To answer the provided heading prompt we must compare and contrast our present Christian walk with the life we have been called to live out in scripture. While many would claim to be walking with the Lord, we want to encourage an opportunity for self-reflection, to ensure that your walk indeed exemplifies what Christ demonstrated through his earthly ministry and that which scripture reinforces throughout the Bible. This ensures that we are actively entering into the sanctification process with the Lord each hour of the day, through the help of the Holy Spirit convicting areas of sin as we respond with surrender, rather than remain complacent in our responsibility towards spiritual growth in our Christian walk.
Regardless of how our readers might receive this discussion, we feel it is absolutely necessary for each one of us to self-reflect on the course we are living and redirect our path, as necessary, so that we realign our walk with the likeness of our Savior, instead of the world.
In order for this discussion to be received by our readers with the intended spirit behind it, we must first encourage a willingness to enter a posture of humility through a deep seeded desire to walk with Christ, and to appreciate the spiritual sharpening we hope to impart on those who are choosing to walk the narrow path with him.
We know with certainty, that Satan will attempt to draw many away from entering into this ministry’s content, because it challenges the ease of Christianity that most are living out each day. And so, we will expose Satan’s schemes once again, that keep Christians living with one foot in the world and the other trying to keep in step with Christ.
Having our own testimony experience to draw from, we recognize how easy it is to live out Christianity with little personal spiritual effort expended. And we believe this is a common practice for many well-meaning Christians also. This is not about earning our salvation through spiritual works, but walking in obedience with the Savior we claim to love, and have received into our heart. We are encouraging a life that no longer is focused on the world, or partnering with any form of sin through our disobedient thoughts or actions, just as scripture points out for us to do. While also learning to recognize areas of sin that cause repeated stumbling in our Christian walk with Jesus, and applying the power of Jesus Christ in breaking the chains of bondage that keep us enslaved to the demonic.
It is through our own spiritual experience and the testimony we now have, that has offered renewed eyes to observe the life we were living before as a “Christian”, from the life we are now living with our Shepherd. And through this revelation encountering a deeper, more intimate, honest, obedient, and humble posture through our dependence and willingness to surrender our life to his will, no matter the personal cost.
As a result of what God demonstrated to us, we feel it is our responsibility to help others enter into the same process through sharing our testimony and urging, so that their lives might also receive the same blessings for healing and transformation. After all, we are his bride and he is our bridegroom. Therefore, we ought to enter into this relationship with humility, honesty, attention, and surrender, that desires to please instead of offend. This relationship should be cherished and invested in, with our whole being, as we approach the marriage feast.
Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24, ESV, 2001, Crossway).
If we are not careful in our application of this verse, we might overlook the deeper aspects of our faith we are called to live out in Jesus Christ. “Money” per se, is not the singular focus that Jesus is drawing our attention to. Rather, he and the rest of scripture are pointing out for us to let go of the “masters” that we give allegiance to, through the desires we seek in our flesh, along with the cares of this world, that keep us attached, distracted, and in bondage, instead of following him in the New Life we have been reborn into.
Our Shepherd is leading us towards his Father’s kingdom, and preparing us along the way through our transformation. We cannot serve him or mature spiritually, as he desires, if we remain focused on, and attached to, this temporary earthly kingdom we are now experiencing. We must view this present time as a place of testing, to determine our loyalty, in which master (God or Satan) we will choose to follow. Recognizing that who we choose to serve is evidenced by that which occupies our mind, and therefore our spirit. Jesus is returning to separate the wheat (those who have chosen to follow him) from the chaff (those who have chosen to follow Satan through the flesh and the world).
Each day begins with another opportunity and decision, in who and what, you will choose to serve. For Christians, we must recognize the worldly distractions and the fleshly desires, which stem from the schemes Satan uses against us, and become increasingly aware through our growing spiritual maturity, to discern these schemes and surrender them immediately. In so doing, our eyes and feet realign towards our Shepherd and the direction he is heading. And through it, we are built up and strengthened through our faith, loyalty and obedience.
We each have a part to play in spreading the gospel, speaking truth, raising awareness, being observant for the schemes of Satan, lifting one another up in prayer, supporting each other through adversity and trials, extending encouragement to other believers, and raising up spiritual soldiers for the battle before us, instead of remaining negligent and complacent through a Christian walk of ease.
It is up to each one of us to dissect our lives and to surrender the “masters” that we continue serving. It might be money, or it may be a preoccupation with any number of distractions in our flesh that cause us to remain earthly focused, instead of spiritually minded. Whereby our faith has been divided and pacified to receive and exhibit the barebones of the ministry Jesus has called each one of us into. And as a result, our faith walk has not been challenged or deepened, as Jesus taught us to do.
Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
Through this discussion, we hope you will be encouraged and strengthened to live out your faith in a deeper, more intimate, and trusting walk, than you have been until now. And receive the blessings that have been stored up for you as you allow Christ to be your one and only source of spiritual headship ruling in your life. We have experienced this in our own lives, and hope that others will as well.
To better appreciate what we are saying, let’s consider the lives of the biblical examples provided throughout scripture, for us to learn from. And recognize that our faith walk in Christianity, should produce hardship, adversity, challenges, and trials that further shape us into the spiritual man or woman that God is fashioning us into. While also appreciating that we will never be that spiritual person God desires us to become, if we remain complacent in our spiritual existence through a life simplified by ease.
This requires a development of endurance, strength, trust, faith, patience, and long-suffering for those who choose to follow Christ. Just as it was for the biblical examples provided for our encouragement, in whom were tested through adversity, and demonstrated their loyalty and faith to God in extraordinary circumstances. Their testimonies prove God’s faithfulness for us to draw from.
Our Spiritual development into the mature Christian we are to become requires stepping into the adversities God brings our way. We cannot possess those spiritual traits until we develop them through the challenges of life we will encounter. These adversities provide us an opportunity to lean on our Savior, Jesus, to demonstrate his power and authority over those experiences. This shaping process tears down our weaknesses and builds up our strength in the Spirit, allowing us to function in the body of Christ with maturity, built up through trial.
Consider, Daniel, who was thrown into the Lions den for continuing to prey, and showing loyalty to his God (Daniel 6:1-28); or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were thrown into the fiery furnace for doing the same (Daniel 3:1-30). And, Abraham who trusted the LORD to provide a sacrifice in place of his son, through his obedience to do what God instructed (Genesis 22:1-18). Then there was Moses, who was instructed to lead the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, by trusting the LORD and allowing God to work miracles through his hands (The book of Exodus). Or David, who faced the Philistine giant, Goliath, killing him with nothing more than a sling and stone, and the help of God working through his faith to do what others could not do. And, who also faced many more battles after becoming King and obeying God’s instruction to concur the other nations living in wickedness (1Samuel 17). Then there was Jesus who faced betrayal, persecution, beatings, and death on the cross for our transgressions, through his obedience to his Father, to do as he was instructed (Matthew 26 and 27). And there were the apostles of Jesus Christ, who walked away from their former lives and comfort to spread the gospel of Christ, through their obedience, and were stoned, decapitated, beaten, imprisoned, and crucified for their earthly ministry (The New Testament Books).
God used each one of these examples to carry out his righteous plan, to demonstrate his power and authority, and give us evidence of Hope for our own lives. Yet, each one of them required their surrender, before God demonstrated his work, in and through them.
We too, must come to him in surrender before he demonstrates his power and authority in and through our lives. This is the faith we are called to live by, and enter into through each fiery trial we will face. These trials may look like the story of Job (Book of Job), with death, material loss, and much suffering. It might come through the adversities of broken relationships, employment loss, financial struggles, homelessness, illness, or spiritual despair. God is there and waiting for you to allow him in, to manifest himself through healing and restoration by his power and authority over your life and circumstances, but not until you surrender them to him to address.
We must appreciate that those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ, will be persecuted (2Timothy 3:12), and that the way we are called to live and the path we are to walk is narrow and hard, which only a few will find (Matthew 7:13-14). This biblical statement is for our understanding, and for us to step into, if we are truly willing to follow Christ wherever he is leading.
Scripture tells us, that many will choose to live their lives on the wide and easy road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13), and we should recognize that this includes those worshipping in church as well. We are no different unless we are willing to live out our lives according to the will of God, instead of our own. And we will only understand how to do this if we are reading God’s word and applying his instruction faithfully towards the life we choose to live.
Now that we have come full circle, we must examine our own patterns of Christianity against God’s word, to determine if we are consistent with his way, which will be hard because it opposes our flesh, or if we are living out our faith in relative ease.
This ministry hopes to encourage its readers to walk in the Spirit as we have been called to live out (Galatians 5:16). Which requires us to step out boldly in our faith, in surrender, in assurance, through conviction, and in obedience, to do as God has instructed throughout scripture (Colossians 2:6, 1Corinthians 16:13, James 4:7, Proverbs 3:6, Hebrew 11:1, John 16:5-15, 1Peter 1:13-25). In contrast, to following the cares and patterns of the world, which are contrary to God, and are used as distractions against us (James 4:4, John 16:33, 1John 5:4). We must separate ourselves from the world so that our focus becomes increasingly trained on Christ, to lead and direct as well as strengthen, so that we become capable in accomplishing the work he has planned for each one of us (Psalm 23, John 14:6).
Our faith should call us out from the simple pattern of weekly church attendance, whereby we dress up, and put on appearances for others to observe, before heading home to the person no one else sees. We should become champions of one another to live out our Christian life in boldness and zeal, unashamed, with honesty and humility in serving one another; to dismantle the programming in which we have become enslaved, and worshipped unknowingly, not appreciating that these are the tools Satan has been using against God’s people to worship other idols. The gods of the power of the air, over this world, have been manipulating God’s creation, and those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, for far too long.
This ministry is focused on exposing every scheme that Satan attempts to use against the body of Christ. It is our hope that you will take up this fight in your own Spiritual walk with Jesus, and become a voice against Satan, who challenges the status quo of remaining ineffective in their Christian faith moving forward.
And through your bold faith walk, learning to exercise the power and authority of Jesus Christ over every aspect of the world in which you live. This means taking back what has been stolen by Satan, which is your faith in Christ to accomplish above and beyond what you perceive possible. It means letting go of the materialism, the religiosity, the politics, the national affiliation, the pride, the arrogance, the dependence placed on healthcare, and following every wind of doctrine through a worldly preoccupation, rather than allowing Jesus control over the outcomes playing out within us and around us. It means surrendering your slander, your hate, your unforgiveness, your sexual immorality, your covetousness, your unthankfulness, and your lack of faith in trusting God over every aspect of your existence.
We believe that Christians fail to recognize their own participation with the demonic, through their agreements with the worldly areas that have become their focus, as mentioned above. We also believe that many Christians fail to recognize that the words they think and say, have power in the spiritual realm to heal and repair, or to steal, kill and destroy, that temple they were given to protect and manage, through their mind and body. Our thoughts, words and actions will either align with Jesus Christ, or with the demonic. Our health, our livelihood, our relationships, our spiritual wellbeing are all wrapped up with where we place our loyalty, through the master we choose to serve.
With that said, we must ensure that our readers understand, that we are not suggesting any form of prosperity doctrine through our discussion, or with our spiritual understanding. We believe God will accomplish his purpose, regardless of our potential suffering, just as he has since the beginning, found in the book of Genesis. He gives, and he takes away. We should learn to honor him through our obedience and reverence, and accept his sovereignty over our lives, as he transforms us into his likeness. No longer being distracted, and facing fleshly destruction as a consequence. But, also recognizing that he has the power to heal and restore what Satan has been destroying, through your faithfulness to depend on him alone. He can heal your deepest hurts, your broken relationships, and if he wills your health, your finances, and your material needs. However, it is important to recognize that he is after our spiritual wellbeing, and the everlasting life that awaits us. We must remember that our lives are no longer our own, as we become a living sacrifice, in his service.
The Apostle Paul writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).
To us, this looks like men and women claiming prayer over every aspect of spiritual attack facing the church body, including illness and infirmity of the mind, body, and spirit; divisions and divisiveness that creep in and harden-hearts in the relationships between family, friends, and congregation; over the lusts of the eyes and the flesh that destroy marriages, families, and trust in the church; over every area of worldly distraction through media, entertainment, sports, and politics that have become the focus of our attention and cares, contributing to divisiveness used against us by Satan; over every anxious, resentful, depressive, addictive, unloving, uncaring, unforgiving, and selfish thought that keeps us captive to the schemes of our enemy; and developing the spiritual courage to stand against every area of evil wickedness we are living through in this present hour. We do this through our desire to walk according to Christ Jesus, and allow him to indwell us with his power and authority over this age, recognizing that he has already defeated the power of darkness through his death, resurrection, and ascension, and whom is seated now at the right hand of God Almighty.
Our only failure in this life is not receiving what Jesus Christ died to provide, and not stepping into the life he is calling for us to exercise through his strength. Let go of the sin you carry, release it to Christ for forgiveness, and step boldly into his grace he offers. Extricate yourself from the traps Satan has used to ensnare you, and be empowered to go and do as God directs.
When will the church hear the cries of those God raised up before, to carry out the ongoing work that God has for them in this generation, to surrender themselves as a disciple for God’s kingdom, and leave a testimony for others to aspire to in their own life?
We pray that you will hear the call and step into the life God desires you to experience.
In Christ.
Restoration Road Ministry.org 