Built Well. Pt.2
Romans 8:1-2, 5-6TPT
Reverend Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest orators of all time, (1834–1892). He preached to approximately 10 million people in his lifetime, often speaking ten times a week. He Lived with some brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. Charles battled continually with depression.
Like the apostle Paul, the often jovial Spurgeon was “Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Cor, 6:10). Spurgeon would say, “Glory be to God for the furnace, the hammer and the file. Heaven shall be all the fuller of bliss because we have been filled with anguish here below; and earth shall be better tilled because of our training in the school of adversity.”
-Just listen as Spurgeon writes, “No star gleam as brightly as those which glisten in the polar sky. No water tastes so sweet as that which springs amid the desert sand. And no Faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs through adversity, tested faith brings experience. You would never have believed your own weakness had you not needed to pass through trials. And you would never have known Gods strength had his strength not been needed to carry you through.”
Remember this, it is character that makes a man or a woman of God, not anointing.
Moreover Spurgeon would preach, It’s in the wilderness, when the pressure comes, when the disappointments mount, when the dream seems to be unattainable, that necessary refining- character shaping – takes place.
This is one reason the wilderness– as tough as it can be–is so valuable, and, ultimately, even leads to great joy.
You’ve heard people use the expression, body by Ford, or body by Chevy. -How about body by Holy Spirit. -Being built well.
Listen to the apostles Pauls announcement of a forgiving, loving Savior:
Romans 8:1-2, 5-6NIV Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Again, -God will build you well!
A.W. Tozer attempted to reconcile these seemingly contradictory ideas of God choosing or calling us and our choosing God with this illustration:
"An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty. "On board the liner are scores of passengers. These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port (which they have accepted as their destination).
Tozer would say, “Both freedom and sovereignty are present here, and they do not contradict. So it is, I believe, with man’s freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God’s sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history."
No condemnation in Christ Jesus...Jesus Christ gives life. The true believer set their mind on the spirit. The mind governed by the spirit is life and peace!
1 Peter 4:1NKJV “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”
These testing via temptation, this conquering of sin, and other issues in the wilderness, is to help build up our spiritual muscle, and become increasingly mature.
In this verse, the key words are arm yourselves.
Can you imagine a military unit going into battle without being armed? No gunships, no tanks, no rifles, no ammunition – no arms at all? That would be a disaster.
Listen, That is the same kind of disaster a Christ follower faces when they are not armed to suffer, when they are not armed for trials.
Luke 1:80NKJV “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
Notice John the Baptist choose to live in the wilderness.
“I believe it was because John knew his assignment of being the fore-runner of Jesus, would be his 6 month Ministry, and he was determined to make the best of it.” P.H
John’s cry for repentance would produce a cry throughout the land for change. Life change; Eternal change. Messiah. Redemption.
There are more than a few OT verses that brought this great prophecy forth.
Luke 1:80TPT “Afterward, their son grew up and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit and he grew in his love for God. John chose to live in the lonely wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”
Pastor Charles Spurgeon, The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.
Remember Jesus faced affliction head-on at the beginning of his ministry.
Luke 4:1-2NKJV “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.”
The Father permitted the devil to tempt Jesus in the wilderness!
During the wilderness/dry times, the prophet warns God’s people in, Malachi 3:13-15AMP “Your words have been harsh against Me,” says the Lord. “But you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What profit is it if we keep His ordinances, and walk around like mourners before the Lord of hosts? 15 So now we call the arrogant happy and blessed. Evildoers are exalted and prosper; and when they test God, they escape [unpunished].’”
What are complainers saying? They are saying, “What profit is it that we've obeyed God, because we're going nowhere.”
Hear this word Church. Our reward, our inheritance, does not consist of things, or possessions. -Our inheritance is the Lord!
So what do you do during the process? How faithful will you be when you're low on the totem pole? What's your response as others seemingly get ahead?
Remember- Joseph’s greatness was wielded in the furnace of affliction.
At the end of his testings Joseph states, Genesis 50:21-22NKJV Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
For those who want to be built well, God means everything for my well-being. When I’m built well, it’s not about me, It’s about God and others. I’m on the ocean liner.
My pastor always said to me. “Howard, work your way out of a position.” For a long time I didn’t understand that. To be truthful, it frightened me. However, after years of contemplating I have Gods answer.
This word came to me one day, “Howard, when you work your way out, I’m working something in.”
-Church I proclaim over you, the best is yet to come! P.H
Malachi 3:16ESV Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.
These are the those who are going through the same wilderness conditions as the complainers, but this groups priority is not position, recognition, or things. -They seek the heart of God!
“We must pay close attention to how we are building our lives.” P.H
Romans 8:1bTPT... we are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.
Hebrews 3:1-4NKJV Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
Notice who built the house. God.
It is not through the strength of our own flesh. Remember, whatever God builds remains; what we build we will not.
Body by God. Romans 8:2TPT “For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death.”
Hear me well, Always choose Jesus. -Jesus is life. Jesus made you free from the law of sin and death.
Psalm 127:1AMP Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
Important truth- What man builds apart from God – whether it is his life, home, or even a ministry – it will not endure.
In Genesis 11:4 (we see an example of mans work). 4 Come, Let us build ourselves a city, and a tower, whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for selves.
And what was the motive of those who built the tower of babel? -They wanted to achieve their self-seeking dreams, to raise their edifice for their own glory. They wanted to be like God, but totally independent of Him.
It’s your choice: The law of sin and death, or the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?
Again, You are a body made by God. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13NKJV Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
Notice:
Gold, silver, and precious stones, represent construction God’s way. Wood, hay, and straw represent our old methods of construction by the blueprint of the world.
Romans 8:5-6TPT “Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities. 6 For the sense and reason of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.”
Benediction. The only way to be built well is to live with Jesus. Let Him in on all your affairs.
