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01 Jan 15
This thread started about Satan. Satan is invisible. The demons and the evil angels of this kingdom are all invisible.
When the Christians begin to deny themselves to enjoy the Spirit of Christ, it is then that we become aware of the spiritual warfare. Satan remains invisible. Yet he is concealed in the self living people.
When we receive Jesus and learn to deny the soul life in favor of living by the grace of Christ, that EXPOSES the hidden evil kingdom working against the kingdom of God.
So this excursion into soulish men and spiritual men is related to the nature of the church's enemy and spiritual warfare.
02 Jan 15
Originally posted by sonshipA new believer in Christ says: "sonship, what's next? What am I supposed to do now?" And your reply?At the moment of spiritual birth, the believer in Christ is an infant: spiritually alive but untaught.
The problem in Corinth was that some of the believers REMAINED immature. Paul could not speak to them as [b]"spiritual men" .
They were carnal and soulish Christians. Paul is ministering to them that they might grow and be ...[text shortened]... he Lord to walk.
"The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you." (2 Timothy 4:22) [/b]
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03 Jan 15
4 edits
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI have led some people to the Lord. No one has ever put it quite that way before. The anointing within does not leave them totally in the dark as to what they should do.
A new believer in Christ says: "sonship, what's next? What am I supposed to do now?" And your reply?
I don't think I ever heard a brand new believer say to me "Okay what do I do now?"
But since you ask there are a number of good habits that new believers should establish right away which will keep them in good stead. Among these are:
1.) Bearing public witness in being baptized.
2.) Starting each day with a time with the Lord in His living word.
3.) Confession of sins as the Lord brings them to light. Learning to power of the blood of Jesus to shut the mouth of Satan's accusation.
4.) Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings.
04 Jan 15
2 edits
Originally posted by sonshipOriginally posted by Grampy Bobby
I have led some people to the Lord. No one has ever put it quite that way before. The anointing within does not leave them totally in the dark as to what they should do.
I don't think I ever heard a brand new believer say to me "Okay what do I do now?"
But since you ask there are a number of good habits that new believers should establish right away w ...[text shortened]... n.
4.) Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings.
A new believer in Christ says: "sonship, what's next? What am I supposed to do now?" And your reply?
_________________________________
Originally posted by sonship
I have led some people to the Lord. No one has ever put it quite that way before. ["Sorry, sonship. I expressed the question to the best of my ability."] The anointing within does not leave them totally in the dark as to what they should do. ["That's a new word. What does 'anointing' mean for me?"]
I don't think I ever heard a brand new believer say to me "Okay what do I do now?" ["sonship, I'm just eager to get started in my new life as a Christian."]
But since you ask there are a number of good habits that new believers should establish right away which will keep them in good stead. Among these are:
1.) Bearing public witness in being baptized. ["Another new word. What is 'baptized'?"]
2.) Starting each day with a time with the Lord in His living word. ["Do you mean I should read the bible without any help?"]
3.) Confession of sins as the Lord brings them to light. Learning to power of the blood of Jesus to shut the mouth of Satan's accusation. ["How do I do 'Confession' without a church confessional booth like my friends?"]
4.) Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings. ["What is the proper format of prayer; and what would I 'speak' about; and where are the 'meetings? Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank you for trying to help me."]
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04 Jan 15
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyJust taking one of the points on new believers help -
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
A new believer in Christ says: "sonship, what's next? What am I supposed to do now?" And your reply?
_________________________________
Originally posted by sonship
I have led some people to the Lord. No one has ever put it quite that way before. ["Sorry, sonship. I expressed the question to the best ...[text shortened]... eve in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank you for trying to help me."]
"As newborn babes, long for the guiless milk of the word in order that you may grow unto salvation. If you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Pet. 2:2,3)
The new born baby Christian has "tasted" subjectively the Lord Jesus Christ in their human spirit. They should be encouraged that the word of God will nourish them with the Lord Himself.
The word of God is food they should eat daily. If one eats one will grow. So I would encourage the babe to cherish the word God and begin each day "feeding" upon it.
This book "A Time With The Lord" By Witness Lee is excellent in this regard -
As people who have God living within them, we need to set aside some time each day to come to the Word of God to enjoy Him, to feed upon Him, and to receive spiritual nourishment. From the experiences and testimonies of others, it is clear that we need to spend at least thirty minutes with the Lord each day to contact Him and be strengthened by Him. During this time we need to read and to pray, and this cannot be done adequately in ten minutes. A longer time is necessary in order to read and pray properly. Even half an hour for reading and praying is too short, but surely we can spend half an hour with the Lord every day to pray-read His Word, and the best time for this is in the morning.
The rest of the booklet -
http://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?id=094BD6
04 Jan 15
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby"Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ"?
Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings. ["What is the proper format of prayer; and what would I 'speak' about; and where are the 'meetings? Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank you for trying to help me."]
04 Jan 15
Originally posted by sonshipThe new believer in Christ says: "Please tell me more."
Just taking one of the points on new believers help -
[b]"As newborn babes, long for the guiless milk of the word in order that you may grow unto salvation. If you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Pet. 2:2,3)
The new born baby Christian has "tasted" subjectively the Lord Jesus Christ in their human spirit. They should be encouraged that t ...[text shortened]... . [/quote]
The rest of the booklet -
http://www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm?id=094BD6[/b]
04 Jan 15
Originally posted by FMFOriginally posted by Grampy Bobby
"Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ"?
Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings. ["What is the proper format of prayer; and what would I 'speak' about; and where are the 'meetings? Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank you for trying to help me."]
""Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ"?"
What's your point in posting that quote?
04 Jan 15
Originally posted by josephwThis notion of someone 'deciding to believe' something (a few days ago) or 'deciding not to believe' something (a few days ago), in my view reflects a completely wonky take on belief, lack of belief and disbelief. One cannot believe something that one actually finds unbelievable, and one cannot decide to not believe something that one actually believes. One can realize that one believes something or that one no longer believes something, but to suggest that a "decision" was made on a certain day strikes me as contrived and inauthentic.
What's your point in posting that quote?
05 Jan 15
1 edit
Originally posted by josephwOriginally posted by Grampy Bobby
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings. ["What is the proper format of prayer; and what would I 'speak' about; and where are the 'meetings? Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank yo ...[text shortened]... en a few days since I decided to believe in Christ"?[/b]
What's your point in posting that quote?
A new believer in Christ says: "sonship, what's next? What am I supposed to do now?" And your reply?
Originally posted by sonship
I have led some people to the Lord. No one has ever put it quite that way before. ["Sorry, sonship. I expressed the question to the best of my ability."] The anointing within does not leave them totally in the dark as to what they should do. ["That's a new word. What does 'anointing' mean for me?"]
I don't think I ever heard a brand new believer say to me "Okay what do I do now?" ["sonship, I'm just eager to get started in my new life as a Christian."]
But since you ask there are a number of good habits that new believers should establish right away which will keep them in good stead. Among these are:
1.) Bearing public witness in being baptized. ["Another new word. What is 'baptized'?"]
2.) Starting each day with a time with the Lord in His living word. ["Do you mean I should read the bible without any help?"]
3.) Confession of sins as the Lord brings them to light. Learning to power of the blood of Jesus to shut the mouth of Satan's accusation. ["How do I do 'Confession' without a church confessional booth like my friends?"]
4.) Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings. ["What is the proper format of prayer; and what would I 'speak' about; and where are the 'meetings? Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank you for trying to help me."]
____________________________________________
Simply a clarity reminder within the role play that the preceding four numbered answers could easily overwhelm a new believer in Christ with minimal exposure to accurate teaching of God's Word or frame of reference for technical vocabulary.
05 Jan 15
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyDo you think that a believer in Christ can still be "saved" even without exposure to "accurate teaching of God's Word" and even if he or she is completely unfamiliar with the "technical vocabulary"?
Simply a clarity reminder within the role play that the preceding four numbered answers could easily overwhelm a new believer in Christ with minimal exposure to accurate teaching of God's Word or frame of reference for technical vocabulary.
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05 Jan 15
1 edit
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Simply a clarity reminder within the role play that the preceding four numbered answers could easily overwhelm a new believer in Christ with minimal exposure to accurate teaching of God's Word or frame of reference for technical vocabulary.
There is no need for pessimism. Shepherding new believers takes time, prayer, patience, and listening to them.
No one expects to have a baby without some labor in the natural world. So too in the spiritual realm.
A little more about feeding and eating. We never graduate from taking in Christ and His word for nourishment. To be certain that we have to "eat" the Lord to live by Him is best established early as a firm foundation.
Paul spoke in First Corinthians of milk and meat for eating. " I gave you milk to drink, not solid food ..."
He was concerned for their "eating" even as the Lord told His disciples that they needed to eat and drink him (John 6:35, 48, 51, 57; 4:14; 7:37-39).
Jesus is "the bread of life". God is come in the form of spiritual food. The revelation of the Bible is that the Triune God came embodied in Christ and transfigured as the Spirit to be man's life. From the very start the new believers should realize we have to daily take Christ in. To eat and to drink are to take food and drink into us so that an organic assimilation takes place in our body.
God desires the same for every Christian spiritually. Christ be eaten to become the constituent of our being.
"As the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me." (John 6:57)
The new believer should from the first learn that to live by Christ he must take in the Lord in a kind of eating and drinking Christ, especially in His word.
"It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are like." (John 6:63)
So this is why I emphasized training the newborn babe in Christ to set a side a time each day for nourishing his or her spirit in the word.
In playing chess in the opening game it is important to gain adaquate control of the center of the board. There is an important parallel in the spiritual life. The beginning of one's day is like the center of the chess board. To give the Lord Jesus a set aside time first thing in the morning is a great opening strategy for one's entire Christian life.
The idea is to know when your DAY begins. And set some time before the world makes its demands upon you, to eat the Lord Jesus in His word. That is to also drink the Spirit of Christ in His word for nourishment, for sustenance, for enjoyment.
This post is a post and not a book. The point of THIS post is not that we do not also need the teaching. It focused on living by Christ by EATING Christ. And His word embodies Him and all the milk and meat to nourish us and strengthen us.
If the new believer does not learn how to feed his innermost being, he will eventually see that learning more and more and more does not necessarily change the way he lives. This becomes a source of frustration and ground for the accusation of the enemy.
From DAY 1 we teach that to LIVE by Christ we have to EAT Christ. And the whole Bible is the place for us to go with a prayerful spirit to take in Jesus Christ as food that we may grow.
"As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word in order that you may grow unto salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. " (1 Peter 2:2)
In the feeding you also teach. The Apostle Paul used the phrase "nourished with the words of the faith".
First Timothy 4:6 - "If you lay these things before the brothers you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus NOURISHED with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed."
05 Jan 15
Originally posted by sonshipUnoriginally posted by Grampy BobbySimply a clarity reminder within the role play that the preceding four numbered answers could easily overwhelm a new believer in Christ with minimal exposure to accurate teaching of God's Word or frame of reference for technical vocabulary.
A new believer in Christ says: "sonship, what's next? What am I supposed to do now?" And your reply?
Originally posted by sonship
I have led some people to the Lord. No one has ever put it quite that way before. ["Sorry, sonship. I expressed the question to the best of my ability."] The anointing within does not leave them totally in the dark as to what they should do. ["That's a new word. What does 'anointing' mean for me?"]
I don't think I ever heard a brand new believer say to me "Okay what do I do now?" ["sonship, I'm just eager to get started in my new life as a Christian."]
But since you ask there are a number of good habits that new believers should establish right away which will keep them in good stead. Among these are:
1.) Bearing public witness in being baptized. ["Another new word. What is 'baptized'?"]
2.) Starting each day with a time with the Lord in His living word. ["Do you mean I should read the bible without any help?"]
3.) Confession of sins as the Lord brings them to light. Learning to power of the blood of Jesus to shut the mouth of Satan's accusation. ["How do I do 'Confession' without a church confessional booth like my friends?"]
4.) Learning to exercise their spirit in the word and in prayer, speaking in the meetings. ["What is the proper format of prayer; and what would I 'speak' about; and where are the 'meetings? Please remember that it's only been a few days since I decided to believe in Christ. There must be quite a bit to learn, I imagine. Thank you for trying to help me."]
Unoriginally posted by Grampy Bobby
Simply a clarity reminder within the role play that the preceding four numbered answers could easily overwhelm a NEW believer in Christ with minimal exposure to accurate teaching of God's Word or frame of reference for technical vocabulary.
05 Jan 15
Originally posted by sonship"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:11-13 God provides pastor-teachers to accurately communicate His Word for spiritual growth.Simply a clarity reminder within the role play that the preceding four numbered answers could easily overwhelm a new believer in Christ with minimal exposure to accurate teaching of God's Word or frame of reference for technical vocabulary.
There is no need for pessimism. Shepherding new believers takes time, prayer, patience, and listening ...[text shortened]... OURISHED with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed." [/b]