God’s Word – God’s Way

Youth Church Lesson

(Or Adults)=

TeacherR= 17;s Opening Soliloquy

(Paraphrase= in your own words and give personal witness.)

Perhaps the most common and ultimate hindrance to our = walk of faith, is not understanding the exact meaning of the words God spoke in scripture. Culturally, the way Americans perceive and accept input is totally different than the way God s= hows us through the Hebrew culture how He wants us to perceive and accept input.=

In America, when an authority figure (like a bible teacher or a pastor) tells us about a ‘Thou Shalt’ or a ‘Thou Shalt Not,’ we automatically think because we h= eard it, we know it and understand it. We come to a psychological acceptance of the input as fact (something that can be proven true or false) and then we ponder on the information usi= ng personally sanctioned criteria to make a judgment. Soon, without personally experienc= ing the reality of the input firsthand, we decide whether we like the input or dislike it, then we judge it valid or invalid as to being pertinent to us a= nd as to whether or not we’re going to put it into effect in our lives.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Frequently, we choose to ‘know’ it as information, but choose to disavow it as Divine Tr= uth. We sit in judgment of God and His = Word by being our own god.

We have somehow come to believe that since we have a ‘personal walk’ we have a right to a ‘personal opinion= 217; of what we will accept or reject about the Word of God. The criteria we use to judge it by= is usually fear, past negative personal experiences, peer pressure, platitudes, metaphors, rumors, principals we’ve seen acted out on fictional TV sh= ows, etc. We judge, accept or reje= ct God’s Word without experientially comparing it to the results and rew= ards God proclaims must come to us if we live and experience it. We judge, accept or reject it with= out permitting our firsthand understanding of the completeness and greatness of God’s precepts, prom= ises, principals, laws, decrees and vows to grow experientially. Without experience, the input will= never become First Nature, even if you accept it. Therefore, it will never grow frui= t.

In the Hebrew culture, to really know something, you h= ave to experience it. You have to li= ve it over and over and over again until its reality seeps down into your very bo= nes and it becomes your First Nature. Otherwise it’s just information. You don’t really know it. The inclusion or exclusion of furt= her such input in our lives will be founded upon the ‘success’ of w= hat we have come to ‘know’ by experience about the input we have al= ready received. If you have chosen = to repetitively experience the goodness and greatness of God through an indivi= dual principle, promise or precept in His Word, it becomes easier to apply a tou= gher principle, promise or precept to your life. It becomes easier to ‘know’ this principle, promise or precept because you have experienced the success of ‘knowing’ a previous principle, promise or precept.

Example: In Hebrew one of the words for wisdom is ‘Chokmah.’ It means ‘Skilled Wisdom.’ In other words, wisdom cannot be ‘wisdom’ without first being ‘skilled.’ It has= to be tried and tested, proven true and accepted as an absolute. The constant firsthand application= of wisdom, even in situations where your ‘feelings’ want things a different way, creates a series of successes that lets you accept the wisdom you’ve taken in as absolute truth.&n= bsp; This constant application creates a positive habit pattern that beco= mes part of your ‘framework’ for living. Pondering these constant successes= gives you confidence (the biblical definition of hope) in our daily walk, in ‘knowing’ a new principle, promise or precept, and in knowing God. =

For our daily walk to be successful it requires a spec= ific understanding of the exact nature of how God thinks and how God acts. When we accept Jesus as our Lord a= nd Saviour our old framework of fallen man (human) is na= iled on a cross 2000 years ago and we are given the ‘s= ubstance’ (real substance that’= s God empowered) to create new framework.

1. So what’s framework? Let&#= 8217;s find out.

= a. = It is the relinquishing of everything within you of the old man. It is the forming of God’s W= ord into a firsthand ‘knowing’ of how to think, how to act, how to = be successful, how to be protected, or in other words, how to be the presence = of Christ, victorious and complete in your everyday life and walk.

= 2. = What is the process of coming to ‘know’ something firsthand experientially?

a. = Read it in scripture. Cross reference it and come to an intellectual knowledge of the operation of the principle, promise, precept, law, decree or vow. Why it was created, how it works, what its returns, rewards or ramifications are and w= hat happened to those who implemented it properly and improperly in the scriptu= re. Find and write down the founding s= cripture that gives the principle, promise, precept, law, decree or vow. Read this scripture repeatedly eve= ryday until it becomes written upon your heart.

b. = Make a list (written list is usually better than me= ntal list) of what you know has to change in your life and what has to be given = up (mentally and/or physically). (This list will probably be added to during experiential implementation.)

c. = Come to an acceptance within yourself of giving the= se things up. Don’t make t= he choice emotionally. Make a ra= tional informed decision. God is goi= ng to give you the strength to make your decision and to build your new framework. Don’t be afraid of it.

d. = While reading and memorizing your foundation script= ure, ponder your personal outcome. That means visualize the finished product. Put a picture of it in your mind.&n= bsp; Draw a picture of it or find a picture that can represent it and put this picture in front of your face. Paste it on your refrigerator, on your bedroom mirror, inside your toolbox and any other place you look frequently. Don’t let it become just ano= ther adornment. Every time you see= it repeat the final outcome, recite or read your scripture, and give thanks to= God for its fulfillment.

e. = Believe, trust and expect to have your finished product. Faith it into existe= nce and rebuke doubt every time it comes.

f. = Speak out verbally the end result that you are pondering. Remember, words ha= ve the creation power of God when coupled with faith.

= 3. = Will I lose myself if I choos= e to know the things of God experientially?

a. = Yes. = But only the ‘bad’ structure that satan placed within you to sabotage your coming to

fully know Christ and having a victorious walk. You will find that God has placed within

you the power and authority to change. You can trade insecurity for total security in Christ.

You can trade not knowing what to do or how to act in certain situations for understanding

and experientially founded trust in taking these situa= tions to God. You will become secur= e of

how to direct each situation to a Godly outcome.&= nbsp; You can trade anxiety for the joy and peace

of the Lord. All of the good heart (the measure of faith given by God to each individual

which seeks to open the door when Jesus knocks) will remain. All of the bad struct= ure will

be replaced with the nature of God. You will be molded and changed dai= ly into the most

awesome you that you could ever be. You will radiate the presence of G= od and still have a

unique identity – you.

With minor adaptation of the above application, it wil= l work whether you are breaking generational curses, vanquishing your rebellious spirit, proclaiming your own or someone else’s healing, expanding your personal knowledge base of God’s Word, defeating bad habits, joining God’s economy and removing yourself from satan&#= 8217;s (proclaiming your financial abundance), proclaiming your personal possessio= n of any promise of God, actively pursuing a closer walk with Jesus, and any and every other GOOD thing listed in scripture that God has in store for his children.

= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; Be Blessed (Empowered to Prosper)

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Written by: Pastor Rob