Restoring our True Identity 11/08/20

​​ (Angela's notes from Pastor Miller's Sunday message)

The enemy Is a mastermind at stealing identity
It is easy for identity to be stolen, but hard to get it restored.
The devil attempts to destroy your identity
We must remember that we  are in this world but not of the world
The Church is beginning to forget its relationship with Christ
 
The Mission of The Church
Our job  is to be a light in this world
Ministry has not changed, but our methods are changing.
The Kingdom is to be advanced, not changed
How we go about doing the work
(2Cor 4): the God of  this world has blinded the minds of them who believe not

The enemy’s goal is to blind us as to who we are, who He is and who the people of God are:

Who we are to One  another, 1Corinthians 12:12-14  12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.14 For the body is not one member, but many.
We were born blind, “dead in trespasses and sin”
(Ephesians 2:1) 1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Except a man be born again, he cannot perceive, rightly maintain,
You must be born again  (JOHN 3:16)

Matthew 10:8-) 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 
We were once blind but not we see
- We are new creatures,
We were once under the power of darkness
He (God)  has delivered us out of the miry pit
Our joy has been restored

Psalm 51  restored to us the joy of salvation
God has not changed his mind about you, or His church

​We have been transformed, changed in nature and function
From sin nature to divine nature
(Romans 8:16)     "The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" . our nature, action and attitudes are changed
All things are new,  We are being transformed by the renewing of our minds,
The enemy  is trying to make us conform to this world
 
Our challenge is to Keep our minds stayed on the things of God
Our Goal:   that Christ be formed in us
 
 
We are crucified with Christ 
(Galatians 2:20)   I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,
Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
He wants to be formed in us and revealed through us
The enemy wants you to feel like less than you are
 
Be familiar with the opinions of others, to whom you witness and relate to
(Matt 16:13)  Whom do men say that I am?
Remember" glory to glory" message from last week
It's no time to be weak now, you must be strong
He is preparing us for greater works
 
Whom do ye say the Son of the living God is?
(Matthew 10) Jesus sent out 12 with a commission
Freely you have received, freely give
After going out and upon returning to Him, Jesus asked,  whom do they say that I am?
 
John the Baptist was crying out in the wilderness,  {We should be doing this now)."Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"    to the Pharisees and scribes who came, he said, "bring forth fruits of repentance" 
(Matt 3:8)
the heart of the Father desires that none should perish  (2 Peter 3:9) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 
There are many challenging ideas as to who Jesus is
The spirit of the world/compromise  can cause us  be fearful and hold back
Be reminded of past times God has worked miracles in your life
Loaves and fish  Peter knew from experience and by the Spirit
Cast not away your confidence, patience  (Hebrews 10:35,)  "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."
Confidence for your life and your church

After you have done the will of God you will know  (John 7:17) 
Verse 16  thou art the son of God  Jesus says thou art Peter, a rock,  you are strong
Jesus is THE ROCK
 
Let the weak say I am strong,  fruitful, prosperous, healed
It’s a new season, a new hour
our nature changes when we get revelation
we apply Him!  Cast our cares upon Him
our nature changes and gives us strength and power
'He touched me’ 
We need a touch from God
Get a picture of who Jesus is
 
The nature of a man changing  (3 EXAMPLES)
Abram  from sojourner to father of many nations
Jacob encounter with the angel
First a supplanter, became a prince=with God
Saul of Tarsus, destroyer becomes a builder of the church after his encounter with Jesus

Don't let the devil steal your identity - Redeemed, child of God, heir of God
There must be a power greater
Trust in the Lord, He will change your mind to think as He does
 
God has not changed his thoughts concerning  His church
Army - put on the whole armor of God
Called to warfare, automatically enlisted
We have been given weapons, artillery, all that we need for spiritual warfare
(Ephes 6)    (2Cor 10) weapons of our warfare are mighty through God
The First attack of the enemy is , against your mind
But we are more than conquerors in Jesus
We plead the blood of Jesus,
Use the sword of the spirit (the word of God), we speak healing, peace and deliverance through the name of Jesus
Pray in that name - everything must bow to that name
All rulers of darkness and every evil work must bow as we do Warfare in the Spirit 
 
The church is a healing center
(James 5:14)  if there be any sick among you if there be any sick among you ? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
The prayer of faith, Balm in Gilead, He sent His word and healed them.  He delivers from all destruction, brings healing of minds, bodies and relationships
We fight in the Spirit
We have the spirit of obedience now that we are born again
The church is an equipping center
Study to show yourself approved unto God ,a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth  (.2Timothy 2:15)
Hunger for the Word, live by every word from the mouth of God  (Matthew 4:4) 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
( 1 Peter 2:2-4) 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 

Be trained, learn to walk and operate in power
(Ephesians 4:11-13) 11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ^12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ^13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
5 fold ministry gifts
 
The church is a community in a community
It is an outpost where people come to be ministered to spiritually, physically, and mentally
The church is a family - household of faith
By one spirit baptized into one body under the blood
We are challenged to understand the unity we have in the body of Christ
We must advance the kingdom above culture, be concerned about lives
Magnify the blood of Jesus above ancestors
We are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a peculiar people
We have liability and responsibility
​
Though our methods are different, our mission is still the same
No weapon formed against us shall prosper,  Every tongue that shall rise up against us in judgement we shall condemn  (Isa 54:17) 
The Heritage of the Servants of God