Psalm 103:22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion;Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul!
Recently, watching a old Lassie movie from the 60’s, there were three little chics breaking out of their egg shell and coming forth!. It was work, combined with energy that produced life and strength.
Isaiah 54: 1-2—“Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child; break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; for the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the sons of the married woman,” says Yahweh. “Enlarge the place of your tent; stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your pegs.”
If you are waiting on God to meet your emotional needs, you may consider that scripture teaches us to break forth. Our emotions respond to Joy. Our altitude affects or attitude!
We have lots of shells that need to be broken out of or through. Here are a few to consider:
1) Shell of Routine: Luke 10:40 Amplified Bible
But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me and do her part.”
This shell can hide in Church and look busy and important. The problem is while the Joy and blessings are flowing, you can be so busy in service and doing good things that you are left out. Your emotional needs, even your spiritual needs, physical need of rest, healing are being put aside.
2) Shell of tradition: Mark 7:13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
So many people go to a Church that dad, mom or family has always gone to. We all need a personal touch, experience and encounter with the Lord!. Then there are those who are Born Again, had a valid walk with the Lord at some point and allowed traditions, opinions, rumors, thoughts to mitigate Gods Scripture to bring bondage. He comes to liberate us with new thinking, yet we shrink back with our wills saying ” We got this”. They say that the average human only uses 6% of the brain capacity. Imagine the creation (Human) at 6% saying to the Creator who is 100+%, I’m smarter than you.
3) Shell of Religion: James 1:27 Pure and unblemished religion [as it is expressed in outward acts] in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit and look after the fatherless and the widows in their distress, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the [secular] world.
Very few of us are Purely religious by Bible standards. Visiting the fatherless, the orphans and the widows is the definition. Where religion or dogma can hurt us is when we lower God to our systems and standards rather than rising to Heavens liberty and Joy. If your choir, services, Church is causing a routine that comes before the “moving of the Spirit” then you may have succumb to a religious spirit or system.
4) Shell of Pride: Psalm 31:7 New King James Version
I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,
It’s always a shame when someone’s shell of pride has to be broken, in order for life to come forth. People don’t seem to want to change, when they have it all together or prospering.
A classic scripture is: Prov 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall … Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.”
Don’t let Pride suppress your Joy. God’s Joy crucifies and challenges pride. If you want a visitation of Joy, then pride must bow the knee.
Pray this now “Lord, reveal any pride that is in me, holding back or blocking your promises or Joy for me today. I repent Lord and ask for your mercy. You know any valid troubles of mine and have a plan to free me up with Joy. So let your Joy buble up on the inside of me. In Jesus Name Amen.”
5) Shell of Bondage:
Hebrews 2:15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of …… their lives. and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. …Bondage is a huge subject in New Testament Theology. I assure you that whatever you think that God has for you, He has plans that are better. His plans last and last with peace. Our plans give is short term hope. His liberty gives us His Hope!
If you are afraid of dying (dying to self) or your ideas on self image don’t line up with how God sees you individually, uniquely than you are in bondage
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you …… we cry, “Abba! Father!” For you have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of divine adoption as sons, by …
Over and Over He woos us, encourages us that He is a good heavenly Father. Some folks have had bad natural fathers, so they assume God is the same. This is bondage
Galatians 2:4 “This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy …… spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth …“
Problems is Systems. Organizations that start out with good or Godly intentions get into bondage. Sometimes Pastors suppress or keep their congregation purposely ignorant so as to preserve their positions. These small leaders (big in their own minds) don’t see how wonderful it is to allow people to grow beyond up, up and away to great realms of wisdom and knowledge.
Is 55:1 Amp “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy grain and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost [simply accept it as a gift from God].
This is the key to being free of bondage. Being thirsty for Joy. Being hungry for Heaven’s Bread. Jesus my friend is the Bread of Life” . Say “Lord, I want to be thirsty for Joy, I want to eat Heaven’s Bread. Jesus, speak to me today Words of Life. Take me into the Bible and give me a Word that thrills my heart with Joy” Amen.
6) Shell of Apathy: Revelation 3:15-16 15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither [a]cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
This shell can causes boredom, laziness etc and etc. You don’t want to be caught in a luke warm world, my friend. The Fire of the Lord, being ready or hot passion is the answer to Joy. Joy in the Holy Spirit liberates, and frees the soul. Apathy enslaves, suppresses and holds you back from Growing and realizing your Divine potential. We don’t get to Apathy overnight. It’s small decisions that says things like “well, I’ll go to Church next week, Jesus understands.” It’s like being overpaid at a counter and you keep the money. . “they owe me or got me last time”. Little decisions of discretion, integrity (when no one is watching) procrastination, causes you one day to wake up and say “How did I get here”?
7) Shell of Apostasy
2 Peter 2:20-22 – For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
This final shell we always thought was for some way far, distant day. Well that day has come and is being forced upon the Church from Covid over regulations and Big Brother or “regulation nation” over-reach. We see Church after Church where Pastors told their people to stay home. Maybe out of fear of a law-suit, maybe because the Pastors wanted to take a break and get paid. Churches justified their positions by using a Mayor’s or Governor’s bullying or edict’s. Well in business, if you tell your client to go away, if you tell your client “I’ll get back with you and don’t” then why be surprised if they find someone else to do business with that’s available. In the case of Apostasy growing like never before in the Church, how did it take root so fast? The parishioner ( church member), after being told due to the pandemic to stay home, get’s busy on Sundays doing chores, sports and other things. Why would returning be a priority now? The Tenants of New Testament requires an in-person Communion, Laying on of Hands, Baptisms, Elders praying for the sick etc. If a Church elevated local Government’s over-reaches or Fear as a priority from keeping some kind of personal ministry open, like Parking-lot Church, phone calling or home visitations by Pastors staying outside the screen door, yet spreading the message that love and people are important why would members feel a loyalty to return now?
In summary here are few strong, shocking Bible verses on this subject that speak to Apostosy
1 Timothy 4:1 – Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Hebrews 3:12-19 – Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Hebrews 6:4-6 – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,