The Drive To 'Make Our Mark'

Men have this 'need to accomplish things' or a 'desire to leave a mark on the world'. I think it is a 'broken' desire that stems from the very real command that God gave Adam to 'be fruitful and multiply'. Man turned it into a works program but God never intended it to be one.

Video game addiction, career addiction and many other addictions are ways to try and fill the void but mankind is just broken until God enters in and makes us whole. We need the sense of 'accomplishment' and enter into a crisis if we think that our life is like a sand castle that will dissolve at high tide.

Jesus accomplished more in 33 years than any man ever will. His deeds will last forever and when our identity is 'hidden' in Him we have a mystical fulfillment. It is a peace that passes understanding.

Now we can live in the excellence of the moment. Now becomes more than enough as long as 'now' is not living in solitary mediocrity. We can strive to function in the excellence that we already have on our account in Christ.

At times I feel like I fail more than I succeed but is it really failure if I'm walking by faith and walking on the excellent upper highway of praise. Is my boss (God) pleased? Is my father (God) happy when He sees me. Yes! He is happy because of Jesus and that happiness spills over on me because of my association with His Son. I am adopted into the gathering.

I want to be the best {fill in the blank} right now. That means I learn... grow... and walk by faith. Self hatred can only happen if I believe a lie.

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How Did Jesus Deal With Demons?

"But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." - Matthew 16:23 KJV

When Jesus dealt with demons He didn't deal with them like they were people. Pride, selfishness, greed and the whole list of other negative 'emotions' are not natural. They are demonic in origin. Demons are not people. They are a 'host'. They are more like bees or ants than people. The individual has a will but it is lost in the group.

"When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no one could go through that area. They began screaming at him, "Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God's appointed time?" There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, "If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs." "All right, go!" Jesus commanded them. " - Matthew 8:28-32a NLT

If a group has a favorite place to hang out they build a sentimental attachment to that place. If they have a bad experience in that place once or a couple of times they will find some other place to hang out.

Bringing Jesus into the room gives darkness a bad experience. 

"Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord? Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words? Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls? Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? Lay your hands on him; remember the battle--you will not do it again!" - Job 41:1-8 ESV

Darkness works in darkness for a reason. Leviathan (which can represent that organized darkness) is so seamless and strong that most people don't even know what they are dealing with. Demonic powers are nearly invisible to us in the natural.

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." - 2 Timothy 2:24-26 KJV

Jesus always ruins darkness' day because His light exposes leviathan. He can no longer take pride in his victory in a place. He is greedy and makes reasons to move on to greener pastures.

Don't reason with the Devil. Just bring Jesus into the room and make Him the focus. Tell darkness Christ owns the place, situation and people. 

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7 KJV"

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Some Thoughts From Galatians Chapter Five

Reading Galatians chapter 5 over and over. It talks about freedom and falling back into bondage. It talks about living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit.

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." - Galatians 5:16 ESV

On Saturday I was talking to a woman, actually the group was engaging her, and she said, 'I need to quit smoking.' and I said something like, 'You can't focus on that. Those cigarettes fill a void for you. You need to start filling that void with something spiritual and the habit will likely just fall away.'

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." - Galatians 5:19-24 ESV

This chapter defines the 'works of the flesh' but does not demand a change. It provides an answer. We can function in the fruit of the Spirit which God will produce if we are available to Him. That involves the cross. We picture Him on the cross and reckon that we were there with Him. We get involved with what He Is doing in the world and 'walk' with Him. We plug into the vision of a local group who is doing that. 

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another." - Galatians 5:13-15 ESV

If you are 'flying solo' then who are you living for? You.

We were designed to love one another and be involved in things that bless, help and support others. Strangers and neighbors not just family.

Walk in the Spirit! Wow. What a challenge. What a protection. What a way to live.

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