Back to School – Learning Stability

LEARNING STABILITY

• Ephesians 6:10-18 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

• Ephesians 6:13 (AMP) Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

• YOU DO ALL YOU CAN DO.

• YOU TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. THEN, AFTER YOU DO THAT, YOU STAND

• THE METAPHOR OF STANDING: STABILITY IN CHRIST

STABILITY IN CHRIST

• COLOSSIANS 1:23 SAYS WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL

• Ephesians 1:18 (KJV) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints…

• IN REVELATION, THE “PROMISE FOR HIM WHO OVERCOMES” IS THAT JESUS WILL “MAKE YOU A PILLAR IN MY FATHERS TEMPLE AND YOU SHALL GO NO MORE OUT.”

• You have to armor up in order to stand because there will always be an attack against your standing or your stability.

THE ENEMY OF INSTABILITY

• THE SNAKE IN THE GARDEN LOST ITS LEGS.

• A SNAKE REPRESENTS INSTABILITY, LACK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND INABILITY TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN.

• If you are unstable, you will constantly reproduce something from Hell instead of something from heaven. It doesn't mean you’re not saved, it means you’re sleeping with the enemy.

• All those Old Testament commandments where God warned people over and over again, “Do not take a wife from the daughters of the enemy. Do not get private with them because you will reproduce an enemy,” are big principles for your life still today. The example here is Samson.

THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND

• The reproductive part of your body is called your “loins.”

• 1 Peter 1:13 – Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ…

• The Bible talks about the loins of your mind because private thoughts are reproductive.

• One of the ways you pull up your big boy pants and act like a grown man is you decide there are certain things you are not going to let yourself think because you'll be unstable.

• 1 Corinthians 16:13– Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

“UNSTABLE AS WATER” A PROPHETIC MARKER OF THIS LAST GENERATION

• One of the prophetic marks of the last generation is incredible instability.

• In the book of Revelation, John described the last generation of people as “waves tossing to and fro.”

• That can’t be us!

• Abraham’s last words to Reuben in Genesis 49:4 – Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it—He went up to my couch.

• According to Ephesians 6:13, we put on the whole armor of God for an epic battle. That battle is the fight for stability.

INSTABILITY COMES FROM BEING DOUBLE-MINDED.

• Man cannot serve two masters.

• Colossians 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

• To “set something” means to put it in a fixed condition to where it can’t be moved.

• “Set your eyes upon Jesus”

• “I have set you continually before me”

King David’s secret to success was this:

• Psalms 16:8 – I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

• What are the things that are set in your life?

• Have you decided that God is good yet, or is your mental jury still out?

• Have you decided Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life? That He is the answer to everything, or are you still waiting for something to bring your deciding factor?