When we stay in our place of responsibility we will walk in our God-given authority.
• Ps 31:5 - David lived by Christ’s last words.
• God had promised he would be king, but he was being chased by Saul and publicly reproached by many.
• He was more concerned about what was going on inside himself than outside.
• But he still sinned.
• Ps 32:1 - Blameless means sin was involved but it was confessed and forgiven.
• Ps 32:2 - If you’ve committed your spirit to God then you won’t walk in deceit.
• You can mentally convince yourself something is true when it’s not.
• Ps 32:3-4 - God linked our body, soul, and spirit together.
• You can be emotionally and physically exhausted, but never spiritually - it can’t get tired.
• The worst exhaustion is that which springs from a spiritual problem.
• The problem was unconfessed sin.
• Ps 32:5-6 - If you wait you’ll slowly build a callous to God’s conviction.
• In time you’ll no longer feel convicted not only for that particular sin, but also for others.
• Ps 32:9 - David’s advice - don’t be controlled by anything other than the spirit of God (Ps 31:5).
• When our spirits are committed to God we have power and authority over sin.
• How is a mule able to be controlled? By not having any understanding.
• How do we grow in understanding? Spend time with God!
• Tori testimony - I didn’t understand what she was saying, but she didn’t get mad because she understood what God was doing.
• Time with God leads to understanding which gives us POWER - but how do we walk in it?
• Mark 9:29 - The disciples had authority over demonic spirits but they were losing the battle. Why?
• Because of their lack of faith (Matthew 17:20).
• God’s authority is only effective if exercised in faith.
• Jesus then tells them how they can build their faith:
• Prayer & Fasting (Mark 9:29).
• The disciples had been careless in their spiritual walk and had neglected these two.
• PRAYER - communicating with God (two-way), spending time with Him, staying in a constant state of communication.
• FASTING - denying yourself in the physical in order to gain something in the spiritual.
• You will only do this when you’ve committed your spirit to God.
• How do you walk in authority?
• 1) Commit yourself to God - consistently die to yourself.
• 2) Walk in repentance - stay broken.
• 3) Spend time with God - work hard on your relationship with Him.
Psalms 31:5 (3/5/17)
Walking in Authority
March 5, 2017 • Benham Brothers
Psalms 1:1-3 (1/12/17)
January 12, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* The blessed man is someone who doesn’t walk, stand, or sit…… * These are “conscious” things - lying down was not in there (unconscious). * 1) Walk in counsel of wicked - counsel is what you allow to influence you. * This comes through your eyes and ears - what you see and hear. * 2) Stand in the path of sinners - all paths lead somewhere. * We have to ponder the path of our feet and stay on the right track. * We get “hooked” by other’s hooks when we’re on their path. * 3) Sit in the seat of the scoffers - buddying up with those who hate God. * We have to pay close attention to who our close confidants are. * Bad company corrupts good morals. * The blessed man is someone who delights in God. * Just like a grandpa seeing his grandkids for the first time in a year. * Delight is all about focus - it’s never about you. * The blessed man will be like a tree - an evergreen. * It’s firmly planted by the source of life (water). * Bears the proper fruit at the proper time - nourishment for others. * Always has leaves - protection for others. * Never will die.
Psalms 2:8 (12/2/18)
December 2, 2018 • Benham Brothers
ASK! • God has all the answers, but He often doesn’t reveal them unless we ask. • God loves to give us little hints into what He’s doing. • EX: hide and seek w/my young kids - they always wanted to be found. • If I looked in the wrong place I’d hear them make a noise to point me in the right direction. • Dan 7:15-16 - Daniel had a dream but didn’t understand it. • He had to ASK what was going on. • DAN 8:15-16 - He saw another vision and he sought to understand it. • God sent Gabriel to give him the meaning (Mary & Zechariah). • DAN 9:1-3 - Daniel read Jeremiah and “sought” the Lord by prayer and fasting. • DAN 9:20-23 - God gave Daniel what he asked for. • • Asking God does three things: • 1) Asking aligns you with your purpose (“Ask me for anything” - Solomon) • Daniel’s purpose was to write down what he was told. • PSALMS 2:8 (NIV) - Christ’s purpose was for the nations but He had to ask. • EX: I woke up the other morning with an intense feeling God wanted me to ask Him for anything. • Jesus often said before a miracle - "What do you want?" • When we have an "Ask God" mindset we discover certain things break our hearts and we begin to ask God concerning those things. • This is His way of guiding us. • 2) Asking aligns you under God’s authority. • Asking recognizes the person you’re asking as having authority. • This aligns you in the proper authority structure and results in POWER. • Authority is the right to use power. • 1 JOHN 4:9 (ESV) - God Grid - live “through” Him (spaghetti strainer). • This is a mindset of “Ask God.” Two things to ask for: • ** Permission - you need God’s stamp of approval before you do anything. • ** Provision - God gives TO you so He can give THROUGH you. • 3) Asking aligns you with God’s will. • JOHN 14:13 - "I will do whatever you ask for IN MY NAME." • How do we know God’s will? • Renewal - Romans 12:1-2. Renewal transforms our minds as we ask, “God, what do you think about this?” “What thoughts do you have toward my husband who’s always late, or my kids who back talk?”
Psalms 3:1-4 (1/11/18)
January 11, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Our number one need as a human is security - “who can I trust?” * If we find our “ultimate” security in anything but God then when they fail us our world will fall apart. * This Psalm is David’s journal when Absalom rose up against him. * During this time he found security in God. * This is how David was a man after God’s own heart and how he never lost his faith.