A Life of Rest and Discernment - Santosh Poonen - December 29, 2019
http://rlcfchurch.org/life-rest-discernment River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker shares two key lessons learned: that a life of rest is what God intends for believers, and that the true test of being filled with the Holy Spirit is experiencing complete rest. He emphasizes that the mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace, contrasting it with a mind set on the flesh, which is characterized by death, even if outward sin is controlled. The ultimate test of faith is maintaining peace and rest when life is unexpectedly shaken.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The test of being filled with the Holy SpiritThe test of whether someone is truly filled with the Holy Spirit is that they have complete rest in every circumstance.
Setting the mind on the Spirit for life and peacePaul explains in Romans that setting the mind on the flesh leads to death, while setting the mind on the Spirit results in life and peace.
What shaking reveals in our cupsGod allows the devil to shake us through unexpected trials and provocations to test what is truly inside our hearts, moving us past the pretense of self-control.
Jesus offers us His own peaceJesus repeatedly promised His disciples peace that the world cannot give, culminating in the resurrected Christ offering His peace to them in the upper room.John 14:27
Partaking in God's unshakeable divine natureJust as the Father has life in Himself and could never be irritated into bitterness, He gave that same nature to the Son so we too can live without snapping.
The counterfeit always feels nicer than the real thingIn spiritual matters, the counterfeit often looks and feels much more appealing than reality, so we must learn to discern through the fear of the Lord.
The three ways of judging a matterPeople often judge by hearing only one side or both sides of a story, but true spiritual maturity refuses human judgment and lives solely before God.
Counterfeit experiences versus the true work of the SpiritCounterfeit movements of the Holy Spirit appeal to the flesh with emotional highs and self-satisfying desires, whereas the true Holy Spirit's mission is to make us like Jesus.
Embracing the messy reality of the true churchA perfect, unblemished plastic apple looks better than a real one with bruises, just as superficial communities feel easier than the real, self-sacrificing body of Christ.
