Sonship- Glen interviewed by Marc Whelan
Glen and Marc talk about Sonship
Posts tagged ‘love’
Gradual deception of a religious spirit
Some time ago I was at a meeting with a young man. We were listening to a minister preach, expounding on one scripture after another, explaining to us the ways of God. After the meeting was over, this young man and myself got into the car and drove off to where we were staying for the night. As I drove we began discussing the sermon we had just heard, and half way into our discussion a revelation swept over me.
This young man was retelling parts of the sermon that impacted him and blessed him, saying how he had not heard anyone explain those scriptures that way before. I, on the other hand, was wondering if we had heard the same sermon. I asked what he thought about what was said about this verse or that verse; each one contradicting what we believed to be the truth. His response was, “I don’t remember him saying that.” At that moment it was like someone hit me in the gut with a bowling ball. I knew we both had listened to the same sermon, it’s just that the young man chose to listen with the ears of love and received what Holy Spirit was desiring to say to him while I, on the other hand, chose to listen critically and allow myself to hear what a religious spirit had to say. Yes, I had gradually, over time, allowed a religious spirit to have access to my heart and my mind.
A religious spirit doesn’t only manifest itself through trying to obtain righteousness by self -effort (the law), it also manifests itself through judging others and being prideful in what we do and what we know. A religious spirit will cause you to listen critically to find fault in what others say in order to expose that error, even if you only expose it to yourself, feeding pride.
I write this because I still check myself daily, especially when I listen to others preach, knowing if I’m not listening with God’s heart of love, I’ll miss out on what He has to say to me. If I choose to listen with the intent to judge, I’ll give access to Satan to control my mind and emotions, keeping me from becoming the son God has called me to be. I also write this because I see so many out there today who believe they have the truth and are quick to judge those they believe to be in error. I caution you to honestly examine your heart, see if there is any pride and accusation in there, and always listen with love.
Help! I’m Not Being Equipped
Recently I have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of people who seem to be dissatisfied with their walk with the Lord, and lately many have been coming to me stating their desire to be further equipped as a son of God. Many are frustrated, not feeling as if they are being properly equipped; feeling like they are losing ground and that time is running out. Now I understand the frustration, it can overtake us all if we are not careful, but let’s not allow frustration to cause us to focus our discontentment in the wrong direction or towards the wrong person. If we are not being properly equipped, where does the fault lie?
Ephesians 4 states that Jesus gave the five-fold ministry gifts (four fold if that makes you a little more comfortable) for the equipping of the saints. So it is clear that it is the responsibility of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, preacher, and teacher to each perform their roles in helping the individual come into the fullness of which he/she was created to be and the body as a whole come into the knowledge of the son of God and whole measure of the fullness of Christ. It is their job to equip you, but is it their responsibility to make sure you are equipped? Let me say it this way.
Disclaimer: I want to stop here and say the reason I’m writing this at 4a.m. is because I have struggled with not wanting to write about this knowing that many will make assumptions that I talking about their situation or their church, or even the church I attend. Let me say this IS NOT targeted at any one situation or place. I talk to people all around the world and this is a response to the general discontentment, not any specific case or place! Now back to the show.
The ones who have come to me as of late are frustrated with those who they view are responsible to ensure they are equipped. They feel they are not getting what they need. This frustration turns into accusations against the leadership they feel is responsible to equip them. I understand they are frustrated but is it their leaderships fault? We must understand that the 5-fold is there to help you as you seek to become all you were created to be. They are there to help you, but it is your responsibility to get equipped. They are not to force any doctrine or truth on you, you are to pull it out of them. They are there to help you and to encourage you, not to push you. You are to see Christ in them and then put a demand on that area you need developed in your life. It is the placing of a demand that opens you up to Holy Spirit using them to equip you and transform you. If they try to come to you and push a teaching on you, especially if your are not ready, it will generally be met with resistance and be no benefit. As someone who has been used to help equip people, I can tell you when the demand is put on me it is easy and what the individual needs just flows out. When however, the demand is not there it is taxing and you feel like you’re pushing against a brick wall. When I teach and people are there just because they are curious but there is no demand, they may gain head knowledge but that’s all it is. However, when there is a demand from individuals it’s like deep calling unto deep and lives are transformed.
Now, I know some of you are putting a demand on leadership and still aren’t seeing any equipping. Don’t lose hope, don’t get frustrated, and don’t start judging those you feel are falling short. Take time and look around. Maybe God wants to use someone else for that particular aspect of your growth. 1 Corinthians 3 tells us that one plants and another waters but it is God who makes it grow. That doesn’t necessarily mean God is causing you to leave your fellowship, just that with this portion He will work through another individual. Look for Christ in others and then put that demand on Him, He will meet your need!
So there you have it. Take responsibility for your own growth. Allow Holy Spirit to use whoever He desires to help equip you. Allow Him to use you to help equip others!
Faith of Fear
In the times in which we are living; a time with the world’s economy falling apart and with wars and uprisings on just about every continent, it’s no wonder so many people are living in fear. I really believe that fear and the stress that comes with it is one of the leading causes, if not the leading cause of sickness and disease today. Scripture even says in Luke 21:26 that men’s hearts will fail them for fear, and for looking toward those things, which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Job 3:25 says what I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. In both of these instances things happened to people because they were afraid. In the one instance people’s hearts failed, and in the other instance, well, we all know what happened with Job. He lost his kids, livestock, pretty much everything except his life, oh yea, and his wife. But even she was trying to convince him to curse God and die. Anyway, fear was a major issue back then, and is even more of an issue now. Because fear and anxiety seem to be playing such an important role in the lives of men and women today, even Christians, it is imperative that we gain understanding as to what fear is, how we as Christians are to address it, and how to overcome it.
Fear is an unpleasant emotion like dread, fright, and apprehension that manifests as an expression of ones belief (or faith) that someone or something else has a greater ability to influence their circumstance than God.
Once while teaching on fear in a conference the Lord gave me a vision of how fear influences people. I saw all the people as puppets with strings attached at one end to the peoples feet, legs, arms and hands, while the other ends of the strings were attached to the word ‘FEAR’ that was suspended above their heads. Fear was pulling the strings attached to the individuals and by doing so controlled their actions. One way this is demonstrated in the natural is in the fight or flight response. When you are confronted with a fearful event your body will react by either fighting to rid yourself of the threat or by running away, that is what is meant by fight or flight. This is shown spiritually when you are presented with the opportunity to pray for someone who is injured or sick on the street or in the store. Fear will grip you and cause doubt to enter your mind. It will say something like, “If you go over there and pray for them nothing will happen and you’ll look like a fool!” At that point you have two choices. One is to go and pray for the sick (fight), the other is to walk away (flight). If you pray for them you are declaring that God’s word, which says we will lay hands on the sick and they will recover, is true and greater than fear. If you walk away you’re saying that fear and the lies it tells are truer than the Word of God. By walking away and giving into fear, you have just made fear the potter in your life instead of the only One who is to be the potter, God. That may sound a little harsh but sometimes the truth is harsh, even when spoken in love. In cases where the threat is not imminent like being attacked physically, or praying for the sick, but more like being fearful of losing a job or getting sick, your body will react by becoming anxious or stressed. Many times this stress and anxiety will cause you to make irrational or unwise decisions in order to get free of the perceived threat. As Christians however, we are not called to live in fear or even allow fear to have a say in our lives; we are called to live in His love, since He is love, and to become love. As He is so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has to do with punishment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. (1John 4:18)
Like we mentioned above, God is love and when we have a revelation of His perfect, unconditional love, we understand that there is no way He will let us down. There is no way He won’t do whatever it takes to meet our needs, if we will just allow Him. We will believe Him above anything else because we gained an understanding of His true nature, we know who He really is.
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Power of God unto salvation
The Gospel of the Kingdom is the power of God for salvation. The word used here for power is the Greek word “dunamis”, the word we get dynamite from; and the Greek word for salvation is “soteria” which means welfare, prosperity, deliverance, preservation, salvation, and safety. The Gospel is the explosive power of God to keep you safe, prosper you, deliver you, protect you, and save you. Unfortunately for many, the Gospel has been reduced to a debate as to why you should say a prayer to go to Heaven.
I was out in the city one day with a friend teaching him how I minister healing to people on the street and shooting video for teaching purposes. A young couple sitting and talking on a bench caught my eye so I went over and introduced myself. We started talking about Jesus and it came up that people say that Jesus is Lord because the Bible says so, but what makes the Bible more reliable than other books such as the Koran. To them, just saying the Bible says so is a useless argument. I agreed with them and then said, “but if I could prove Jesus is Lord then that would be different.” They agreed. I then pointed to the guy and said, “you have back problems, and so if I can heal that problem in Jesus’ name and all the pain left, then that would prove Jesus is who the Bible said He was”. They both agreed. I then commanded his back to be healed; he said he felt movement in his back and immediately all the pain left.
The interesting thing is that both said they had prayed the salvation prayer at one time in their life. Someone had convinced them earlier in their lives that Jesus was Lord, but neither had ever personally encountered the Living God. Without this encounter, the decision to say the prayer is based on an intellectual argument, one that leads an individual to question the reality of their beliefs when confronted with another seemingly viable argument. But that day Jesus became real to them, no longer just a theological debate. That moment He became their living savior.
Glen Hartline 
Written
on May 31, 2014