Opposite but equal...

Listen to the truth I speak to you: If someone says to this mountain with great faith and having no doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. Mark 11:23

I promise you, if you have faith inside of you no bigger than the size of a small mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move away from here and go over there,’ and you will see it move! There is nothing you couldn’t do! Matthew 17:20b

Sunday a week ago, my dear friend and mentor, Charles Ham posted something on Facebook he picked up during his Sunday service in Huntsville, Alabama at his church, The Rock: stop climbing the mountain God has given you the power to move.

Maybe give yourself a minute to absorb that information. Read it a couple of times.

STOP CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN GOD’S GIVEN YOU THE POWER TO MOVE.

How much time do we waste in our faith whining about things that we invite back in over and over and over? We blame God because He doesn’t answer, when in truth, we keep picking it back up. He removes it from us but we, because it is comfortable, bring it back. Ask for it. Run after it. In some cases, there isn’t a distance far enough that we can’t find it again. We wake up day after day ready to do battle when the battle is over. Has been for quite some time. We only need lay down the sword and walk forward.

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. Romans 7:15 … Paul wrote those words somewhere between 57-58 A.D., nearly 2,000 years ago. Yet here we sit in the very same human condition; nothing changed. Post conversion, I am certain Paul did a much better job than I at living out his faith. I STRUGGLE in one particular area. I have great faith in many ways but this one kicks my butt every damn time. Like clockwork.

It struck me as I thought about moving the mountains in my life instead of wearing myself out repeatedly trying to climb them that perhaps…I am THE mountain. I stand in my own way.  I stand in the way of all the blessings, prosperity, joy, happiness, contentment, etc. that God has promised me both in the Bible and via my prayer life.

I just can’t get enough of Ron Carpenter. I’ve downloaded his podcast and if I need to drive anywhere over 20-25 minutes, I’ve got him rockin’ my stereo. His current sermon series is Distinction. In the promo, he speaks about if you’ve ever felt like you’re alone or you don’ belong: this sermon series is for you. BINGO! That speaks directly to my heart. When I was young, I reveled in my uniqueness. Still do BUT as time marches on the loneliness can begin to cause wear and tear on your heart…changing the view of your uniqueness from something good to hindrance.

Carpenter says in Distinction: You are a house of thoughts. You get to choose which ones go and which ones stay. You can’t control every random thought that zips through your brain, but you do get to choose your meditation. In Lysa Terkeurst’s book, Uninvited, she talks about being set apart not set aside. This information resonates with me.

Satan is a liar and loneliness is a powerful weapon. Time combined with humanity can make it easy to believe that God has forgotten about you. Set you aside. Left you on your own to fend for yourself. BUT! The truth is that God never leaves you or forsakes you (Deuteronomy 31:6 / Hebrews 13:5). The beginning of the verse in Deuteronomy says do not be afraid … ironically, when we get weary of waiting on the Lord, that’s exactly what happens: we get afraid. We become the mountain.

I feel like I am rambling a bit, but I think it is important to recognize that not all the mountains in our lives are satan or created by others but instead of our own devices. We decide that we cannot do this or that. We decided we cannot have this or that. We decide to ignore the truth in God’s Word and turn a molehill into a mountain.

We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One. 2 Corinthians 10:5

How do we demolish every nasty thought and bad attitude?

Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes. Romans 2:12

 The Holy Spirit of God has sealed you in Jesus Christ until you experience your full salvation. So never grieve the Spirit of God or take for granted his holy influence in your life. Ephesians 4:30

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just mark but seals us as one who believes in Jesus as our Savior and hence, belongs to God. We are warned not to grieve Him or take for granted His influence, but do we even understand who He truly is or why He is here? The Bible say in John 15:26: I will send you the Divine Encourager from the very presence of my Father. He will come to you, the Spirit of Truth, emanating from the Father, and he will speak to you about me. In John 14:16: And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you will know him intimately, because he will make his home in you and will live inside you.

The Bible uses the words: Ezer Kenegdo as the name for the Holy Spirit. Ezer means to aid, help, or rescue (from a place of strength). In Ransomed Heart by Staci Eldridge, she suggests that Ezer is more power than its simplest definition and the true meaning is more akin to lifesaver. This speaks to John 14:16 where Jesus says He is sending us another Savior. Jesus saved us from death, hell and the grave. The Holy Spirit saves us from ourselves. Kenegdo means opposite as; in front of; in sight of; similar; having the same nature; corresponding to. After reading through many definitions and opinions of the word kenegdo my simplest translation: opposite but equal. The Holy Spirit isn’t (obviously) Jesus. He isn’t in a human form and doesn’t have a body…opposite of Jesus but He is equal to Jesus in power. Like Jesus, He encourages us, tells us the truth, is a Savior, teaches us to pray (Romans 8:26), teaches us about ourselves and others (I Corinthians 12:1-11), gives us access to God we didn’t previously have (I Corinthians 6:19 | I Corinthians 3:16-17)…just to name a few.

If you ask me… the Holy Spirit is our unfettered access to God in the absence of Jesus’ presence on Earth. He is the conduit by which we can converse with the Trinity freely and openly whenever we fancy. I think it behooves me to get to know Him a bit better and much, MUCH more intimately because He seems able to move the mountain when the mountain IS me. The Holy Spirit saves me from me. He is my rescuer.  He is truth and as well all know…the TRUTH is what sets you free (John 8:32).

The pursuit of truth will set you free; even if you never catch up with it , Clarence Darrow.