by Pastor Roy Esposito

The church’s purpose: To BECOME the revelation of Jesus

“The Presence of the Lord should be clearly discernable in our attitudes, words, and actions.”  – basic, true Christianity.

Colossians 1:27 – “Christ within…”

– “If the vision of Christ living in you is not a truth burning in your heart, you may have accepted a false version of Christianity.”      – Frances Frangipane

1 John 4:17 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

Transformation = Spiritual Change.  

Some react to  change with —  Fear and Doubt

Transformation is not a Task but is a GIFT that only needs to be received.

Luke 1:38  – “Let it be unto me according to Your WORD.”

Before a Change, there is always a Preceding Word. Say YES!

Proverbs 13:12  – “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”

Heart Sickness:   Disappointment and Discouragement >>> Doubt, Hopelessness, Fear, Anger, negative perspectives

1 Kings 19:4  -Elijah in a “cave of despair” b/c of a darkened perspective.

2 Corinthians 13:5  – Examine/test yourself to see what you’re putting your faith in/ who are you Trusting?

Psalm 46:10 – Be still to know!

1 Kings 19:9 – “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

“A still, small voice…”  (AMP)  “A sound of gentle stillness.”

Hebrews 11:27 – “… he endured as seeing Him, who is unseen.”

“To accept a gift from God is never an act of entitlement or of pride. It’s simply an act of humility.”  – Sister Josephine D’Sparo

Romans 4:20-21 – Abraham staggered not at the promise of God …”

Distrust of God –  The root of all despair and discouragement

–” From the Garden to the present, satan’s attacks have been on the character of God – specifically to undermine our trust in Him.”  – PR

“Only those who can see the invisible can accomplish the impossible.”

The “Dove” IN us – We benefit.
The “Dove” ON us – Others benefit.

John 6:63 “The SPIRIT gives life…” – “The Words I speak to you are SPIRIT and life.”

Mark 1:15 – ”Repent, (Metanoia) and believe the Gospel…”

”Look beyond that which is apparent to you now and believe My words (Gospel) for they are LIFE.” –Jesus

John 1:14 – Jesus: The WORD made flesh.  When He speaks, His words become SPIRIT – the source of Life.

Romans 14:17 – The Kingdom of God is IN the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.” – The Evidence of God’s presence is FREEDOM.

Jesus’ words stunned people not only because they contained profound ideas and intellectual challenges but because they caused an Atmospheric Shift whenever He spoke.

Acts 3:1-10 Lame man healed at the temple gate called Beautiful.

Habakkuk 3:3-4 – “Rays of power flashed from His hands.”

Matthew 10:1 – Jesus imparts power and authority to disciples.

Matthew 10:11-13 “Leave your Peace…” – Perfect well-being.

Matthew 10:13_(AMP) Freedom from all distress experienced as the ill-effects of sin.

Acts 5:15-22 – Peter’s shadow heals the sick.
“Your shadow will always release that which overshadows you.” – The Lord

”Every viewpoint is a view from a point.” – Richard Rorh

Isaiah 55:8-9 – ”My thoughts are not your thoughts…”

Encouragement from PR

1. Darkness creates the desire for light
2. Chaos often precedes creativity3. Uncertainty is the doorway into Mystery
3. Mystery is the doorway to Surrender
4. Surrender is the pathway to God that Jesus called, “Faith”
5. Faith precedes great leaps into new and enlightened knowledge

Ekklesia – “the Called Ones” –

Metanoia(Greek) – META = Beyond; NOEO = to Think ≈ “THINKING BEYOND”

”Thinking Beyond“ – A rewriting of Priorities, Thoughts, and Values to align with God’s

“Repentance” – Paenitentia(Latin Vulgate) Connotes penitence and contrition

Mark 1:15 – Repent and believe the Gospel

Romans 13:10-12,14_(NKJ) Time to AWAKE out of sleep! – “Change your FOCUS”

John 16:12-15 – You cannot bear the weight of My words will release over you

Glory – SHEKINAH (Hebrew) – “Weightiness”

Habbakuk 3:3-4 “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise.  His brightness was like the LIGHT; He had rays flashing from His hand, and there His power was hidden.”

John 16:12-15 – Declared by the Holy Spirit

Declare — To disclose, Transmit, Impart

Make time daily to envision the “Dove” on you – LITERALLY – FOCUS!

“The moment you let a problem get bigger than God’s Presence in your life – the problem OBTAINS YOUR HONOR and you will yield to it BECAUSE you’ll see it as having more power than God.” –PR

Ephesians 4:27 – “Don’t give place to the devil.”

If you should error – Put on the Mind of Christ (Metanoia) and return to the LIGHT

1 John 3:8 “For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

When challenged — “THINK BEYOND”

1. Light is more powerful than darkness
2. Truth is stronger than error
3. There is more Grace in God’s heart than there is Sin in the hearts of men.

-Jack Hayford

“Life is not stagnant. If you aren’t being renewed daily, you’re being given over to decay.”

“Our physical bodies are servants of our minds and obey the commands given them in the operations of daily life. 

Psalm 23:7 – “For as he thinks within himself, so is he.”

Frances Frangipane – Revelation 12:7-8 (AMP)   “…NO ROOM WAS FOUND FOR THEM in heaven any longer….”

“All spiritual warfare is waged over one essential question: Who will control REALITY on earth –   Heaven or Hell?    – Frances Frangipane

Revelation 12:7-8  – “No room..”   Dragon DISPLACED by Christ’ Reality:

1. Truth
2. Honor
3. Virtue
4. Love
5. Humility
6. Forgiveness
7. ALL the Fruit of the Spirit

Romans 13:12 (TPT)  -” The ARMOR OF LIGHT”– displaces the Darkness

John 15:-16:1  – Holy Spirit – given to bear witness 

“Dark Thoughts” – KILL!

Job 3:25 –   ”…the things I greatly feared has come upon me….”

Anxiety – Will demoralize the whole body allowing disease to enter.

Impure Thoughts – Even when not acted out, they can shatter a nervous system.

Matthew 5:6 –  Get alone with God to pray.

Philippians 4:8-9 (TPT)  – Please meditate on this each day this week.   -PR

Philippians 4:8-9  (NKJ)  – “Good Report”  – Words that are –  Fair – Gracious – Auspicious – and Favorable

Meditation positions us to Receive the things we are meditating on; Noble, Pure, Good, etc.  – They will Displace Dark Thoughts –  We come into agreement with Jesus’ thoughts.

When we “FIX” our minds on these things, we will receive the “Perfect Peace” Jesus has promised. (Isa 26:3, Jn 14:27)

“Agreement with either heaven or hell will set the reality of life  lived,”  –PR 

Colossians 1:27  – The Mystery  – “Christ within, the hope of glory.”

Christian Mystic – One who has had this mystery unlocked, believes it, understands it and sees it as an actuality.

It’s having hell and its sickly effects DISPLACED through a personal revelation of “Christ Within”– the “Living Water.”

Let’s  Re-Hydrate today and let health and New Life flow to our entire beings.

Matthew 28:18-20 -The Great Commission  – ”Go and make disciples….”

“Spiritual empowerment comes through deeper communion with God.” – PR

Proverbs 8:17 – “I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me.”

Supplications – Prayers of requests

Meditative Prayers – Prayers of Perspective

Teresa of Avila –  

              The Soul as a “Garden” – Prayers as “Water” that give life to the garden

Contemplative Prayer – Prayer of Calmness and Communion

Contemplation – is a Grace that is divinely produced, not initiated by men

Contemplative times – When we hear the Lord’s voice most clearly, which transforms the hearer to take on the image of Christ

“Street Corner Spirituality” –  The “highways and byways ministry.”

Matthew 22:9-10 (NLT) – “Now go to the Street Corners and invite everyone you see.”

• John 1:4-5 “In Him was the life, and the life was the light of men.”

• Life – ZOE – The principle of life

• “The light of men” – Light that makes sense of human existence.

• ”…not comprehend it” – The darkness is unreceptive to the light and doesn’t understand it; hence, it cannot control it.

• Luke 2:10-11 – ”Good tidings of great joy” – The light is not only greater than the darkness; it will also outlast it and give us the ability to make sense of God’s purposes.

• John the Baptist – a Prophetic voice sent to “prepare the way of the Lord.”

• Luke 1:76-79 – Zacharias’ Rhema word over John.

• 1 Corinthians 12:27 – “Now, you are the Body of Christ.”

• Luke 1:80 – “The child grew and became strong in the Spirit and was in the desert till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”

• A Present Word: The prophetic voice is honed, in the desert, before it’s revealed in God’s perfect timing.

• Isaiah 60:1-5 “Arise, shine for your light has come….”

• Psalm 94:12-13_(Mess) – He provides a “circle of quiet” within the clamor of evil.
• Ephesians 2:14 – He, Himself is our PEACE.
• Empathy – Getting a sense of another’s mind.

• “Jesus’ gentleness toward sinners flows from His ability to read their hearts.” – PR

• “Beyond the grumpiest poses and defense mechanisms, beyond their arrogance and airs, beyond their sneers and curses, Jesus saw little children who hadn’t been loved enough and had ceased growing because someone ceased believing in them.” – Brennan Manning

• “Hostility and Estrangement” = “Enmity and Alienation”
• Human Wisdom’s solution – Focus on circumstances.
• True Wisdom – Focus on man’s estrangement from GOD.
• Romans 5:1 – Jesus, our bridge back to God.
• Luke 5:1-11 “Two Boats” – Freedom of choice.
• Proverbs 18:10_(TPT) God is a tower of strength for the lovers of God’s delight to run into.
• James 4:1-2_(TPT)
• The “human way” has a foundation built on unredeemed and unrepentant hearts with lives lived in the ILLUSION of SELF-IMPORTANCE. 
• These lack the humility necessary to ASK GOD for what they need.
• Psalm 25:8 “Good and upright is the Lord who shows sinners the WAY.”
• Ephesians 2:11-14_(TPT) – “Our reconciling Peace is Jesus!”
• Psalm 121:1-2 – “Our help comes from the Lord, the creator of heaven and earth.”
• Philippians 3:20-21_(TPT) – “We are a colony of heaven on earth….”
• James 3:18 – The Peacemakers: Sowers of righteousness.
• Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS for they will be called the children of God.”

– Advent – a time of reflection and anticipation 

– Luke 2:8-11  – ”Exceeding Joy.” 

– Happiness –  is subjective to your state of mind. It comes from outside yourself and depends on something “happening” that’s unexpected and pleasurable.

– Joy  – emanates from within and doesn’t rely on external circumstances.

– The message of exceeding joy was that it was now possible for people to be changed (transformed) from within.

– John 1:4 –  Jesus, the LIGHT of men – the Principle of LIFE  (Zoe) who brought enlightenment to mankind.  – The Transformational Connector to God the Father.

– Matthew 16: 25  – “For My Sake”  –  For the sake of the TRUTH

– SOUL CONTROL  – being bossed around by automatic emotional responses to circumstances

– Two Choices: 

 1. Keep control – Have to make every decision with incomplete info

 2. Give control to God and receive transformational promises of the New Covenant

– 2 Corinthians 3:6 –   The LAW kills – The SPIRIT gives life

– Luke 5:1-8  – Two Boats   – Our Way / His Way

– Romans 2:4 –  God’s KINDNESS leads to repentance

– 1 John 4:19 – We love Him b/c he first loved us

– 1 John 4:10  – True repentance is the result of a revelation of God’s unyielding love for us

– Romans 12:1-2 – Repentance occurs, transforming us as our minds are renewed

– Titus 2:11-12 – Grace is a teacher and leads people to repent

– Grace – Does not result in Superficial Behavior Modification but with Permanent Interior Heart Transformation

– “O Christ, my JOY.  Allow us the Joy of your presence that transcends the sorrows of our lives.”

Our Hope in Christ:
1st Week of ADVENT
by Roy Esposito

• Advent – The Coming or Arrival
• 2 Focuses – REMEMBERANCE and ANTICIPATION
• Psalm 42:5 – “Hope In God”
• “His Continence” – Abiding PRESENCE and His SALVATION
• Psalm 43:5 – “Hope of MY continence” – A guaranteed Hope  that sustains LIFE
• Lack of HOPE – Paralysis and effectual death
• Relevancy – The spiritual battle for meaning
• 1 Kings 10:1-13 – Queen of Sheba’s awe
• Ecclesiastes 1: 14-18 – Solomons lack of HOPE
• Matthew 7:16 – Known by our fruit and NOT by what we possess
• Human Wisdom – Seeks to ACCUMULATE
• Spiritual Wisdom requires DIMINISHMENT
• “Shaping” – How human experiences are interpreted by the soul
• Solomon put his hope in what he saw and what he possessed
• They became his IDEALS – Ideals are IDOLIZED – Idols are WORSHIPPED
• His Idol was SELF CONTAINMENT
• Hebrews 6:10-12,19
• Souls – “SOFT  WAX” on which IMPRINTS are made
• Jesus – A NEW IMPRINT >>>> A NEW NATURE
• Colossians 1:27 – “Christ within, the HOPE of glory.”
• Glory (Heb- Kabud) The glory Jesus shared in the luminous brilliance of His Father

• “Jesus is the power and wisdom and holiness of God almighty. No thought can contain Him; no word can express Him. He transcends all human concepts, considerations, and expectations.” –Brennan Manning

• THIS is the inconceivable power of “Christ Within,” which IS our  HOPE!
• Romans 8:24 – The HOPE through which we are SAVED

• Romans 15:13_(AMP) “May the God of your HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing….”

                             Forget Not His Benefits                 11-21-21

• A False teaching:
  • The more we know about God, the more accountable we are for our failings
  • The more severe will be our punishment.
• Truth: The closer we draw to God, the SAFER we become

• Isaiah 53:4-5 – Jesus bore our chastisement – Rebuke, Reproval, Punishment

• Hebrews 12:7 – NT chastisement:  (Greek)  Paideuo – “child-training,” a discipline that’s administered with love and never harshly

• 2 Corinthians 12:7 – Paul’s “Thorn in the flesh” – not literal but an Irritant

• 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “A messenger of Satan.”

• Numbers 33:55 – Israel’s enemies called “THORNS and Irritants.”

• Acts 19:11-12 – Paul’s handkerchief healed the sick

• Fear is NOT the Good News/Gospel

• 1 John 4:18 – “Perfect love casts out all fear.”

• Psalm 103:1-8 – “…Forget not His benefits.”
  1. Forgiveness
  2. Healing
  3. Redemption (Hebrew) Ga’al – to buy back something that was lost through helplessness, violence, or poverty
  4. Loving-kindness and mercy – personal love, attention, and care
  5. Fills my mouth with good things:  blessings, not curses
  6. Renews our youth – the vitality of the young
  7. Administers righteousness and justice when treated unfairly
  8. Slow to anger – hard for Him to get mad at us

• Isaiah 53:3 – He is acquainted with your sorrows
• Acquainted – He became INTIMATE with them and overcame them by the Light of His love.
• Psalm 103:11-12_(AMP) “As far as the east is from the west…”