Spiritual Warfare – The Transforming Power of the Gospel: Personality, Character and Discipleship – part 8

Key points from previous weeks:

• Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40)
• It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher (Matt. 10:24-25)
• It is God’s plan and goal for our lives:
  • For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8: 29.
• The ultimate goal, the only goal, a long-term goal
• The Fruit of the Spirit is the expression of Discipleship – you reap what you sow (in your own life and in the lives of others)
• God has ‘sown’ His DNA for character in us in the new birth – becoming like Jesus! Are we reproducing the family likeness? 1 Pet. 1:23; 2:2

What does becoming like Jesus mean? What needs to change in us for that? And how does discipleship address those aspects of our character that can change? Does that also lead to wholeness in our personalities?

We are not to be like small children copying the actions of a parent, without really understanding the goal of the action. Something far deeper is required here – nothing less than the renewing our minds, the transformation of our character, growing to maturity in Christ as we become more and more like Him, filled with all the fullness of God!

But we won’t be motivated to do any of this unless our values are transformed by the Gospel! So we’re learning to value the things that Jesus valued, exemplified in the Beatitudes Matt. 5:3-12, which ends with persecution!

Persecution promised! Not pessimism but reality John 16:33 Matt. 24:9-12; 2 Tim. 3:1-5

How does Persecution start and develop?

• Mockery of beliefs
• Then attacks on those beliefs
• Then ridicule of those holding them
• Then segregation of ideas and pushing the ‘non standard’ beliefs to the margins
• Then banning of those beliefs
• Then exclusion of those holding those beliefs from places of influence, e.g. teachers, government
• Then segregation of all those holding those beliefs
• Finally, persecution

Dr Aaron Edwards story illustrates the point perfectly https://youtu.be/c2pYRxe05cs

Lessons from a man who lived, and thrived(!), through a lifetime of persecution – Daniel

• Ch. 1 – as a young man, refused to conform to the culture of his day, even risking the wrath of the King, and was found to be “10 times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm”.
• Ch. 2 – still a young man (the year after he had been taken captive), served and ministered to that King, and sought only his good, in total reliance on God
• Ch. 4 – towards the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, Daniel is still seeking the best for him and counselling him in God’s ways
• Ch. 5 – in ‘retirement’, still speaking truth to power with Belshazzar
• Ch. 9 – after the change of geo-political power, he understands that the 70 years’ captivity is coming to an end, and goes to God in deep repentance and intercession for his people
• Ch. 6  – now in his eighties, he is relied on by the new power in the land, but is opposed by his peers, who trick the King to make a law banning prayer to anyone but him. Daniel does as he always had done – he prays to his God and spends the night with the lions – but he had been in a metaphorical lions’ den for most of his life so was well prepared!
• Ch. 10 – responds in deep humility and fear to the revelations given to him, but is called by God “greatly beloved”

When we get to ch. 11 and the prophecies of the end times – times in which I believe we are now living – he can confidently say, with his own example as an illustration, “the people that know their God shall stand strong and prevail” (against the earthly powers that oppose God and seduce the people).

Dan 11:33-35 Those who are wise among the people will instruct many, though for many days they will fall by the sword, or be burned, captured or pillaged. When they stumble, they will receive a little help, but many will join them deceitfully. Even some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end—for it will still come at the appointed time.

Dan 12:3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those who turn many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever. 

Jesus’ teaching for Disciples who will stand through Persecution

• Closeness to Jesus and the Father John 15:4-11: apart from Jesus, we can do nothing – those that know their God, not just know about Him (more than a logical deduction from Scripture – Tozer)
• Dependency on the Spirit John 14:16-17: reliance on our Advocate and Helper
• Total obedience to God’s Word John 8:31-32: abiding in the Word – know the Word
• Dependency on Father’s provision Matthew 6:25-33: look to God alone for provision – which leads to…
• Persevering prayer Luke 11:1-10: persistence and prevailing in prayer
• Love for one another John 13:34-35 And for our enemies Matt. 5:43-48
• Radical discipleship – Jesus challenges us as to what is our first love?
  • Matthew 6:19-21, 24: focus on treasures in heaven not on financial security
  • Matthew 18:8-9: All that hurts us or others, however precious, must be cast off
  • Luke 14:25-33: our love must be greater than ties of family, than love of our own way, or love of possessions or property (Meyer)

Scriptural strategies for preparing for Persecution

It is the way the Master went, should not the servant tread it too?

• Expecting opposition and persecution Matthew 5:11-12; 1 Pet. 4:1,12-13
• Understand God’s purposes – we are people of HOPE! Dan. 11:33; Titus 2:11-13, which is why there is a blessing for reading the book of Revelation (Janitor – “we win!”)
• A deep commitment to, and discipling each other John 13:34-35, 15:12-17
• A willingness to die for your faith in Christ and for your brothers and sisters
  John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.;
  Acts 20:24 But I consider my life of no value to me
• Taking financial giving and generosity to a new level 2 Cor. 8:2-5
• A total renouncing of possessiveness Acts 4:32-34
• Cutting your ties with the World’s value system 1 John 2:15-17