Jesus Fast April 2019

This was my first extended fast, and my first fast with the wider body of Christ. The only word coming to mind is “wild,” and I see now that the word is appropriate, as I was, in a sense, in the wilderness. God in recent years had helped me surrender to him alcohol abuse, pornography habits, shame, sleeping with men, overeating, my sin of abortion, and not putting my relationship with Him first. As this fast started however, I was seemingly “out of nowhere,” tempted again with all of these past strongholds.  The timing of it all soon made sense to me as a form of spiritual warfare, and I was humbled at how, with God, I can now quickly rebuke the attempts of the enemy to remind me of things about myself that God has chosen to forgive and to forget. I learned that spiritual fights require spiritual nourishment, not physical.  

As part of Deeper Still, a ministry that provides Christian retreats throughout the country for post-abortive men and women, in these 40 days God has blessed and broken my heart again. Our fundraising event was held during this Jesus Fast, and we  raised 3 times the money we raised last year, and our  chapter will now be ministering to at least 3 times the number of people we ministered to last year. 

Since I myself received my voice back through attending a  Deeper Still retreat in 2017, when I joined my team for the showing of Unplanned during this fast two weeks ago, I was able to respond to God’s urging to start a prayer in the theatre as the credits rolled. This is in no way part of my personality as someone who has a lifestyle of being a follower and concerned about the opinions of others. My friends and I prayed out loud, and others around us joined as we repented for our abortions, praised God for his forgiveness and mercy, asked for God to bless both the theatre and movie, and cried out for our local Planned Parenthood to be shut down. Afterwards, because of this, we made connections with others in the Prolife Movement who were in the theatre.  

On Sanctity of Life Sunday this year, (pre Jesus Fast,) also Martin Luther King weekend, I was disappointed when my pastor spoke ad nauseum about racism to our “multicultural church” but said nothing about abortion. In my opinion, even a sentence stating that Planned Parenthood was founded by Margaret Sanger to exterminate black children in America would not have been out of place. However, again, within this Jesus Fast, my pastor has now been more vocal about God’s view of it and in highlighting the Deeper Still ministry which his church oversees as a help for those who have had/were forced into abortions. I’m not sure what changed, but he finally stated clearly that in his opinion, abortion is America’s worst sin.  

The local Planned Parenthood, the facility I myself used in 2013, has abortions on Tuesdays only. On this 40th day of the Jesus Fast, a Tuesday, I went back. I have had a lot of apprehension about going there for the past two years and in seeing the people who were probably the same people out there praying as I went into the building years ago.  But, as I read your last email this morning, I was reminded that I am not the same person I was, and that Christ now lives in me, and that I have all authority through Jesus to say “Satan, be gone.”  

My fear this morning  then seemed ridiculous to myself. Holy Spirit has purified me and given me bravery in these last 40 days, and this is no time to be wondering what others will think of me as I stand and pray with others outside a place that I chose to allow to rob me of an opportunity to be a mom. I met a woman who prays there regularly and who is not post abortive. She said that she is limited sometimes in talking with women going in because she does not have it in her past. I told her, because of Jesus, I do not cry anymore about it and can talk about abortion honestly.  Her face lit up and then invited me to meet with her next Monday on her Pro-Life TV program to interview me about the post abortive experience, which is terrible to say the least, but again, at least I can talk about it now and highlight Jesus and the purpose of His death, something I didn’t know before my decision to have an abortion.  

The rest of the team of my Deeper Still chapter has also, within this period of my fasting with the Jesus Fast, seemed to grow in understanding of the need and power of Christian fasting, and they are now committed to fast with me each Tuesday while abortions are still occurring in our city. I had been doing this for two years, and they were never motivated before to ask to join me.    

Finally, I see all of this a continuation of the Esther Fast/Awaken the Dawn/The Call/Moral Outcry event in DC from 2017. I attended the event alone. I thought it was just a weekend to pray for America, and I liked some of the speakers and musicians attending, so that’s why I went. I didn’t know much of anything about Lou Engle, it was my first time fasting for more than a day, and I truly had no idea that it was related to abortion legislation. As someone who had just received a huge deliverance and breakthrough from my own abortion just a few months earlier than that event, I’m thankful I could participate in it knowing I’m redeemed. Without that deliverance, I don’t know how I would have handled the weekend, and if I had known the focus of the event, I’m not sure I would have gone. But, I was there at the Pennsylvania tent at midnight to drive the tent peg. I remember knowing at that moment that there was no turning back on my mind about the legality of abortion. It must be illegal. I remember driving the tent peg with just a few other people from PA, and I believe I was the only one who had an abortion, (or at least the only one that night that admitted it.) I remember thinking, ‘This is serious and binding to God. I’m taking a stand against it, and I don’t care who tries to shut me up by saying, ‘you’re against abortion, but you did it yourself. We don’t want to hear you or value your words.’”  

Since that 2017 event in DC, honestly, there has been one Walmart popup tent peg of my own that never seems to be able to be stored with the rest of my tent and his three brothers. I kept finding it in my car or in my kitchen or in my purse. I finally, as I stared at it again on my kitchen table last week as this Jesus fast was winding down, asked God,  “Why? Why does this tent peg keep appearing? Why can’t I just put it away?” In asking Him in  this fasting state, I finally understood. God was trying to remind me of that weekend, when I committed to drive a tent peg through the head of the enemy. Abortion ruined not just my child’s  life but also my own, but thankfully, God was willing to take it and give me a new one. He doesn’t want me to forget, as I live a new free life in Christ, that it’s still legal in America and an offense to God and that I’m to participate in shutting it down. Because of this Jesus Fast, I was linked back to my promise and decision to have abortion be illegal in PA and to trust that Jesus will help me and give me courage to participate in the prolife movement. Today was the end of the fast, but the start of something new for me within the prolife movement.   

Jesus lives in me. Thank you for calling this fast. It has been a crash course in retraining my mind and heart back towards Jesus, the courageous Jesus. It has helped me to see that every interaction at this point in my life can be ministry and that allowing Jesus to operate within me is possible and the way I want to live now. It took away a lot of fear I’ve fed and allowed to grow, and it taught me perseverance in letting God have his way.  

Fasting Notes Galatians

  1. Galatians – September 7
    1.  apostle Paul
    2. he date of Galatians depends to a great extent on the destination of the letter. There are two main views:
      1. The North Galatian theory. This older view holds that the letter was addressed to churches located in north-central Asia Minor (Pessinus, Ancyra and Tavium), where the Gauls had settled when they invaded the area in the third century b.c. It is held that Paul visited this area on his second missionary journey, though Acts contains no reference to such a visit. Galatians, it is maintained, was written between a.d. 53 and 57 from Ephesus or Macedonia.
      2. The South Galatian theory. According to this view, Galatians was written to churches in the southern area of the Roman province of Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe) that Paul had founded on his first missionary journey. Some believe that Galatians was written from Syrian Antioch in 48-49 after Paul’s first journey and before the Jerusalem council meeting (Ac 15). Others say that Galatians was written in Syrian Antioch or Corinth between 51 and 53.
      Occasion and PurposeJudaizers were Jewish Christians who believed, among other things, that a number of the ceremonial practices of the OT were still binding on the NT church. Following Paul’s successful campaign in Galatia, they insisted that Gentile converts to Christianity abide by certain OT rites, especially circumcision. They may have been motivated by a desire to avoid the persecution of Zealot Jews who objected to their fraternizing with Gentiles (see 6:12). The Judaizers argued that Paul was not an authentic apostle and that out of a desire to make the message more appealing to Gentiles he had removed from the gospel certain legal requirements.Paul responded by clearly establishing his apostolic authority and thereby substantiating the gospel he preached. By introducing additional requirements for justification (e.g., works of the law) his adversaries had perverted the gospel of grace and, unless prevented, would bring Paul’s converts into the bondage of legalism. It is by grace through faith alone that people are justified, and it is by faith alone that they are to live out their new life in the freedom of the Spirit.Theological TeachingGalatians stands as an eloquent and vigorous apologetic for the essential NT truth that people are justified by faith in Jesus Christ — by nothing less and nothing more — and that they are sanctified not by legalistic works but by the obedience that comes from faith in God’s work for them, in them and through them by the grace and power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It was the rediscovery of the basic message of Galatians (and Romans) that brought about the Protestant Reformation. Galatians is often referred to as “Luther’s book,” because Martin Luther relied so strongly on this letter in all his preaching, teaching and writing against the prevailing theology of his day. It is also referred to as the “Magna Carta of Christian Liberty.” A key verse is 2:16 (see note there).Outline
      • Introduction (1:1-10)
      • Personal: Authentication of the Apostle of Liberty and Faith (1:11;2:21)
        • Paul’s Gospel Was Received by Special Revelation (1:11-12)
        • Paul’s Gospel Was Independent of the Jerusalem Apostles and the Judean Churches (1:13;2:21)
          1. Evidenced by his early activities as a Christian (1:13-17)
          2. Evidenced by his first post-Christian visit to Jerusalem (1:18-24)
          3. Evidenced by his second post-Christian visit to Jerusalem (2:1-10)
          4. Evidenced by his rebuke of Peter at Antioch (2:11-21)
      • Doctrinal: Justification of the Doctrine of Liberty and Faith (chs. 3–4)
        • The Galatians’ Experience of the Gospel (3:1-5)
        • The Experience of Abraham (3:6-9)
        • The Curse of the Law (3:10-14)
        • The Priority of the Promise (3:15-18)
        • The Purpose of the Law (3:19-25)
        • Sons, Not Slaves (3:26;4:7)
        • The Danger of Turning Back (4:8-11)
        • Appeal to Embrace the Freedom of God’s Children (4:12-20)
        • God’s Children Are Children of the Free Woman (4:21-31)
      • Practical: Practice of the Life of Liberty and Faith (5:1;6:10)
        • Exhortation to Freedom (5:1-12)
        • Life by the Spirit, Not by the Flesh (5:13-26)
        • Call for Mutual Help (6:1-10)
      • Conclusion and Benediction (6:11-18)
  2. Ephesians- September 7
    1. Author, Date and Place of WritingThe author identifies himself as Paul (1:1; 3:1; cf. 3:7,13; 4:1; 6:19-20). Some have taken the absence of the usual personal greetings and the verbal similarity of many parts to Colossians, among other reasons, as grounds for doubting authorship by the apostle Paul. However, this was probably a circular letter, intended for other churches in addition to the one in Ephesus (see notes on 1:1,15; 6:21-23). Paul may have written it about the same time as Colossians, c. a.d. 60, while he was in prison at Rome (see 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; see also chart, p. 2261).The City of EphesusEphesus was the most important city in western Asia Minor (now Turkey). It had a harbor that at that time opened into the Cayster River (see map, p. 2429), which in turn emptied into the Aegean Sea (see map, p. 2599). Because it was also at an intersection of major trade routes, Ephesus became a commercial center. It boasted a pagan temple dedicated to the Roman goddess Diana (Greek Artemis); cf. Ac 19:23-31. Paul made Ephesus a center for evangelism for about three years (see note on Ac 19:10), and the church there apparently flourished for some time, but later needed the warning of Rev 2:1-7.Theological MessageUnlike several of the other letters Paul wrote, Ephesians does not address any particular error or heresy. Paul wrote to expand the horizons of his readers, so that they might understand better the dimensions of God’s eternal purpose and grace and come to appreciate the high goals God has for the church.The letter opens with a sequence of statements about God’s blessings, which are interspersed with a remarkable variety of expressions drawing attention to God’s wisdom, forethought and purpose. Paul emphasizes that we have been saved, not only for our personal benefit, but also to bring praise and glory to God. The climax of God’s purpose, “when the times will have reached their fulfillment,” is to bring all things in the universe together under Christ (1:10). It is crucially important that Christians realize this, so in 1:15-23 Paul prays for their understanding (a second prayer occurs in 3:14-21).Having explained God’s great goals for the church, Paul proceeds to show the steps toward their fulfillment. First, God has reconciled individuals to himself as an act of grace (2:1-10). Second, God has reconciled these saved individuals to each other, Christ having broken down the barriers through his own death (2:11-22). But God has done something even beyond this: He has united these reconciled individuals in one body, the church. This is a “mystery” not fully known until it was revealed to Paul (3:1-6). Now Paul is able to state even more clearly what God has intended for the church, namely, that it be the means by which he displays his “manifold wisdom” to the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (3:7-13). It is clear through the repetition of “heavenly realms” (1:3,20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12) that Christian existence is not merely on an earthly plane. It receives its meaning and significance from heaven, where Christ is exalted at the right hand of God (1:20).Nevertheless, that life is lived out on earth, where the practical daily life of the believer continues to work out the purposes of God. The ascended Lord gave “gifts” to the members of his church to enable them to minister to one another and so promote unity and maturity (4:1-16). The unity of the church under the headship of Christ foreshadows the uniting of “all things in heaven and on earth” under Christ (1:10). The new life of purity and mutual deference stands in contrast to the old way of life without Christ (4:17 — 6:9). Those who are “strong in the Lord” have victory over the evil one in the great spiritual conflict, especially through the power of prayer (6:10-20; see note on 1:3).Outline
      • Greetings (1:1-2)
      • The Divine Purpose: The Glory and Headship of Christ (1:3-14)
      • Prayer That Christians May Realize God’s Purpose and Power (1:15-23)
      • Steps Toward the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose (chs. 2–3)
        • Salvation of Individuals by Grace (2:1-10)
        • Reconciliation of Jew and Gentile through the Cross (2:11-18)
        • Uniting of Jew and Gentile in One Household (2:19-22)
        • Revelation of God’s Wisdom through the Church (3:1-13)
        • Prayer for Deeper Experience of God’s Fullness (3:14-21)
      • Practical Ways to Fulfill God’s Purpose in the Church (4:1;6:20)
      • Conclusion, Final Greetings and Benediction (6:21-24)
  3. Philippians – September 14
    1. uthor, Date and Place of WritingThe early church was unanimous in its testimony that Philippians was written by the apostle Paul (see 1:1). Internally the letter reveals the stamp of genuineness. The many personal references of the author fit what we know of Paul from other NT books.It is evident that Paul wrote the letter from prison (see 1:13-14). Some have argued that this imprisonment took place in Ephesus, perhaps c. a.d. 53-55; others put it in Caesarea c. 57-59. Best evidence, however, favors Rome as the place of origin and the date as c. 61. This fits well with the account of Paul’s house arrest in Ac 28:14-31. When he wrote Philippians, he was not in the Mamertine dungeon as he was when he wrote 2 Timothy. He was in his own rented house, where for two years he was free to impart the gospel to all who came to him.PurposePaul’s primary purpose in writing this letter was to thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent him upon learning of his detention at Rome (1:5; 4:10-19). However, he makes use of this occasion to fulfill several other desires: (1) to report on his own circumstances (1:12-26; 4:10-19); (2) to encourage the Philippians to stand firm in the face of persecution and rejoice regardless of circumstances (1:27-30; 4:4); (3) to exhort them to humility and unity (2:1-11; 4:2-5); (4) to commend Timothy and Epaphroditus to the Philippian church (2:19-30); and (5) to warn the Philippians against the Judaizers (legalists) and antinomians (libertines) among them (ch. 3).RecipientsThe city of Philippi (see map, p. 2445) was named after King Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. It was a prosperous Roman colony, which meant that the citizens of Philippi were also citizens of the city of Rome itself. They prided themselves on being Romans (see Ac 16:21), dressed like Romans and often spoke Latin. No doubt this was the background for Paul’s reference to the believer’s heavenly citizenship (3:20-21). Many of the Philippians were retired military men who had been given land in the vicinity and who in turn served as a military presence in this frontier city. That Philippi was a Roman colony may explain why there were not enough Jews there to permit the establishment of a synagogue and why Paul does not quote the OT in the Philippian letter.Characteristics
      1. Philippians contains no OT quotations (but see note on Job 13:16).
      2. It is a missionary thank-you letter in which the missionary reports on the progress of his work.
      3. It manifests a particularly vigorous type of Christian living: (1) self-humbling (2:1-4); (2) pressing toward the goal (3:13-14); (3) lack of anxiety (4:6); (4) ability to do all things (4:13).
      4. It is outstanding as the NT letter of joy; the word “joy” in its various forms occurs some 16 times.
      5. It contains one of the most profound Christological passages in the NT (2:5-11). Yet, profound as it is, Paul includes it mainly for illustrative purposes.
      Outline
      • Greetings (1:1-2)
      • Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Philippians (1:3-11)
      • Paul’s Personal Circumstances (1:12-26)
      • Exhortations (1:27;2:18)
        • Living a Life Worthy of the Gospel (1:27-30)
        • Following the Servant Attitude of Christ (2:1-18)
      • Paul’s Associates in the Gospel (2:19-30)
      • Warnings against Judaizers and Antinomians (3:1;4:1)
        • Against Judaizers or Legalists (3:1-16)
        • Against Antinomians or Libertines (3:17;4:1)
      • Final Exhortations, Thanks and Conclusion (4:2-23)
        • Exhortations concerning Various Aspects of the Christian Life (4:2-9)
        • Concluding Testimony and Repeated Thanks (4:10-20)
        • Final Greetings and Benediction (4:21-23)

  4. Colossians- September 14
    1. Author, Date and Place of WritingThat Colossians is a genuine letter of Paul (1:1) is usually not disputed. In the early church, all who speak on the subject of authorship ascribe it to Paul. In the 19th century, however, some thought that the heresy refuted in ch. 2 was second-century Gnosticism. But a careful analysis of ch. 2 shows that the heresy referred to there is noticeably less developed than the Gnosticism of leading Gnostic teachers of the second and third centuries. Also, the seeds of what later became the full-blown Gnosticism of the second century were present in the first century and already making inroads into the churches. Consequently, it is not necessary to date Colossians in the second century at a time too late for Paul to have written the letter.Instead, it is to be dated during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, where he spent at least two years under house arrest (see Ac 28:16-31). Some have argued that Paul wrote Colossians from Ephesus or Caesarea, but most of the evidence favors Rome as the place where Paul penned all the Prison Letters (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon). Colossians should be dated c. a.d. 60, in the same year as Ephesians and Philemon.Colosse: The Town and the ChurchSeveral hundred years before Paul’s day, Colosse had been a leading city in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). It was located on the Lycus River and on the great east-west trade route leading from Ephesus on the Aegean Sea to the Euphrates River (see map, p. 2288). By the first century a.d. Colosse was diminished to a second-rate market town, which had been surpassed long before in power and importance by the neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis (see 4:13).What gave Colosse NT importance, however, was the fact that, during Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus, Epaphras had been converted and had carried the gospel to Colosse (cf. 1:7-8; Ac 19:10). The young church that resulted then became the target of heretical attack, which led to Epaphras’s visit to Paul in Rome and ultimately to the penning of the Colossian letter.Perhaps as a result of the efforts of Epaphras or other converts of Paul, Christian churches had also been established in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Some of them were house churches (see 4:15; Phm 2). Most likely all of them were primarily Gentile.The Colossian HeresyPaul never explicitly describes the false teaching he opposes in the Colossian letter. The nature of the heresy must be inferred from statements he made in opposition to the false teachers. An analysis of his refutation suggests that the heresy was diverse in nature. Some of the elements of its teachings were:
      1. Ceremonialism. It held to strict rules about the kinds of permissible food and drink, religious festivals (2:16-17) and circumcision (2:11; 3:11).
      2. Asceticism. “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” (2:21; cf. 2:23).
      3. Angel worship. See 2:18.
      4. Depreciation of Christ. This is implied in Paul’s emphasis on the supremacy of Christ (1:15-20; 2:2-3,9).
      5. Secret knowledge. The Gnostics boasted of this (see 2:18 and Paul’s emphasis in 2:2-3 on Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom”).
      6. Reliance on human wisdom and tradition. See 2:4,8.
      These elements seem to fall into two categories, Jewish and Gnostic. It is likely, therefore, that the Colossian heresy was a mixture of an extreme form of Judaism and an early stage of Gnosticism (see Introduction to 1 John: Gnosticism; see also note on 2:23).Purpose and ThemePaul’s purpose is to refute the Colossian heresy. To accomplish this goal, he exalts Christ as the very image of God (1:15), the Creator (1:16), the preexistent sustainer of all things (1:17), the head of the church (1:18), the first to be resurrected (1:18), the fullness of deity in bodily form (1:19; 2:9) and the reconciler (1:20-22). Thus Christ is completely adequate. We “have been given fullness in Christ” (2:10). On the other hand, the Colossian heresy was altogether inadequate. It was a hollow and deceptive philosophy (2:8), lacking any ability to restrain the old sinful nature (2:23).The theme of Colossians is the complete adequacy of Christ as contrasted with the emptiness of mere human philosophy.Outline
      • Introduction (1:1-14)
      • The Supremacy of Christ (1:15-23)
      • Paul’s Labor for the Church (1:24;2:7)
        • His Ministry for the Sake of the Church (1:24-29)
        • His Concern for the Spiritual Welfare of His Readers (2:1-7)
      • Freedom from Human Regulations through Life with Christ (2:8-23)
        • Warning to Guard against the False Teachers (2:8-15)
        • Pleas to Reject the False Teachers (2:16-19)
        • An Analysis of the Heresy (2:20-23)
      • Rules for Holy Living (3:1;4:6)
        • The Old Self and the New Self (3:1-17)
        • Rules for Christian Households (3:18;4:1)
        • Further Instructions (4:2-6)
      • Final Greetings and Benediction (4:7-18)
  5. 1 Thessalonians – September 21
    1. Background of the Thessalonian LettersIt is helpful to trace the locations of Paul and his companions that relate to the Thessalonian correspondence. The travels were as follows:
      1. Paul and Silas fled from Thessalonica to Berea. Since Timothy is not mentioned (see Ac 17:10 and note), it is possible that he stayed in Thessalonica or went back to Philippi and then rejoined Paul and Silas in Berea (Ac 17:14).
      2. Paul fled to Athens from Berean persecution, leaving Silas and Timothy in Berea (see Ac 17:14).
      3. Paul sent word back, instructing Silas and Timothy to come to him in Athens (see Ac 17:15; see also note on 1Th 3:1-2).
      4. Timothy rejoined Paul at Athens and was sent back to Thessalonica (see 3:1-5). Since Silas is not mentioned, it has been conjectured that he went back to Philippi when Timothy went to Thessalonica (see note on 3:1-2).
      5. Paul moved on to Corinth (see Ac 18:1).
      6. Silas and Timothy came to Paul in Corinth (see 3:6; Ac 18:5).
      7. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and sent it to the church.
      8. About six months later (a.d. 51/52) he sent 2 Thessalonians in response to further information about the church there.
      Author, Date and Place of WritingBoth external and internal evidence (see 1:1; 2:18) support the view that Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians (from Corinth; see note on 3:1-2). Early church writers are agreed on the matter, with testimonies beginning as early as a.d. 140 (Marcion). Paul’s known characteristics are apparent in the letter (3:1-2,8-11 compared with Ac 15:36; 2Co 11:28). Historical allusions in the book fit Paul’s life as recounted in Acts and in his own letters (2:14-16 compared with Ac 17:5-10; 3:6 compared with Ac 17:16). In the face of such evidence, few have ever rejected authorship by Paul.It is generally dated c. a.d. 51. Weighty support for this date was found in an inscription discovered at Delphi, Greece (see map No. 13 at the end of this study Bible), that dates Gallio’s proconsulship to c. 51-52 and thus places Paul at Corinth at the same time (see Ac 18:12-17 and note on 18:12; see also chart, p. 1673). Except for the possibility of an early date for Galatians (48-49?), 1 Thessalonians is Paul’s earliest canonical letter.Thessalonica: The City and the ChurchThessalonica was a bustling seaport city at the head of the Thermaic Gulf (see map, p. 2280). It was an important communication and trade center, located at the junction of the great Egnatian Way and the road leading north to the Danube. It was the largest city in Macedonia and was also the capital of its province.The background of the Thessalonian church is found in Ac 17:1-9. Since Paul began his ministry there in the Jewish synagogue, it is reasonable to assume that the new church included some Jews. However, 1:9-10; Ac 17:4 seem to indicate that the church was largely Gentile in membership.PurposePaul had left Thessalonica abruptly (see Ac 17:5-10) after a rather brief stay. Recent converts from paganism (1:9) were thus left with little external support in the midst of persecution. Paul’s purpose in writing this letter was to encourage the new converts in their trials (3:3-5), to give instruction concerning godly living (4:1-12) and to give assurance concerning the future of believers who die before Christ returns (4:13-18; see Theme below; see also notes on 4:13,15).ThemeAlthough the thrust of the letter is varied (see Purpose), the subject of eschatology (doctrine of last things) seems to be predominant in both Thessalonian letters. Every chapter of 1 Thessalonians ends with a reference to the second coming of Christ, with ch. 4 giving it major consideration (1:9-10; 2:19-20; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:23-24). Thus, the second coming seems to permeate the letter and may be viewed in some sense as its theme. The two letters are often designated as the eschatological letters of Paul.Outline
      • The Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians (ch. 1)
        • The Grounds for the Thanksgiving (1:1-4)
        • The Genuineness of the Grounds (1:5-10)
      • The Defense of the Apostolic Actions and Absence (chs. 2–3)
        • The Defense of the Apostolic Actions (2:1-16)
        • The Defense of the Apostolic Absence (2:17;3:10)
        • The Prayer (3:11-13)
      • The Exhortations to the Thessalonians (4:1;5:22)
        • Primarily concerning Personal Life (4:1-12)
        • Concerning the Coming of Christ (4:13;5:11)
        • Primarily concerning Church Life (5:12-22)
      • The Concluding Prayer, Greetings and Benediction (5:23-28)
    2. Background of the Thessalonian Letters
  6. It is helpful to trace the locations of Paul and his companions that relate to the Thessalonian correspondence. The travels were as follows:
    1. Paul and Silas fled from Thessalonica to Berea. Since Timothy is not mentioned (see Ac 17:10 and note), it is possible that he stayed in Thessalonica or went back to Philippi and then rejoined Paul and Silas in Berea (Ac 17:14).
    2. Paul fled to Athens from Berean persecution, leaving Silas and Timothy in Berea (see Ac 17:14).
    3. Paul sent word back, instructing Silas and Timothy to come to him in Athens (see Ac 17:15; see also note on 1Th 3:1-2).
    4. Timothy rejoined Paul at Athens and was sent back to Thessalonica (see 3:1-5). Since Silas is not mentioned, it has been conjectured that he went back to Philippi when Timothy went to Thessalonica (see note on 3:1-2).
    5. Paul moved on to Corinth (see Ac 18:1).
    6. Silas and Timothy came to Paul in Corinth (see 3:6; Ac 18:5).
    7. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and sent it to the church.
    8. About six months later (a.d. 51/52) he sent 2 Thessalonians in response to further information about the church there.
    Author, Date and Place of WritingBoth external and internal evidence (see 1:1; 2:18) support the view that Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians (from Corinth; see note on 3:1-2). Early church writers are agreed on the matter, with testimonies beginning as early as a.d. 140 (Marcion). Paul’s known characteristics are apparent in the letter (3:1-2,8-11 compared with Ac 15:36; 2Co 11:28). Historical allusions in the book fit Paul’s life as recounted in Acts and in his own letters (2:14-16 compared with Ac 17:5-10; 3:6 compared with Ac 17:16). In the face of such evidence, few have ever rejected authorship by Paul.It is generally dated c. a.d. 51. Weighty support for this date was found in an inscription discovered at Delphi, Greece (see map No. 13 at the end of this study Bible), that dates Gallio’s proconsulship to c. 51-52 and thus places Paul at Corinth at the same time (see Ac 18:12-17 and note on 18:12; see also chart, p. 1673). Except for the possibility of an early date for Galatians (48-49?), 1 Thessalonians is Paul’s earliest canonical letter.Thessalonica: The City and the ChurchThessalonica was a bustling seaport city at the head of the Thermaic Gulf (see map, p. 2280). It was an important communication and trade center, located at the junction of the great Egnatian Way and the road leading north to the Danube. It was the largest city in Macedonia and was also the capital of its province.The background of the Thessalonian church is found in Ac 17:1-9. Since Paul began his ministry there in the Jewish synagogue, it is reasonable to assume that the new church included some Jews. However, 1:9-10; Ac 17:4 seem to indicate that the church was largely Gentile in membership.PurposePaul had left Thessalonica abruptly (see Ac 17:5-10) after a rather brief stay. Recent converts from paganism (1:9) were thus left with little external support in the midst of persecution. Paul’s purpose in writing this letter was to encourage the new converts in their trials (3:3-5), to give instruction concerning godly living (4:1-12) and to give assurance concerning the future of believers who die before Christ returns (4:13-18; see Theme below; see also notes on 4:13,15).ThemeAlthough the thrust of the letter is varied (see Purpose), the subject of eschatology (doctrine of last things) seems to be predominant in both Thessalonian letters. Every chapter of 1 Thessalonians ends with a reference to the second coming of Christ, with ch. 4 giving it major consideration (1:9-10; 2:19-20; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:23-24). Thus, the second coming seems to permeate the letter and may be viewed in some sense as its theme. The two letters are often designated as the eschatological letters of Paul.Outline
    • The Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians (ch. 1)
      • The Grounds for the Thanksgiving (1:1-4)
      • The Genuineness of the Grounds (1:5-10)
    • The Defense of the Apostolic Actions and Absence (chs. 2–3)
      • The Defense of the Apostolic Actions (2:1-16)
      • The Defense of the Apostolic Absence (2:17;3:10)
      • The Prayer (3:11-13)
    • The Exhortations to the Thessalonians (4:1;5:22)
      • Primarily concerning Personal Life (4:1-12)
      • Concerning the Coming of Christ (4:13;5:11)
      • Primarily concerning Church Life (5:12-22)
    • The Concluding Prayer, Greetings and Benediction (5:23-28)

Soul Tie Teaching

“This next part is extremely powerful, and truly could not be done with any spiritual impact  if you hadn’t had victory in the earlier sessions of repenting for abortion, for forgiving everyone involved in it, and for believing that what Jesus did on the cross was enough for you to receive his forgiveness and freedom for yourself. This weekend is all about taking back ground, and with this breaking soul ties section, you’re going to take back acres and be released from alot of unnecessary suffering. 

Soul tie is a term that’s not in the bible, but it is the name we give to the strong emotional bonds and reactions we may have to people, places, things, events, and ideas. For example, there may be a certain smell that reminds of a person or memory,  or the name or sight of a person you had a relationship with may make you feel angry and sad. (reference cut out heart )

The concept is that part of your soul is tied to someone else and you are influenced by something external. This can be good or bad. If you see your husband, and you are happy and you just feel so overwhelmed with respect and love for him, that’s a perfectly fine soul tie. But, if you see your husband and you want to hurt him, or your scared, or resentful, then there’s a negative soul tie based on an event or something he said that you need address with the Lord to bring the situation into godly order and healing. as followers of Jesus, we cannot be controlled or guided by anyone but Holy Spirit, and these negative soul ties can  sometimes be so strong that they influence us not to follow Jesus. Today we’re going to work on helping you break. negative soul ties, especially those that caused the abortion, or were the effect of the abortion. 

One of the strongest soul ties a person can have with someone they had sex with, particularly with the first person you had a sexual encounter with, and a person you may have had traumatic sexual experiences with.  

The way biology explains this: 

, there is a chemical called oxytocin which is often called the love hormone or the bonding hormone. Human bodies create this oxytocin hormone unconsciously and unwillingly in situations including hugging people, when mothers are breastfeeding their children, and most strongly, the hormone is released during sex. Researchers found that the highest amount of oxytocin is created in the animals which create offspring that require a lot of care and which survive better with two parents working together to raise them. So for those of us who have had abortions, we run into a serious hormonal and biological problem, because our body through sex and then conception, a reconnected to a person who we are supposed to bond with to create and to raise a child together. But, when we have an abortion , we are countering that very intricately designed purpose in our bodies. The hormone connection was supposed to be of love and support to raise a child, but through abortion, the connection gets transformed into a chaotic connection of not raising a child, but instead of fatally harming it. This is why abortion is so hard to talk about and to get help for, because it marks and hurts us on a spiritual physical and mental level and we can’t even describe it sometimes. 

But because Jesus died not only to pay for your sin of abortion, but to restore the consequences of sin and to restore everything the sin of abortion ruined, today you can take back those parts of your soul, heart, and mind and memories which are being held captive by sin and trauma. And that way, once you’ve severed those unhealthy connections and taken back control from events which are not in God’s will, then your heart will feel restored, and full and healthy and whole, you’ll be able to know from experience what freedom means. Again, as Christians, we want to be led by only Holy Spirit, not by pain.

you’re oging to be asked to read pages 74-80 on your own about the different areas of your life you could have a soul tie in, and then fill out the sheet  on page 81 with soul ties you know you need to break. We want to definitely clean out all soul ties related to the abortion, but if there’s something else, please surrender to Holy SPirit about any unholy soul ties you want to be free from today and we’ll help you. We’ll give you time to do this on your own and please ask if you have any confusion about this. 

I’m going to walk you through a brief example of mine so you get the idea

  • Names of people you need to break soul tie with; 1st person i had sex with, father of aborted baby, the aborted baby in heaven, parents – very connected to them and I took their opinion seriously, but when I told them i was pregnant they gave no guidance.
  • locations: State college, it’s where I had most of my sexual debauchery, it’s where I got pregannt, and I couldn’t go there without wanting to scream and hated all things penn state
  • addictive substances – alcohol  – probably was drinking the night I got pregnant and i did use it to numb myself from the pain of abortion. Pornography and masturbation – those were my first exposure to sex and i’m sure led to my acting out; actually at my retreat, I was only 9 months free of that, but after the soul tie prayer, I knew i was never going back to it, and I haven’t 7 years later. 
  •  miscellaneous – male body smells, cigarette and hookah smoke, suicidal ideation, secular music

Notes Saturday 9/28

Wisdom

You can be learn to go from breakthrough to stay through if you know the strategy to an breakthrough. Miracles are good but it’s not good to be in situations where you always need a miracle.

Rabbi Daniel lapin

Mystery of prosperity in Jewish people

Transition – can’t go back but haven’t reached destination

God positions for the inheritance at the next level. You may not know what the inheritance is… But you will later.

Angels will come ” down” for the next season. There may be a change of angels.

Convergence happens after 50 mostly Christian.

Gifts, talents, acquired skills(you can work on these until calling). You don’t have to connect dots now you just have to make them. Character being developed. Knowledge and wisdom. When you get a breakthrough, what were you believing? You believed God would do something and you were willing to accept, and that God didn’t disqualify you. So you were in agreement with God.

When you get more mature you need less stimulus, miracles,

God uses adversity of those phases to prepare for moment of being in convergence of God’s will.

Wisdom is supernatural. God is working on your heart (character and awareness), head (knowledge wisdom). Many christians quit because they don’t feel qualified.

What you agree with will have power over you. All athletea know how to play while they are hurt.

God wants to produce people that are unstoppable. Where God’s fire goes I go.

Victim or responsible?

If you say you’re only 90% responsiblev for your life then you allow Satan 10%. Don’t feel bad when you mess up, just get wisdom. Personal development is important to him.

You have enlarged me in my distress.

There’s one angel that gets you there and one that will get you to next level.

Victimology makes someone else responsible.

Grace is supernatural currency.

Be aware of thoughts you’re thinking.

Your agreements authorize experience. Being aware that every thought and feeling can be taken captive. If you don’t question authority of something being there (anger) then you can’t fight it, get it out. The feeling isn’t you. If if isn’t the powering sprit of God then you don’t have to keep it.

2 Kings: the upgrade comes with a higher level

New level new angel

Being able to manage you is half of managing your environment.

You can’t take on strong man without going into his house.

The strong man won’t leave unless we go into the Civic areas where he is leading.

Revival is personal, local

Reformation is high places .

The revival feeds the Reformation.

You do have territorial authority in your local government.

Figure out which house you’re called to invade.

Elisha had no one to give mantle too, it’s possible that was the sickness.

This impeachment Trump stuff came out after persecution Christian comment.

The power of an idea can be measure by resistance against.

The church has a better chance of success as one.

Where the church agrees we can move

” As one” book tour chaos tour.

September 8th 2019

I definitely feel free from all the evil that I brought into my life when I had the abortion. But I really would like to go a day without thinking about it I don’t get upset anymore when I think about it because I know that God has forgiven me and that everything is okay with my baby I’m not held back by it anymore I think about all the people who support abortion they don’t realize how much it hurts women I think about all the men who support abortion they don’t realize what it does to us.

Visons

Deeper still vision – field of Flowers

Two arms and hands holding onto each other. One is holding onto the other on top and holding onto it stronger than the other one. God is telling me in times of doubt he is holding onto me stronger than me. Even when I feel like i have to fight to hold onto my belief in him and in his ways, he’s Holding onto me even stronger. The ring I got from RTF is between us. 🥰

Ungodly belief

I confess I believe an ungodly belief that I can’t have a good relationship with my dad because I’m not a doctor.

The godly belief is that I can have a good relationship with my Dad regardless of my employment.

I confess that I believe an ungodly belief that I have disappointed my dad because I’m not a doctor.

The godly belief is i am not responsible for my dad’s disappointment.

I confess that I believe an ungodly belief that I did not complete my purpose in life because I’m not a doctor.

My purpose is to love and serve God. My call is to love God.

3 questions

What would you do with an unlimited amount of time?

  • learn piano so i could accompany myself singing
  • join an orchestra
  • learn arabic so i could speak it better
  • study the bible
  • help people come to a place of healing

What would do with an unlimited amount of money?

  • help my friends – casey, christina’s mom, joel and his family, help my cousins and family
  • give to one for israel, olive branch fellowship, and that arab ministry, pro life lawyers and ministries
  • buy a small condo for myself
  • write the books
  • make the app

What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail?

  • make the app
  • write the book
  • learn arabic
  • sing and play piano
  • talk about Jesus
  • work to make abortion illegal everywhere

Not having a vision

Problem: I realized not having a vision or a plan for my own life makes me susceptible to the will and desires of others. I will go along with their ideas and then later resent them because they seemingly have vision and are taking advantage of me not having a vision.

I see it happened at bars and at church. I drank and had sex with people at bars because I was in that environment and didn’t make it clear to myself what I really wanted. I got over involved in church because I didn’t have a vision for my life with God.

Solution: get a vision and only do something if it fits in with that vision.

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