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We Really Need to Wake Up!

image “Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor… ” -‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭52:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Did you know that the context of this scripture was written during an era when God’s people were chained up and held in captivity? It’s true. God is saying through the writer, freedom is on the horizon!

The thing I find most interesting is that the plan for freedom is heard in the words “Awake, awake”. For Gods people to be free from all captivity and oppression, we need to make sure we are awake! I know what you’re thinking…or I think I do? You’re already awake aren’t you? Obviously, this is figurative so it’s not snaying we are asleep physically. God is saying for us to live in freedom, and to be clothed with strength and splendor, we need to wake up to understanding!

Watch this! He tells them to clothe themselves with strength and garments of splendor. Two important factors in this are words to live by…

1) You must clothe yourself. No one else can dress you, you must dress yourself.

2) What does it mean to put on garments of strength and splendor? The answer rest within the subject of righteousness!

If freedom will come, it will come to those with understanding of how to put on the righteousness of Christ as you would a garment.  We should understand that righteousness is a gift given to us by believing in Christ, however, we ourselves are responsible to put it on; wear the gift like a garment of His strength and glory.

“Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion, now a captive.” -‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭52:2‬

Look at the powerful things that happen from captivity to freedom as a result of understanding to get up and clothe yourselves with Him and His righteousness!

“Shake off your dust”, “Rise up”, “Sit-enthroned”, “Free yourself from the chains on your neck”.

This is why righteousness becomes the main factor in warfare. If you can dress yourself with the righteousness of Jesus, you can shake off the dust of your past or present, you can rise up to new heights in your lifestyle, you can exercise authority and power! These are all restoration concepts! We just need to wake up to this understanding of Who He is (Jesus) and What He brings to our lives as believers. God has given us the ability to change and go back to reclaim what has been lost.

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Schizophrenia or Just Mind Games?

Schizophrenic

 

Ever feel like you may be just losing your mind? Or maybe you feel pulled in two or more completely separate directions and you’re thinking what’s wrong with me? Do I need medication?

I’ve done quite a bit of preaching or teaching on this passage of scripture found in Matthew 16 concerning Peter and Jesus but I’ve never approached it like I’m about to in this post. Without insight, it seems as if Peter may have been losing his mind or could’ve been diagnosed as being Schizophrenic or even bipolar!

Lets look at the text first. Matthew 16: 13, 16-17 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (‭NKJV)

Jesus is telling Peter that only His Father God could’ve revealed those thoughts/or that belief based from those thoughts to him. As a result of Peter opening his mind and spirit to the Father, he was recorded as the first ever disciple that lived with Jesus to believe and declare that Jesus really was the Son of God! He actually received great accolades from the Master from voicing what he thought during that particular conversation. Sounds great right? Let’s look at the next few verses…

Jesus now begins to explain that as the Messiah and Savior, He must suffer many things at the hands of the chief priests and scribes. He told them he would be killed but that He would rise again. Matthew 16:22-23a Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He(Jesus) turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!” (‭NKJV)

Jesus turns to the same person that just a few minutes before He had really commended for his thoughts and beliefs but this time Jesus speaks and says, “Get behind Me, Satan!” There’s that “Schizo” thing I was talking about earlier. It totally looks like Peter has went from being a man of God to a son of Satan! How could this happen so quickly?

Jesus isn’t calling Peter Satan. He was referring to Satan as being the source of the thought that had entered Peters mind and then caused him to speak something contrary to Gods Word and will. Within the span of just a few moments, Peter received thoughts from God as mind-blowing revelation as well as getting thoughts from the devil. I want you to see how powerful our thoughts really are and how protective we should be with those we dwell and respond on!

This is a classic, biblical revelation of how God the Father and the enemy of God works through people! We can receive revelation and uplifting Word-based thoughts from God, but we are also subject and even vulnerable to playing into the “mind games” of the devil. Satan is an expert in thought systems and he uses them to contradict the Word and will of God. It’s all mind games to the devil but with God, your abundant life comes by what you think and how you respond to Word-based promises!

…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… (‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2a‬ NKJV)