Lesson 1G

Restoring the Resurrection Life - Part 6

Daily Repentance & Daily Obedience

A. Restoring the resurrection life: Introduction (Lesson 1)

B. How do we restore the resurrection life?

FIRST STEP:
Removing self-hatred by forgiving those who have hurt us (Lesson 1E).

SECOND STEP:
Receiving God's love for our life (Lesson 1F).

THIRD STEP:
Daily dying to the old life and living from the new life.

Daily Dying to the Old Life and Living from the New Life

Although we have been giving the resurrection life in Christ, our everyday life is a series of choices between the old life and the new life.
We must choose to die to the old life everyday and live the new life.
We must turn from our sinful life in the flesh and live after the Spirit.
We must daily repent of our sins and daily obey God.

a. Daily repentance and daily obedience

The restoration of our resurrection life does not take place overnight.
Our mind must be renewed daily.
Our actions must daily turn from sin towards righteousness.
Our words must daily turn from evil to words of blessings

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross DAILY and follow me."
(Luke 9:23)

We must daily die to the old life, the sinful carnal ways of the past.
We must daily die to our old ways of thinking, doing and speaking.
We must in turn follow after Jesus.
As we walk in obedience to Jesus, His resurrection life is manifested in us.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(Galatians 2:20)

b. Restoration takes place little by little

The restoration of our life is a slow process of healing and building.
It takes time to study God's word.
It takes time to acknowledge our unforgiveness in different areas of life.
It takes time to repent of self-hatred an dour sinful reactions to others.
It takes time to obey God in different areas of life.

Yet little by little, the restoration takes place.
Little by little, we are transformed by the Spirit of God.
Little by little, we grow into the image of Christ.

A similar analogy is given by God concerning the possession of the Promised Land by the Israelites:

I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hitties out of your way.
But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous of r you.
LITTLE BY LITTLE I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
(Exodus 23:28-30)

c. God will help us by His Spirit to grow in righteousness.

As we desire to grow into the likeness of Jesus, God will help us by His Spirit.
His Spirit will convict us of sin (John 16:8).
The Holy Spirit will lead us to do what is right (Galatians 8:14).
The Holy Spirit will give us the strength to turn from sin and walk after righteousness.
As we obey the Holy Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:16, 22-23).

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
(Romans 8:13-14)

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (the flesh).
(Galatians 5:16)

d. God will be patient with us.

God will give us the time to deal with each area of our life one area at a time.
God will be patient with us.
God knows it takes time to grow to maturity

And the LORD passed before Moses and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty."
(Exodus 34:6-7)

Let us be patient with ourselves and with one another.
Give space and time for young believers (and your children) to grow spiritually.
Don't jump on them at the slightest mistake or offence.
Don't sneer or laugh at their mistakes.

Never expect a young believer to be a mature Christian overnight.
It is not possible.
Maturity always takes time.
That is why new believers are not be appointed to leadership in the church.
They are not mature spiritually.

Now, the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given too much wine, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
He must not be a recent convert.
(1 Timothy 3:2-3, 6)

e. Restoration takes place only with commitment

We must be seriously committed to the restoration of the resurrection life.
We must seriously seek God on a regular basis.

We must commit ourselves to meet with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).
We must be committed to fellowshipping with them for mutual strengthening on a regular basis.
We must be committed to God's word.
We must be committed to total obedience to all that the Spirit of God directs.

If we are not serious with God, turning from sin and walking in obedience to Him,
If we are not committed to seeking after Him and His word,
If we are not committed to dying to our old ways of living,
then we are condemned to live the old life - a defeated, miserable, joyless and self destructive life.

The choice is our s to make.
We make the choice everyday throughout the day.
We are responsible solely for our own choices.
Do not blame your parents, pastors, brothers or sisters if your life is a failure.
No one can stop you from living the abundant life offered by Jesus.
Only you yourself can reject God's offer of a victorious and glorious life.

f. Areas of restoration

Many area of restoration needs to be dealt with by every believer.
We should focus on each area, one at a time, until we obtain the victory in that area.
We then move to another area.
Some of the most common areas are as follows.

• NO LONGER HOLD BITTERNESS TOWARDS OTHERS, BUT FORGIVE
  Forgive your parents, grandparents, relatives and others who may have done you wrong, whether they are dead or alive (Mark 11:25).
  Forgive them for they do not know what they were doing (Luke 23:24).
  Forgive them as God has forgiven you in Christ (Ephesians 4:32).
  
  No longer speak evil of them.
  Forgive their sins and remember their sins no more (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12).
  
  Instead, let your lips be full of the praise of God and His love (Hebrews 13:15).
  Let your lips speak of God's wonderful work in your life.
  Let no more bitterness and self-pity come from our lips.
  

• NO LONGER HATE OR DESPISE YOURSELF, BUT ACCEPT YOURSELF AS GOD HAS MADE AND ACCEPTED YOU IN CHRIST.
  Do not hate yourself for what you were or what you have done in the past.
  Forgive yourself and forget the past (Isaiah 43:18).
  
  No longer despise yourself, and see yourself as stupid, lazy, ugly, clumsy, careless, useless in singing, in mathematics, in sports, in conversation, in ministry, etc.
  No longer see yourself as others see you or as you have wrongly perceived yourself to be.
  Do not indulge in constant self-criticism, self-condemnation or self-pity.
  Do not always apologies for your limited abilities or look down on yourself.
  
  See yourself as God sees you, and declare it (Psalm 107:2).
  Declare what you are in Christ, and you will grow to the level of your faith confession and declaration.
  
  Begin to boldly declare what you are and what you have in Christ:
  ** a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17),
  ** a child of God, special and unique (John 1:12),
  ** the apple of God's eyes, beautiful and precious (Zecharaiah 2:3; Luke 9:26),
  ** loved by God with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3),
  ** filled with God's power through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8),
  ** able to do all things through Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:13),
  ** set apart by God to fulfill God's special calling (John 15:16), etc.
  ** possessing the wisdom of God, the mid of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:16).
  

• NO LONGER FEAR REJECTION BY OTHERS, BUT FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BROTHERS & SISTERS
  Put aside all fears of rejection by others.
  No longer be fearful or shy.
  Do not isolate yourself from God's people.
  God did not send brothers and sisters to tear you down but to build you up.
  
  Begin to fellowship with others.
  God has sent them be a blessing to us, to strengthen us.
  We can also be a blessing to them.
  You need them; they need you (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).
  
  Commit yourself to meeting with others, fellowshipping with them and encouraging them (Hebrews 10:25).
  Commit yourself to a Prayer Cell and pray for one another (James 5:16).
  You need others to help you grow in Christ, to encourage you, to correct you, to warn you, to comfort you. etc.
  

• NO LONGER BE DEFENSIVE OR BE SENSITIVE TO THE REMARKS OF OTHERS, BUT TREAT EVERYONE AS A FRIEND
  We should no longer be easily offended or hurt by the remarks of others.
  In other words, do not be touchy or overly-sensitive.
  Do not easily get angry (1 Corinthians 13:5).
  
  Neither should we be defensive of what we do, when other make innocent  comments or remarks, or even disagreeable criticisms>
  This defensiveness comes from insecurity and from fear of rejection of others.
  
  Know that you are secure, accepted and beloved of God in Christ.
  Meditate on the love of God for yourself, experience His love,and be securely rooted in that love (Ephesians 3:17-19).
  
  Treat every person as a friend, not a potential enemy.
  Believe that God has placed you by divine appointment together, in the family, in the office or in the church.
  God has sent them to help you grow to maturity.
  Listen to their advice corrections and comments.
  Thank them for whatever they say, even if you do not agree with them.
  
  If they do not agree with your words or your ways, do not get offended.
  They are not rejecting you.
  It is alright to have differences in opinions and in styles of living and ministry, and to express them.
  

• NO LONGER BE REBELLIOUS, BUT SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY
  Rebellion against authority is like witchcraft in the eyes of God (1 Samuel 15:23).
  God hates rebellion.
  Rebellion manifests itself in,
  ** being angry with others above you,
  ** sulking, putting on a long face,
  ** non-cooperation,
  ** murmuring and grumbling after receiving instructions from leaders,
  ** unwillingness to receive correction,
  ** throwing tantrums, shouting and yelling.
  
  Children must submit to their parents (Ephesians 6:1).
  Wives must submit to their husbands (Eph2sians 5:22).
  Believers must submit to the pastor and church leaders (Hebrews 13:17).
  All workers must submit to their employers (Eph2sians 6:5-8).
  Every citizen must submit to the government of the land (Romans 13:1).
  

• NO LONGER MURMUR OR GRUMBLE, BUT SERVE GOD WITH JOY & GLADNESS
  Whether we are children, young adult, wives, husbands, fathers or mothers, we must no longer serve God in our homes, in the office or in the church with murmuring or complaining (Philippians 1:14-15).
  God hears our complaints (Numbers 12:2).
  When we grumble against any person or situation, we are grumbling against God himself (Number 14:26-27).
  
  Our grumbling angers God (Psalms 95:7-11).
  Our complaints bring a curse against ourselves (Numbers 14:28-29).
  When we complain, we open a door for the devil to destroy us (Deuteronomy 28:47:48).
  
  Instead, we should serve God gladly and joyfully (Deuteronomy 28:47).
  Whatever we do, we are to do it as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:17, 23).
  We should thus serve willingly and obediently (Isaiah 1:19-20).
  We should serve with rejoicing in God always (Philippians 4:4).
  

• NO LONGER BE SELFISH, BUT LOOK OUT FOR THE INTEREST OF OTHERS
  Do not look out only for your own interests (Philippians 2:3).
  Do not be self-centered or selfish, caring only about your own comfort and convenience.
  
  Look out for the interests of others, especially those in need (Philippians 2:4).
  If you are eating with others, let others eat first, and serve them the food.
  If you are driving to town for a meeting, offer transport to those who have no vehicles.
  If you are using a room with others, do not always just leave others to clean up.
  
  Be considerate of other's interests.
  Help to make life convenient and comfortable for others.
  

• NO LONGER CRITICIZE, SLANDER, BACKBITE OR GOSSIP OR NAG, BUT BUILD OTHERS UP WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
  Where we have the habit of criticizing others, slandering others, putting down others, or speak evil of others, or gossip about the failings of others, or nagging at our children or spouse, we must do so no longer (Ephesians 4:31).
  This grieves the Holy Spirit.
  
  Instead, let us learn to speak good of others.
  Find something to complement in others, and build them up with words of  encouragement (Ephesians 4:29).
  As we refresh others, we ourselves will also be refreshed in return (Proverbs 11:25).
  If we judge others, we will be judged in return (Luke 6:37).
  We will reap what we sow.
  

• NO LONGER BE LAZY OR JOBLESS, BUT FIND A JOB
  As adults and as children of God, we are not to be lazy or idle and stay at home without a job, living on the toil of our parents, brothers, sisters or our wife.
  If a man will not work, he shall not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
  
  We must obey God and work six days a week (Exodus 20:9; 23:12).
  We must settle down and earn the bread we eat (2 Thessalonians 3:12).
  A believer who has not worked for sometime must start immediately with any job, no matter how low-paying a job is.
  No excuse is acceptable to God.
  While he is working at this job, he can look for another job with better prospects.
  
  When we work, we are doing something useful with our own hands, so that we may have something to share with those in need, including our children, our wife, etc, (Ephesians 4:28). 
  

• NO LONGER DESTROY YOUR BODY WITH DRUGS, ALCOHOL OR CIGARETTES, BUT HONOR GOD'S TEMPLE
  We must no longer abuse our bodies with cigarettes, drugs or alcohol.
  We are destroying God's property.
  Our body has been bought with a price.
  It is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
  
  With this habits, we are also wasting the money God has entrusted oto us.
  Our money belongs to God.
  
  If we destroy our body, God will destroy us (1 Corinthians 3:17).
  We also become a poor testimony to Jesus.
  Instead, let us honor God with our body.
  Let us live healthily to worship and serve Him with our body (Romans 12:11-12).

Your thought

1. Pray for healing for believers with chronic sinful behavior patterns by using the notes from Lesson 1A to 1G.
2. Determine the causes of self-rejection in the counselee by determining the types of abuse, hurts & rejection by others during conception, infancy and childhood. 
   (QUESTIONS: "Did you have a happy childhood? Why not? When and how were you hurt? How was your relationship with your father during childhood?"; etc.)
3. Lead them to forgive those who have hurt them (Lesson 1E).
4. Prophecy the love of God into their lives (Lesson 1F)
5. Hold them accountable to live a life of daily repentance from sin and daily obedience to God (Lesson 1G).