WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.760 The individual parts of our being, heart, mind, soul, and body, have incredible potential. 2 00:00:05.760 --> 00:00:11.520 Working together collaboratively, that just multiplies. But there is a problem. 3 00:00:18.560 --> 00:00:22.880 In the last episode, we discussed the concept of an elite generation, 4 00:00:22.880 --> 00:00:28.000 that through the collaborative efforts of the parents, church, and education, 5 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:34.160 we can disciple an elite generation. Using the word elite to set a high standard for us 6 00:00:34.160 --> 00:00:41.280 to work towards. That though it is harder than ever, we can be effective to raise a generation 7 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:46.400 that makes a difference. In today's episode, we will be surveying the different elements 8 00:00:46.400 --> 00:00:52.160 of our being and their individual potential, as well as the problem that we all face. 9 00:00:52.720 --> 00:00:58.240 We are created in the image of God, according to Genesis 1.27. That means that we actually 10 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:05.600 possess attributes of God himself that are visible through the different attributes of our being. 11 00:01:05.600 --> 00:01:09.520 So we're going to look at these different attributes and their individual potential. 12 00:01:10.160 --> 00:01:16.320 First, we have the soul. Our soul is the non-physical part of our being that actually 13 00:01:16.320 --> 00:01:22.640 enables us to connect with God through prayer, through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. It's 14 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:28.400 also the avenue for spiritual power to be released through us. Through the infilling of the Holy 15 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:36.560 Spirit, as it says in 1 Corinthians 12, we receive spiritual gifts from God. Healing and miracles, 16 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:43.840 as well as speaking in other languages. Incredible power that we can possess in partnership with God. 17 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:50.400 Next, we have our hearts. Our hearts are spoken of all throughout Scripture. Scripture ascribing 18 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:56.240 them emotions and morals and even reasoning. And when we really think about the heart, 19 00:01:56.240 --> 00:02:04.400 I picture it as kind of the heartbeat of our soul. So just as our physical body has a heart 20 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:10.400 that pumps life-giving blood to every part of our body, I believe that our spiritual heart 21 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:15.680 is that life flow of our souls, which would explain why Proverbs says to guard your heart, 22 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:22.880 because out of it flows every issue of life. Our heart is the center of our emotions. These 23 00:02:22.880 --> 00:02:28.480 motions that motivate us towards doing things. It's our dreams, our desires, our passions, 24 00:02:28.480 --> 00:02:34.480 as well as those negative emotions that can be incredible for personal growth like pain and hurt 25 00:02:34.480 --> 00:02:44.000 and sorrow. Next, we have our minds. Our brain is this complex neurological mass that is the center 26 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:50.480 of everything that our body does, both voluntary and involuntary. From the pumping of our heart 27 00:02:50.480 --> 00:02:56.960 to the blinking of our eyelids, everything that our body does is controlled by our brains. It's 28 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:03.600 also the center for thought. All the thoughts that we have. It's estimated that we have 80,000 29 00:03:03.600 --> 00:03:10.640 different thoughts in a day that motivate our actions, what we actually do. So the brain has 30 00:03:10.640 --> 00:03:17.200 incredible potential. Through disciplining our mind, we've seen scientists and lawyers, 31 00:03:17.200 --> 00:03:22.960 doctors come up with incredible solutions that have not been perceived before by studying and 32 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:30.480 exercising our mind. And lastly, we have our bodies. All you have to do is look at the athletes 33 00:03:30.480 --> 00:03:37.600 in our society who have accomplished great things. Incredible physical feats that are unimaginable 34 00:03:37.600 --> 00:03:45.040 actually are accomplishable through exercising and disciplining the body. Each of these elements 35 00:03:45.040 --> 00:03:51.840 has unique potential, but just imagine the collaborative potential when every part of 36 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:58.880 our being is aligned to one purpose and one goal. An example of this collaborative effort can be 37 00:03:58.880 --> 00:04:05.120 seen through the psychological premise for behavior, that our beliefs deep within our soul 38 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:12.640 motivate our emotions, how we're responding or reacting to the things in our world. Those emotions 39 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:21.200 provoke different thoughts, and those thoughts eventually motivate our actions. So we see that 40 00:04:21.200 --> 00:04:26.960 all of these are working together on a normal daily basis to affect the things that we do day 41 00:04:26.960 --> 00:04:34.160 in and day out. But the problem with our society is, and the problem with humanity is, is that our 42 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:42.880 being is broken. It is out of alignment because of sin. Sin has entered the soul of man in the garden 43 00:04:42.880 --> 00:04:50.240 4,000, 6,000 years ago, and ever since we have been plagued with being out of alignment, with 44 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:55.920 not fulfilling our full purpose because sin is robbing us of our potential. 45 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:03.220 Beautiful way to create a visual analogy. 46 00:05:03.220 --> 00:05:08.000 He ascribes a part of our being to each part of our body. 47 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:13.980 He puts the soul in the stomach and the heart in the chest, the mind, obviously 48 00:05:13.980 --> 00:05:19.040 in the head, he illustrates that when the soul becomes sick with sin, sin 49 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:23.360 enters and inflames our soul, causing it to swell, like our physical 50 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:25.480 body would swell from infection. 51 00:05:25.780 --> 00:05:29.380 Because of that swelling, there is pressure that is put on our heart, 52 00:05:29.380 --> 00:05:35.860 causing it to have to, uh, function improperly and it restricts our emotions. 53 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.600 We feel emotionally confused. 54 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:42.400 We don't have clear passion or vision or direction. 55 00:05:42.660 --> 00:05:45.520 And then that pressure on our heart puts pressure on our head. 56 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:50.840 And he calls this being flat brained, which presses the mind against the top 57 00:05:50.840 --> 00:05:54.580 of our head, restricting our vision and restricting our hearing. 58 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:59.640 So you can imagine the overall effect is that we're not seeing properly. 59 00:05:59.640 --> 00:06:01.240 We're not hearing properly. 60 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:04.280 We're not reasoning properly in our minds. 61 00:06:04.400 --> 00:06:09.160 Our heart is confused and going direction from direction to direction, 62 00:06:09.320 --> 00:06:12.200 not having clear purpose or calling. 63 00:06:12.520 --> 00:06:18.040 And the only solution to this is Jesus Christ through Jesus Christ, through 64 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:22.320 our salvation, through his finished work on the cross, his death and his 65 00:06:22.340 --> 00:06:26.140 resurrection, we can find healing to our soul. 66 00:06:26.460 --> 00:06:29.100 Our soul becomes a new person. 67 00:06:29.100 --> 00:06:30.260 We become a new person. 68 00:06:30.260 --> 00:06:31.700 The old is passed away. 69 00:06:31.900 --> 00:06:34.340 Behold, all becomes new. 70 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:39.700 We are before this, we are living in this state of confusion and lack of 71 00:06:39.700 --> 00:06:45.140 direction, but God came to give us life and to give us life abundantly. 72 00:06:45.140 --> 00:06:49.500 And I believe that that is a life completely perfectly aligned 73 00:06:49.700 --> 00:06:51.600 to the purpose of Jesus Christ. 74 00:06:52.320 --> 00:06:57.780 However, even that I believe is not the only step after salvation. 75 00:06:57.780 --> 00:07:00.140 There is a finished work that is done. 76 00:07:00.460 --> 00:07:07.020 God declares us holy and righteous his child called and having a purpose, but 77 00:07:07.020 --> 00:07:12.140 there is a working progress of sanctification that begins at salvation. 78 00:07:12.340 --> 00:07:17.340 Salvation is the starting point of a journey of becoming more and more like 79 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:23.120 Pastor Steve Holt, our senior pastor calls it the already, but the not yet. 80 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:24.600 God has called us holy. 81 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:29.640 He has called us the finished work that he sees through Jesus Christ, but he 82 00:07:29.640 --> 00:07:36.000 calls us to a life of service and holiness to him, a process of sanctification. 83 00:07:36.200 --> 00:07:39.440 But I think the problem with our generation is that process of 84 00:07:39.440 --> 00:07:44.440 sanctification has been stifled because of unaddressed hurt or pain. 85 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:50.140 Our souls can become sick because of sin that creeps into our soul. 86 00:07:50.260 --> 00:07:53.700 They are becoming inflamed and putting that pressure on our heart and our 87 00:07:53.700 --> 00:07:56.440 mind, restricting our full potential. 88 00:07:56.620 --> 00:08:00.380 Our hearts are no longer being guarded against the things that are 89 00:08:00.380 --> 00:08:02.740 coming in to steal, kill, and destroy. 90 00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:07.700 Our minds are not continually being renewed as, as God calls us to. 91 00:08:07.900 --> 00:08:11.300 And we end up being in this stagnant place. 92 00:08:11.460 --> 00:08:13.460 I personally relate to this myself. 93 00:08:13.640 --> 00:08:15.500 I was raised in a Christian home. 94 00:08:15.500 --> 00:08:17.840 My parents were pastors and I knew the truth. 95 00:08:17.840 --> 00:08:22.200 I'd given my heart to Lord at an early age, but because of past hurt and 96 00:08:22.200 --> 00:08:27.200 undealt with trauma and addictive behaviors that came into my life, 97 00:08:27.200 --> 00:08:31.960 though I was striving and trying to live my best for the Lord, it wasn't until 98 00:08:31.960 --> 00:08:35.919 I began to find healing through counseling and accountability and 99 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:42.159 intentional prayer that God began to realign my entire being to the purpose of God. 100 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:47.460 I felt like my heart was able to dream again and feel passion again in new ways, 101 00:08:47.460 --> 00:08:49.900 ways I didn't even think were imaginable. 102 00:08:49.900 --> 00:08:54.940 My imagination came alive with the different purposes and callings that I 103 00:08:54.940 --> 00:08:57.020 felt like God was putting on my heart. 104 00:08:57.180 --> 00:09:01.740 It wasn't that I didn't have a calling or a purpose, but it was incredible 105 00:09:01.740 --> 00:09:07.500 clarity and excitement and passion that I had not experienced before. 106 00:09:07.800 --> 00:09:13.240 And I believe that we can see this happen in another generation, a 107 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:17.480 generation that has that clarity, that has that purpose and that drive. 108 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:22.320 And in the episode that follows, we will be talking about a strategy of 109 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:27.800 discipleship that can effectively lead a generation in that direction.