1 Peter 5:5b-11 (Personalized) God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, That He.

1 Peter 5:5b-11 (Personalized) 1 Peter 5:5b-11 (Personalized) God resists the proud but gives grace to the God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.humble.Therefore we humble ourselves under the mighty Therefore we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, hand of God, That He may exalt us in due time, having cast all That He may exalt us in due time, having cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.We are sober, we are vigilant, because of our We are sober, we are vigilant, because of our adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.seeking whom he may devour.

Our ProclamationOur Proclamation

1 Peter 5:5b-11 (Personalized) 1 Peter 5:5b-11 (Personalized) We resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that We resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by our the same sufferings are experienced by our brethren in the world.brethren in the world.But the God of all grace, who called us to His But the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal gloryeternal gloryBy Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, By Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us.will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us.To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. ever. Amen!Amen!

Our ProclamationOur Proclamation

““We Become What We Behold”We Become What We Behold”Christ Connect Church (13-Jan-2013)Christ Connect Church (13-Jan-2013)

1. Ahead by 5 points with only 2 minutes left, Univ. of Alabama has possession at their 20 yard line. During the next play, the starting quarterback got injured. The 2nd stringer quarterback had to come in.

2. The opposing All-Star safety intercepted the weak pass and began to charge to his goal line, with only the Alabama quarterback in his way!

3. At the 2 yard line, the quarterback miraculously tackled the safety and stopped him from scoring. The final buzzer sounded and Alabama on!

Paul William “Bear” Paul William “Bear” Bryant (1913-1983) Bryant (1913-1983) legendary coach of the legendary coach of the Univ. of Alabama Univ. of Alabama Football TeamFootball Team

““Coach, you don’t understand. Your All-Star Safety Coach, you don’t understand. Your All-Star Safety was running for just points. My quarterback waswas running for just points. My quarterback was running for his liferunning for his life!”!”

Mental BlindnessMental Blindness2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The those who are perishing. The god of this age has god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelieversblinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they , so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Genesis 6:5 (NIV) Genesis 6:5 (NIV) The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and human race had become on the earth, and that that every inclination of the thoughts of the human every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.heart was only evil all the time.

1. The Salvation Factor1. The Salvation Factor2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) The The god of this age god of this age has has blinded the mindsblinded the minds of of unbelieversunbelievers, so that , so that they cannot see the light of they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christthe gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who , who is the image of God. is the image of God.

Proverbs 23:7a Proverbs 23:7a For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 4:23Proverbs 4:23Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.spring the issues of life.

1. The Salvation Factor1. The Salvation FactorRomans 8:6Romans 8:6For to be For to be carnally minded is deathcarnally minded is death, but to be , but to be spiritually minded is life and peacespiritually minded is life and peace. .

Colossians 1:21 (NIV) Colossians 1:21 (NIV) Once you Once you were alienated from God were alienated from God and were and were enemies in your minds enemies in your minds because of your evil because of your evil behaviour.behaviour.

1 Corinthians 2:16b 1 Corinthians 2:16b But we (born-again children of God) have the But we (born-again children of God) have the mind of Christmind of Christ. .

2. The Sincerity Factor2. The Sincerity Factor2 Corinthians 11:2-3 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christthe simplicity that is in Christ..

‘‘Simplicity’Simplicity’ – means ‘sincere and single-minded – means ‘sincere and single-minded devotion’ devotion’

3. The Stronghold Factor3. The Stronghold Factor2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) The weapons we fight with are The weapons we fight with are not the weapons not the weapons of the worldof the world. On the contrary, they have . On the contrary, they have divine divine power to demolish strongholdspower to demolish strongholds. We demolish . We demolish argumentsarguments and every and every pretension pretension that sets itself that sets itself up against the up against the knowledge of Godknowledge of God, and we take , and we take captive every captive every thought thought to make it obedient to to make it obedient to Christ. Christ.

‘‘Strongholds’Strongholds’ – can also mean ‘fortresses’ – can also mean ‘fortresses’

3. The Stronghold Factor3. The Stronghold FactorThe weapons are not carnal/worldly but spiritual:The weapons are not carnal/worldly but spiritual:1.1.Not Education Not Education 2.2.Not Psychiatry nor Psychology Not Psychiatry nor Psychology 3.3.Not Positive Thinking Not Positive Thinking

Examples of Strongholds:Examples of Strongholds:1.1.CompulsivenessCompulsiveness2.2.Obsessions and Fixations Obsessions and Fixations 3.3.Fears and PhobiasFears and Phobias4.4.Bitterness and ResentmentsBitterness and Resentments5.5.Uncontrolled lusts Uncontrolled lusts 6.6.Distrust Distrust

4. The Surrender Factor4. The Surrender Factor2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)We demolish arguments and every pretension We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and and we take captive every thought to make it we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christobedient to Christ. .

Hebrews 10:1b-2 Hebrews 10:1b-2 Let us run with enduranceLet us run with endurance the race that is set the race that is set before us, before us, looking unto Jesuslooking unto Jesus, the author and , the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.throne of God.

““We become what we behold”We become what we behold”

2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT2 Corinthians 3:18 NLTSo So all of us who have had that veil removed all of us who have had that veil removed can can see and reflect the glory of the Lordsee and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord. And the Lord—who is the —who is the Spirit—makes us more and more Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious like him as we are changed into his glorious image (that is, Jesus).image (that is, Jesus).

““We become what we behold”We become what we behold”

A beautiful Christian dynamic:A beautiful Christian dynamic:1.1.When we are saved and born-again, we are When we are saved and born-again, we are given a new mind – the mind of Christ given a new mind – the mind of Christ (see (see 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 2:162:16))2.2.We learn to control the thoughts we allow in We learn to control the thoughts we allow in our minds because “as a man thinks in his heart, our minds because “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” so is he” (see (see Prov. 23:7Prov. 23:7))3.3.As we grow in using “the mind of Christ” and As we grow in using “the mind of Christ” and think the way Christ thinks, who do we become? think the way Christ thinks, who do we become?

A. We become more and more like Christ! A. We become more and more like Christ! (see (see Heb. 10:1-2 and 2 Cor. 3:18Heb. 10:1-2 and 2 Cor. 3:18))