Some things must die week 49, 2016

Terah begat Abram but had to die before Abram could be moved by God into Canaan. Not surprisingly for as long as he was led by his father he could not get to where he was called into. Terah begat Abram so understandably separating from him would be difficult. It was death that separated Terah from Abram and then we see God move in his life. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living Act 7:4(E SV). Who are those, what are those things that pretend to help you along on your journey to worship Jesus, to serve God, but end up preventing you from moving towards Him? They are any action springing from the flesh i.e. the carnal sinful nature. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit Jn 3:6 (ESV).The flesh must die. It will promise to take you where God said you are destined for, but it will not get you there. Indeed it cannot, for those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Rom 8:8(ESV).

Let’s be clear: this is not a call for some old woman in your village to die, or some wicked uncle to become paralysed. No. We also have been born of the flesh; we must separate from it by death. So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry) Col 3:5(ESV).  Like for as long as Abram was led by his father and he didn’t separate from him he was stuck in Haran, so also can no man make spiritual progress until the flesh is dead. It takes the power of God to move a man from Haran. To get this done I toil and struggle, using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is at work in me Col 1:29(GNB).  Please stop trying by your own generated power; you’ll simply get stuck. Has death separated you from the flesh yet? It must die first. Then we can begin to move forward. For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live Rom 8:13(GNB) . It is something each of us has to do; in the power of His Spirit. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires Gal 5:24(ISV). Claim it, pray it, speak it into your experience.

Abram started out from Ur because of God’s call, have you started a work, a business, a service because of God’s call? For as long as we allow worldly principles to lead any endeavour of service our progress (if at all) shall be cut short and stagnation ensue. How many times has mammon spoken to us and said “I’ll get you the souls, the breakthrough, the healing, anything you need from God if you have enough of money. I answer everything. Just follow me!” and we have followed money, and been stuck in Haran. How many times have we heard God’s call to get ministry done, get works of service done and a competitive spirit comes in to say “I’ll lead you there”? But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding 2Cor 10:12 (ESV). Let’s plead for His power to move us forward Heb6:3.