Working with the Lord in Removing the Blockages in my Heart + Mindsets of Wrong Beliefs
The Garden Catalogue For Today
I AM STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK:
I AM The Bread of Life,
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)
What was Christ’s Victory won at the cross?
To Raise us up to be His Kingdom of Priests to bring sacrifices of Praise – God’s initial plan of redemption to bring a people into covenant with Himself, was delivering them out of Egypt
Exod 19:5-6 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
This Word is fulfilled in Jesus’ shed blood ratifying the New Covenant: Jer 31-31- 34 and Heb 8:8-12
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness, and will remember their sins no more.”
1 Pet 2:5 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a temple of the Holy Spirit, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Pet 2:9 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Revelation 1:5-6 5‘From Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10
. . . . . . .
Another of the 6 core things Christ accomplished by His death on the cross was: The sinless blood of Jesus released us from the power of sin and the curse of the Law
Referring to: Matt Perman – the 6 things Christ Accomplished at His Death
Redemption
Our sins had put us in captivity from which we need to be delivered. The price that is paid to deliver someone from captivity is called a “ransom.” To say that Christ’s death accomplished redemption for us means that it accomplished deliverance from our captivity through the payment of a price.
There are three things we had to be released from: the curse of the law, the guilt of sin, and the power of sin. Christ redeemed us from each of these.
- Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13-14).
- Christ redeemed us from the guilt of our sin. We are “justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
- Christ redeemed us from the power of sin: “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Note that we are not simply redeemed from the guilt of sin; to be redeemed from the power of sin means that our slavery to sin is broken. We are now free to live to righteousness. Our redemption from the power of sin is thus the basis of our ability to live holy lives: “You have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Theme for the week:
In John 6, after feeding the 5,000 miraculously with natural bread, Jesus said; ‘I AM The Bread of Life’….
Those who come to me shall not hunger; those who believe in me shall not thirst. No one can come to me unless the Father draws them. ‘And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day. Those who eat of my flesh and drink of my blood abide in me and I in them. As the Living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so those who feed on me shall live because of me. Those who eat this bread will live forever. It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you, they are Spirit and they are life. Jn 6:35-63
‘Communion’ is partaking of the body of Christ and in the new covenant Blood of Christ. This is the means of being joined to God and receiving the benefits of His life. Jesus is the Passover Lamb sacrifice, that is God’s provision for our sustenance. When we feed on Him through faith, we become partakers of the ‘divine nature’ which is life eternal.
2 Pet 1:4 ……he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Through the Holy Spirit’s work, we receive His life and partake of his promises. Those who share in this mystery of relationship with Jesus Christ are assured of being raised up on the last day into everlasting life with him.
We can seek to find the meaning of life through many things in this world that ultimately disappoint us. However, when we receive the words of eternal life from Jesus the Son of God, we discover who He is and who we were made to be.
We discover a wonderful depth, feasting on the word of God, and the truth of the goodness of God our Father. What a surprise to realise that He has created us to be His treasured children, who he deeply desires to bring to give to his Son.
Jesus gladly submits to the will of his Father and receives us to himself with joy. In his eyes of love we see that we are cherished and have great worth. This God perspective as we relate to our Father changes our mindsets, as we receive his love through the holy Spirit entering into our hearts bringing peace.
Jesus not only said I AM the Bread of Life come down from heaven several times, but He taught His disciples to pray and to ask for ‘bread’ every day…This was in the context of asking His Father for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, as well as offering the bread of forgiveness to others who are hungry. This opens the way for the Father’s protection of us from the evil one.
Matt 6:9-13 “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
It is significant, that when confronted by Satan’s temptations in the wilderness that Jesus replied:
Matt 4:4 ESV But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Discover Jesus IS the Logos, the WORD of God from the beginning, Jn 1:1-4
JESUS came as the LOGOS – The Eternal WORD of God –THE TRUTH that brings – LIFE
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The Word Becomes Flesh
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Without Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit, nothing was created from the beginning – Genesis 1:1-2
1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
When God spoke on the sixth day of creation, God created Adam as the first human. Later from his side he created Eve, to be his help-mate. Together they were to be His ‘image bearers’, to have God’s capacity to hear, and brain to heed and process language and the free will to obey what they heard their Father to say and to speak it. No other creature was given this capacity of language and words. Their communication is the likeness of God. Then God created the garden of Eden…..Gen 2:15-20 and put Adam there. He could speak, and God gave him the commission to name the animals with words. Sadly, Adam did not take to heart God’s instructions to protect his life and relationships and reaped the consequences of broken covenant with God that have come down his line to us today,
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Gen 2:15-17
Disregarding God’s command to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil blocked Adam’s capacity to communicate with God. They were removed from the garden of Eden due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God’s words. They had come into agreement with Satan’s deceptive words of darkness, so they broke covenant with God. Through eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and evil, they handed over their God given dominion into Satan’s authority of darkness. Jesus came into the world as the Son of man and the Son of God, demonstrating God’s Kingdom of Life. He was obedient to His Father’s words to die on the Cross, and was raised from death to life, as the new creation 2nd Adam, to take back full dominion authority after living a sinless life. The Lord Jesus spoke His Word of Life and Truth that brought Light to the hearts whose ears were open to hear His voice by the Spirit.
Our lives and eternal destination are the fruit of our words. We speak or sing what we believe and put our faith in.
The Lord Jesus is challenging us to conform our words and thinking into alignment with His Word and Tree of Life.
As His Royal Priesthood and His Bride in preparation, we need to allow Holy Spirit to revolutionise our words!
Proverbs 18:21 (AMP) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
Matthew 12:37 ESV – “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 13:3 ESV Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Proverbs 21:23 ESV Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Matthew 21:21 ESV And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.
James 3:3-8 ESV If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, …
Proverbs 16:24 ESV Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Proverbs 15:4 ESV A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Proverbs 4:1-5, 18-27, ESV Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; get understanding; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
My son, pay attention to what I say, turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
As God’s Holy Priesthood, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or of this earth, but spiritual, through the Sword of the Spirit; the power of the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit might ask us to pray from the Word of God, or declare and proclaim aloud the appropriate scriptures He prompts us to speak. Or by singing in powerful praise and decrees Ps 149. We might prophecy or speak words of knowledge or wisdom, prompted by Holy Spirit, all using God’s Word, in Healing and deliverance.
Isa 55:11 So is my word that goes out from my mouth t will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Psalm 107:18-22 They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Heb 1:1-4 God’s Final Word: His Son
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Heb 4:12 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Let us Discover Who the Father says He is, and how we can relate to Him.
God’s Orchard – Fruitfulness & the Flourishing Vege patch
By Hilary and C-HOP Team
Welcome to your Discipleship Journey. You are about to embark on an intentional season of healing the wounds of your heart. As you heal, obstacles to intimacy with God will be removed. You will find that not only will you receive healing, but you will also experience a real deepening of your relationship with the Lord. Each week we will look specifically at God’s Word in the light of different issues.
Week 5: The Truth about DEFILEMENT – “Where was God?”
We will be drawing from Thom Gardner’s Book ‘Healing Journey’ p 136-156
Check out the Truth of God’s Word below.
We suggest you repeat these Truths aloud, close your eyes & rest a moment in each truth, then speak out loud these scriptures below and rest a moment in each of these truths – repeat them through the week.
In this season, God is the Gardner of our hearts to set us free from the many lies we believed due to our past experiences. In the previous 42-Day Banqueting journey, each week, we explored a particular area of mindsets of Hopelessness that have blocked our capacity to believe in the Goodness and the Truth of who God is.
This week, let us refresh our understanding about the lies of the issue of DEFILEMENT, such as where we have believed “Where was God? I feel shipwrecked – all trust is gone – I’m broken, I’m fragmented, I’m shattered beyond mending – I’m ruined, no one cares“.
Please Click Here to refresh your mind from Part 1 of the 42 Days Banqueting Journey – Week 5 – Day 3
Now, in this 50 days Journey we will invite you to intentionally declare God’s Word into your spirit with His Truths, to replace the lies we’ve believed. In John 8:31-32 “[31] …Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. [32] And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Let us focus on abiding in God’s Word and opening our hearts to receive our Father’s Love towards us as His sons and daughters, to discover how He sees us, and to believe His promises in His Word.
Truth: My Father desires to Restore me.
1 Pet 5:10 10 ‘And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’
Truth: My Father wants to hold and comfort me when I am afraid.
Isa 66:13 “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
Truth: Nothing that has happened is beyond the restoration of My Father.
Isa 63:9 ‘In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them, all the days of old.’
Truth:My Father can repair the damage that has been done.
Jer 30:17 ‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’
Truth: My Father is the God of fresh starts and renewal
Lamentations 3:22-33: ‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’
Truth:I’ve been made totally clean.
Ezekiel 16:9 9 “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.
Truth: I am chosen, treasured and loved.
Colossians 3:12 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Truth: I stand Restored in the personal presence of God
Ps 80:3 ‘Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.’
Our Worship Song for the Week:
Worthy Is The Lamb – Song by Hillsong Worship
Ps Jeff’s Special Today: “Pride”
Today’s issue is pride. Proverbs 6:16,17 states: “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him, A proud look………… And Proverbs 16:18,19 is also clear: ” Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” This is for each of us today: ” Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'” (1 Peter 5:5).
Being candid with yourself and the Holy Spirit, is this old pattern of pride still blocking your serving your Almighty Creator today? Is there any remnant of this old pattern needing to be confessed to Him, your Teacher (Matthew 23:10)? Are there any old vows you made in this area that now need to be removed? Do you think this is only applicable to the disciples 2,000 or 3,000 years ago? Do you have any residue of a residue of this issue for such a time as this? Was it connected to your upbringing as a child? Was it a family pattern in any way?
God bless you as you seek His Holy Spirit Wisdom on that issue. May you go forward on His path, “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
