Pleasing God
We attended the City Impact Global Conference last night. This is a snippet from John Bevere's message on pursuing holiness…
WE have made holiness the end goal but it is a doorway.
Positional Holiness Ephesians 1:4 NKJV → being dedicated & separated unto God. We are holy in Christ.
Behavioral holiness that matches our position 1 Peter 1:14-15 AMP.
Hebrews 12:14 teaches us to pursue holiness. We ought to chase after with the intent to apprehend. It speaks of intensity & urgency.
'He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”'
John 14:21
Relationship with God is given by grace.
The New Testament Commands are for pursuing intimacy with Christ. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tells us to cleanse ourselves of the filthiness of flesh & spirit - perfecting holiness & the fear of God.
God's grace empowers us to live a holy life. We ought to be holy as He is holy.
'But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. ' 1 Thessalonians 2:4
All too often our motives are driven by WHO we want to PLEASE
There are 3 Images that drive our motives
Perceived image → the way others see us
Projected Image → the way we want other people to see us
Actual Image our true image. → what God sees & will endure
Aiming to please God will ultimately lead to pleasing others, including bosses & of course, those around us will reap the fruit of our pleasing God. 😊 BUT pleasing others should never be the driving force of our motives.
However, oftentimes our natural giftings may become twisted through wounding. For example, the spirit of excellence can turn into perfection when, in our wounding, we decide that we will not make mistakes, that we would strive to please people and that we have to be perfect. We perform out of fear & lack of faith in order to be accepted & to belong.
The Holy Spirit is still working with me to get the twist out of my giftings. Please bear with me & hold me accountable when you discern ungodly motives. 🤗💞
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