Title: Don’t miss the Shift!
Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16
Intro: There is unrest in the body of Christ across denomination and styles God is calling us all up hirer. When the woman said that her people worship in the mountain and the Jews in Jerusalem but the hour cometh and now is. We all have to come up.
I. When a Move of God is conceived in the life of an individual soon after structure accompanies. The earth was with out form and void, until God began to bring order. The purpose of Structure is to house the glory of God. Individuals in their prayer lives develop routines. The early church was birth in a great Pentecostal explosion but order accompanied with the deacons, and eventually Bishop’s.
II. Structure is Good. In the book of Ezekiel the story is told about an army coming back to life but before that could happen the bones had to come together. Before God blesses your finance or any part of you life it must be brought into order. "Let all things be done decently and in order." I Cor. 14:40
III. However structure alone and aside from God will not due. Remember the purpose of Structure is to house the glory of God. Structure is like a glass filled with water. Allow me to make some observations.
A. Observation number one over time the water can evaporate. We must experience new mercies every morning, we sing unto the Lord a new song. That’s why churches and individuals must receive real revivals in their lives. " 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Rev. 22:2
B. Observation number two the glass has a certain capacity. If I’m trying to hold a gallon of water in an eight-ounce cup or glass this will not do. In order to hold it I’ve got to forsake the glass for a jug. " 17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." Matt. 9:17
C. Observation number three the glass is not the water. We can become very focus on the glass. We can drink out of the finest crystal but when your thirst fine crystal will not save nor satisfy. " 27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness." Matt 23:27
Explanation Missing the shift is not understanding when it’s time to experience something new. Or when we need to pursue God. It’s when we are more concerned with the cup then the water.
IIII. The Wrong Goal
A. Paul is combating the false teaching of the Judaizers and Legalists. These Jewish believers in Christ demanded that Gentile fall under the ordinances of the law. Which included Circumcision. God was doing a new thing but the flesh caused them to miss it.
B. The Problem is the Flesh becomes involved. "Confidence in the Flesh" The Greek word is the word Sarx. It means humanity in its weakness. It denotes what is physical, external, visible, and temporal. Flesh alone isn’t bad but it’s prone to sin.
1. Flesh seeks it’s own Glory. The Flesh likes to be glorified. It desires to be above others and Lord over others. The Flesh becomes jealous when someone doing better. John the Baptist had the opportunity to fall into the flesh when Jesus began to baptize in the river Jordan.
2. Flesh is weak. When Christ prays in the garden of Gethsemane and the disciples fall asleep in His greatest hour of need the flesh is blamed. Christ says, "38Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."
3. Flesh is deceptive. We can be in the flesh and think that we are doing God a favor. The Pharisee and Romans killed Christ thinking they were doing God a favor. Check you motives. " 9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
4. Flesh is contrary to the will of God. "17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other." Galatians 5:17 Even though you may feel right when you are in the flesh you are wrong.
C. Paul combats them openly. "2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." Phil. 3:2 Jews referred to Gentiles as dogs. They thought that the works that they were doing were righteous but Paul calls them evil. The word concision translates mutilator which is similar to circumcision but not. Paul places these teachers at a low degree where they were trying to place everyone else. You must confront false teachers and things that get you off track.
D. Paul combats them with his personal testimony. "
1. This could be equated with a person who grew up in the church was baptized, a part of a denomination all his life, on every board. Paul was a Pharisee a special group set apart to hold the law. He had Heritage his tribe. A respect for as far as men considers he was blameless.
2. "If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more."Phili. 3:4 It’s the people who have no reason to trust in the flesh that condemn others.
VI. The Right Goal
A. To know Christ. Knowledge of God isn’t facts but experience or Relationship. Some people only want to be around when things are bad. It makes them feel needed and important. Some people only want to be around when things are good. So they don’t have to take responsibility but a true relationship is there for better or for worse.
1. The Fellowship of His Suffering Within Paul’s life He was stoned, whipped, run out of town, he had to fight to be called a Apostle, his friends left him, he went to prison, and was eventually Martyr.
2. The Power of His Resurrection Paul’s ministry also experienced great success amongst the Gentiles. He even saw the miraculous in His ministry: the dead raised, the sick healed, once he was in jail and shook open the jail, and he was called up into the third heavens.
3. Living to Live again In Paul wanted to be ready. At the end of his life he said " 6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." II Tim 3:6-8
V. How to Obtain the Goal
A. Humility includes an understanding of my finiteness and the fact that He is infinite.
1. Understanding that I am finite We don’t know everything. Understanding this is the first step to true knowledge.
2. Understanding that He is Infinite Moses walked with God he saw the red sea parted, and the plagues of Egypt but he still said show me your Glory.
B. Followers Faith Paul said " I follow after". This kind of Faith causes me to pursue God when it’s different. Peter had to follow Christ when it meant ministering to people who he had always called dogs.
C. Focus on the Goal Paul said "but this one thing I do". Paul learned how to focus. When Paul worked it was to prompt promote the Gospel. When he was in prison he wrote letters. Give God the glory in all you do.
D. Forget the Past Paul didn’t say that his past accomplishments were bad but that he had found something better in Christ. And in order to receive knew living water he had to forsake the old.
E. Intensity Moses had to raise the rod, Joshua had to fight into the Promised Land.
