Note: This is the first time that I have shared my teaching notes. I taught at a recent conference from these notes. I woke with a dream this morning that I was to post the notes on my website. Even without hearing my teaching, these notes are filled with scripture that is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path!
“Face to Face”
Genesis 32:22-31 New Living Translation (NLT)
Jacob Wrestles with God
22 “During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. 23 After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.
24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 “What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.” (Means: deceiver or grabber).
28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
29 “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31 The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip.”
WOW – a face to face encounter with God in a ‘man form’ – when the man (God) realized he could not win the match – he (God) disjointed Jacob’s hip.
Jacob was holding on with all his might – God felt his tenacity – God left a wound to remind Jacob of being blessed by God!!
Jacob was fearful, exhausted, lonely, powerless, but relentless.
What can we learn from Jacob?
No matter what you have experienced in life up till this moment, God will save, bless and heal if we are relentless in our pursuit of having an intimate ‘face to face’ relationship with God through His truth!
Many people had encounters with God in the Old Testament. He talked to them. Appeared to a few – Moses – Abraham, but God did not live inside them. He was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night by the Tabernacle.
HOW CAN WE HAVE A ‘FACE TO FACE’ RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
NEW TESTAMENT – GRACE DISPENSATION – SALVATION
God planned from the foundation of the earth to come in the form of man and to die on a rugged cross to purchase our salvation. Jesus said, “I’m going to go prepare a place for you so that where I am, you may be also. But in the meantime, I’m going away to send back the comforter to you!” – it happened on the day of Pentecost!!!
We were all born sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. We all need a Savior.
Acts 2:38 – Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost about Jesus being the Messiah who had come and they had crucified Him, but He rose from the dead and ascended back into heaven and said go to Jerusalem – tarry (pray) until you receive my power from on high.
VS 39 – “The promise is unto you and to your children and to them that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” You and I were in that ‘afar off’ – we must repent of our sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
THAT IS A JOYOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE LORD – but for many people who have suffered through tragic abuse or other painful experiences in life – it seems in a short time their Holy Ghost joy seems to fade away.
(My ministry is uniquely different because God led me into a study and education of His Word that goes deeper than just salvation. As I share today, you will understand the heartbeat of my soul when it comes to wanting to see people saved, BUT also emotionally, spiritually and relationally grow and heal – let me explain!)
What most people do not understand is this truth: The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses and erases our sin from our lives, but it does not erase our experiences, feelings or emotions.
WE CAN BE SAVED – BUT WALKING WOUNDED!
In the world we have hurting multitudes. We bring them to the cross (salvation). Then we have saved hurting multitudes.
God wants saved healed multitudes!
Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1
Luke 4:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives (of their stinkin thinkin)
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;”
(people who have a salvation experience can be oppressed – depressed by the pain from their past).
I know there are people in this room today who are saved but are fighting depression, fear, anxiety, anger, unforgiveness, shame, guilt, feeling unlovable, unworthy of God’s love, helpless, and hopeless because of hurtful things that have happened (even your own acting out because of the emotional pain).
James Baldwin’s quote fits here – “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
NOTE: The pain of change is greater than the pain to remain the same.
NOTE: We cannot change the facts of our lives, but we can change the way we THINK about those facts through God’s truth!
What are some of the root causes:
Sexual abuse, verbal – physical – emotional abuse, abandonment by parents or others, betrayals, major losses in life, broken relationships, etc. Out of our pain, we can sin against self. Because of all the emotional pain, we then may question God’s unconditional love and forgiveness.
This is called spiritual warfare!!!
Mark 12: 28 – 31
28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.
LOVE GOD, LOVE SELF, LOVE OTHERS
(When we struggle with these three – we know we need healing!)
We must clean out the painful emotions from our VAT, and allow God’s truth to bring healing.
Proverbs 28:13Amplified Bible (AMP)
13 He who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes his sins will obtain mercy.
This is my paraphrase: “He that covereth his sin (emotional pain, dysfunctions, victimization, abuse) shall not prosper (shall not be healed), but whoso confesseth (speaking the painful truth) and forsaketh (releases/forgives) them shall have mercy (peace).”
Romans 12:1-2New King James Version (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (worship).
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
What hinders our ‘face to face’ relationship with God?
The distorted ‘stinkin thinkin’ because of the pain in our lives! The devil taunts the hurting with his lies upon lies upon lies!!!!!
But we can be TRANSFORMED by renewing our mind with God’s truth!
Truth: We don’t just live with the facts of our lives, but we live with our interpretation about the facts of our lives.
Healing comes when we understand God’s interpretation about the facts of our lives – this is transforming our minds!
Painful events = distorted thinking – healed by God’s truth!
Truth: We cannot allow our painful past to define who we are today in Christ!
Forgiveness is a gift to self. Forgiving the pain of the past to be set free!
Romans 8:1-2 (NKJV) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Our sins are under the blood!)
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, (KJ – Peculiar) His own special people (God’s special treasure), that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
The devil whispers<”Not you! You were abused. You had an abortion. You were sexually promiscuous. Your dad/mom don’t love you! You are unlovable. You are not worthy!”
Lie after lie after lie!!!
‘AWAY WITH YOU SATAN!” I AM A CHILD OF GOD!!
We can wrestle with God regarding His truth!! Saying, “Lord, I’m not worthy!”
Emotional pain can cause a distorted God concept.
God says, “My blessing to you was nailing your sins and shame on the cross as payment. My death made you worthy!”
God wants you to know that you were face to face with Him at the point of your conception! PSM 139 – God was designing every part of you in your mother’s womb. He knew your life before you were born!!! We are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image and after His likeness!
Our value and worth comes only from God as Creator and our Savior!!!!!!!
Our worth does not come from our pedigree, our performance, our accomplishments or our status in life!!!!!!
When God enters our lives through salvation we are a new creation in Him!! Everything about our old life is under the blood.
2 Corinthians 5:17New King James Version (NKJV)
17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” THIS IS OUR BLESSING FROM THE LORD!
God cleanses us from all sin, shame and guilt – He gives us a new heart!!! This is our FACE TO FACE encounter with God!!
Colossians 1:27New King James Version (NKJV)
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
John 8:32New King James Version (NKJV)
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Knowing the truth and applying it to your mind/heart/soul).
What is the truth about why bad things happen to good or innocent people?
ANSWER: Because Satan was thrown out of heaven because of his selfish desires to be like a god and get glory.
Satan came to Eve in the garden and twisted God’s truth and tempted her to disobey the one DO NOT law God had set.
Eve was deceived – Adam was not – he abdicated his God-given authority and was seduced by Eve to sin.
Adam was given authority and Eve was given influence – who had the most power????????
Women – we will be accountable to God for our power of influence!
Their mutual choice to sin brought immediate spiritual death, physical death, sin, sickness, disease, every painful thing that we deal with in life – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life to destroy the human race.
BUT GOD!!!!!! Had a plan of redemption!!!!!
God’s shed blood on Calvary and His Holy Ghost in us is the power to save us from our sins and HIS TRUTH will transform our minds so His thoughts become our thoughts – we can have the mind of Christ!
ARE WE WILLING TO FACE OUR PAIN WITH GOD’S TRUTH?
Repeat: The pain of change is greater than the pain to remain the same.
Hurting people learn to live with their emotional pain – it can even become ‘comfortable.’ But if you want to be set free of that pain, you must come face to face with your pain and define it through God’s truth.
God wants to heal your brokenness – set you free of your ‘stinkin thinkin’ – heal your blindness with the clear vision of His truth!!
PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD!
The Whole Armor of God
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
DO: We must have an internal dialogue with God all day long! Living in a God-conscious state of mind! Being Holy Ghost controlled. We must wrap ourselves in God’s Word daily.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
We were created to love. Because of the sin choice in the Garden of Eden we learn to fear.
Satan is trying to destroy mankind through mental torment – the #1 problem in the world today is mental ill health! Science says 70 – 98% of illnesses today are caused by toxic thoughts.
When we change the way we think through God’s truth, we are obeying scripture –
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV)
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Toxic thoughts and words cause blackness to appear in the physical brain.
Positive thoughts and words create light and new connectors!!!
James 1:21 (NKJV)
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Philippians 4:8New Living Translation (NLT)
8 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 things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8The Message (MSG)
8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Through the power of the Holy Ghost we have power, love and a strong mind!!!!! We can defeat the temptations of the enemy!
Any addiction or propensity to sin can be overcome by renewing our minds with God’s truth!!!!!!! Go to God’s Word and replace the tempting thought with God’s truth!!!!!
Philippians 4:13Amplified Bible (AMP)
13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].
Philippians 4:13Good News Translation (GNT)
13 I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.
We cannot control events or circumstances, BUT we can control our reaction to the events and circumstances.
The devil is defeated – he has no power! He bombards us with His negative lies – when we rebuke him in Jesus name, we dis-empower the devil!!!!!
Toxic thoughts lead to death:
James 1:13-16Amplified Bible (AMP)
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one.
14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).
15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.
16 Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.
We must take our thoughts captive and fill our minds/hearts with God’s truth.s
JESUS HAS ALL POWER – through His Spirit we have the power to overcome our past pain and any present temptation to sin in thought or action!!!!!!
Matthew 28:18Amplified Bible (AMP)
18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Psalms 119
73 Your hands have made me, cunningly fashioned and established me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Psalm 1
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, sand they prosper in all they do.
Conclusion:
Our FACE TO FACE with God is being baptized in His Spirit and filling our hearts and minds with His Word day and night! We will be transformed into His likeness!!! WE CAN HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST!
1 Corinthians 2 –
7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.
8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.
9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.
16 For,“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?”[h]But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
Chorus: I’ve been redeemed by love divine. Glory, glory Christ is mine. All to Him I now resign. I have been, I have been redeemed!
NOTE: I’m a Certified Pastoral Counselor providing nationwide counseling by phone/Skype (636) 448-0121. Love teaching the anointed Word of God for churches & conferences.
www.carolclemans.org – bio, 150+ articles, teaching CD’s, DVD’s, book: GOD’S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE