Lets discuss becoming....

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 John 1:12-13

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The context of this lesson is not about this, but in order to help to make a point here, I must say the following:

The phrase sons of God in Genesis and twice in Job refers to angelic beings that left their position and place with God in rebellion with Satan. They were, beforehand, God's choir. Satan had been their leader in heaven- second only to God himself. But the sons of God followed Satan into open rebellion and were cast down to earth to become demons. 

But, as born-again saints of God, we have been given the opportunity to take their original place in the cosmos and become God's new choir. 

But, being born again does not automatically make us part of the group! 

Being born again only gives us the opportunity to BECOME that. 

What we do with that opportunity will determine where we spend eternity. 

Matthew 7:21-23

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In order for a person to do many wonderful works in his name they must be filled with his spirit. (Part of the new birth). Evidently, these people will be born-again believers. Yet Jesus says, "I never knew you." 

First, what does that mean? 

Jesus was God in human flesh. There's nobody that God is not acquainted with or does not know better than they could ever know themselves! If there were, then he's not all-knowing and therefore not God. 

The answer lies in Genesis:

Genesis 4:1

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

So Adam had an intimate, loving relationship with Eve and she conceived. 

So Jesus is saying on judgment day, "Yes, you received my spirit, but you never developed an intimate, loving relationship with me. Therefore, because you never developed our relationship, depart from me." 

But, brother Winskie, how could they have operated in the gifts of the spirit and not been right with God?

Easy.

Romans 11:29

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

In other words, If I get born again, and God gifts me and calls me in ways he can use me (worship leader, teacher, preacher, etc) and I do not keep up my relationship with him like I should, the gifts and callings will still work- even if I'm in need of renewal and repentance! 

And he could use me to heal thousands and teach millions because his gifts are still operating when I'm around someone who needs it! It's not because of me. It's because I'm a tool he can use to help a hungry soul- even if I myself am not right! If I stay in that state, I will hear him say depart from me when I die! 

So if I'm not a son of God when I'm born again, and he's only given me the power to become a son of God, how do I become a son of God? 

Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

So, when we are born again, we receive his spirit. But, we must pray and actively work on our relationship with him to the point where we can a) hear his voice and b) are willing to obey his voice. 

And please do not try and tell me that we don't hear his actual voice. Really?

Two points:

1) The prophets and some people of old heard his voice and they weren't even born again!

2) Let's hear from the Lord himself:

    John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

So, if the prophets heard his voice and Jesus said we are supposed to hear his voice, then WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HEAR HIS VOICE!

John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

There are many, many voices in the world. As a writer, we are constantly being told that we must find and market "our voice." Now, if every writer in the world has a voice, (and there are thousands) and if every singer has a voice (thousands more), and if every political person and group has a voice, and if every company has a voice, then there are literally millions of voices in the world! Movies and TV shows have voices. Even religious groups and personalities have a voice!

It's a cacophony of voices in this modern world. And all are vying for our attention, our support, our money, and our adherence to their ideals! 

It's no wonder that the voice of God is called a "still small voice." His voice is constantly having to compete with all the other voices in this world that try and lead and guide us. But, he doesn't use the tactics of the world to get our attention. God simply speaks to us and tries to get our attention, love, and obedience. 

In other words, other voices want something from us. But God wants us! Our whole hearts and our whole selves. He wants a real relationship with us.

Therefore Jesus says his sheep KNOW his voice and won't follow another.

But in order to KNOW (be intimately acquainted with and know well- with no doubts) his voice, and be able to differentiate between his voice and the millions of others out there, we must actively work at getting close enough to him to be able to hear his voice clearly! 

And in order to trust his voice, we have to allow him to talk to us actively and often. As we hear and obey his voice, we learn through experience that his words are true and his ways work best. When we do this, then when we hear other voices telling us to do things that God's voice and written word say are wrong, then we won't follow those other voices! (This is called discerning of spirits, by the way. When Paul heard the demon-possessed girl yelling out the truth about him, he recognized the demonic voice behind the truthful statements and cast the demon out. Why? Because he knew the voice of Jesus!)

Then we are his sheep. And guess what? We are sons of God because we are being led by his spirit! And as long as we are listening to, and following his voice, then we will remain sons of God. So, how do we gain that level in God? 

Philippians 4

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

This is where the vast majority of us live. We pray and ask. We offer thanks. We drift away. Then we find ourselves in a crisis. We begin to really cry out! We repent and ask God for forgiveness and deliverance. He then comes through and delivers us. We find ourselves at peace in the world because of his intervention in our lives. Then, we chill and begin to fall away again. 

Read the book of Judges. 

This is the same seemingly endless circle that Israel followed. And most of them didn't make it! Their country and promises wound up being lost because they continually stopped listening to and obeying the voice of God. 

The same can happen to us if we stop with being born again and do not actively work at our relationship with God so thatwe can become what we were recreated to become! 

So how do we get out of the endless cycle of chaos that becomes a slippery slope to losing out with God? 

Philippians 4

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

It's simple really, and to the world, it seems harsh. 

We continue praying to and praising him. But, instead of only doing that at church or in rough times. We do that daily. Paul said, "I die daily." He "put (his) flesh under subjection."

1 Corinthians 9:27

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

How do we keep our body (flesh) under subjection?

It begins in our thought life, but that begins in our actions. 

Psalm 101:3

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

That means we keep his word foremost in our minds ("whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."). And because of that, we will not purposely set anything evil (according to God's definition) in front of our eyes. 

Yes, we will sometimes accidentally come into contact with evil. We are to reject those influences in Jesus' name and go on with him- leaving those things behind.

Why? Because the eyes are the window through which we see the world. And what we see affects how we think. And how we think affects how we act. And how we act, affects how we live. And how we live affects our eternal destiny! (Thank you Bishop Jeff Arnold for burning that thought process into my mind!)

So, we are to be careful what we look at, what we watch, what we read, what we listen to (for hearing adds another element that makes what we see that much more powerful), who we hang around (because they can influence how we think and act), what we become involved in, etc. 

2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

So we are to judge what we see, hear, etc by the word and voice of God. If what we see/hear disagrees with what God says in his word and to us (note: his voice will never disagree with his written word), then it is exalting its ideas against what God says is true and just. We are to understand that and cast down that idea out of our thoughts and lives in favor of God, his word, and his ways. 

As we learn to obey his written word and rid ourselves of nonbiblical distractions, the other voices begin to lose the hold that they once held on our lives. This has the effect of having the voice of God grow louder to us. 

The more we practice this, the more we cut out the world's voices and cling to his word and his voice, and the more we can be led by God. 

If we will saturate ourselves with the things of God, prayer, and working at hearing his voice, then the world will lose its grip on our lives and we will become what he wants us to be (the sons of God). We will have not just the peace of God, but we will have the God of peace actively working in and through us to change us and reach out to others!

That's when miracles begin to happen. That's when people begin to be reached. That's when cities, towns, and individual homes begin to be changed into what God wants and ordains.

Lord Jesus, grant us repentance to the acknowledgment of and obedience to your truth. Help us to become.... what you have called us to become! 

In Jesus' name, we pray!