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….”
Mark 1:16-18 Come after Me and be My disciples, and I will make you become fishers of men. 18, And at once they left their nets and FOLLOWED Him joining Him as disciples and siding with His party.
Matt 16:24-25 – “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my FOLLOWER, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
We need to Walk in submissive independence in order to get lifted into the Spirit realm, enabled to walk with Him in the outworking of His purpose and will, maintaining His abiding Presence in our walk. The walk is an ascension.
I John 2:5-6
John 13:35- “for when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you are my true follower.”
Eph 1:17-18-19
One step at a time, we follow His footsteps and walk in His ways.
You will hear a voice behind you saying: This is the way, walk ye in it. Is 30:21
I John: We walk in fellowship with Him and in fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin and unrighteousness.
We’re eternally forgiven for our sins. Jesus died on the Cross to forgive us and give us new life. When we give Jesus rule and headship over our lives, it becomes a beautiful, intimate relationship.
Our Confession of sin in our daily lives refreshes our present intimacy with the Holy Spirit as “we walk in the Spirit and do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” If we are committing an unknown sin, He will correct us because He loves us.
I shared last summer about walking a labyrinth and the fact that each step causes a different perspective of what we see—our viewpoint.
Consider the labyrinth a bit differently as a picture indicative of each life experience as we walk and live guided by the Spirit. The walk begins on the periphery, the outside perimeter, and in a circular motion, we walk, moving towards the center, which is Christ, within the hope of glory.
Every decision we make to follow Jesus causes us to go higher.
Every decision we make to follow our fleshly nature causes us to go lower. We begin again outside the perimeter in every set of circumstances and choose our course.
As we choose to walk in the Spirit, we cultivate an abiding spiritual quality -and ascend upward, radiating a deep inner peace that can be perceived.
Choosing rightly causes us to overcome at every turn and draws us “upward” toward His kingdom, increasing our sensitivity to spiritual things and causing the favor of God to rest on us.
His righteousness is in His kingdom, His approbation or approval.
Matt 5:3
Phil 3:13-14
Phil 3:13 “press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernatural vocation of God in Christ Jesus.”
“So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above.”
I John 1:8-9 But we’re also commanded to actively walk in the truth and stay in the truth—because as John says, “Anyone who wanders away and does not remain faithful to the teaching of Christ has no relationship with God” (9).
Only when we continue in the truth that we have an intimate connection with both the Father and the Son, walking with them.
Phil 1:9-11
Let’s take a moment and breathe in the Holy Spirit, renewing our relationship with the Living God, choosing to follow Him in every way. RE-VIEWING OUR COMMITMENT.
— Liminality – The “in-between” place – A transitional period or phase in a rite of passage
— John of the Cross — “The Dark Night of the soul.”
— Intrinsic to the very nature of faith is the invitation to the unknown, an invitation to a new and unfamiliar place.
— The “Walk of Faith” demands the letting go of all carved (graven) images; material and MENTAL b/c all humans have Disordered Desires and Attachments
— All attachments to sin, active or held within our hearts, must be broken and is a prerequisite for an elevated, God-inspired viewing platform
–God’s will must be desired but not out of fear of hell but from a love of heaven; out of a sincere and focused love of God
— Jesus’ 40 days in the desert — He emptied Himself of all His old images– of Himself, of God, of others and received new images of Himself as the Son of God and an image of God as ABBA
— Transformation and Regeneration can’t happen in our heads.
— We are converted only when we allow the breath of the Spirit to intermingle with the actual circumstances of our lives — and then only if we allow the circumstances to “Speak” to us
— When I refuse to allow my old self-image to be broken, I remain identified by it.
— Every event I experience will form images that have the power to snag and control me and cause me to serve them.
— Only when my present self-image is broken off me can the Father give me a new self-image — that of a Son of God — I PUT ON SONSHIP
— Rom 8:16 (TPT) “You are His beloved child!”
–– Rom 8:14 (NKJ) – Led of the Spirit of God — Sons of God
— New and elevated Viewing Platform — “Sons of God.”
—Jn 5:19 — The Son only does what the father does
–-1Cor 2:16 — We have the mind of Christ
— Zech 4:6 — Not by might or by power — by My spirit
— Rom 12:2 — Transformation — Spirit re-forms how we think
— Eph 2:8 — Saved by Grace through Faith
— It’s His grace and favor that allow us to ascend, but it’s our FAITH that ACTIVATES the grace that makes it possible
— Lk 12:32 — Fear not. Father’s pleasure to give the Kingdom — Grace and favor
— Eph 4:23-24 (NEV) — “Made” new in mind and spirit
— Jn 14:26 – The Spirit will teach and RE-MIND you
— 1Jn 3:2 — We shall be like Him — for we shall SEE Him as He is
— New Identity: SHINING REFLECTION OF GOD — B. Simmons
Matthew 4:17 – “Repent! (metanoia) For the kingdom of God is at hand…”
Metanoia – “Turn from your ways and go beyond your mind.”
Law – “Thou Shalt Not” Grace – “I will.”
Hebrews 8:8-10,12
The Cross – “It is finished!”
Hebrews 8:12 – “…all their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.” –God
Romans 5:17 – Gifts: Grace and Perfect Righteousness
Ephesians 4:22-24(AMP) – “Put OFF and Put ON”
Exodus 20:1-5a – Do not make nor serve any Graven Images
Graven Images – made by impressions – physical and MENTAL
Souls – Like “soft wax” – easily moldable
The WORLD – Currently under the direct influence of the “prince of the air.” – Ephesians 2:2
He offers ILLUSIONS posing as TRUTH and supports them with Myths
Myth #1 – More Options mean More Freedom
Myth #2 – More Analysis – More Wisdom
Myth #3 – More “Things” accumulated – More Happiness
Myth #4 – Progress must be made regardless of the COST
Evolution – CHANGE: A gradual progression in which something changes into a different and usually better form.
Christians – Natural man to Spirit man
The greatest danger in the “Theory of Evolution” – What are we willing to accommodate in our lives in order to affect future change? Where are we headed as a species?
The destination we chose will determine the Approach we will take to progress.
True Wisdom – Jesus Christ: His approach; His heart; His teachings; His life’s model as the means to Evolutionary Transformation.
True Godly Transformation can’t be accomplished through a world viewpoint with its fake and flawed wisdom and ILLUSIONS.
Illusions create Delusions
Delusion [Def] – “A fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual facts.”
Matthew 7:7-8 – “Ask – Seek – Knock” and keep doing it!
Pray: WE come to You, Our Father, and willingly submit to your provision and ways.
Jesus said in John 10:9-10, I am the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I HAVE COME THAT THEY [THE SHEEP] MAY HAVE LIFE AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY
STAND IN SOZO- to save, deliver, protect, keep safe and sound, heal, preserve, do well, be made whole.
“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” John 8:36
When Jesus went into the temples, starting in Galilee, just fresh from the wilderness, empowered by the Holy Spirit, He approached the podium to read the Scriptures. He knew that He had come to bring a new kingdom with new rules: a NEW COVENANT and fulfill the prophetic words about Messiah. He turned the world upside down. Many marveled and believed.
He came to Nazareth, his hometown, to the synagogue and opened to Isaiah 61. It’s recorded in Luke 4:18,21.
Luke 4:18,21 Jesus said:
I came to set the captives free
Preach the gospel to the poor
Heal the brokenhearted
Recover sight to the blind
Set at liberty those who are oppressed
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:21, and he began to say to them, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
:28 – so all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath. They thrust him out of the city and tried to toss Him off a cliff. [those from his hometown]
:30 – then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
He continued to preach in the synagogues and demonstrate the power of God there and in the street.
Not everyone is going to want to hear about Jesus.
God desires for each of us to BE 100% WHOLE. Jesus paid the price.
Let’s do something we can all relate to and apply these truths to our lives now. Let’s use His Word to continue to set our lives on His course, His journey.
Consider that you are a multicolored air balloon created to SOAR…but you are tethered to the ground by four ropes, tied to the ground. The goal is to become untethered, so let’s cut the ties and SOAR IN THE SPIRIT.
In Luke 4, there are four areas of our lives that Jesus paid the ransom for.
CONSIDER THEM TO BE 4 ROPES TETHERING US TO THE GROUND.
Generational sins-released
Ungodly belief-delivered
Woundings -spirit, soul, body- healed
Demonic oppression-freedom
1. Rope – generational curses- sins and family baggage
Ex 34:7 “I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty….”
JESUS’ FORGIVENESS COVERS IT ALL.
Iniquity – a propensity to sin, Family lines propelled in a specific direction. Repentance is required—Recognition and acknowledgment, then repentance.
God wants to cut off these iniquities.
Iniquity pressure is real- there are triggers. Recognize them and deal with them. We need to close doors. Apply His Blood
Sins from ancestors, addictions, heart tendencies.
AGAIN…Close all the doors
GOD WANTS TO BREAK IT OFF
Consider: we’re Boxing – we get knocked down several times – Getting hit over and again. Why? There is something there.
Exodus 20:5-6
: You shall not bow yourself down to them nor serve them. For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that HATE ME, and showing mercy to thousands, to those that love Me and keep My commandments.
God wants to break off all generational sins from our lives.
I call them the ‘twirly whirls.’ lies that we believe. Neural pathways that are unhealthy. They tether us to the earth. Ask God what the issue is. He can release you from the lie and tell you the Truth.
Ephesians 5:26 – washing of the water of the Word- Why?
The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ washed away all our sins. Yet as a believer, we still sin every day. The verse referenced speaks of a necessary CONSTANT RENEWAL, a refreshing of the Word in our hearts that cleanses and keeps us clean. A CONTINUOUS REVIVAL.
Col 3:21 Christ enthroned – fill your mind with heavenly thoughts
Romans 12:2 be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Agree with God for your life.
It’s important that we break any contracts we have made with sin, sickness, or death. [vows]
WE receive His truth in godly living-
1 Peter 1:3 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence.”
3. Rope – Woundings – hurts of the spirit, soul, and body.
The wounds of life happen, but God has a big Eraser and Healing Balm.
Isaiah 53-He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds
Meet Jesus where you are – Receive His healing
-GOD KNOWS HOW TO HEAL YOU-
He knows how to heal- He knows what happened to you- Listen – find Him – Forgive
He has set the table before you- Dine with Him- Receive His love- His healing intimacy.
4. Rope – Demonic Oppression
This can be a result of the other three areas.
If you leave demons alone, they will leave you alone? No
We have to Battle with demons – yes – but a situation may not always be demonic. we Can defeat them – we need Discernment I John 4
Can a Christian be possessed by a demon? No-we are redeemed
We can be oppressed. We have to identify them and deal with them.
NO LANDING STRIPS FOR DEMONIC THOUGHTS.
DO NOT GIVE THE ENEMY A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
Confess sins and actions that do not agree with the Lord
Cast down and remove from your mind any thoughts in disagreement with His Words
Submit to God, Resist the devil
Do not give place to the devil – 11 Tim 2:26
Stand Stand Stand- Apply the blood of Jesus
I John 3:8-9 “… For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His Seed remains in him, and he cannot sin because he has been born of God.”
Rechem- womb- We enter the womb of mercy- being born again… and access His Life for ourselves.
THE CURTAIN, THE VEIL, WAS RENT WHEN JESUS DIED, GIVING US OPEN ACCESS TO THE THRONE ROOM AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
“There is a way through the veil…love never fails.” Don Potter
How do we access these truths in God? PRAYER.
Heb 4:16 “Therefore let us [with privilege], [approach boldly, draw near] the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious, unmerited favor to us sinners] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”
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STAND IN SOZO– to save, deliver, protect, keep safe and sound, heal, preserve, do well, be made whole.
“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” John 8:36
[PM- Bind hopelessness] GOD BRINGS HOPE.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it’s a TREE OF LIFE.” the minute you pray, God begins to move. He wants you transformed.
Biblical hope is an expectation of something good that is coming from God.
We are GOD’S sons and daughters-
LIVING OUR LIVES WITH DETERMINED PERSEVERANCE.
WE possess unrelenting boldness because of Him.
IT IS FINISHED.
“He Who began a good work in you is able to complete it” Ps138:8
“You keep every promise you’ve ever made to me! Since YOUR LOVE FOR ME IS CONSTANT AND ENDLESS, I ask you, Lord, to finish every good thing that you’ve begun in me!” TPT
We become an untethered balloon FREE FROM ENTANGLEMENTS, soaring on the wind of the Spirit. We need to Surrender to God as each rope is cut and we rise.
OUR balloon is blue, red, and purple, and soaring…
The curtain on the temple was blue and red, and purple.
Matt 7:24-27 – Building on an unshakeable foundation
“When a person feels moral clarity and a burning sense of purpose, they can often UNDERESTIMATE thecomplexity of an issue and OVERESTIMATE their own wisdom in solving the problem. Virtuous purpose can then become self-righteousness of our own sin.” – David French
