Overcoming Control Pt. 3

Recap of Last Week's Sermon:

• Scriptures Reviewed:
• Daniel 5:13 - 16
• Daniel 6 (Entire Chapter)
• Colossians 3:2

• There are 2 Lanes When it Comes to Control:
• Things I Can Control:
• My Tongue
• My Thoughts
• My Actions & Reactions
• Things I Cannot Control

I can fix what's on the inside of the circle, and whatever is on the outside of the circle, I'll have to:

Our okay-ism cannot be dependent on things outside of our control or we'll never be okay.

"Our internal cannot be predicated on the external." We have to take our affections off of the things that change. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our affections on the things above; the things above are God-related things and we know He is a constant.

This week, Pastor further discussed the results of setting our affections on things other than God. 

Stress is caused by being emotionally invested in things that are not God things. The result of setting our affections on God is to have a better grasp of being able to take care of our mental health. 

Controlling affections is a mental matter.

You have to mentally put Him in the correct position in your life, and that includes consistently communicating with Him through prayer. He should be the first we go to with things, partially because it eliminates the likelihood of gossip. We learned that talking to someone who can't do anything about the situation can result in gossip. Managing this requires a check of our intention and evaluation of why we're sharing what we're sharing with the next person.

Isaiah 26:2-4 

[The context here, reading from chapter 24, is the prophecy of the end of the world/when the Lord returns. It's not a long read; I recommend reading 24 (if not before then) up to 26 to get a visual of what's going on here. Interestingly, some of what's described in 24 is seen today]

Open the gates,

That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in [the gates]. [This verse wasn't read during the sermon, but for our personal studies, it's important to know that there are stipulations to that perfect peace mentioned in the next verse - be a part of the righteous nation which keeps the truth and be able to enter in the gates]

You will keep him in perfect peace [in Hebrew when things are repeated, it's for intensity. "Perfect Peace" translates into "Peace Peace." Therefore, once we've entered in, there is an intense peace to be experienced. Heaven is definitely something to look forward to.],

Whose mind is stayed on You, [This shows that there's even some accessible peace here on earth as long as our minds are stayed on God.]

Because he trusts in You.

4 

Trust in the Lord forever,

For in Yah [Hebrew for God], the Lord, is everlasting strength.

Exodus 17:1-7

Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.”

So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?”

3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

4 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying [I can imagine he was pretty annoyed with the people at this point], “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”

5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”

And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” [Season 1]

Numbers 20: 2-13

Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. [Prayer is just about the only thing that doesn't expire from season to season; it is always necessary] And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes [This was intended to be a miraculous moment and an opportunity for God to show off His power to provide to the assembly. He wants to get glory out of our difficult situations.], and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod [This was the instruction from Season 1; not an appropriate use of energy for season 2]; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.[God's Will still had to be done and the people still needed to see God for who He is]

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow [honor] Me in the eyes of the children of Israel ["because you could have embarrassed Me in front of company with your disobedience", for lack of a better way to simplify what's going on here], therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” [So God was able to still provide for the assembly, but Moses and Aaron had consequences to face. In chapter 21, Aaron was taken to a mountain, stripped down, his clothes given to his son, and he died. Moses lived quite a while after Aaron (he died in Deuteronomy), but he was not allowed to enter into the promised land and he also died.]

13 This was the water of Meribah [from Season 1], because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

The Thing that Worked Last Season May Not be Appropriate for This Season and Can Have Unfavorable Results if Carried Into the New Season

"Do not apply spiritual discounts in expired seasons"

Acts 12:1-11

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread [a time of consecration commemorating Passover]. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him [he was on real lockdown], intending to bring him before the people after Passover [after the Days of Unleavened Bread].

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. [real. lockdown.] 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. [If God be for me, who can be against me? Chains can't even bind me!] 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. [He thought he was still dreaming. Imagine one of your dreams that felt too real; let's say that's how Peter was feeling] 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. [Mind. Blown!!! They got through chains, several guards, and an iron gate and no one caught him. How can God be doubted here?]

11 And when Peter had come to himself [he pinched himself and realized he wasn't asleep], he said, “Now I know for certain [for sure, without a shadow of doubt] that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people [which was to have him killed].”

From the 3 passages, the takeaways are:

• There are benefits to keeping our minds stayed on God, which includes peace.
• Don't bring last season's instruction into this season unless instructed to do so.
• God is a deliverer!
• ***Bonus: Instructions may expire from season to season, but prayer has a shelf life of forever, so use it.

Don't forget the challenge for this week: Before you talk about it, pray about it

Facebook Live: Sunday, June 2, 2019

Til next time,

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