Participants: Shelley Quinn
Series Code: EHW
Program Code: EHW000021S
00:19 Hello.
00:20 My name is Shelley Quinn 00:21 and I welcome you to Exalting His Word. 00:24 Today we're going to look at 00:26 how God renews our thoughts and our attitudes 00:30 and how we can live in 00:32 the Resurrection power of Jesus Christ. 00:35 We'll be contructing several 00:38 Life Affirmations From Scripture. 00:40 So you might want to have a note pad ready. 00:43 Before we begin I'd like to take a moment 00:45 just to review the theme text for this program. 00:49 Psalms 138:2 00:52 That verse says that 00:53 God exalts His name and His word 00:56 above all things 00:58 and that He exalts His word even above His name. 01:02 What exactly does that mean? 01:03 It means that God has promoted His word to 01:07 the highest rank of importance. 01:09 It means that 01:11 nothing is more important to God than His word. 01:14 God has granted creative life-giving power to His word. 01:20 Power that will accomplish all of His will 01:24 and because of that 01:26 He has assigned His word to 01:27 the highest position of praise. 01:31 You know, 01:32 if we only could appreciate how important 01:36 the word of God is to us individually, 01:40 our attitudes about Bible study 01:43 and meditating on the word, 01:44 would be forever changed! 01:47 God's word is life to us. 01:50 It's not theory. 01:52 It's not just a bunch of spiritual ideals. 01:56 It is very practical 01:58 and it brings great blessings! 02:01 Let's ask the Lord to be with us today 02:04 and we're going to invite 02:05 the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. 02:08 Heavenly Father, 02:10 we come before you humbly but boldly 02:12 entering your throne room. 02:14 And Father we ask that 02:15 you would send us a special supply of your Holy Spirit 02:19 and that He will be our teacher today. 02:22 And that by His power You might sanctify us 02:25 through Your word. 02:26 Help us to put Your word into practice Father God 02:30 for the glory of your name. 02:32 In Jesus name, amen. 02:36 Now, let's get to our Life Affirmations from Scripture! 02:41 Here's the first affirmation... 02:43 [affirmation on screen] 03:32 Now, let's take this apart line by line. 03:36 We began by saying, 03:37 "My mind is renewed. 03:39 "My attitudes are made new and radically change 03:44 through the power of His word." 03:47 Now, where did I get that? 03:48 Romans 12:2 03:50 In that verse it says, 03:52 "Do not be conformed to this world but 03:54 "be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 03:59 "That you may prove what is good and acceptable 04:03 "and perfect will of God." 04:06 Then the next line we were talking about 04:10 we said, 04:12 "His word sanctifies me. 04:14 "Separating me from the world's view point. 04:18 "I am set apart morally, 04:21 "ethically," 04:22 and that big word I used... 04:24 "Attitudinally. 04:27 (That means by "in our attitudes") 04:29 "From the world system my conduct 04:32 "and my thoughts are governed by 04:34 "God's administrative system of His Holy Kingdom 04:39 "as recorded in His word." 04:42 Now, where did I get that? 04:44 Let's look at John 17:17. 04:47 The Bible says, 04:48 "Sanctify them by your truth. 04:51 "Your word is truth." 04:52 Do you realize what that's saying? 04:55 It's saying that 04:56 the word of God can sanctify us 04:58 and set us apart from all of the evil of the world. 05:04 It is through His promises that 05:06 we escape evil 05:08 and partake of God's divine nature. 05:12 The next statement was... 05:13 "I am recreated in the image of God." 05:16 Could you say that about yourself 05:18 and feel comfortable? 05:21 If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, 05:24 that is the Bible's testimony about you. 05:27 In Ephesians 4:22-24 it says, 05:32 "Strip yourselves of your former nature." 05:37 Put off the old. 05:38 Discard your old un renewed self which characterized 05:42 your previous manner of life! 05:45 And becomes corrupt through the lust 05:47 and desires that spring from delusion. 05:51 The delusion of human thinking. 05:54 And the Bible goes on to say... 05:55 "Be constantly renewed in the attitude 05:59 "and the spirit of your mind." 06:01 We are to have a refreshed 06:03 mental and spiritual attitude. 06:06 And that scripture goes on and says, 06:08 "Put on the new nature. 06:10 "The regenerated self that is created in God's image. 06:15 "It is God-like and true 06:18 "righteousness and holiness." 06:20 That's what the Bible instructs us to do! 06:24 Then in Ephesians 2:10 the Bible says for 06:29 "We are God's own handy work." 06:32 His workmanship. 06:34 Recreated in Christ Jesus. 06:37 We were born anew that 06:39 we may do those good works which God predestined. 06:44 Which He planned before hand for us. 06:49 Now the next statement 06:52 some people really have a hard time in actually 06:56 declaring God's testimony over their life. 06:59 The statement from our affirmation is... 07:01 "I have been given the mind of Christ." 07:05 Would that make you uncomfortable to say that? 07:07 The Bible says in I Corinthians 2:16 07:12 "We have the mind of Christ." 07:16 That is God's testimony over you. 07:22 Then the next statement is, 07:23 "By the power of the Holy Spirit 07:26 and God's Holy Word, 07:28 "I take every thought captive 07:31 "and make it obedient to the will of Christ my Lord." 07:37 That comes from II Corinthians 10:4,5 07:41 where it says, 07:43 "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but 07:46 "they are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds 07:51 "and casting down arguments." 07:53 "And every high thing that exalts itself 07:57 "above the knowledge of God 07:59 "bringing every thought into captivity to 08:03 "the obedience of Christ." 08:06 Now, let's put that all back together 08:08 and look at our affirmation from scripture. 08:12 [affirmation on screen] 08:57 I'll tell you something... 08:58 It is at sometimes uncomfortable when 09:01 we first begin speaking Life Affirmations because, 09:05 we realize we're not there yet! 09:08 But this is God's testimony about you and I 09:11 and what He vows to do in our lives 09:14 if we will just cooperate with Him. 09:18 Well, stay tuned for just a moment. 09:20 We're going to pause for a brief announcement but 09:22 we'll be right back to build some more 09:26 Life Affirmations from Scripture. 09:29 If this dynamic series is making a difference in your life 09:32 then you should know about a special study guide 09:35 written by Shelley Quinn. 09:36 Exalting His Word with Life Affirmation from Scripture. 09:39 Is an in depth study of the word of God. 09:44 Please send your love gifts to 10:00 Let's return to our study. 10:02 The next affirmation reads like this... 10:06 [affirmation on screen] 10:33 Let's take that apart line by line. 10:36 What does is it like for us to say; 10:40 "I am anointed by the Holy One?" 10:43 It almost sounds like we're exalting ourselves but 10:48 that's what the Bible says! 10:50 In II Corinthians 1:21,22 it says, 10:58 "It is God who makes both us 11:02 "and you stand firm in Christ." 11:05 He anointed us. 11:07 Set His seal of ownership on us 11:12 and put His spirit in our hearts 11:14 as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. 11:20 And then in I John 2:20,27 11:24 the Bible says this, 11:26 "But you have an anointing from the Holy One 11:31 "and all of you know the truth. 11:34 "As for you the anointing that 11:36 "you received from Him remains in you. 11:40 "And you do not need anyone to teach you but 11:43 "as His anointing (the Holy Spirit) 11:47 "teaches you about all things. 11:49 "And as that anointing is real, 11:53 not counterfeit, 11:54 "just as it has taught you remain in Him!" 12:00 So we see God does say that 12:03 we are anointed 12:06 and we need to be able to 12:08 accept God's testimony 12:10 and declare God's testimony over us. 12:14 Actually, 12:16 we would be exalting our self if we said, 12:20 "I'm not anointed". 12:22 If we're in Christ 12:23 and we said I'm not anointed 12:24 we would be exalting our knowledge 12:26 above the word of God! 12:29 Now, let's go on to the next line. 12:32 It says that God works in me to 12:35 cause me to desire the right choices. 12:40 To decide to follow His instructions 12:43 and determine to act as He planned for 12:47 His good purpose. 12:49 I walk in deliberate devotion to Him. 12:52 I simply yield and He does the rest. 12:56 Now, where did I get that? 12:58 Well, my favorite verse... 13:01 Philippians 2:13 says, 13:03 "For it is God who works in you to 13:07 "cause you to will and to act 13:10 "according to His good purpose." 13:13 That makes me wanna shout for joy! 13:16 Now, let's put that all together again. 13:19 And it says... 13:21 [affirmation on screen] 13:45 Now here's our next affirmation; 13:48 "I take up my cross daily... 13:50 [affirmation on screen] 14:26 Now, let's take that apart line by line. 14:32 It started of by saying, 14:34 "I take up my cross daily in deliberate determination 14:38 "to crucify my own sin nature." 14:41 Jesus said to us in Luke 9:23; 14:46 "If anyone desires to come after me 14:51 "let him deny himself 14:53 "and take up his cross daily and follow Me." 15:00 Did you know that some people think that 15:04 taking up our cross means that 15:06 we have a certain burden to carry? 15:09 Have you heard people say that? 15:11 We've all got our cross to bear... 15:15 But that's not what Jesus meant. 15:16 And during Jesus day when He said, 15:18 "Take up your cross daily..." 15:20 They knew exactly what He meant. 15:23 To take up your cross meant that 15:26 you were getting ready to be crucified. 15:29 So what Jesus is talking about here is that 15:32 we will be ready to be crucified 15:36 to our old sin nature 15:39 and put on our new nature. 15:40 So, the next part of the affirmation says, 15:43 "By the power of the Holy Spirit 15:47 "I put to death my old way of life and burry it." 15:52 You know one of my favorite scriptures is 15:56 Romans 8:13 that says, 16:00 "It is by the Spirit that 16:02 "you put to death the misdeeds of the body." 16:07 You and I can not crucify our old sin nature 16:11 by our own power. 16:12 We need the power of the Holy Spirit 16:15 and by His leading we can put to death 16:18 those old habits and attitudes and things that 16:23 were keeping us from drawing near to the Lord. 16:26 And in Romans 6:4-8 the Bible says, 16:31 "Therefore we were buried with Him 16:35 "through baptism into death that 16:37 "just as Christ was raised from the dead 16:41 "by the glory of the Father, 16:43 "even so, we also should walk 16:48 "in the newness of life." 16:50 "For if we have been united with Him 16:54 "together like this in the darkness of His death, 16:57 "certainly we should also be 17:00 "in the likeness of His resurrection." 17:05 And knowing this that 17:06 our old man was crucified with Him that 17:09 the body of sin might be done away with. 17:13 Then we shall no longer be slaves to sin for 17:17 he who has died has been freed from sin. 17:23 Now, if we died with Christ, 17:26 we believe that we shall also live with Him. 17:32 The next part of our affirmation says, 17:35 "I clothe myself with Christ, 17:38 "that I may live a resurrected lifestyle." 17:42 That comes from Romans 13:14. 17:47 There it says, 17:48 "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ 17:51 "and make no provision for 17:54 "the flesh to fulfill its lusts." 17:57 You know, my earnest prayer is that I will be 18:00 continually filled with the Holy Spirit. 18:04 And that's where I got that in the affirmation. 18:08 It says in Ephesians 5:18 18:10 -especially if you read it in the Greek, 18:13 it will really help you to 18:16 understand what the Bible's council is. 18:19 In Ephesians 5:18 it says, 18:22 "Ever be filled 18:24 "and stimulated with the Holy Spirit." 18:28 It's not just a one time filling! 18:31 We have to die daily and then, 18:33 be filled with His spirit again daily. 18:37 The next part of our affirmation says, 18:40 "I'm learning to live in 18:42 "the power of Christ's resurrection by 18:45 "the divine nature of Christ living in me." 18:50 That comes from Romans 6:11 and it says; 18:54 "Even so, consider yourselves dead to sin 18:58 "and your relationship to it broken. 19:02 "But consider yourselves alive to God. 19:06 "Living in unbroken fellowship with Him." 19:09 In Christ Jesus! 19:12 And then in 19:13 Philippians 3:10-11 Paul said, 19:19 "I want to know Christ 19:21 "and the power of His resurrection 19:23 "and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. 19:28 "Becoming like Him in His death, 19:31 "and so somehow to attain to 19:35 "the resurrection from the dead." 19:38 One thing I think, before I go on... 19:40 I just wanna pause and say 19:43 a lot of us have been taught ironiously that 19:48 once we become Christians 19:49 everything is gonna to be just peachy. 19:53 That there wont be any problems. 19:56 And we almost feel like, 19:57 why are we suffering or 19:59 why are we going through this? 20:01 But the Bible frequently talks about 20:04 sharing in Christ's sufferings that 20:06 we might also share in His glory. 20:09 So it's no surprise if we suffer, 20:11 but the good news is that when we do suffer, 20:15 things that happen in this world that 20:18 God is always there with us. 20:20 He will never leave us nor forsake us 20:23 and He gives us the victory in Christ. 20:27 Well, let's go on. 20:28 The rest of that 20:31 it comes from Colosians 1:27. 20:35 And there it says, 20:36 "To them God willed to make known 20:41 "the riches of the glory of this mystery 20:45 "which is Christ in you. 20:49 "The hope of glory." 20:53 Praise the Lord! 20:54 My only hope of glory, 20:56 your only hope of glory is 20:58 Christ living in you. 21:02 Now let's reassemble that 21:04 and look at the affirmation again... 21:06 [affirmation on screen] 21:57 You know, 21:59 I have made it my daily practice 22:00 since I began speaking affirmations... 22:04 The Lord brings 22:07 these scriptures to my mind in new ways. 22:10 And I've made it my daily practice 22:12 when I get up in the morning to 22:15 go before the Lord and say, 22:17 "Father, teach me your will. 22:21 "I am coming before you 22:23 "and I ask you that you will cause me to 22:27 "pick up my cross and die to self 22:31 "by the power of your Holy Spirit. 22:34 "I am asking that 22:36 "you will help me to put to death 22:39 "the misdeeds of my flesh. 22:41 "I want to walk being lead by your spirit. 22:45 "I don't want to run in ahead of your Holy Spirit. 22:50 "I don't want to lag behind the Holy Spirit. 22:53 "And what I want to do Father is 22:56 "just to be lead step by step that 22:59 "you would order my steps." 23:02 And then, 23:03 when I've gone through that part of the process, 23:07 I'll come to the Lord and I'll say, 23:10 "Now Father, help me to 23:11 "clothe myself with Jesus Christ. 23:14 "I ask in the name of Jesus that 23:17 "you would give me 23:19 "a fresh in filling of the Holy Spirit." 23:22 You know we can grieve the Holy Spirit of God 23:25 very easily. 23:27 We can resist the Holy Spirit 23:28 and we can even quench the Holy Spirit of God. 23:33 When Paul said, 23:35 "I die daily brothers, I mean it." 23:38 He knew that everyday when he got up, 23:43 He had to start anew. 23:45 It was a fresh start. 23:47 The Bible says in Joshua 24:15 23:50 "Choose you this day whom you will serve." 23:54 And Paul knew that he had to get up 23:57 and in deliberate determination say, 24:00 Lord I am ready to pick up my cross. 24:04 I am ready to die to self. 24:06 Help me to put to death the misdeeds of my flesh 24:09 by the power of your Holy Spirit. 24:12 And now Lord, 24:14 fill me with power from on high. 24:17 Let me be ever filled and stimulated 24:21 and energized by the Holy Spirit! 24:24 Let me plant this word in my heart Father, 24:28 and let your word be alive and active in me. 24:33 Teach me how to live by the resurrection power 24:39 The same power in person that 24:42 brought Christ out of the grave 24:45 let Him work in me 24:46 and bring me up to walk in newness of life to 24:51 follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. 24:55 And Lord, 24:56 let the righteousness that went before Him 24:59 be the path of life that I follow as well. 25:03 I think that Paul more than anyone... 25:07 I love his teachings because 25:09 they were always so balanced. 25:13 He knew that 25:14 we are only made righteous by faith. 25:17 Yet he also often talked about 25:19 the necessity of obedience. 25:22 That we must obey God's laws. 25:25 And there's only one way for you 25:27 and I to walk in obedience. 25:30 And that is to be lead by the Spirit of God. 25:32 It has to be God who is working in us to 25:36 cause us to will and to act. 25:40 And when we learn to 25:41 take affirmations from scripture, 25:44 when we start speaking God's word over our lives, 25:48 then something begins to happen 25:52 inside our hearts. 25:54 First we'll find that sometimes we feel a little guilty. 25:59 And I think, you know, 26:01 some people think that 26:02 any guilt feeling we have is just from the devil. 26:06 But not always. 26:07 Sometimes it's really godly sorrow 26:09 and we realize how far we have fallen short of 26:17 the glory of God. 26:19 But then, 26:20 as the Lord begins working that in us then, 26:24 when we start continue speaking this over our life, 26:27 He brings us to that point of repentance. 26:30 And you know, I've noticed, 26:32 God changes us sometimes in such a simple way that 26:37 we don't even realize it's happening 26:40 until after it's happened. 26:42 I'll share just a brief story... 26:45 I was doing a teaching about 50 miles 26:48 from my home on a weekly basis. 26:51 And I would go up each week 26:53 and I was teaching a group of about 30 people. 26:55 And it was a marvelous teaching that 26:57 the Lord had given me! 26:58 And I was watching people over a period of several months, 27:01 I was watching God change them completely 27:04 and driving home I was going... 27:06 "Oh Lord, change me! 27:08 "What's wrong with me?" 27:09 And the Lord impressed this thought in me. 27:13 He said, 27:15 Do you not yet realize the changes 27:17 I have brought in your life 27:19 and you have yet to thank me. 27:21 You know, I didn't realize. 27:23 I didn't realize because 27:24 God does it in such a gentle way. 27:28 And it all came because 27:29 I was speaking God's word over my life 27:33 and He was watching His word to perform it. 27:35 May He multiply His mercy, 27:37 His love and His grace to you. 27:40 And may you spend your time 27:43 making that which is most important to God 27:48 what is also most important to you. 27:52 Let God's number one priority Exalting His Word, 27:56 become your number one priority. |
Revised 2023-11-22