Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:00:01.33\00:00:02.66 Did you know that speaking God's promises over your life 00:00:02.70\00:00:06.10 and praying them back to Him has transforming power? 00:00:06.13\00:00:10.57 Please join us today on Pressing in 00:00:10.61\00:00:12.74 to His Presence to learn why? 00:00:12.77\00:00:14.91 Welcome to Pressing in to His Presence. 00:00:36.46\00:00:38.97 In this series, we are learning 00:00:39.00\00:00:41.00 how to draw ever closer to God in prayer. 00:00:41.04\00:00:45.47 We have already considered the spiritual benefit 00:00:45.51\00:00:48.14 of including praise and repentance 00:00:48.18\00:00:50.21 at the beginning of our prayer. 00:00:50.25\00:00:52.05 And now what we are going to do after looking last week 00:00:52.08\00:00:56.95 we began to see how using God's words 00:00:56.99\00:01:00.82 as in returning His promises to Him in prayer. 00:01:00.86\00:01:04.89 What kind of a power that has? 00:01:04.93\00:01:07.20 It becomes an affirmation of our faith. 00:01:07.23\00:01:09.73 And we saw that Christ will sustain us 00:01:09.76\00:01:13.23 with His mighty word of power. 00:01:13.27\00:01:15.34 That's what Hebrews 1:3 says. 00:01:15.37\00:01:17.77 Is he sustains and upholds 00:01:17.81\00:01:19.54 and maintains the world by His mighty word of power. 00:01:19.57\00:01:23.51 And as you learn to wheel the sword of the spirit, 00:01:23.55\00:01:27.02 He'll do that for you. 00:01:27.05\00:01:28.72 We also noticed that when we reach this point 00:01:28.75\00:01:32.12 of Pressing in to His Presence, our confession of God's word 00:01:32.15\00:01:37.73 can be likened to the priest 00:01:37.76\00:01:40.20 eating the showbread in the Holy Place. 00:01:40.23\00:01:43.20 Now, in this series we are using a companion book 00:01:43.23\00:01:46.47 that I was privileged to write 00:01:46.50\00:01:48.30 and it's also titled Pressing in to His Presence. 00:01:48.34\00:01:51.31 If you're following along in the book, 00:01:51.34\00:01:53.38 today we begin on page 92. 00:01:53.41\00:01:57.85 Sustaining power is marvelous, but equally as wonderful 00:01:57.88\00:02:03.32 is that Jesus uses the word 00:02:03.35\00:02:05.95 to wash the influences of the world from our mind. 00:02:05.99\00:02:10.16 Ephesians 5:25-27 says this, 00:02:10.19\00:02:15.53 "Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 00:02:15.56\00:02:20.60 that He might sanctify and cleanse her 00:02:20.64\00:02:23.47 with the washing of water by the word, 00:02:23.51\00:02:26.64 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, 00:02:26.68\00:02:31.48 not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, 00:02:31.51\00:02:35.88 but that she should be holy and without blemish." 00:02:35.92\00:02:40.76 You know, the washing of the water cleanses our mind 00:02:40.79\00:02:44.66 and it helps in the process of sanctification. 00:02:44.69\00:02:48.40 And that's just a big word. That's a synonym for holiness. 00:02:48.43\00:02:52.50 And even holiness just means to be set apart 00:02:52.53\00:02:56.40 from worldly attitudes and behaviors. 00:02:56.44\00:02:59.81 In John 15:7 Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, 00:02:59.84\00:03:06.31 and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, 00:03:06.35\00:03:10.89 and it shall be done for you." 00:03:10.92\00:03:13.59 Abiding in the word of God is a way to abide in Christ. 00:03:13.62\00:03:20.20 And as His promises enter into your heart, 00:03:20.23\00:03:23.83 your mind is transformed. 00:03:23.87\00:03:26.27 God's thoughts become your thoughts. 00:03:26.30\00:03:29.80 His desires become your desires. 00:03:29.84\00:03:33.51 You want to do all things for His glory. 00:03:33.54\00:03:37.01 And prayers are no longer just vain babbling, 00:03:37.05\00:03:41.45 rather you ask for His action 00:03:41.48\00:03:45.22 according to His revealed will and scripture. 00:03:45.25\00:03:49.79 In 1 John 5:14 and 15, 00:03:49.82\00:03:55.13 this is what the apostle has to say, 00:03:55.16\00:03:58.97 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 00:03:59.00\00:04:02.70 that if we ask anything 00:04:02.74\00:04:05.54 according to His will, He hears us. 00:04:05.57\00:04:09.14 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, 00:04:09.18\00:04:12.25 we know that we have the petitions 00:04:12.28\00:04:14.58 that we have asked of Him." 00:04:14.62\00:04:18.19 Praying His word back to Him 00:04:18.22\00:04:21.22 is the sure way of praying according to His will. 00:04:21.26\00:04:25.46 He promises to watch over His word to accomplish it. 00:04:25.49\00:04:30.63 He promises that everything, every purpose 00:04:30.67\00:04:34.50 for which He sent His word is going to be fulfilled by Him. 00:04:34.54\00:04:39.47 Praying the word brings powerful results. 00:04:39.51\00:04:44.78 You might be familiar with the philosopher Socrates 00:04:44.81\00:04:49.08 who said, "Knowing thyself is the height of wisdom." 00:04:49.12\00:04:54.22 Now that sounds really smart on the surface, 00:04:54.26\00:04:56.99 but I beg to differ with this famous philosopher. 00:04:57.03\00:05:00.70 Jesus said to know God and to know Jesus Christ 00:05:00.73\00:05:04.77 whom He sent is eternal life. 00:05:04.80\00:05:08.00 Knowledge of God is superior to wisdom or knowledge of self, 00:05:08.04\00:05:13.44 but that being said, 00:05:13.48\00:05:15.11 I will add in the vain of Socrates thought. 00:05:15.14\00:05:19.31 It is vitally important for Christians to understand 00:05:19.35\00:05:23.69 who we have become now that we are His children 00:05:23.72\00:05:28.62 and now that we have as 1 Peter 1:23 says, 00:05:28.66\00:05:32.89 "Being born again through the word of God 00:05:32.93\00:05:37.27 which lives and abides forever." 00:05:37.30\00:05:40.40 We have a new born-again identity in Christ. 00:05:40.44\00:05:45.74 A serious situation exists in the church today though 00:05:45.77\00:05:50.18 and I call it 'The Identity Crisis.' 00:05:50.21\00:05:53.62 This is not mere psycho-babbling technology. 00:05:53.65\00:05:58.89 Our crisis of identity is a critical problem 00:05:58.92\00:06:02.59 which causes Christians to suffer spiritual defeat. 00:06:02.62\00:06:06.80 What is our identity crisis? 00:06:06.83\00:06:09.26 We don't know who we are and who we have become, 00:06:09.30\00:06:13.70 now that we have been recreated to be like Christ. 00:06:13.74\00:06:18.31 Like 10 of the 12 men who spied out the Promised Land, 00:06:18.34\00:06:23.38 we suffered from the grasshopper identity syndrome. 00:06:23.41\00:06:27.92 We're thinking that there is giants in the land 00:06:27.95\00:06:31.25 who are greater than we are who walk with God. 00:06:31.29\00:06:35.36 We don't consider the Lord's promise 00:06:35.39\00:06:38.36 and power to change our nature. 00:06:38.39\00:06:41.33 You know, God promises in 2 Corinthians 5:17, 00:06:41.36\00:06:45.70 He says, "If anyone is in Christ, 00:06:45.73\00:06:49.34 he is a new creation all things have passed away 00:06:49.37\00:06:54.14 behold all things have become new." 00:06:54.18\00:06:59.28 God's testimony of what He has done for us in Christ is sure. 00:06:59.31\00:07:06.05 Our destiny is to become like Jesus 00:07:06.09\00:07:09.69 and it's not a matter of chance, but choice. 00:07:09.72\00:07:14.03 We must choose each day to accept by faith 00:07:14.10\00:07:18.57 what God has said 00:07:18.60\00:07:20.10 because without faith we cannot please Him. 00:07:20.14\00:07:24.07 And little wonder, 1 John 5:10 tells us 00:07:24.11\00:07:28.14 that "If we doubt God's testimony, 00:07:28.18\00:07:31.88 we are regarding Him as a liar." 00:07:31.91\00:07:36.58 Our problem is 00:07:36.62\00:07:37.99 that we don't always feel like a new creation, 00:07:38.02\00:07:40.96 harassed by the devil or old flesh natures, 00:07:40.99\00:07:44.53 sometimes rehearse his ugly head 00:07:44.56\00:07:47.20 and suddenly we let our feelings overcome our faith, 00:07:47.23\00:07:52.13 making it difficult to believe 00:07:52.17\00:07:53.84 the oldest passed away and the new has come. 00:07:53.87\00:07:57.01 We began to think and speak about ourselves 00:07:57.04\00:08:00.41 in a way that doesn't line up in agreement with God's word. 00:08:00.44\00:08:05.35 You know, Proverbs 23:7 tells us 00:08:05.38\00:08:07.28 something that's critical for us to remember. 00:08:07.32\00:08:09.85 It says, "As a man thinks in his heart so his he. 00:08:09.88\00:08:13.72 What you think of yourself is important." 00:08:13.76\00:08:16.79 Do you see yourself as a spiritual failure? 00:08:16.83\00:08:20.33 Continue with His frame of mind and you will never be anything, 00:08:20.36\00:08:23.83 but God does not force His will upon you, 00:08:23.87\00:08:28.44 He asks you to choose and to become Christ-like. 00:08:28.47\00:08:33.34 You must recognize your new identity in Him 00:08:33.38\00:08:36.95 and sees hold of your destiny. 00:08:36.98\00:08:40.15 How? By faith accept what God promises. 00:08:40.18\00:08:44.62 Surrendering your lower thoughts to His higher thoughts 00:08:44.65\00:08:49.22 because 2 Corinthians 1:20 assures us of this, 00:08:49.26\00:08:55.03 "All of God's promises are ours, all of God's promises, 00:08:55.06\00:08:59.03 find their yes answer in Christ 00:08:59.07\00:09:01.44 all not just some of God's promises are ours." 00:09:01.47\00:09:06.21 If we're in Christ, they all are. How is that? 00:09:06.24\00:09:10.81 The Apostle Paul gives us the answer. 00:09:10.85\00:09:13.85 We become like Christ by the grace of God. 00:09:13.88\00:09:19.05 In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul writes, 00:09:19.09\00:09:22.39 "By the grace of God I am what I am 00:09:22.42\00:09:25.66 and His grace toward me was not in vain." 00:09:25.69\00:09:30.77 You see, God's grace is more than just spiritual favor. 00:09:30.80\00:09:36.84 It is super natural assistance 00:09:36.87\00:09:40.44 and the power of God unto salvation. 00:09:40.48\00:09:44.71 By the transforming power of His spirit 00:09:44.75\00:09:47.48 and His word, we are changed. 00:09:47.52\00:09:50.72 Every promise God has made, He will also performed 00:09:50.75\00:09:55.42 in our lives if we accept them by faith. 00:09:55.46\00:09:59.16 What you speak into your life is important. 00:09:59.19\00:10:02.90 Proverbs 18:21 plainly says, 00:10:02.93\00:10:05.50 "That the power of deaf in life is in the tongue." 00:10:05.53\00:10:09.34 Speak life by speaking God's word 00:10:09.37\00:10:13.51 and He will reprogram your thoughts. 00:10:13.54\00:10:17.05 You will posses a spirit of faith 00:10:17.08\00:10:21.82 and speak with that spirit of faith. 00:10:21.85\00:10:24.95 Just as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:13, 00:10:24.99\00:10:29.46 listen to these words. 00:10:29.49\00:10:31.63 Paul writes, "And since we have the same spirit of faith, 00:10:31.66\00:10:37.87 according to what is written, 00:10:37.90\00:10:39.60 "I believed and therefore I spoke 00:10:39.63\00:10:42.84 we also believe and therefore speak." 00:10:42.87\00:10:48.88 Isn't that an amazing thought? 00:10:48.91\00:10:51.85 You know, affirmations from scripture 00:10:51.88\00:10:55.42 will charge your spiritual battery, 00:10:55.45\00:10:58.75 if they will fill your heart with hope. 00:10:58.79\00:11:02.46 Now that word hope in the original language was not 00:11:02.49\00:11:06.09 just mere wishful thinking, it meant eager anticipation. 00:11:06.13\00:11:12.30 Do ends of strive ever just come sweeping across your life, 00:11:12.33\00:11:16.97 storing waves of overwhelming circumstances? 00:11:17.01\00:11:21.11 Hope in God will be the anger for your soul, 00:11:21.14\00:11:24.38 keeping you steadfast. 00:11:24.41\00:11:26.61 You will draw near to God without being double-minded. 00:11:26.65\00:11:31.72 And let me tell you something, 00:11:31.75\00:11:33.09 double-mindedness is a condition to avoid 00:11:33.12\00:11:35.39 if you expect to receive anything from the Lord. 00:11:35.42\00:11:39.23 Speaking God's word is speaking by faith. 00:11:39.26\00:11:44.37 According to Romans 10:8 and 10 we will read. 00:11:44.40\00:11:49.87 Here's what Paul said, "The word is near you, 00:11:49.90\00:11:54.08 it is where in your mouth and in your heart that is, 00:11:54.11\00:12:00.08 the word of faith, 00:12:00.12\00:12:02.08 the word of faith is the word of God which we preach. 00:12:02.12\00:12:06.59 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, 00:12:06.62\00:12:11.36 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 00:12:11.39\00:12:19.23 Affirmations, taking God's words, 00:12:19.27\00:12:21.40 speaking them over your life and praying them back to Him 00:12:21.44\00:12:24.61 that plans God's word of faith in your heart, 00:12:24.64\00:12:27.78 it plans God's word of faith in your mouth 00:12:27.81\00:12:31.31 and it will prevent double-minded confession. 00:12:31.35\00:12:35.72 You know, Romans 10:17 tells us, 00:12:35.75\00:12:38.45 "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." 00:12:38.49\00:12:43.56 God's promises are waiting in the wings just-- 00:12:43.59\00:12:47.40 They're ready for fulfillment 00:12:47.46\00:12:48.90 and they are ushered in by faith. 00:12:48.93\00:12:52.10 As you take His holy scriptures, 00:12:52.13\00:12:54.60 setting them out before Him in prayer 00:12:54.64\00:12:56.87 as the priest setout the showbread at the Sanctuary, 00:12:56.91\00:13:00.61 and you confess them over your life affirming you believe God. 00:13:00.64\00:13:06.05 These affirmations will add fuel to your faith. 00:13:06.08\00:13:10.12 His word becomes your testimony of your new identity 00:13:10.15\00:13:15.56 and hearing your own voice 00:13:15.59\00:13:17.13 speak His powerful truths is an incredible faith builder. 00:13:17.16\00:13:22.46 It is a way that we plug in 00:13:22.50\00:13:25.60 to the power source of His life-giving word. 00:13:25.63\00:13:29.50 Affirmations are the most efficient connection, 00:13:29.54\00:13:34.24 and as you plug in they transfer His mighty energy 00:13:34.28\00:13:39.68 and you are converted to His way of thinking. 00:13:39.71\00:13:43.15 Look at it this way, I can tell you all day long 00:13:43.18\00:13:47.19 that you are in new creation in Christ Jesus, 00:13:47.22\00:13:50.79 but you might think, well, Shelley doesn't really know me. 00:13:50.83\00:13:54.56 However, things are stirred in the spirit realm. 00:13:54.56\00:13:58.40 When you make the affirmation 00:13:58.43\00:14:00.84 from three Bible promises and speak aloud saying, 00:14:00.87\00:14:04.31 I am in new creation in Christ Jesus. 00:14:04.34\00:14:07.18 The old has gone and the new has come. 00:14:07.21\00:14:09.74 God is working in me to will and to do His good pleasure 00:14:09.78\00:14:14.32 and He will complete the good work 00:14:14.35\00:14:17.35 that He has begun in me. 00:14:17.39\00:14:19.79 Now, that's not always easy to accept it first. 00:14:19.82\00:14:24.93 Your mind resist what God says about you, 00:14:24.96\00:14:28.83 but God declares the end from the beginning 00:14:28.86\00:14:33.77 because He knows what He will work in you. 00:14:33.80\00:14:36.77 And as you accept God's higher knowledge, 00:14:36.81\00:14:40.31 He multiplies grace and peace to you. 00:14:40.34\00:14:44.28 His divine power works in your heart 00:14:44.31\00:14:48.05 to make you a partaker of His divine nature. 00:14:48.08\00:14:52.62 Let's look at how Peter describes this process 00:14:52.65\00:14:55.26 because sometimes people say what are you talking about? 00:14:55.29\00:14:58.03 Let's look at 2 Peter, 00:14:58.06\00:14:59.86 and we're going to start with Chapter 1 verse 2. 00:14:59.89\00:15:05.47 One of my favorite, all time favorite scripture promises. 00:15:05.50\00:15:10.21 Peter begins in 2 Peter 1:2, 00:15:10.24\00:15:13.98 "Grace and peace be multiplied to you 00:15:14.01\00:15:16.85 in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 00:15:16.88\00:15:19.95 as His divine power has given to us, how many things, 00:15:19.98\00:15:25.85 all things that pertain to life and godliness." 00:15:25.89\00:15:29.46 So Peter is saying God's already given you everything 00:15:29.49\00:15:32.09 you need for abundant life on earth and godliness, 00:15:32.13\00:15:36.00 "Through the knowledge of Him 00:15:36.03\00:15:38.53 who called us by glory and virtue, 00:15:38.57\00:15:42.34 by which by His glory and virtue 00:15:42.37\00:15:45.21 have been given to us exceedingly 00:15:45.24\00:15:48.34 great and precious promises, that through these, 00:15:48.38\00:15:52.65 through what, through these promises 00:15:52.68\00:15:55.78 you may be partakers of the divine nature, 00:15:55.82\00:15:59.82 having escaped the corruption 00:15:59.85\00:16:02.12 that is in the world through lust." 00:16:02.16\00:16:06.80 At the Tomb of Lazarus, Jesus told Martha, 00:16:06.83\00:16:10.73 did I not say to you that if you would believe 00:16:10.77\00:16:13.84 that you would see the glory of God? 00:16:13.87\00:16:17.61 If you partake of His promises, 00:16:17.64\00:16:20.78 you are partaking of the life transforming power of His word 00:16:20.81\00:16:26.68 and if you believe you will see the glory of God. 00:16:26.72\00:16:29.88 Your thoughts begin to line up with His thoughts. 00:16:29.92\00:16:33.19 Your will with His will. 00:16:33.22\00:16:35.62 Praying and confessing God's promises is affirmations, 00:16:35.66\00:16:39.33 plans His word in your heart like, nothing else can. 00:16:39.36\00:16:44.37 It takes route, its spreads and it blossoms into reality. 00:16:44.40\00:16:49.84 That is a kingdom principle 00:16:49.87\00:16:51.91 that Jesus described in Mark 4:26-28. 00:16:51.94\00:16:58.18 And he said, "The kingdom of God 00:16:58.21\00:17:01.92 is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 00:17:01.95\00:17:06.02 and should sleep by night and rise by day, 00:17:06.05\00:17:10.06 and the seed should sprout and grow, 00:17:10.09\00:17:13.40 so the man has planted it he's gone to sleep 00:17:13.43\00:17:16.40 and the seed is doing the work. 00:17:16.43\00:17:19.17 He himself does not know how." 00:17:19.20\00:17:21.70 He doesn't realize what all this seed is doing. 00:17:21.74\00:17:25.14 "For the earth yields crops by itself, first the blade, 00:17:25.17\00:17:30.71 then the head, and after that the full grain in the head." 00:17:30.75\00:17:36.45 You know, Jesus had explained in Luke 8:11 00:17:36.48\00:17:39.89 that the seed is the word of God. 00:17:39.92\00:17:43.59 Well, the potential of any harvest 00:17:43.63\00:17:46.56 is wrapped inside the seed. 00:17:46.59\00:17:49.43 If I have a handful of corn and a handful of wheat, 00:17:49.46\00:17:52.73 if I plant corn to my-- 00:17:52.77\00:17:56.91 This is my left, your right, but if I plant corn 00:17:56.94\00:17:59.34 in this direction, what am I going to reap? 00:17:59.37\00:18:02.24 Corn. 00:18:02.28\00:18:03.61 If I plant wheat to this direction, 00:18:03.65\00:18:06.35 what am I going to reap? 00:18:06.38\00:18:08.05 Wheat. 00:18:08.08\00:18:09.42 Well, likewise this is true in the spiritual realm. 00:18:09.45\00:18:13.56 All of your potential. 00:18:13.59\00:18:15.49 Listen to me, all of your potential is wrapped 00:18:15.52\00:18:19.49 inside this seed, the word of God 00:18:19.53\00:18:23.83 and anything if we ever hope to have His divine nature 00:18:23.87\00:18:28.94 we have to realize that it is the seed of scripture 00:18:28.97\00:18:34.64 that has this miracle working power to renew our minds. 00:18:34.68\00:18:41.65 James 1:21 tells us 00:18:41.68\00:18:45.32 that we need to receive with meekness, 00:18:45.35\00:18:48.86 the implanted word which is able to save your souls. 00:18:48.89\00:18:54.30 Affirmations are the most productive way that 00:18:54.30\00:18:57.43 I have ever practiced to plant God's word in my heart. 00:18:57.47\00:19:02.40 And that is another kingdom principle is-- 00:19:02.44\00:19:06.31 Another kingdom principle we need to consider 00:19:06.34\00:19:08.94 is that you become what you behold. 00:19:08.98\00:19:13.95 Let's look at 2 Corinthians 3:18, 00:19:13.98\00:19:17.02 I'm going to read from the amplified version 00:19:17.05\00:19:20.29 and it says, "And all of us, with unveiled face, 00:19:20.32\00:19:25.76 because we continued to behold in the word of God 00:19:25.79\00:19:29.60 as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, 00:19:29.63\00:19:33.10 are constantly being transfigured or transformed 00:19:33.13\00:19:37.24 into His very own nature in ever increasing splendor 00:19:37.27\00:19:43.28 and from one degree of glory to another, 00:19:43.31\00:19:46.61 for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 00:19:46.65\00:19:53.02 Look into the Bible and see who God said you are. 00:19:53.05\00:19:58.69 Now that you have been born again. 00:19:58.73\00:20:01.46 Our mirror is the word of God. 00:20:01.50\00:20:04.73 It reflects the vision of our new nature 00:20:04.77\00:20:07.84 and our mirror image is Christ Jesus. 00:20:07.87\00:20:11.51 As you continue to behold, God will lead you 00:20:11.54\00:20:15.48 from one level of His glory, one level of His character 00:20:15.51\00:20:20.28 to the next by the power of His word and His spirit. 00:20:20.32\00:20:25.42 In Philippians 2:5 Paul says this, 00:20:25.45\00:20:31.33 "Let this mind be in you 00:20:31.36\00:20:34.46 which was also in Christ Jesus." 00:20:34.46\00:20:38.27 Now that is a tall order. Who can fill it? 00:20:38.30\00:20:43.44 Only God can, and He already has. 00:20:43.47\00:20:47.61 Paul tells us elsewhere 00:20:47.64\00:20:49.81 that we have been given the mind of Christ. 00:20:49.84\00:20:53.78 Oh, I want it. I need it. 00:20:53.82\00:20:56.82 Don't you? How do we receive it? 00:20:56.85\00:21:00.82 The mind of the living word Jesus Christ 00:21:00.86\00:21:05.33 is represented in His written word. 00:21:05.36\00:21:09.26 The seed of the miracle is in the word of God. 00:21:09.30\00:21:14.34 And as you partake of His promises, 00:21:14.37\00:21:17.24 you partake of His divine nature. 00:21:17.27\00:21:20.54 So, basically the more you confess 00:21:20.58\00:21:24.15 the word of God over your life, 00:21:24.18\00:21:26.35 the more you begin to think with the mind of Christ. 00:21:26.38\00:21:31.32 Think like Him and you will act like Him. 00:21:31.35\00:21:35.22 There is a kingdom principle of sowing and reaping 00:21:35.26\00:21:40.13 and it is found in Galatians Chapter 6, 00:21:40.16\00:21:43.77 we'll look at verses 7 through 9. 00:21:43.80\00:21:47.14 Paul writes, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, 00:21:47.17\00:21:52.24 for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 00:21:52.27\00:21:56.41 For he who sows to his flesh 00:21:56.44\00:21:59.01 will of the flesh reap corruption, 00:21:59.05\00:22:01.42 but he who sows to the Spirit 00:22:01.45\00:22:04.19 will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 00:22:04.22\00:22:08.46 And let us not grow weary while doing good, 00:22:08.49\00:22:11.96 for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." 00:22:11.99\00:22:18.70 Do you want to reap everlasting life? 00:22:18.73\00:22:21.77 Then sow the seed of God's word into your heart. 00:22:21.80\00:22:25.51 Do you want His life source to be active in you? 00:22:25.54\00:22:28.81 Then remember what Jesus said in John 6:63. 00:22:28.84\00:22:32.88 It is the spirit who gives life. 00:22:32.91\00:22:35.15 The flesh profits nothing. 00:22:35.18\00:22:37.19 He said the words that I speak to you, 00:22:37.22\00:22:39.02 they are spirit in life. 00:22:39.05\00:22:41.79 Open your spiritual mouth and eat His word 00:22:41.82\00:22:46.66 then confess it with your living voice. 00:22:46.70\00:22:50.43 And in this manner, 00:22:50.47\00:22:52.20 affirmations can be compared to the priests of all 00:22:52.23\00:22:56.64 who were eating the bread of His presence, 00:22:56.67\00:22:58.71 the showbread in the Holy Place. 00:22:58.74\00:23:01.44 You know, Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 00:23:01.48\00:23:05.98 "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart 00:23:06.01\00:23:08.62 and lean not on your own understanding. 00:23:08.65\00:23:11.22 In all of your ways acknowledge Him 00:23:11.25\00:23:14.12 and He will direct you pass. 00:23:14.16\00:23:17.53 If we're not going to lean on our own understanding 00:23:17.56\00:23:21.30 then whose understanding shall be our foundation? 00:23:21.33\00:23:25.40 God's, God's alone should be our understanding. 00:23:25.43\00:23:31.34 And it's found in the Bible 00:23:31.37\00:23:33.98 from our limited human understanding. 00:23:34.01\00:23:38.95 Much of what God says seems impossible of fulfillment, 00:23:38.98\00:23:44.15 but remember, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. 00:23:44.19\00:23:48.06 He knows the end from the beginning. 00:23:48.09\00:23:50.13 We must strive to know Him by accepting His word 00:23:50.16\00:23:54.93 with total, total trust believing in the Bible 00:23:54.96\00:23:59.63 as testimony from Almighty God who cannot lie. 00:23:59.67\00:24:04.54 So let's summarize the few points 00:24:04.57\00:24:06.17 that we've learned in these last two programs. 00:24:06.21\00:24:09.58 Affirmations go beyond claiming. 00:24:09.61\00:24:12.35 Affirmations are calling things 00:24:12.38\00:24:14.65 that are not as though they already existed. 00:24:14.68\00:24:17.69 They are a confession. 00:24:17.72\00:24:19.75 They are a word of faith that declares we agree 00:24:19.79\00:24:23.89 with God's wisdom confessing His word 00:24:23.93\00:24:27.10 confirms that it is our life source. 00:24:27.13\00:24:30.73 It causes His way of thinking to become our way of thinking. 00:24:30.77\00:24:37.24 Planting and practicing his promises 00:24:37.27\00:24:41.21 validates God's testimony. 00:24:41.24\00:24:43.31 And as we return God's word to Him, 00:24:43.35\00:24:47.32 it will accomplish His purposes. 00:24:47.35\00:24:49.98 And finally, God's word or God rather 00:24:50.02\00:24:55.26 watches over His word to preferment. 00:24:55.29\00:24:59.03 This practice during our time of Pressing into His Presence 00:24:59.06\00:25:03.73 is like setting out the loaves on the Table of Showbread. 00:25:03.77\00:25:07.54 Affirmations serve as a memorial 00:25:07.57\00:25:10.11 that God is the provider of our spiritual nutrition. 00:25:10.14\00:25:13.98 We are reminded of His faithfulness 00:25:14.01\00:25:16.95 as we speak with the spirit of faith. 00:25:16.98\00:25:20.18 God is pleased. 00:25:20.22\00:25:22.45 Now what I want to do is to set the table before us. 00:25:22.48\00:25:27.52 I want to close with the prayer of affirmations from scripture, 00:25:27.56\00:25:31.19 and I hope that you recognize the scriptures-- 00:25:31.23\00:25:34.03 The scripture references that I'm using, 00:25:34.10\00:25:37.23 they are noted in the book, 00:25:37.27\00:25:38.60 but we won't have time today to do this. 00:25:38.63\00:25:41.27 But let's pray. 00:25:41.30\00:25:44.11 Father God, You are our God, earnestly we seek You. 00:25:44.14\00:25:48.08 Teach us to press into Your presence, 00:25:48.11\00:25:50.65 our soul thirsts for You because Your love 00:25:50.68\00:25:54.02 is better than life our lips glorify You Father. 00:25:54.05\00:25:57.75 You love us with an everlasting love 00:25:57.79\00:26:00.29 and draw us by Your love. 00:26:00.32\00:26:02.69 We are seeking You with all of our heart because we know 00:26:02.72\00:26:05.43 You have a plan for our lives 00:26:05.46\00:26:07.46 that is better than the one we're living. 00:26:07.50\00:26:09.93 You are our God who teaches us what is best for us, 00:26:09.96\00:26:14.97 who directs us in the path we should go. 00:26:15.00\00:26:17.77 You show us the path of the life 00:26:17.81\00:26:19.61 and we will find fullness of joy in Your presence. 00:26:19.64\00:26:23.58 Teach us to trust You with all of our hearts, Lord, 00:26:23.61\00:26:26.92 and to lean on Your word for understanding. 00:26:26.95\00:26:29.82 Help us to acknowledge You in every area of our lives. 00:26:29.85\00:26:33.36 Thank You for directing our paths, 00:26:33.39\00:26:34.99 thank You for supplying words seed 00:26:35.02\00:26:36.89 for sowing in the bread of life for spiritual nourishment. 00:26:36.93\00:26:40.26 We pray, You will multiply Your seed to us 00:26:40.30\00:26:42.40 and increase the fruits of our righteousness. 00:26:42.43\00:26:45.20 Father, You have equipped us to do Your will, 00:26:45.23\00:26:47.20 we're grateful that You're working in us 00:26:47.24\00:26:49.77 to make us pleasing in Your sight through Christ Jesus. 00:26:49.80\00:26:53.61 We praise Your faithfulness. 00:26:53.64\00:26:55.71 You would promise to sanctify us completely 00:26:55.74\00:26:57.98 and preserve us blamelessly 00:26:58.01\00:26:59.61 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:26:59.65\00:27:02.05 and You will do it, hallelujah, 00:27:02.08\00:27:04.65 in Jesus holy name, amen and amen. 00:27:04.69\00:27:09.66 Oh, I pray that you will learn 00:27:09.69\00:27:14.20 to speak the word of God over your life. 00:27:14.20\00:27:18.60 Pray it back to Him because it is so powerful when you do. 00:27:18.63\00:27:24.54 Well, our time today has just really flown. 00:27:24.57\00:27:30.55 And I'm just so thankful that you joined us today 00:27:30.58\00:27:34.65 and we want to invite you back for next time 00:27:34.68\00:27:38.02 because what we're going to be considering next time 00:27:38.05\00:27:40.92 is the importance of intercessory prayer, 00:27:40.96\00:27:44.76 something that we all need 00:27:44.79\00:27:46.70 to have our practice of prayer polished in this area. 00:27:46.73\00:27:51.20 So today, again, thank you for being with us. 00:27:51.23\00:27:55.80 My hope for you is that the grace of our Lord 00:27:55.84\00:27:59.74 and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of the Father 00:27:59.77\00:28:02.34 and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 00:28:02.38\00:28:04.98 will be with you not just today, but always. 00:28:05.01\00:28:09.02