Relationship with Jesus
Fellowship with Jesus – spending time every day in God’s Word and in prayer is essential to spiritual life. Prayer is the breath of the soul and Bible Study is spiritual food and drink – without these essentials we will become spiritually dead. To begin your journey of spiritual warfare you can take three steps*:
Step #1: Believe the promise – “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 The first step is critical, don’t miss it! Victory is a gift from God. If you try to stop your bad habit or overcome you negative thoughts you will fail. If you struggle and work at it you will fall and become discouraged. So the first step is simple, don’t try to stop or quit your habit! Sit back and relax and accept the victory over the habit as a gift from God! It’s that simple!!!! Now, this is totally contrary to our natures. We feel like we have to work at it, we have to try, and give it our best shot. But how many times have you done that and failed? God’s way is a lot easier. Let’s say you are smoking. You simply read the promise, go to God and say, “Thank you for the victory over smoking, I accept it as a gift from you, and praise you that I am now and ex-smoker. Thank you I no longer have to try to quit, thank you I no longer have to struggle, I have the victory over it and it sure feels great!" Step #2: Believe the promise – “So you also must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11 The second step is simple. Consider yourself dead to sin or that habit that is limiting your life. Believe you are dead to it because God said so. It’s done, finished, over, period. If you smoke, you now consider that part of you is dead, and dead people don’t smoke! If you walk into a store and are tempted to purchase a carton of cigarettes, you smile, and say, “Thank you God for the victory over smoking! I’m dead to it and it sure feels good to be dead to that nasty habit!” Again, don’t try to struggle, or fight the habit, just relax, believe the promise and it is done. Step #3: Do your part – “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 The third step is something you must do. You must do away with anything that feeds the habit. If you smoke, throw away anything that has to do with smoking – cigarettes, ash trays, lighters, etc… When you do your part, God does the rest. Throughout the day, memorize these three verses, believe them, stand on them, affirm them until they are a permanent part of your mind. Any sin or habit can be overcome by these three simple steps. It’s like the story of Peter in the Bible. One night on the sea, Peter saw Jesus walking on the water. He was amazed and being born a bit wild he told Jesus he wanted to walk on the water too! Jesus smiled and spoke two words, “Peter, Come!” That was all, two words! Now Peter heard it, he knew God spoke it, so it had to be true. So he steps out of the boat, and guess what? He walked on water all the way to Jesus! You know, it’s humanly impossible to walk on water – so how did Peter do it? He simply believed the two words God spoke, “Peter Come!” When he believed the Word, God did the miracle. It’s the same for you. You may have a habit that seems humanly impossible to break. If so, quit trying, and follow the word of God in the three steps outlined and experience how easy it is when God does it for you. *Adapted from Leo Schreven’s “God’s 5 Minute Plan” Relating Jesus: Making Christ Real in Your Everyday Relationships – This training helps equip you to share your faith in the everyday relationships of your life. (Written by Jim Egli) Provided for small group training at Living Water a Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship for Christ. Fellowship Group Spiritual DNA – this is a Leadership Training Guide that will prepare and equip you to start a Fellowship Group in your home. Provided for anyone beginning a small group at Living Water a Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship for Christ. As we grow and develop as a church family we will continue to develop and acquire tools and resources to help us all along this journey. If you want more information about how you can walk with us, we invite you to call Living Water at 702-360-3499 or write us at (pastortammy@cox.net).
To help you develop a relationship with Jesus and to become fully alive in Him, Living Water has provided you with some resources. On our website you have three Bible study tools:
1. Discover Bible Guides
2. Unsealing Daniel's Mysteries
3. Bibleinfo.com
Also, for those in attendance at Living Water we have a series of 19 lesson called "The Guiding Light." This Bible Study Series not only grounds you in the teachings of God's Word, but also helps you develop the habit of daily spending time with Jesus, learning to meditate and apply the Word of God to your daily life. Whatever tools you choose to use, as you grow in your relationship with Jesus, you will learn to more fully appreciate the promises and to experience the power God has made available to all who enter into a friendship with Him!
Spiritual Warfare - As God leads us individually in this journey He calls us to become authentic – to be able to walk in the light with nothing to hide (John 3:19-21)…God desires us to grow to the point where even our thoughts are pure! “We live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
The Bible is very clear about the weapons of our warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18). Whatever spiritual battle you are facing, you are not alone – whether it is loneliness, grief, depression, pride, greed, lust, adultery, food addictions, gambling, Internet/game addictions, television addictions, homosexuality, relational crisis, alcohol, porn, smoking, caffeine, drugs, abuses of any kind - God will be at your side and will help you – you and God are a majority! Living Water wants to provide you support, and if needed, to help you outsource in our community to give you the tools needed to wage the battle and gain the victory in your life. If you are needing support, click on this link "Living Water a Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship in Christ" for information on how to contact us.