Austin CFC - Zac Poonen 2019 - Session 3: Q&A
Austin CFC Conference with Zac Poonen on May 4-5, 2019 Theme: Patiently Pressing On to Perfection Session 3: Q&A www.AustinCFC.com
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that following Jesus requires acknowledging His divine nature while accepting His call to discipleship, which proves He is like us. A central theme is that true victory over sin and discouragement is possible because Jesus was tempted like us; therefore, we can follow Him by seeking God's will daily. The message concludes with the necessity of taking God's commands seriously and building faith through diligent meditation on Scripture.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
How did Jesus overcome sin?Zac answers whether Jesus overcame sin because he was God, explaining that if Jesus did not have a human nature like ours, we could not truly be expected to follow his example.
The secret of godlinessPointing to scripture, Zac explains that the mystery of godliness is Jesus coming in the flesh and keeping his spirit pure.1 Timothy 3:16
Taking God's commands seriouslyMany Christians fail to experience victory over sin because they treat God's explicit commands with casual carelessness rather than strict obedience.Philippians 4:4
How do we strengthen our faith?Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ, and God often allows repeated defeat to strip away self-dependence so we learn to lean entirely on Him.Romans 10:17
How do we know we are born again?A genuine believer experiences the inward witness of the Holy Spirit confirming their relationship with God alongside the truth of Scripture.
Righteous anger versus unrighteous angerUsing the life of Jesus as a dictionary, Zac explains that righteous anger concerns God's glory and the purity of His house, whereas anger driven by personal hurt is sinful.Ephesians 4:26
Did Jesus experience hell on the cross?Physical death is not the punishment for sin, so Jesus took the punishment of eternal hell and being forsaken by God during the final three hours on the cross.
Discovering spiritual giftsZac explains that spiritual gifts are discovered through trial and error, honesty about one's abilities, and serving where God provides impact.
Can the devil read my mind?Citing scripture, Zac clarifies that Satan cannot read human thoughts; he can only observe actions and hear spoken words.
What are the greater works?The greater works Jesus spoke of involve believers being baptized by the Holy Spirit to function as a unified body without jealousy or competition.John 14:12
Can a Christian have a demon?It is impossible for a genuine, born-begin believer to have a demon because Christ and a demon cannot dwell in the same heart.
How to identify spiritual prideBecause God gives grace to the humble and grace prevents sin from ruling over us, falling repeatedly into sin often indicates underlying pride.1 Peter 5:5
Receiving the Spirit versus being filledBeing born again means receiving the Spirit in one area, but being filled requires opening every single room of your life to His lordship.Romans 8:9
The difference between the old man and the fleshGod crucified the old man completely on the cross once for all, but the flesh and its lusts are daily enemies that believers must continually put to death.Romans 6:6
Spiritual warfare and resisting the devilBelievers do not physically fight a defeated enemy, but instead actively resist the devil while fleeing from immorality.James 4:7
