What I’ve been learning about the inter-relationships of the heart, soul and mind has made it very clear that the child of God has a huge advantage over those who do not yet know our Creator as Heavenly Father. Personal relationship with God is far superior to anything that relies on human ingenuity alone.
For example, the world knows we are influenced by what we believe. However, without attachment to our Creator, we are left to simply believe in ourselves. If we are having trouble, maybe something like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will work by helping us think good thoughts about ourselves in the hope of changing how we behave.
However, for the child of God, we are not left to the mercy of our own thoughts and beliefs. We have a Father. He is not only personally interested in how his children are doing, but is personally engaged with us for the ultimate in transformation, and is constantly working all things together for the good of his beloved children.[1]
These expressions from Father’s Book are proving very helpful to me as I consider God’s personal attachment to the hearts of his children:
- “God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit”.[2]
- “his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee”.[3]
- “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts”.[4]
- “be filled with the Spirit”.[5]
What the world does not have is the Holy Spirit in their hearts filling them with the love of our Father and personally interacting with them to lead them into an agapè-attachment to the Triune God. But God’s children do!
How do the WoLVeS hinder this?[6]
Wounds: the world Wounds us in the hope that our hearts will never be free to interact with the Holy Spirit.
Lies: the devil lies to us in the hope that we will not believe anything God says about the place of the Holy Spirit in his children and the difference he would make if we were in full attachment to him.
Vows: our sarks/flesh make vows about how we are going to handle our lives in complete ignorance of how much better things would be if we were filled with the Spirit instead.
Strongholds: the strongholds of our triune enemy hold us captive right in the midst of God’s kingdom of light in which we could enjoy righteousness, peace and joy “in the Holy Spirit”.[7]
Even if we can’t remember the helpful to-do lists given to us through freedom ministries, there is a rule of God’s kingdom that will work no matter how weakly, immaturely, or insecurely a child puts this into practice.
“For those who live according to the flesh
set their minds on the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the
Spirit
set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
For to set the mind on the
flesh is death,
but to set the mind on the Spirit
is life and peace”.[8]
The simple act of setting our minds on God’s Spirit will lead to the life and peace our souls long to experience. And, as God’s children do this together, our fellowship in Christ will bring about the freedom we desire and strengthen us all.
Let me know if you need help getting to know your Creator through faith in Jesus Christ and fellowship with his Holy Spirit.
© 2019 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)
[1] Romans 8:28 (the immediate context is Romans 8:26-30 in the larger
context of Romans 8:1-39)
[2] Romans 5:5
[3] II Corinthians 1:21-22
[4] Galatians 4:6
[5] Ephesians 5:18
[6] We were introduced to a very helpful way of looking at the typical problems
that need freedom ministry. Dr Marcus Warner refers to the Wounds, Lies, Vows
and Strongholds that hinder us, which our home church no identifies as the
WoLVeS that wreak havoc in people’s lives. His book is entitled, “Understanding
the Wounded Heart”, and can be viewed in this video as an introduction: https://youtu.be/9pf-KJmf-Z8. There is
also an 8 part course offered by Deeper Walk International in which these
things are explained in far greater detail, along with so much encouragement in
how God works in our lives for our healing, freedom and joy: https://thedeeperwalkpath.org/courses/course-1-foundations/
[7] Romans 14:17
[8] Romans 8:5-6
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