Strengthening Your Spiritual Core for Victory
Summary
In this gathering, I shared a message that was born out of a divine appointment, emphasizing the importance of building a strong spiritual core. This core is essential for sustaining the move of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Drawing from Romans 7, where Paul speaks of the struggle between the flesh and the spirit, I highlighted the ongoing battle within us. Our natural desires, such as the need for affection, food, and relationships, are God-given, but they can become battlegrounds where the enemy seeks to enslave us.
I used the analogy of physical fitness to illustrate the need for spiritual strength. Just as we need to build our physical core for stability, we must also strengthen our inner man to withstand spiritual challenges. This involves making intentional decisions to align our lives with God's principles, resisting temptations, and maintaining integrity in our relationships.
I also discussed the parallels between idolatry and adultery, emphasizing that unfaithfulness to God is as devastating as unfaithfulness in marriage. Both can lead to destruction and heartbreak. Therefore, it's crucial to establish core values that guide our actions and decisions, ensuring that God remains our primary focus.
Furthermore, I encouraged everyone to confront areas of struggle, whether they be related to food, relationships, or other natural desires. By doing so, we can break free from the chains that hold us back and walk in the freedom that God offers. This requires a commitment to holiness and a willingness to surrender to God's will, allowing His blessings to flow into our lives.
Finally, I invited the Holy Spirit to move among us, believing that He can bring transformation and healing. Through prayer and the laying on of hands, I sought to impart the anointing of the Holy Spirit, trusting that He would empower us to live victorious lives.
Key Takeaways:
- Divine Appointments and Spiritual Core: Recognize the divine appointments in your life as opportunities to strengthen your spiritual core. Just as physical fitness requires dedication, building a strong inner man involves intentional spiritual practices and aligning your life with God's principles. [56:03]
- The Battle Within: Understand the ongoing battle between the flesh and the spirit. Our natural desires, though God-given, can become areas of struggle. By acknowledging these battles, we can seek God's strength to overcome them and live in alignment with His will. [57:38]
- Idolatry and Adultery: Draw parallels between idolatry and adultery, recognizing that unfaithfulness to God is as devastating as unfaithfulness in marriage. Establish core values that prioritize your relationship with God, ensuring He remains your primary focus. [01:01:28]
- Confronting Areas of Struggle: Identify and confront areas of struggle in your life, whether related to food, relationships, or other desires. By addressing these issues, you can break free from the chains that hold you back and walk in the freedom God offers. [01:03:33]
- Holiness and Surrender: Embrace a life of holiness and surrender to God's will. Understand that true blessings come from living in alignment with God's desires for your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to transform and empower you to live victoriously. [01:34:46]
Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [0:45] - Divine Appointment
- [5:30] - The Power of Faithfulness
- [10:15] - The Battle Within
- [15:40] - Building a Strong Core
- [20:25] - Natural Desires and Spiritual Warfare
- [25:50] - Idolatry vs. Adultery
- [30:35] - Establishing Core Values
- [35:10] - Confronting Struggles
- [40:45] - The Call to Holiness
- [45:30] - Surrender and Blessings
- [50:20] - Invitation to the Holy Spirit
- [55:00] - Prayer and Anointing
- [01:00:00] - Closing Reflections
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 7:15-25
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
- Deuteronomy 28:1-14
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Observation Questions:
1. In Romans 7, Paul describes a struggle between two aspects of his nature. What are these two aspects, and how does he express this internal conflict? [57:38]
2. The sermon draws a parallel between idolatry and adultery. How does the speaker describe the impact of unfaithfulness in both spiritual and marital contexts? [01:01:28]
3. What analogy does the speaker use to describe the importance of building a strong spiritual core, and how does it relate to physical fitness? [56:03]
4. According to the sermon, what are some natural desires that can become battlegrounds for spiritual warfare? [01:03:33]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the struggle between the flesh and the spirit, as described in Romans 7, reflect the speaker's message about the importance of building a strong spiritual core? [57:38]
2. The speaker mentions that unfaithfulness to God is as devastating as unfaithfulness in marriage. How might this understanding affect a person's relationship with God and their approach to spiritual disciplines? [01:01:28]
3. In what ways does the speaker suggest that natural desires, such as the need for affection and food, can become areas of spiritual struggle? How can these desires be aligned with God's will? [01:03:33]
4. The sermon emphasizes the need for holiness and surrender to God's will. How does this relate to the concept of sustaining the anointing of the Holy Spirit in one's life? [01:34:46]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced a struggle between your natural desires and your spiritual goals. How did you address this conflict, and what might you do differently in the future? [57:38]
2. Consider the parallels between idolatry and adultery discussed in the sermon. Are there areas in your life where you might be placing something above your relationship with God? How can you realign your priorities? [01:01:28]
3. The speaker uses the analogy of physical fitness to describe building a strong spiritual core. What specific spiritual practices can you incorporate into your daily routine to strengthen your inner man? [56:03]
4. Identify a natural desire in your life that has become a spiritual battleground. What steps can you take to confront this area of struggle and seek God's strength to overcome it? [01:03:33]
5. The sermon calls for a commitment to holiness and surrender. What does surrendering to God's will look like in your current life situation, and how can you take practical steps toward this commitment? [01:34:46]
6. Reflect on the concept of divine appointments mentioned in the sermon. How can you become more aware of these moments in your life, and how might they help you strengthen your spiritual core? [56:03]
7. The speaker emphasizes the importance of core values in guiding actions and decisions. What are some core values you hold, and how do they influence your daily choices and relationship with God? [01:06:56]
Devotional
Day 1: Strengthening Your Spiritual Core
Building a strong spiritual core is akin to physical fitness; it requires dedication and intentional practices. Just as a stable physical core supports the body, a robust spiritual core sustains the move of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This involves aligning your life with God's principles, making conscious decisions to resist temptations, and maintaining integrity in your relationships. By doing so, you create a foundation that can withstand spiritual challenges and nurture your relationship with God. [56:03]
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being." (Ephesians 3:14-16, ESV)
Reflection: What specific spiritual practices can you incorporate into your daily routine to strengthen your spiritual core and align your life more closely with God's principles?
Day 2: The Ongoing Battle Within
The struggle between the flesh and the spirit is a constant battle within us. Our natural desires, though God-given, can become areas of struggle where the enemy seeks to enslave us. By acknowledging these battles, you can seek God's strength to overcome them and live in alignment with His will. Recognizing the divine appointments in your life can serve as opportunities to strengthen your spiritual core and resist the temptations that arise from these desires. [57:38]
"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." (Galatians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where you feel the tension between the flesh and the spirit. How can you invite God's strength into this struggle today?
Day 3: Idolatry and Adultery: A Call to Faithfulness
Unfaithfulness to God is as devastating as unfaithfulness in marriage. Both idolatry and adultery can lead to destruction and heartbreak. Establishing core values that prioritize your relationship with God ensures that He remains your primary focus. By drawing parallels between these two forms of unfaithfulness, you can understand the importance of maintaining a faithful relationship with God, which is foundational to living a life of integrity and purpose. [01:01:28]
"Thus says the Lord: 'What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?'" (Jeremiah 2:5, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your current priorities. Are there any areas where you might be placing something or someone above your relationship with God? How can you realign your focus to ensure God remains at the center?
Day 4: Confronting Areas of Struggle
Identifying and confronting areas of struggle in your life, whether related to food, relationships, or other desires, is crucial for breaking free from the chains that hold you back. By addressing these issues, you can walk in the freedom that God offers. This requires a commitment to holiness and a willingness to surrender to God's will, allowing His blessings to flow into your life. [01:03:33]
"Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area of struggle you need to confront today? What steps can you take to address this issue and invite God's freedom into your life?
Day 5: Embracing Holiness and Surrender
A life of holiness and surrender to God's will is essential for experiencing true blessings. By aligning your life with God's desires, you allow the Holy Spirit to transform and empower you to live victoriously. This involves a willingness to let go of personal agendas and embrace God's plan for your life, trusting that His ways are higher and better. [01:34:46]
"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:21, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to God? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
1) "There's a scripture that says the word of God is like a hammer that breaks a rock and I believe that ministry that people that that stay in ministry for many years stay faithful to the Lord true to their calling it's like that hammer it's like the word of the Lord that just hammers away at the enemy it hammers away hammers away hammers away and breaks things down." [49:33] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "There's a parallel, an incredible biblical parallel between idolatry and adultery. Adultery is human unfaithfulness. Idolatry is when we're unfaithful to the Lord. It's not by chance that the first commandment is thou should have no idols, no other idols before me. It's not by chance. And I don't know if any of you have been in a marriage relationship and you've been, something's happened and your partner committed adultery. It's absolutely devastating. It's heartbreaking. It can not only just rip a couple apart, it can rip whole families apart." [01:01:28] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "The danger, I suppose, for us is that we have an external Holy Ghost encounter and we don't let it go down on the inside of us where we build up our core person, where we can sustain an integrous walk with God that's required to sustain the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You will not sustain the anointing of the Holy Ghost unless you can sustain a holy walk with God. The way to do that is to start on those natural desires." [01:05:08] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "We've got to build up our core. Because the most important thing in our life now that God is a part of our life, we've been born again by the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost is in our... The most important thing in our life now is God. He's got to be number one." [01:13:36] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. The prerequisite for continually carrying the anointing of the Holy Spirit is having a godly life. Otherwise, what will happen? You'll fall back, and you'll just be flowing in your gifts. And God may have given you amazing gifts. But amazing, I want to tell you, the amazing gift may draw a crowd. It doesn't change a life. It doesn't change a life. It's the... Anointing of the Holy Spirit, that changes the life." [01:18:01] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "The thing is, see, what the enemy wants to do is make us give up before we even try. Why don't we start out by trying? Why don't we just start out by saying, okay, Holy Spirit, you're in my life now. And I realise I've got to build up my core strength. So I've got to do it. I've got to deal with the sexual area. I've got to deal with the food area. I've got to deal with the relationship area. I've got to deal with the soul tie area. I've got to deal with this. I've got to deal with that. I've got to deal with these areas. So just pick them off one at a time. Pick off the one where you're falling all the time. Pick that one first." [01:22:56] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "This is a call of God to holiness. We've got to build up our core and pick off your battleground. Pick them off one by one and just make a determination. A few years ago, about five years ago, a guy at one of the computer shops in town, we know him quite well, he's a Chinese guy, did a big special, 83 -inch TV set. I got it for like $1 ,500, took it home, ripped the other one. I'm only 65. God doesn't want a 65. He wants an 83. Put that thing up, stalled it. Couldn't wait. You know, I'm going to watch the footy. I'm going to watch this. I'm going to watch that. I think I turned it on twice. The Lord said, I don't even want that in your house. So, okay, out it goes." [01:28:24] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "In God, if you don't give anything up, you've got to understand that you don't give anything up. You just surrender to His will and that's where the blessings are at. That's where the blessings are at. The blessings are at that place of surrender." [01:32:51] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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