Restoration Faith Centre

I am come that they might have life, and that they might

have it more abundantly. John 10:10 KVJ

 

 

Sunday 19th August 2007, Volume 5, Issue 24

 

Well what a challenging and exciting week we have had. On Friday morning we met Dr. Jim and Kathleen Kaseman off their flight from Auckland via the USA. What a great joy to meet them and Pastors Bernie and Lee George from Martinborough. We are all going to have a super-natural time this afternoon as we open our hearts and receive God's word from Brother Jim and the     powerful anointing that he carries on life. We will be taking up a Love Offering for Brother Jim and Sister Kathleen at the meeting. Pastor Kevin has been ministering to us during our weekly meetings on "Being the person God has called us to be" and how to get victory over our "Flesh and Mind" especially in the area of "Compulsive behaviours etc."  The following points from his messages are worth noting:

 

1.  In 2007 we all need a revelation of who we are as Victorious Christians and need to stop comparing ourselves with our     brothers and sisters. In his early years Pastor Kevin thought that all other Christians he knew had mastered a level of holiness that always seemed to evade him. He deeply admired all these Faith Heroes who appeared to be so sure and stable and whom he thought had left him behind. He admired their standards of life and purity yet at the same time looked beyond him. After nearly three years he suddenly received a revelation that not only did God know him, but loved him unconditionally even though he was still battling the Love walk. Until then he felt the love that surrounded his life was always based on performance, never            un-conditional. He finally came to a place of knowing where everything that is BORN has to grow and develop to maturity and that takes time and effort. No one shared with him that they too had similar battles and wars before success and victory came along. 

 

2. We all must remember we are on a journey and must let God mature us. He doesn't require our self-help methods and efforts to impress others with a false sense of Piety. God has ordained to change every one of us according to His timetable, not ours. While we were changed spiritually by the New Birth we still have our old corruptible body and flesh desires that were not changed.  They are Spirit-controlled only. God chooses to inhabit our old life but is constantly healing and delivering us from all our works and sins of the flesh.

 

 3. God has given us authority, dominion and power in Jesus name to put our flesh and carnality under His Lordship. The Apostle Paul wrote in {1.Cor 9:27} "But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, least that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.} It is not an over night process, we get progressively strengthened in character day by day. We are constantly working at renovating our walk by the Word of God, but in 2007 He is going to eventually recycle what you and I have been trying to renovate. It is impossible to obey and live the Christian Life without the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

 4. Christianity is often like part of you is constantly wanting to do what is right while the other part of is desperately campaigning to walk in old habits, lusts and rebellion. So never forget that TRANSFORMATION is a process, it takes faith and patience to bring out the true nature of Jesus in us. Then we can walk in honesty and transparency. {Galatians 4: 19} we read: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you”. Only God know the process it will take to bring us to this place where we His children are going to resemble our God.

 

5. It will take prayer and openness of heart as we confess and forsake every trace of: rebellion, sin, witchcraft, stubbornness, iniquity, idolatry, fear, guilt, sorrow and COMPULSION. The only way these compulsions can be destroyed is by having a daily encounter with the HOLY GHOST. Then and only then will we be truly set-free from all our self-conscious efforts to change ourselves. The Spirit of God will go deep down into our soul to reveal what is causing these behaviour patterns in our life. It’s only then will we find out about ourselves and He will uncover the reasons behind our behaviour and compulsions.

 

6. Signs of a compulsive person: Webster's dictionary tells us that the word compulsive means: "An irresistible impulse to      perform an irrational act." We often think that we are extremely rational people in the things we do and say, yet that is a MYTH. Many today are bound by compulsions, which all keep them from doing and being all that God wants them to be.

 

Pastors Kevin and Dion believe that in 2007 we are all being led by the Holy Ghost on a journey to SPIRITUAL WHOLENESS AND MATURITY. It’s the Spirit of God that gives us the steps to the FREEDOM that Jesus wants for all of us. He wants to set His Family free from deep pain, hurts, rejection and a sense that we are not in control and daily living under stress etc. So often we are afraid to be honest with God, ourselves, family, and friends and don't have the freedom to admit and take ownership of these compulsions. Its time for the Body of Christ to stop pretending, admit our weaknesses and begin to understand our fallen humanity and our total and utter need to depend on God and His mercy and grace.

 

7. Finally it is only then that we can receive the deliverance, healing etc in order to grow and be the person Jesus has called us to be, and it is only then that we can live daily in HIS GLORY and destroy all Compulsive behaviour which is so Destructive. These are some of the main areas Christians are vulnerable in:

 

1. Our occupation, place of work.  2. Our sexual desires and impulses.  3.  Worldly activity of alcohol, drugs, rebellion etc.  If any of these pre-occupy you and your thought life more than Jesus and your Christian Family {church} then you need help. The only permanent solution to these issues is God. So never forget that any compulsions will always hiding the real legitimate issue and pain that we have buried deep down in our heart. There is no quick fix to these problems outside of a DIVINE ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY GHOST where His FIRE will destroy everything that is not the planting of the Lord.  Staying FREE and living a LIFE of VICTORY is a life style of HONESTY and HUMILITY.  Pastor Kevin will continue to minister on this issue as it is most important to walk in the fullness of God's Glory and Super-natural power.

 

Don't forget Monday and Wednesday Night at 7.30pm House Group Meetings at 5. Lerwick Terace, Lyall Bay. Saturday at      midday RFC City Out-reach also departs from 5. Lerwick Terrace, Lyall Bay.