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
Darkness creates the desire for light
Chaos often precedes creativity3. Uncertainty is the doorway into Mystery
Mystery is the doorway to Surrender
Surrender is the pathway to God that Jesus called, “Faith”
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”
Light is more powerful than darkness
Truth is stronger than error
There is more Grace in God’s heart than there is Sin in the hearts of men.
Romans 5:19 through ONE MAN’S OBEDIENCE MANY WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS. Run into the fire of God.
I Corinthians 15:34
I Corinthians 15:58 – be strong, steadfast, and immovable
Romans 5- Grace Reigns …through righteousness
We have access BY FAITH into this GRACE which reigns through His righteousness.
Philippians 3:12
“Night’s darkness is dissolving away as a new day of destiny dawns…” Romans 13:12
It’s a new day
Lamentations 3:22-24 God’s love and mercies are new every morning.
Romans 12: 1-2 Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To SURRENDER YOURSELVES TO GOD TO BE HIS SACRED, LIVING SACRIFICES. BE INWARDLY TRANSFORMED. THIS… will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
Philippians 4:1b
God gives us access into the realm where HE reigns THROUGH JESUS.
Jesus opened the door into God’s realm for us through His blood shed on the Cross, through His obedience.
He invites us to wait on Him, renew our strength, and to walk in the Spirit, not giving place to the flesh or natural life, listening for His Voice, cultivating His Expression in our lives, and BEING that LIVING EXPRESSION every day.
The River of God flows out of us.
His Presence displaces our old nature
His very living Being fortifies us, renews our minds, rejuvenates our bodies, and restores our souls-flooding our new nature with His very Essence,
giving us the mind of Christ.
Then the corporate worship, together, as we stand before Him and exalt Him, and then sit with Him in His throne, is the roaring sound of many waters in harmony with Him. PM
(Matthew 11:12 TPT)
Proverbs 8:6
Isaiah 50:9
The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. Rev 19:10
The spirit of prophecy flows from the inner being from Jesus, through the Holy Spirit.
THE TESTIMONY OF WHAT HIS LIFE HAS ACCOMPLISHED IS POWERFUL.
WE ALIGN OURSELVES WITH HIM AND HIS TRUTH.
RECEIVE IT. BELIEVE IT. SOAK IN THE REALITY OF WHO HE IS.
HIS OBEDIENCE WON
THE OVERCOMING VICTORY
IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES. JESUS.
LET US REJOICE… Romans 5:2
Romans 5:1-5 Enjoy true and lasting peace. Our faith guarantees us permanent access and cascading joy.
Corrie ten boom—” the wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter God’s realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for his almighty power. Nothing is too small for his love…”
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 TPT GOD ALWAYS MAKES HIS GRACE VISIBLE IN CHRIST.
“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:
Truth
Honor
Virtue
Love
Humility
Forgiveness
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.
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 thedesert 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.”
– 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.”
We are in the season of Advent, celebrating the second Sunday, a celebration of Jesus- The Way.
This season is a time when we have an anticipation of His coming.
We have an expectancy of His Presence,
much like when we sit at His feet in worship in our prayer closet,
prepared. When we come together on Sunday, we wait for Him and expect His arrival.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
He is the Way to God.
Jesus is the Light of the world. He lights the Way to God.
Some truths from John 14…
Jesus said:
Let not your heart be troubled… [The remedy for a troubled mind is to believe in Jesus as the Way. Christ is the sinner’s Way to the Father and heaven.]
Jesus continues: where I go, you know, and the way you know.
Then Thomas says: Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?
Jesus replies, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He is God manifest in the flesh- the very image and likeness of God.
The verse following is interesting:
John 14:7 -If you had known ME, you would have known My Father also, and from now on, you know Him and have seen Him.
In other words – If you had recognized me…my character, my design,
Who I am, the glorified Son of God…saw what I was doing…
Then Philip says, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.
Jesus replies He who has seen Me has seen the Father. The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father who dwells in ME does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me…
Then He shares His Truth: His Way:
If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words, and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent me.
JESUS IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER AND THE FATHER’S LOVE. BELIEVE.
Then a few verses down in John 14, Jesus promises to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in His name, and He will teach all things. He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation…Who reveals the Christ to us and causes us to ‘know’ Him, His plans, and to know that we are “accepted in the Beloved.”
He loves us; we can love others with that same love.
John 16:2
The Holy Spirit of the Living God is the Teacher. The Spirit of God’s intention is not to help us in our personal mission but to press us into greater submission to God so that we can bear much fruit in the world and look like Jesus.
John 15: 9-11
Psalm 86:11
“When we read the book of Joshua, we learn the ways of God:
how he moves us forward, how we triumph over our enemies, and how we do the impossible.” TPT
We can read the gospels.
Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection, and the Life, the True Vine,
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….”
