Sears Tower. I put my suitcases down, and I looked up at the Tower and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to conquer Chicago.’” When I looked down, the suitcases were gone.”

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is Hill, out in nd n

guard, “I suppose all the great pianists who come here want to play on that piano.” The guard shook his head. “Padarewski [the famed Polish pianist] was here a few years ago and he said he wasn’t worthy to touch it.” -----

On a visit to the Beethoven museum in Bonn, a young American student became fascinated by the piano on which Beethoven had composed some of his greatest works. She asked the museum guard if she could play a few bars on it; she accompanied the request with a lavish tip, and the guard agreed. The girl went to the piano and tinkled out the opening of the Moonlight Sonata. As she was leaving she said to the | 39

Transformation Rd

Humility

Grace for the Humble 1. WHAT IS HUMILITY? Oxford dictionary definitions are: Humility: - The quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance.

Humble: - Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance; - Of modest pretensions or dimensions. In the context of God, humility could be defined as, ” thinking more highly of God and His ways, and less highly of myself and my ways”.

2. WHY DOES GOD WANT ME HUMBLE • To test us and find out what is in our hearts “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands” (Deut 8:2). 40 |

• To forgive and heal us “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron 7:14). • To answer our prayers “Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them”. (Dan 10:12) • To keep my heart soft towards Him – and impact those around me for good “Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the LORD. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the LORD, the God of Israel. Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detest-

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able practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem” (2 Chon 36:11-14).

3. HOW CAN I HAVE HUMILITY 1. By humbling myself. We need to walk in a right attitude before the almighty God, and towards others: - “Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them”. (Dan 10:12) - “So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the LORD , the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me”. (Ex 10:3) - “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves”.(Phil 2:3) • By listening to AND responding to God / His Word: - “He guides the humble in what is right and

teaches them his way”. (Ps 25:9) - “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word (Isa 66:2b NIV). - “But there is something I’m looking for: a person simple and plain, reverently responsive to what I say” (Isa 66:2b MSG). 2. By being obedient and honouring to those in authority in my life: - “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1Pet 5:5) - “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right”. (1Pet 2:13, 14) - “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves”. (Rom 13:1, 2)

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Transformation Rd

Sadness of Heart

Gladness

heart

From Sad to Glad INTRODUCTION Read Nehemiah 2:1-10. “And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid”. (Neh 2:2). Nehemiah had “sadness of heart”. Many people carry within them a sadness of heart. The Hebrew word for heart is “Leb”. This word includes every function that makes us human: our will, mind, emotions, conscience and personality. The word, “sadness” embraces the following words: unhappy, sorrow, regret, downcast, dejected, depressed, gloomy and despondent. Sadness affects: - Your decisions (i.e. Will - “I won’t go there” or “I won’t do that”). - Your thought life (i.e. Mind - continuingly dwelling and rehashing the cause of the sadness). - Your responses (i.e. Emotions, heaviness, negativity). 42 |

- Your values (i.e. Conscience - allowing yourself to get involved in things you would not normally do to dull the pain). Together, these areas can cause you to have a sadness that is evident in the way that you conduct yourself: • Your heart prompts you (Ex 25:2) • Your heart moves you (Ex 35:21) “A happy heart makes the face cheerful” (Prov 15:13). The saying - “Your eyes are the windows to your soul” holds true. Very often you can see the sadness in peoples eyes even if the say they are fine. Even if they laugh and conduct themselves in a way on the surface that make it seem as if nothing is wrong. “Even in laughter the heart may ache” (Prov 14:13). Proverbs 4:23 tells us that we need to guard our heart as it is the wellspring of life. If you carry sadness in your heart and you do not allow God to bring healing it will affect the rest of your life.

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our y God life.

1. WHAT CAUSES SADNESS OF HEART? • Great trouble (Neh 1:3) • Disgrace (Neh 1:3) • Being broken down (Neh 1:3) • Being burnt (Neh 1:3) • Being ruined (Neh 2:17) Some examples of these types of events: • Failing at work and being fired • Divorce • Unfaithfulness of a spouse • Death of a family member • Rebellion of a child • Financial failure or bankruptcy • A friendship that breaks down • Public humiliation • Parents that fail • Family member in prison • Rejection by loved people • Being stabbed in the back by a trusted person • A family member that refuses to serve God

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Transformation Rd

Sadness of Heart

• Unmet expectations and disappointment • Extreme unhappiness at work/home • Being misunderstood

2. RESULTS OF SADNESS OF HEART? Results of a sadness of heart: • Inability to trust • Hardness • Inability to have close friendships • Always expecting people to let you down • Hateful • Grudging attitude. • Losing heart - giving up on life.

3. HEALING A SAD HEART Why do we need the sadness to be healed? 1. “A cheerful heart has a continual feast” (Prov 15:15). 2. “A heart at peace gives life to the body” (Prov 14:30). 3. “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Prov 17:22). 44 |

What are the results of a healed heart? • A loving heart (Deut 11:13) • A faithful heart (1 Sam 12:24) • A devoted heart (1 Kings 11:4) • A responsive heart (2 Kings 22:19) • A glad heart (Ps 16:9) • An encouraged heart (Col 2:2)

Can God do something about my sad heart? “When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.” (1 Sam 10:9). God changed Saul’s heart. God can change our hearts!

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How do I have my sad heart healed? 1. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Prov 3:5). 2.“Allow God to examine my heart - like a surgeon” (Ps 26:2). - Be vulnerable before God and His people. - Allow God to use His people to minister to you. 3. “Allow God to search your heart - like a treasure hunter” (1 Chron 28:9; Ps 139:23) - Allow God to touch the hurting places. 4. Allow God to set your heart free (Ps 119:32). 5. Allow God to revive your heart (Ps 119:32) 6. Allow God to create in you a pure heart (Ps 51:10). - This is supernatural. - Allow God to use His people to minister to you.

Maintaining a glad heart 1. “Banish anxiety from your heart” (Ecc 11:10). - Don’t allow sadness to take a long term root.

- Don’t be easily offended. - Understand that people make mistakes. - Live in an atmosphere of healing. - Live in an atmosphere of forgiveness.

2. “Be careful what you meditate on” (Ps 19:14). -“Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praise worthy” (Phil 4:8). - Meditate on God’s Word (Josh 1:8). - Meditate on God’s works (Ps 77:12). 3. Watch the attitudes of your heart (Heb 4:12) . 4. Set your heart (Ps 119:12; 1 Tim 3:1). - Make a decision to live with a healed heart.

How can I guard my Heart? 1. By being humble (see previous chapter) 2. By being accountable (submitting my plans/ ways to others). “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”. ( Eph 5:21) “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Heb 13:17).

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3. Putting on the breastplate of righteousness: “Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”. (Eph 6:13-17). He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; ( Isa 59:17) Thayer’s (bible dictionary) definitions of righteousness: 1. In a broad sense - state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God; 2. The doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God; 46 |

3. Integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting. Webster’s (bible dictionary) definitions of righteousness: 1. Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law. Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice, honesty and virtue, with holy affections; in short, it is true religion; 2. As applied to God, the perfection or holiness of his nature; exact rectitude; faithfulness. Note: What is in your heart will be seen by everyone! “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks”. (Luk 6:45)

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Conclusion We encourage you is to continue applying what you have learned over the last while. Don’t give up if you do not see immediate fruit in some areas, persevere! Do not allow circumstances or failure to discourage you, God is with you! It is not by your performance but the performance of Jesus that you will have victory. Go and be a blessing. Your transformation opens the door for you to be an instrument of transformation in the lives of others.

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Resources:

• From Slavery to Sonship - Jack Frost

• The Return of the Prodigal - Henri Nouwen

• Experiencing the Father’s Embrace - Jack Frost

• From Orphans to Heirs - Mark Stibbe

• What’s so Amazing about Grace - Phillip Yancey

• Practising His Presence - James Goll

• The Importance of Forgiveness - John Arnott

• Face to Face with God - Bill Johnson | 47