The Way of Brokenness - Zac Poonen - September 18, 2011
http://rlcfchurch.org RLCF Youth Conference 2011 River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The central message is that the Kingdom of God means seeking God's government to rule one's life, not just engaging in missionary work. True participation in God's body requires a willingness to be broken down, much like mud being molded, to become part of the unified body of Christ. This process of being broken is necessary for spiritual growth, mirroring Christ's own life of yielding to the Father's will.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What does the kingdom of God coming with power mean?The kingdom of God means God ruling and reigning in our hearts, which is brought about by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
God is building a body, not an organizationUsing the picture of Adam formed from dust and water, God is gathering bits of mud together to build the body of Christ through brokenness.Genesis 2:7
The crushing of Jesus in His hidden lifeThe Father was pleased to crush Jesus, preparing Him through years of daily suffering and mistreatment in Nazareth where He never sinned.Isaiah 53:10
What does it mean to suffer in the flesh?Suffering in the flesh means choosing the inward pain of denying self-pleasure and keeping your mouth shut when tempted to sin.1 Peter 4:1
Taking up the cross dailyJesus endured the cross every single day of His life, and followers must similarly take up their cross daily to prove their love for Him.
The veil as the flesh of JesusThe tearing of the temple veil when Jesus died signifies that His self-will was broken through every temptation, inaugurating a new and living way for us.
Satan sifting Peter and Jesus praying for his faithJesus permitted Peter to fall so he would hit rock bottom and be broken, yet prayed that Peter's faith would not fail.Luke 22:31–34
Failure as God's last method of breaking usWhen we resist yielding through circumstances and authority, God may allow us to fall into sin as a final method to bring us to a zero point.
Humble yourself under the mighty hand of GodDifficult people and situations are God's mighty hand designed to break us so He can ultimately fill our lives with His victory and use us.
