Maintain the Spirit - Part 4 - Reigning Spirit - with Pastor Marci Glisson

Thanks for checking out the Anchor Faith Message podcast

from St. Augustine, FL.

Now enjoy this message. That's what I want to be a

consistent, stable person with a strong spirit.

Isn't that what we've been talking about?

Amen. A reigning spirit, maintaining A

reigning spirit, which pastor spoke this year that we were

going to continue to talk about is a reigning spirit and a

strong spirit. A reigning spirit is consistent

through every trial, through every situation.

Come on through anything that you may go through because.

My spirit is strong in the Lord. Amen.

Because he's been faithful to his promises to my life.

Amen. That's what?

That's what you stand on. It's what you.

Stand on that is living a life of faith.

Applying the Word of God to your life and practice in it,

practicing it every single day, will make you a stable,

consistent, strong spirit. Amen.

That is not moved in your emotions, not moved by your

flesh. My flesh does not own me.

Somebody else's flesh does not own me.

I do not let someone else's flesh fit on my emotions because

I've learned how to what we talked about a little bit last

week. I know we jumped around on a

bunch of things being led by the spirit.

I hope y'all received something from it.

I've learned how to what have a strong spirit, A strong spirit

that is not moved by people's emotions.

They should not control your actions, should control them

because we've learned how to self govern which.

We read out of Psalms and was it Psalms or proverbs?

Last week, we've learned how it was Proverbs.

To rule over our own spirit, let me.

Remind us of that. In Proverbs 2528 it says whoever

has no rule over his own spirit. Is like a city broken down

without walls. I refuse to be a broken down

person without a wall of a fortitude of a strong spirit of

faith right? We have to learn how to self

govern our spirit by the word of God, having a strong spirit

letting nothing. Move us in that what he says,

you know? And was it, James, you know, so

that you're not going to be? Tossed around.

To and fro from every wind of every doctrine.

Do you know he does not want wishy washy believers?

And I'm not even just talking about on doctrine.

He doesn't. Want wishy washy believers?

Just a. Saint living supposedly the life

of Christ. One minute you're living it and

the next minute you're not right.

Your situations and your circumstances is dictating how

you're walking this. Walk of faith.

And he doesn't want us to live by the dictates of the what

flesh? Because that will keep you in a

constant place of unrest. Because we know that our flesh

and our spirit battle what daily this is not even on my.

Thing today, our flesh and our spirit is battling daily and if

you don't have a fortified strong spirit that you've

learned how to govern. The flesh is always going to

rule and win out. It's always going to win.

So that tells me then that anything that happens, any

circumstance, any situation that happens in the.

In this area of whatever, somebody may say something to

you wrong, and they say it in the flesh.

And if you don't know how to govern your spirit, and your

spirit has not grown to be some a person of a strong spirit,

then guess how you are going to respond.

Back in your flesh and in your emotions, right?

Because that's what's going to dictate, because that's what's

stronger. That's what's stronger.

Brother Hagan used to always say it this way.

That our spirit should be the umpire calling the shots, The

umpire over our over our flesh, over our mind, over our will,

over our emotions. We want our spirit so strong and

so built up by the word of God that the minute a circumstance

happens or a situation happens, your first response is what the

word not you. Mouth and back with a loose

tongue. Actually, James says your

religion is worthless if you don't know how to bridle your

tongue. Loose lips sink all the time.

Every single day, every single minute, every single word.

That's why he says every idle. Word.

Will be given an account for. Amen.

So we want strong spirits and our spirit is going to have to

be strong if we're going to have a reigning spirit and we're

going to need the reigning spirit to operate more and more

in this day that we are living. Amen.

And we talked about the fact that if we are going to maintain

a reigning spirit, we are going to have to be people that know

the truth, because it's the truth that's going to what set

us free. And Marcy's translation.

Keep you free. Say it again.

Really loud. Say it again.

Say it again. Just because it's set you free

doesn't mean. You're free.

Amen. No, it's his truth.

It's going to keep you free. And aren't you thankful that we

have His word? Who is truth?

And we have the Holy Spirit living on the inside who is

called the what? Spirit of truth?

That can always, always lead us into the right direction.

And then also we talked about the fact that we if we're going

to maintain a reigning spirit, then we're going to have to

know. God's love and operate in that

love. Not just say you love God, but

yet you still display differences with people because

you can't love God and not love people can't love God and not

love people. So saying you love God, you're a

liar. He actually says in John if you.

Can't. Love your.

Your brother? Isn't that what scripture said?

And so last week we talked about the fact that if we are going to

continue to maintain a reigning spirit.

Then we're going to have to have a strong spirit, and in order to

have a strong spirit, we are going to have to what continue

to be people that will allow ourselves to grow.

We have a responsibility to grow and mature because, he said.

Those that don't grow. Remember those that only want to

receive the milk. Of the word are what babies.

But a person that's a baby does not have a what, a strong

spirit. That means that people are

always having to care. For them and take care of them

and help them out of their. Messes, right?

A babe in Christ. Someone that's only used to the

bottle, only used to the the milk.

OK? And that's fine.

There's patience for God, you know, to allow you to grow and

to mature. But there comes a point where

he's saying OK you. Have to continue to grow, but

many believers stop growing. They think just because they're

born again, they're good to go and they don't have to grow in

anything in their life anymore, right?

That you've already. I mean, what else is there?

When I die, I get to go to heaven.

No, for us to obtain the promises of God, for us to walk

as a mature believer, which he talks about in scripture, for us

to walk. In the fullness of all that God

has for us, we have to continue to grow and mature into the

things of God. Amen.

We have to be. Believers that want to what grow

up. We want to grow up, we want to

mature. Because he tells us in Hebrews

that if we're only used to the milk of God's word and we don't

want to grow into righteousness, then we are going to be what

deceived in these last days because we've.

Not trained ourselves how to discern good and evil.

A baby. When they're a baby, they just

open up their mouth and you can stick whatever you want in their

mouth and they do it too, right? They'll chew on anything.

They'll pick up anything. On the floor.

Right. What am I saying?

They'll eat anything that's given to them until you start,

Until they start discerning broccoli or you know, something.

That's what good for them. It's going to help them what,

grow and bring a different type of nourishment as they are

growing older. They need more than milk.

They need more than just, you know, baby food in a jar.

They need more than just cereal. Eventually, they're going to

have to start eating some what? Meat, right?

They're going to have to start eating some raw.

Vegetables, you know, and those types of things so that what

they can grow properly. But as a baby, they've just got

their mouth wide open and they cannot discern on their own what

is good and what is bad for them, and how many believers are

we seeing because we've been talking about.

So many that are going to fall away in these last days because

they have not grown spiritually to mature with words of

righteousness, which is meat and which is a little.

Bit harder than milk, right? Where we know there's people

that only want to go to churches that make them feel good about

themselves so that they can live their best American life now and

it just makes them feel good all the time.

If you go to a place like that, you're not going to spiritually

mature, right? Because the word we know is

there to do multiple things. It's there to instruct, It's

there to correct. It's there to admonish.

It's there to help you. What grow spiritually?

So we want to have people with strong spirits that know how to

discern good and evil and that don't just walk around with

their mouth wide open. Because if you walk around with

your mouth wide open listening to anything that anybody is

saying, this is how you're going to be.

Pulled away and seduced by doctrines of demons, seducing

spirits and false prophets. Because you've not trained your

senses, Hebrews says. Do I need to read that scripture

for you? I'm sure I have it down here

somewhere in the 100 scriptures that I have.

Let's see if I have it. Here it is.

Hebrews he says this. Hebrews 511 through 14.

This is not where I wanted to start, but since we're here,

we're just going to read it concerning him.

We have much to say and it is hard to explain since you have

become dull of hearing point. You can sit in a church for

years and I said this become deceived because one, you've not

been a practicer. Of the word or a doer of the

word or you have become what dull of hearing you think you've

already heard it. You know you've heard it

multiple times. You could quote.

Genesis chapter one verses 26 through 28.

Let us make and let him. See this?

So he says. Listen in Hebrews, he says.

You've become dull of hearing, for though by this time you

ought to be teachers. You have need again for someone

to teach you elementary principles, and I'm not going to

teach on the elementary principles of the oracles of

God. And you have come to have milk.

Need of milk. Not solid.

Food. So you know what this tells me?

That if you've become dull of hearing?

I don't. Care how long?

You've been in the church. Guess what you get to do?

Go back to the milk. You have need of milk again.

So you had milk as a babe, but you became dull of hearing,

which means you stopped growing, You stopped maturing.

So guess what? Because you've done that.

I don't care that you've been in the church 20 years.

Guess what? You have need of again.

We need to put you back on the bottle because you've gotten off

your foundation, You've gotten off the foundation of the word.

You see that? And because of that, we're going

to have to come. Back to need for milk and not

solid food. For everyone who partakes only

of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he

has is an infant, but solid food is for the what mature.

Who? Because of practice, they

practice. This is how you grow strong in

spirit. This is how you maintain a

reigning spirit. You are going to have to be one

that actually practices the word.

That means when you know that the Scripture says that your

flesh and your spirit battle daily, and yet when a situation

you just encountered causes your flesh to rise up, you respond

that way instead of what you know to do.

So when you don't do what you know to do, we know that's

called. Sin.

But not only. When you don't do what you know

to do. That means you're not

practicing. You're not practicing what you

know to do, how you know you should respond in every

situation, in every circumstance.

We are to respond by the Spirit, not by the Where to walk by the

Spirit, not by the flesh, where to live, By the, not by the.

Right, so we have to. And he tells us that we must

mature. We read this last week out of

Ephesians and I believe that this is a church that's going to

get people off the milk. And get them over to the meat of

righteousness, to maturity. Now, those who want to stay a

baby, we're still going to have babies.

And babies are always what? My life would be so easy if

there were no babies. You're always going to have

babies, period. Because you should be getting

new people in that's never heard the word and get born again and

they're going to be considered a babe.

But then we know we're always going to have babies, too.

Because people are going to become dull of hearing after 20

years. You decide.

You decide what you're going to become.

You decide what you're going to become.

You going to remain a baby and live by the dictates of the

flesh like everybody else and not grow and not mature?

Or are you going to decide? You know what?

It's time for me to grow up. When I was a child, I used to.

But when I became a man, I put away childish things and the

flesh is childish things. Childish.

Just showing that you're acting like a baby.

You know, what would it be if if I actually am doing a counseling

meeting and someone's, you know, coming in my office and want to

have counsel and I just. Start crying.

I would. Like to do that because that

would really freak some people out and just have a meltdown.

As they are having a meltdown, wouldn't that be fun?

Just two people in there just having meltdowns.

Oh, praise the Lord. You would like to look at them

and say just quit acting. Like a baby.

Grow up. Come on, Are we not beyond this

by now? But see, that's speaking the

truth in love. And you know, a lot of people

can't even handle that because they're OK.

Not you. Look at your neighbor and say,

not you, you're not a baby. Don't cry at them in their face,

OK? So we know this Ephesians

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4. We're going to move over into my

message because I'm meddling Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

and 15. It says.

And he himself gave some apostles, prophets, evangelists,

pastors, teachers, for the equipping of the Saints, for the

work of ministry, for the edifying of the body, till we

all come to the what unity of faith and the knowledge of the

Son of God. To a perfect man, that word is

mature, a mature man. To the measure of the stature of

the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children

tossed to and fro, carried away by every wind of doctrine, by

the trickery of men, and by the cunning craftiness of deceitful

plotting, you know. There's deceitful plots by

people that you encounter. It's not just, you know, false

prophets and all these things. Again, Pastor has told us we

have to learn how to discern what spirit this person's really

coming from in their behavior. And why they're even saying what

they're saying and acting like they're acting.

You can have a word of knowledge and know you know what you have

a wrong. Motive in what you just said.

And the way you just acted and the way you just responded,

that's a wrong motive, right? But he says, because you're

trying to be right deceitful, and you're plotting, you're

manipulating, you're trying to be.

Crafty in the way that you're talking to me, but I will not be

manipulated nor controlled by any.

Of that kind of spirit, you see that?

Not going to be made feel guilty.

I'm not going to be made feel ashamed because of your failure,

right? Not yours.

But whoever it is I'm dealing with or talking to, and it's not

even me dealing or talking. I mean, I mean, you know,

there's family members, there's people all the time.

You're encountering, right? But I will not be controlled by

people's emotions. I will not be manipulated by

people, right? Your own children.

I'm going to tell you, plenty of your teenage children are

manipulating you all day long and twice on Sunday.

We got a wise up, parents, wise up.

Come on, because you have the Holy Ghost on the inside and you

ought to be able to know when your kid is lying to you or not.

Because that's from a different spirit and if you actually are

following. The.

Spirit of Truth and have the Holy Spirit living within you.

You know whether they're lying or whether they're manipulating

you. But if you're a manipulator and

you're a liar. And don't act like there ain't

no Christians that do that. OK, so this is just the truth to

help us. What?

Say it again to grow up, to grow.

So he says deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love,

that we may grow up in all things unto him who is the head

Christ. And when we He says He wants us

to grow up in the Greek, that means he wants us to become

complete. He wants us to have complete

mental and moral character, not just growing spiritually or

physically. He wants our mental.

Capacities or faculties? Not capacities faculties to grow

and to mature again, so that our emotions do not rule us in a

situation. You see that because our spirit.

Has grown completely matured in the moral character, the

completeness of fully mature, a perfect man, full stature of a

man, so he never wants us to remain babies in Christ.

So we have to desire the sincere milk of the word so that we can

grow thereby, and not only desire the sincere milk of the

word, but we need to desire the the words of righteousness so

that we can get beyond elementary principles right.

So that we can actually learn how to discern some things and

we have actually become practicers of the word of God.

Within our lives daily that we practice the word.

How do you? Practice the word.

You're going to be in those situations that you have to

apply the word. You're going to have to be in

situations that you're going to have to apply the word.

If you know where to live by faith and not by sight, and

you're believing God because you're a tither, you're in

covenant, you are a sower that you know.

You come in your face with a huge bill that you just

encountered. Do you think that took God by

surprise? Do you think that he did not

know about the $120,000 worth of taxes?

He knew. He knows, right?

So what are we going to do because we trust in him?

Lord. Because we're faithful, tithers.

Because we're in covenant with you.

Because we're givers. Because we're walking in love,

Right? I know.

By faith that this is already done.

So I don't have to worry about tomorrow because we what seek

first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything

else will be what added to us, right?

So that's calling. That's called practicing living.

By faith, when everything looks like you're going under.

I live by faith. That means I don't worry about

what I see in the natural because I don't live by what

sight I live by. Because my spirit is strong in

the Lord, my spirit is strong in the Lord, and I'm going to

respond according to my spirit if my spirit has been growing

properly. You're not going to respond by

the spirit if you have not been what we called last week.

What Feeding your spirit. Feeding your spirit The proper

food, the proper nutrients, the proper things right.

And what feeds our spirit? The word of God?

Faith. Comes from what?

Hearing And the hearing from the word of God.

So we have to be people that say, you know what, I am going

to grow. I'm going to mature.

I'm going to feed my spirit man on the word of God coming to.

Church once in 1/4, working your fingers to a bone, doing what

you want to. Do come on, not reading the

word. You do not have.

A. Strong spirit, Period.

Period. Because he says that we should

what, daily Meditate? On the word that His word is

what? Bread.

Amen. So we are not going to develop

properly, and we're not you're going to be anorexic.

You're actually going to be deformed.

If you are not feeding your spirit as a Christian, you will

be a anorexic Christian and a deformed Christian deformities

within you because you've not actually transformed.

OK, transform the renewing of your mind.

So let's go here. I want to go here in US

developing a strong spirit in Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

Colossians chapter 2 and verse 6 through 8 says this.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

And now, just as you have accepted Christ Jesus as your

Lord, you must to continue to follow Him.

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built

on him. Then your faith will grow what

strong in the truth you were talked and you will overflow

with thankfulness. Do not let anyone capture you

with empty philosophies and high sounding nonsense that come from

human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world

rather than from Christ. So you also are complete through

your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler.

And authority, he lets us know right here.

That we must continue to let our roots grow down within him and

our lives being built on him, right?

We know that we have to be built upon the.

Rock, because everything else is what sinking Sand.

Build your house upon the rock. Who is the rock?

Who is? Jesus.

The Word. So if we don't want our house,

our temple, our who, we are built on the wrong things, we

are going to have to recognize that we must build our house

upon the rock. The revelation of who Christ is

the Word of God. He is the Word, and we have to

build our lives on His Word and nothing else, nothing else.

My. Life is built upon his word.

He is my rock. And when I go before any

challenge, any situation, I can be assured that I'm not sinking.

I don't even feel like I'm sinking.

I don't feel overwhelmed. I don't feel pressure.

I don't feel frustrated because I've built my house upon the

unfallible word of God. Amen.

And do you know every believer should be in that position that

we are so built upon. Our foundation is so strong, so

sturdy. Nothing can knock us off the

foundation. Because I'm going to tell you

what, many people are going to be thrown off the foundation

that they once were on because they want continue to stay on

the milk of God's word and did not allow him to rebuild them

because they became deceived and dull of hearing.

And that's how he says many are going to fall away from the

faith in the last days because they were not continually being

built upon the rock and letting their roots grow deeper and

deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper.

Let's talk about a building. I'm going to tell you, most

believers quit growing because they get born again and they

think they're good to go. And that one day when they die,

they're going to be with Jesus in heaven, they stop growing.

They become religious and they think just 'cause they're coming

to church maybe once in awhile and maybe serving once in

awhile, they're good to go all along.

They're still shriveling up and not growing.

And then something rocks their world and the foundation they

thought they were on. No, it wasn't rooted.

It was shallow. Do you know when a builder comes

in? I know a little bit about

building now. I feel like we've been building

for, well, for 20 years. We have been right.

So you know when you go to build.

You cannot just put a house on top of the ground.

But this is what believers think, that when they get born

again, their house is built and they've just plopped it out on

the top of the ground like no house is put on top of the

ground. Huh.

Yeah, just trailers. And they're called mobile homes.

You know what that means? They can be uprooted and moved.

But a path that's built, come on and firmly built and planted

down in the they have to. Listen there, there's a lot that

goes on before you actually see a house.

They have to. They have to actually.

They have to grate the ground first.

Well, first they have to measure out your plot.

Then they have to grade it right.

They have to grade the ground to make sure that the water is

going to flow off properly and not stay right there at your

house. You want it to roll off the

edges of your property, right? So they're grading the ground,

and sometimes, if they have to bring in dirt because it's so

low, guess what they have to do? Let it sit and.

Let it settle for a little while, right before they can

even start measuring out for the cornerstone of the house.

To then put in the the, the, the, you know, the foundations

and the pillars on every corner. They have to dig it out, they

have to put it in. Depending on how.

If you got a three story house, it's got to go down different

depths into the ground. Now if you just want a shallow

house, you're not going to go down as deep.

You want to live a shallow life. Don't go down as deep into the

Word and you'll live a shallow Christian life and a life that

never God intended for you. But if you actually want to be

all that God wants for you and do all the things that God

actually had destined for you to do, you're going to have to dig

down a little bit deeper so that your house, your capacity, can

be larger, right? Then once they get those corner

things all whatever they're called the the.

Squared out and all the footers, thank you.

Y'all knew what I was talking about.

I know what I'm talking about. I just don't know all the

terminology. Then what do they do?

They have to dig out for the septic and the plumbing.

All that stuff before they can actually pour the concrete for

the foundation, because all of that has to have pipes coming up

before they pour the concrete. What if I tried to build the

house and this is what Christians do?

They try to bypass. They think because they're born

again, they can bypass things. So what if I try to, you know,

put my studs up to start building and framing in and I

don't put the trashes up for the roof to support it and I just

put them on top of the tops of the two by fours in the frame?

It's going to collapse. But this is what Christians this

is how their lives are being built.

They're trying to build it their own way and bypass, maybe to

save money. We're going to cheapen and cut

corners like some builders do. Don't go with a builder that

does that, because then then the end you're going to pay.

You going to have cracks in your foundation, Your walls are going

to start cracking, The ceilings going to start cracking.

Come on. You going to have all kinds of

cracks in your house That was. Built because you try to cut

corners, save money and not build it properly.

When God will build your house properly if you allow him to.

So that your foundation can be shirt up so that your whole

house can be built properly. That you never have to worry

about. When the winds come and the

rains come and the floods come. Because guess what?

They're coming and they're going to come.

Because in this life you will have what trials, tribulations,

and all kinds of problems. But what have you allowed God to

do with your life? Have you allowed him to build

you or to grow you, to be a person that's continually

growing and allowing him to do whatever he needs to do within

your life and within your? Heart so that you have a strong

spirit, a reigning spirit. Through whatever's going on in

life, you see that? So that we're not going to get

called up. We're going to be built

properly. You want to make sure that you

are built properly, built on him.

Then your faith will grow strong in the truth that you were

taught. Amen, 'cause if you're not

allowing him to build you properly, it's not true faith.

It's religion, and it's what you want your faith to be.

So it's going to be built wrong. Amen.

And then you're going to wonder why there's always drama,

there's always problems, there's always situations, because

you're ruled by the circumstances.

The. Situations of life because

you've not allowed him to build you properly.

And allowed yourself to continue to grow and mature.

Because in the midst of the pain is where growth can come.

In the midst of the challenge is where growth comes.

And we we talked about this last week, the only way your muscles

are going to grow is if you what?

Tear them down. Break them down so that they can

what? Grow stronger now?

God's not tearing you down and breaking you down, but there's

circumstances, situations, and trials in life that are there to

try to tear you down, to break you down.

Come on. That's a test of faith for you.

And do you actually believe the words that you are being taught

so that when you actually practice it or apply it in that

situation, it's helping your what spirit to grow?

Isn't that what we read last week in Romans about Abraham's

faith grew? He grew strong in faith when he

had to believe God, when his dead body was dead and Sarah's

womb was closed up, right? It said.

His faith was able to grow in the midst of that challenge

because he had to believe God and he counted God.

What faithful, faithful he trusted him beyond what he could

see and his ability, even though his his body was what dead it

said. And that's when you actually

allow God to mature you and grow you through all of these types

of things that you go through. When you as a believer know what

the Word says, you've heard it preach.

Now, are you going to do it right?

Are you going to be a doer in the midst of the situation?

That's how you grow and mature. You do not grow and mature, just

'cause you know what to do, but you don't do it right.

You're being faced with it. What are you going to do?

You've got to apply the word. This is what's going to help you

grow and mature. I want to give you 4 quick

points on how. We can grow a.

Strong Spirit, the number one thing is we must meditate on

God's Word. We must meditate on God's word.

If we are going to be those with a strong spirit, and when any

situation arises in our life that the very first thing that

comes up is, what does the word say?

What does the word say? I hear what the doctor's report

just said. I hear it because that came now.

But what does the word say? That what?

By his stripes I am healed no matter what the report of the

Lord is. Whose report are you going to

believe? People sing that song all day

long. But when they hear the report,

they crumble. Believers, that has even been

taught. The good Word of Faith, they

crumble. You know why?

Because they have not remained build on the foundation.

Of the word of God. You know what I was thinking the

other day? And I was sharing this with

Y'all last Wednesday night and I shared it and taught it to our

staff and the ministry coordinators.

About these children of Israel, he's.

Just had me on this lately. These children of Israel, you

know what? It took only 40 days for them to

revert back. Well.

It actually only took him three because right when he brings

them into the cross in the Red Sea, right into the wilderness

in three days, they were already looking back and want to go back

and whining and crying, OK, I can give them three days.

I'll give that to them because this is all new.

This is a new experience, you know, This is a new thing they

haven't encountered yet. That God's but this is like our

spiritual growth. God delivers us.

We get born again, and he's wanting to bring us into the

promised land. But because it's out of our

comfort zone and because it's not in our normal routine and

the way we used to do life, you know, you're feeling a little

out of sorts. That's what faith will do to

you. And in three days they were

whining and crying. But listen to.

This after God did everything for them.

Here they are, 40 days. When Moses goes up to the

mountain, he was gone for 40 days, right up on the mountain,

talking to God. In 40 days they had already

forgotten what God had delivered them out of.

How long does it take? We've said to create a habit, 21

days to create a habit, right. I believe the 22nd day they

started reverting back. They started reverting back.

They like got Moses. Where is he at?

I mean, come on, he's, he's been up in this mountain now, you

know? And is he coming back?

Because poof, that didn't just happen on the 40th day.

So we have to be people that recognize that we are going to

have to allow him time to do some things within our life so

that it becomes a habit within us, which has to do with

practicing. We have to practice this habit

right for 21 days before it becomes a.

Part of our. Routine.

Isn't that what they say? 21 days to form a habit?

So we're going to have to practice these things.

How much more are we going to have to practice what His word

says that we should do in the situations that we encounter?

Because if they can revert in those forty days to where

they're ready to worship this cow, that this golden calf, and

create their own God again. How about us?

Who are believers that are not doing what the Word of God says,

that are not meditating in the word day and night, that are

not, you know, applying His Word and practicing His Word on a

daily basis? What are we doing?

We're going to create our own ways, just as Pastor said, to

work how we want to worship God and what will be acceptable for

God. OK, but we're not going to grow

with that Anyway. Meditating on the word Joshua 18

says this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth.

But you shall. What?

Meditate in it day and night, so that you'll be careful to do

according to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will

have success. What does he say?

Day. And night.

You know what would be a good habit for you?

If you want to continue to grow, we are going to have to read the

word in the morning before you go to work and read the word

before you put your head on the pillow.

That is day and night, meditating on it Day and night.

I want the first thing I read in the morning.

Not to be the news outlet. Not to be Instagram, not to be

whatever you like to read your romance.

Novel. Your fiction book?

No. The first thing you ought to put

in you is the word of God when you wake up, so that it's your

first. Thoughts in the morning and the

last thoughts before you lay your head to rest.

I'm going to put the word in it because he says if I meditate in

it day and night right and not let it depart from my what?

Oh my. Mouth.

That means I actually should be speaking it.

When I'm getting put in a situation, I'm going to speak

the word only. What does the word say?

What's the word say? What's the word say?

What's the word say about this situation?

That's the first thing I'm going to have come out of my mouth.

But it's not going to come out if we're not putting it in.

It's not going to come out just because you hear it on Sunday

and Wednesday. It's day and night every day.

It's Our Daily Bread, right? Then what will?

Happen. He not only says we are to not

let it depart from our mouth, he only also says that we're

supposed to meditate on it day and night.

But then he also says we are to what do it?

Do be careful to do according to all that is written, not just

part of what is written, not. Just pick and choose what you

want to do and what you don't want to do.

To the word, because, you know, this is really my personality

and you know, God made me this way, so that's how I'm going to

respond, period. Even though it may not be,

according to what the word says, how you should.

Respond right being quick to. Hear slow to speak.

And slow to wrath. So be careful to do according to

all that is written for. Then you will make your way

prosperous and you will have what success?

That's not like you're going to have a successful business.

It's that your life will be a success in whatever you do

because you've actually put the word to it.

Now of course your business will be applied there if you put the

word to it, if you actually do what you know you're supposed to

be doing with your business. Plenty of business owners have

multi $1,000,000 businesses but never give one cent to the

church because they're a businessman and they want to

control where the money goes, right?

Well, that's not doing it according to all that is

written. All right, I'll go.

On anyway, Philippians, let's read this.

Philippians 4/8 and 9:00 says this.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.

Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right and

pure and lovely and admirable. Think about these things that

are excellent and worthy of praise keeping.

Keep putting, say. Keep putting into practice, into

practice. All that you learned and

received from me everything that you have heard.

From me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be

with you. You see that?

So he lets us know. Not only are we to meditate on

the word day and night, but we're supposed to keep our our

thoughts with has to do with meditation with has to do with

our mind, our thinking on things that are right.

Honorable. True.

Pure, lovely and admirable and excellent and worthy of praise.

Right? I'm not going to think about

wickedness and what people are doing.

Bitters. Wicked.

I'm not going to. Meditate on that I'm.

Not going to watch that garbage. I'm not going to.

Listen to that stuff, right? But no, I'm going to think on

things that are true. I'm not going to listen to lies.

I'm not going to listen to liars when I know people are just

lying. They're just lying dogs.

I'm not going to listen to them. That is not going to be the

truth that I put in my life. I don't build my life upon lies.

No, I build my life upon truth. I build my life on honor, not

going to participate in things that are dishonouring people or

whatever. And I'm going to do what is

right. I'm going to think about and

meditate on things that are right, not things that are

wrong. I'm going to think on things

that are pure and holy and righteous and lovely and

admirable. You see that.

So we've got to be people. That meditate on the right

things and put these things within our lives if we're going

to continue to. Grow and mature and have a

strong spirit and then he goes on to say, and we need to keep

putting them into practice because many people are not

practicing the word. They're not practicing the word,

OK? We know one translation says

fixed your mind on these things. The amplified.

You know what else the amplified says about this scripture?

It says to. Think on and weigh and take an

account of these things. Think on these things.

Take an account of these things. Fix your minds.

What does it say? Way out.

That means everything that I'm going to begin to think on.

I'm going to weigh it with the word.

I'm going to weigh it out with the word.

I'm not going to just. Think on things that is not

being. Weighed out with the word of

God. Right.

And when we do that, we can be assured.

That we will continue to grow strong.

Now look at Psalms One and three.

This is the last scripture on meditation.

Psalms. One, one through 3.

Blessed, happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable.

Enviable. Is that how you pronounce?

That? Is the man who walks and lives

not in the counsel of the ungodly?

I would never listen to an ungodly, unsaved person and put

what they say. First place in my life, period.

I'm going to listen to what God's word says and what a

hopefully a St. would say and a believer would say and take

counsel from them speaking the truth rather than taking advice

from an ungodly unsaved person. And how many Christians do that

still have ungodly friends and trying to get in and?

People that are whoring around, come on.

People that are doing all kinds of ungodly things in your sphere

of influence and you listen to their advice, give me a break

that may it never be, God forbid.

I mean, that's insanity. OK?

So we're not. We should be doing that,

listening to ungodly counsel, following their advice, their

plans and purposes, Nor stand submissive and inactive in the.

Path where sinners walk nor sit down to relax and rest where the

scornful and mockers gather. But his delight and desires are

in the law of the Lord. On his law, his precepts, his

instructions, and the teachings of God, he habitually meditates,

ponders, and studies by day and night.

And he shall be like a what a tree, firmly planted and tended

by the streams of water, ready to bring forth fruit in every

season, and its leaves shall not fade wither, and everything you

do shall prosper and. To maturity.

The reason why some of you are not growing and maturing is

because of this. Right here.

You've got an ear to what ungodly people are saying.

You're listening to their advice.

You're listening. You're hanging out with scornful

sinners, mockers against the things of God.

And you are not putting what God's word says in your heart,

in your ears. You're not feeding upon it.

Remember, we have eye gates and we have an ear gate and that's.

What gets into our soul? What are we listening to?

What are we feeding on? What are we watching?

What are we allowing to be put within our souls?

Come on. And whatever that is is feeding

us. What if you've heard this before

the statement garbage in, garbage out.

If you're feeding on garbage and listening to this junk and all

these philosophies of the world and all these you know,

so-called psychologist and self help people and Instagram is

full of them. They're going to lead you down

straight to. Hell, I'm telling you right now,

you're on a dangerous Rd. if you're feeding on their counsel

more than the counsel of God, which is the word of God.

Hallelujah. So we need to meditate in the

word of God if we are going to have a strong Spirit #2.

We must be practicers or doers of the word if we're going to

have a strong spirit. James 121 through 26 Out of the

Amplified So get rid of all cleanly uncleanliness and the

rampart outgrowth of wickedness. And in humble, gentle, modest

spirit, receive and welcome the word which is implanted and

rooted in your hearts, and contains the power to save your

souls. Be not doers of the word right.

Obey the message and not merely listeners to it, betraying

yourselves into deception by reasoning contrary to the truth.

What does? That mean you are hearing the

truth. I can guarantee you every time

you come to this church and the words that are going to come

forth off of this platform is going to be the truth, the whole

truth, and nothing but the truth.

Soap. Help us God, unfiltered,

unadulterated, unwatered down. And if you sit here for 20

years, hearing the truth of God's word and not being a what

doer of that word, what are you doing?

Your reasoning out, why you don't have to do it, why you

don't have to do it, and that you think you can still grow and

mature and have a strong spirit. I mean, that's just deception,

guys. And I don't want.

Anyone to be deceived, It's just deception and you got to shake

that off of you into deception by reasoning contrary to the.

Truth, you're sitting there reasoning out.

The. Truth that you don't really have

to do that it says for anyone. Who listens to the word without

obeying it and being a doer of it?

He is like a man who looks carefully at his own natural

face in a mirror, for he thoughtfully observes himself

and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.

But. He who looks carefully into the

faultless law. The faultless law, the law of

liberty, what the law of freedom come on, and his faithful to,

and perseveres into looking into it.

Being not a heedless listener who forgets, but an active doer

who obeys, he shall be blessed in his doing, his life of

obedience, if anyone thinks himself to be religious.

And does not bridle his tongue, deludes his own heart.

You think you're religious. You think you're full of faith.

You think just because you show up here once a quarter or

whatever the case may be. But you ain't doing it.

And you run off at the mouth. You have an unbridled tongue.

You have no soul control. You're deceiving yourself.

Deluding yourself. That you're right.

You're reasoning it out contrary to the truth.

And we cannot be people that do that if we are going to allow

ourselves to grow and mature. Come on and have a strong

spirit, a reigning spirit that he says we can have.

We will not reign in life or do anything if we are deluded.

It says he shall be blessed in his duty.

Anyone who thinks to be religious right and does not

bridle his trunk, he he tongue he.

Deludes his own heart. This person is religious.

Service is worthless. It's worthless.

It's worthless. I didn't say that.

The word of God said it. The word of God said it and we

got to read it for what it says, Amen and then be doers of it. #3

We have to give the Word first place, right?

The Word is first place within our hearts and within our lives.

If the Word says, I need to do that.

If the Word says, I need to act like that.

If the Word says, I need to change.

If the word says, I need to respond like that.

If the word says this, whatever the case may be, it's first

place in my life. So I'm going to yield to it.

I'm going to do it, I'm going to apply it, and I'm going to.

It's first in that what Matthew 633 says, Seek ye. 1st.

The Kingdom of God in his righteousness right.

And all these things will be added unto you.

Look at Proverbs 420. In proverbs 420 through 22, out

of the Amplified my son, attend to my words, consent and submit

to my sayings. And that's where most people are

at. Are we submitting to his

sayings? Are we submitting to his word?

Are we putting at first place in our life and what he says that

we should be doing? Or are we putting other people's

opinions, other people's ideas of how we should do this thing?

Other people's right philosophies, other people's

doctrine? Because you're hearing sound

doctrine here, but you may still be holding on to other people's

doctrine. Maybe your mama's doctrine,

maybe your daddy's doctrine. Come on.

Maybe somebody else's belief system that's been put in you

and you are holding on to that tradition, right?

God in that way we say, and not wanting to go let go of it and

not putting his. Word first in your heart, you

see that? So it says this.

Let them not depart from your eyes, your sight.

Keep them in the center of your heart, for they are life to

those who find them and healing and health to all your flesh.

If you just start submitting to the Word, your body would start

getting in alignment in every area of your life.

Because it's health and healing, start submitting to the word of

God and your body again in alignment some of you.

That's a prophetic word. You need to submit to the word

and your body will get in line instantly.

Obey #4. Last one.

We're closing with this. Instantly obey the.

Voice of your spirit, the minute you hear the Holy Spirit, yeah,

that's it. That's what you need to do.

Obey it. Obey it immediately.

Obey it whatever it is you can be sitting in.

You could be walking in Walmart. And the Holy Spirit say, you

know what, I want you to buy that person's groceries.

Obey immediately. Be sitting in here, and the Holy

Spirit say you need to go pay. For that person's rent.

Obey immediately. You may be sitting in here in

the Holy Spirit, say you need to deal with this root issue.

Obey immediately. Obey the voice of the Spirit

immediately. Because I'm going to tell you,

it will save your life. If we don't obey it, then we're

going to harden ourselves all the time.

Those prompt things are coming. And if we don't learn to obey,

that means we are practicing obeying.

We're practicing obeying. Oh, that's what the Word said

about that situation. OK.

The next time I'm going to obey it.

The next time I'm going to obey it.

And you know what you should say?

Thank you, Holy Spirit, that the next time I want to respond that

way, you tell me and I'm going to obey it.

And he will, and he does. I've used this example before.

You know my husband, when he and I first got married, you know, I

had a mouth on me and you know. I had I had a problem right?

And he would come in from work or whatever, and I would just

spout off or, you know, whatever, say whatever.

We're getting into argument. You know, I'm going to have some

stuff to say about it. And, you know, act in a fool,

OK, Just say you act in a fool when you do it.

So, you know, I'm growing as a woman of God, and this is years

ago when we first got married, you know, And I I was taught you

don't have to submit to a man. And so I wasn't going to submit,

you know, and all these things. And all of a sudden I heard the

Holy Spirit say, you need to bite your.

Tongue. You need to quit talking to him

like that. That is not honoring.

That's not respectful. That's not how you should be

talking to your husband. You know, and so I heard the

holy now I have a choice. Now I have a choice to obey the

voice of the Spirit or to not. So I have said OK to myself,

self, and the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord, that you're

going to let me know the next time I want to start spouting

off. You're going to let me know that

I just need to keep my mouth shut and I'm going to yield to

that. And what happened?

I started practicing. It.

Was I perfect? Immediately?

No, because I had been practicing.

It for what? Years?

Been practicing it for years, so it took a little.

While for that habit to become natural response.

But it never would have become a habit, and it never would have

been a natural response if I had not obeyed and yield to what the

Holy Spirit said I recognized. It I received the correction, I

said, you're right, I shouldn't be.

And then I began yielding to it. And the Holy Spirit would help

me because he's our what? He's our helper, He's our helper

and he's there to help. Us become who it is that we need

to become so that we can grow and we can mature into.

A. Person who actually responds to

the word 1st and not our emotions, not our situations

because our spirit has become what strong and that's how you

know you have a reigning spirit because pastor can say this is

the year of a reigning spirit and not not one person operate

in it. I don't care that you've been

given the reigning Spirit, which we know who is Christ and the.

Spirit of Truth that's living on the inside of you and the power

of the Holy Ghost. I don't care that you've been

given that spirit. You have to yield to it and

actually walk it out and do it. OK.

So for us to maintain a strong spirit so that the first thing

we do is what does the word say? Because I've been meditating on

the word day and night. I've been putting it in my

heart. I've been meditating on it.

I've been making sure I'm thinking on these things.

I've been practicing the word. I've been doing the word.

I've been responding according to the word Amen.

I've been putting it first in my life.

And I actually am obeying. The voice of the Holy Spirit.

Amen. That's how we're going to

maintain a reigning spirit this year.

Hallelujah, Thank you so much for listening to this message.

If you want more, subscribe to our message podcast on iTunes,

Google Play, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Rating and leaving a comment will go a long way with helping

our messages get better circulation.

If you'd enjoy watching our weekend messages, visit

youtube.com/anchor Faith. We'd love it.

If you'd subscribe, leave a comment or a like on the

messages. If you'd like to find out more

information about us and how we're influencing the world, and

help support the work we're doing by giving, just visit

anchorfaith.com.