Who I Am In Christ Bible Study Indianapolis

Mighty Women of God!

Our study for this semester will begin in 2 weeks on Thursday, Jan 21@ 7pm. We will continue to lay a solid biblical foundation by utilizing a devotional written by Neil T. Anderson titled “Who I Am In Christ”.

You may purchase this book through your local Christian book store or www.ficm.org (Freedom In Christ Ministries) for $14.99. I also located used books thru Amazon for $6.00+tax. Although owning a book for the study is not necessary, I highly recommend it in order to benefit the fullness from the study. It is an excellent book!

Here is a deeper understanding of what we will gain from this study of God’s Word:

Have you ever been tempted to doubt God’s love for you? Do you spend much of your life trying to earn God’s favor? Do you struggle with feelings of rejection or the approval of others?

The most important belief we posses is true knowledge of who God is and we are as His children. We will always consistently behave in a way that is consistent with how we perceive ourselves, whether this perception is based off of deceptions formed by our previous pain and heartache or the Word of God. It is not what we do that determines who we are. It is who we are that determines what we do.

Henry Ford put it this way…“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Your thoughts about yourself, good or bad, will determine your life.

Gods Word clearly speaks this Truth in Proverbs 23:7. “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” If we do not have a revelation of our identity, acceptance, security, and significance in Christ we will never be able to live that free, abundant, overflowing life, filled with joy and purpose destined by God!

Ladies, it is time to rise up, discover our position through revelation of His Word, and take our position in Christ! Lets thrive, not just survive!

Come join the girls as we embark on a journey together to walk in His Freedom and purpose!

Please let me know if you will be joining us this semester. Please invite friends, this is a foundation study for anyone. Look forward to seeing you!

Blessings,

Cassy VanZant

Peace That Passes Understanding

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Women Motivated 4 L.I.F.E.

Peace That Passes Understanding

Are you tired of letting the devil get you all stirred up? Do you easily get thrown into a panic or tizzy? When something seems to go wrong in your day, does a multitude of one thing after the next go wrong? Are you often losing things and spending needed time to locate it? Does something someone says or does throw you into a tizzy and you respond with words or actions you later regret?

If any of the above questions sound familiar there is hope! There is absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing worth losing your peace over!

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7

Facts about Peace:

God gave us a supernatural peace, unlike the worldly peace offered to us. Peace came to earth on the very first Christmas in Luke 2:8-14. True peace was given and like all spiritual blessings, we must renew our mind to His Word about his peace.

It transcends, outdoes, surpasses, excels, rises above, and goes beyond and over the top of any other kind of peace.

Peace begins with trusting God and believing that His Word is true. By choosing to stay in peace we are expressing our faith in God.

Isaiah 26:3 “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You and hopes confidently in You.”

The Hebrew word for peace in this scripture means “completion, safety, soundness, favor, healing, wholeness, prosperity, quietness, rest.” It is supernatural and is released only by a choice to believe in God.

Benefits of Perfect Peace

Peace is like a spiritual compass. It will give us a true north in all situations. If we keep this peace by disciplining ourselves not to lose it, then we will hear His voice successfully and walk in prosperity in not only the good times, but also the rough times. God will reveal answers and wisdom to us from the spiritual realm that we would never have known in the natural realm.

The mind which is the control center for the human being, determines the condition of a person’s life. From Isaiah 26:3 we see that this peace keeps our hearts and minds. The Greek word for “keep” is a military term expressing an idea of a soldier who stood faithfully at their post of the city gate to guard and control all who went in and out of the city. They were a gate monitor. No one entered or exited the city without their approval.

Therefore this peace, if allowed to work in our lives, will stand at the gates of our hearts and minds monitoring everything trying to enter our hearts, minds and emotions. When God’s peace is ruling us, nothing can get past that divine “guard” and slip into our hearts and minds without approval! It disables the devil’s ability to disturb us by preventing his attacks to slip into our minds.

Perfect peace protects, guards, keeps, and defends.

Facts About Fear:

The opposite of true peace is fear. Jesus always addressed fear in man, because He knew it would prevent man from tapping into the Divine supernatural realm. Mark 4:36-40 and Luke 8:41.

When we are in fear we cannot hear God speak to us. In the spiritual realm, fear literally opens the door, or attracts, negative things to come on us. The very thing we fear will come upon us. Proverbs 10:24 “The thing a wicked man fears will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.”

We must recognize when fear is in operation against us. We need to realize what initiates fear and how it effects us.

Feelings, thoughts, physical manifestations, or words of fear are:

• “I feel anxious, stressed, in a tizzy, uptight, and upset. I have so much to do. How am I going to get it all done?”
• You find yourself yelling at the kids and your husband. Even getting short and impatient with the people at the store. Wanting to just run away. Can’t wait until Christmas is over and things are back to normal.

You have a headache, making poor food choices for convenience, restless sleep, sweaty palms, adrenaline rush, or just freeze up.

Plan of Action:

We can refuse to allow the devil to access us, throw us in a panic and anxiety, or push any button inside us any longer!

Practice P.E.A.C.E.

Pause. Take a step back. Breathe.

Ear to the Lord. Be still before the Lord. Abide in Him.

Ask the Lord what to do.

Carry out His plan of action. Walk in obedience.

Exalt Him for His faithfulness in keeping your heart and mind in perfect peace.

Confession:

I confess that I am guarded and protected by the powerful peace of God that works in my life. It rises up and dominates my mind; it controls my thinking; and it determines the condition of my life and the environment where I live and work. I am unaffected by the circumstances that surround me, for this supernatural peace stands at the gate of my mind and emotions to monitor everything that tries to access me. Because no fretting, anxiety, panic, or worry is allowed to enter me. I remain free, calm, and peaceful, even in difficult situations that in the past would have upset me!

The Importance of Your Confession

The Importance of Your Confession



If we are to make our faith effective (active, powerful) and enjoy the full benefits of salvation, we must learn to do what it says in Philemon 1:6

“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”

God’s Word says that when we do this our faith becomes effective. You must acknowledge every good thing which you posses after making Jesus Lord of your life. Acknowledgement involves making a confession.



Our confession is mentioned three times in the book of Hebrews.

(Hebrews 3:1, Hebrews 4:14, and Hebrews 10:21-23)

Our confession is mentioned elsewhere in God’s Word. I am taking the text of Hebrews as a point of study.



Our tongue connects us to the ministry of Jesus as our High Priest. Jesus entered into a ministry as our high priest, representing us in the presence of His Father after he died, rose again, and ascended into heaven. He is our high priest on the condition that we make the right confession with our tongue.



Hebrews 3:1 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”



Notice what the Bible says here: “Jesus is the High Priest of our profession”. The word profession is translated in the Greek as confession or “to say the same things as.”



Jesus ministry as High Priest operates on our spoken confession not on our unspoken faith. It is important that we maintain a right confession with our mouth. When we agree with God’s Word in faith with our mouth it enables Jesus to exercise his ministry as High Priest on our behalf. His priesthood cannot operate on our behalf if there is no confession that agrees with His Word.



Wrong confession frustrates His ministry. The Bible tells us that we will give an account of every idle word that we speak.



Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment”

Matthew 12:37 “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”



What are idle words? The word idle means “worthless”. Speaking words that are not in agreement with God’s Word. Idle words involve saying things that would contradict or exalt itself above God’s Word. Jesus cannot act on your behalf when you speak idle words.

Our confession linking us to the priesthood of Jesus is brought out two more times in Hebrews.



Hebrews 4:14 “Seeding then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”



Hebrews 10:21 “And having a high priest over the house of God;”

Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”



The right confession is essential for Jesus to operate as our High Priest. Faith is not exercised with idle words. Wrong confession…Jesus cannot operate as your High Priest.



Right confession is essential for salvation. There is a direct link with our heart and mouth. (Luke 6:45) Salvation depends on two things: Exercising faith in our hearts and making the right confession.



Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”



The word “salvation” in the Bible means more than just having eternal life. It means completeness in all areas of life. When you start making the right confession that agrees with God’s Word you can start moving into the full provision of salvation.



Look at the illustration of the tongue in James.



James 3:4 “Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.”

James 3:5 “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”



What the rudder is to the ship, the use of the tongue will determine which direction you go. Examine your path. Are you experiencing good things or bad things? Use God’s word to determine if you are living the life Jesus promised in John 10:10.



Here is a simple prayer that you can pray to help with what you say.


Psalm 19:34 “Let the words of my mouth, and the mediation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Our Covenant with God Week 3

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I. Brief Overview of Previous Week

• Ephesians 2:11-13 No power in this world
• John 6:53 Eat my flesh and drink my blood or you have no part in me ---Jesus

II. Man’s Redemption Through Blood Covenant – Abram

• What happened between Genesis 3 and Genesis 12? (Linear Time)
• Adam and Eve had many children. Cain and Abel killed (Genesis 4:10) – Blood speaks
• Many descendants living almost to 1,000 years old. Noah – flood – tower of Babel
• God’s creation had turned upside down as a result of sin.
• God called Abram in Genesis 12:1 and gave him a glimpse into covenant, He made a promise to Him. From Ur, headquarters for “a god called sin” a moon diety. Its emblem was a crescent moon. Abraham was familiar with this deity. God told him to leave everyone behind cause He didn’t want him to be surrounded or influenced by idolatry. (old Jewish tradition from document not translated into English - story of god that was crushed in father’s market – Abraham you must think I am a fool, this god cannot hear, speak or talk neither can his hands move. Then my father why are you worshipping you this god.)
• Genesis 13 & 14, Abraham is getting to know God. For so long, He had been forgotten. Genesis 1-10 were merely distant stories. Abram and Lot depart. Lot goes to Sodom who gets captured by foreign Kings. Abram saves his nephew.

III. The Covenant with Abram

1. Genesis 15:1-21, God needed a way to break the union between Satan and mankind. Man was the key figure in the Fall, therefore man had to be the key figure in the redemption. So, God approached Abram and made a covenant. A covenant is cut based on strengths not weaknesses. (2 Part Covenant) Abram believed Him. If you don’t know about covenant, or believe it you have no ground to stand on. It is all about faith.
2. Genesis 15:6, “Abram believed Him.” Is very key!!! Everything in the Kingdom works by faith. Without faith you cannot obtain any of the promises of God…salvation, healing, deliverance, peace, etc.
3. Genesis 15:8, not doubt, just questioning God what the steps were going to be. Nothing shuts down God from being able to move in your life more than doubt and unbelief. How often do we pray a prayer of faith and then cancel it with words of doubt spoken right after the prayer?
4. Genesis 15:9-10, Abram cut the animals in half, vertical following the spine, because the animal would bleed better. Abram would have been standing ankle deep of the warm blood. The smell of the life pulsating out of the flesh pooling around his feet was impactful and never forgotten. (Stories of shed blood w/scars?)
5. Genesis 15:11, Birds of prey represent the devil swooping in on the benefits of the covenant. Some of us are allowing the buzzard of unbelief swooping in on your house, buzzard of unforgiveness, buzzard of disease, buzzard of rejection, (draw a tree with the root of unbelief and the fruit of various sin) (Brigdets teaching – voice of skepticism-took away more nuggets of truth – don’t shut somebody down because....)
6. Genesis 15:12-16 Abram fell in a trance, vision. God prophesies to him about the Israelites captivity in Egypt and being led out by Moses.
7. Genesis 15:17, the Lord (Jesus) passed through (walked) through the blood. Smoking oven (meaning representing the Father incubator (womb) of all life, flaming torch. (meaning Jesus the light of the world)
8. Genesis 15:18, the Lord made (cut) a covenant.
9. Psalm 80:28 “My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.” . Man’s covenant for 8 generations, but God’s covenant is to a thousand generations!
10. Psalm 89:34 “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”

IX. The Distraction from the Covenant

• Genesis 16 Hagar and Ishmael
• God blessed Ishmael because of His covenant with Abram. God can not go back on His Word. He even has to bless bad seed.
• Muslim nation came from Ishmael
• His Word is above His Name. He swears by Himself.
• Gen. 22:16 This agreement was absolute. Sealed on both sides. He swore by Himself. He couldn’t go any higher or He would have to destroy Himself.
• Covenant remembrance, you can never forget

X. Manifestation of the Covenant – It was not fulfilled until Jesus rose. Gen. 17:1

• Genesis 17:1-5 I will make thee great - Make thy name great ---- Thou shalt be a blessing ---- I will bless them that bless thee ---- I will bless thee ----- I will curse them that curse thee ---In thee shall the nations of the world be blessed.
• Verse 5 God changed Abrams name. Added one letter “h” in Hebrew it means ruah which means spirit. Sound it makes is “haaa”. Sarai – took “I” out and put the “h” in, pit the spirit in.
• Gen. 17: 10-14 Covenant means “to cut where blood flows”, it is a contract and agreement. It was sealed in man’s flesh by circumcision.
• Gen: 18:17-33 God had a covenant with man and even changed his name to Abraham. God consulted with His covenant man about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The covenant was powerful.
• God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Israel.

VI Covenant Practices (two volunteers – bread/goblet/coat/sword/chef’s hat/knife)

• Abram understood blood covenant, it would have been practiced through out pagan cultures.
• Marriage is a covenant. Ephesians 5 explains how marriage is a revelation of covenant between Christ and His church (Why else would the devil try so hard to break them up?)
• Marriages don’t work based on paper/commitment. They are cut in blood.
• Wedding ring comes from the cut made around the thumb where it would fester, be a raised scar and cause one to remember.
• Covenant is cut based on strengths, not weaknesses.
• It demands unwavering loyalty.
• In the old days, covenant was not based on what we have in common.
• Need covenant based on weakness/strengths, let’s pool our strengths together and yield our weaknesses.
• In order to work without prejudice there has to be something deeper; covenant.
• “Blood is thicker than water.” Covenant talk, Middle East they say “Blood is thicker than milk.”
• Remember is a covenant word.
• No way out, but death. If you broke your end of covenant, you were saying that no less than death would come upon you.
• If you break your end of covenant doesn’t mean I do to. If you break it you will receive a curse of death.
• Whether I like you or not doesn’t affect whether I keep my covenant, whether I enjoy you or you break my heart in two, when the dirt settles I will never forsake you nor leave you.

VII. Ancient Civilizations Covenant Ceremony – Notice the symbolism with Christ and Marriage

1. Choose a rep. from each family that represents qualities of the tribe. The family sees themself in Him.
2. Choose a sight for the covenant to take place, usually in a valley, so all could see.
3. Choose 7 stones and place them near the covenant spot. These are called the witnesses.
4. Choose animal and split it down the back. It falls open with a half on each side called walls of the covenant. Between them is the alleyway of blood.
5. Two rep. meet ankle-deep in the blood and speak or make known the terms of the agreement.
6. Exchange each other’s coats, a sign of authority. It stands for who I am and what I am, or what I do with my authority. And say, “All that I am I give to you and all authority I have I give to you.”
7. Pass each other, walk opposite of each other and circle around and meet again in the middle of the blood. “We are going to walk together, even if life takes us separate places, we will always be brought back together.”
8. Takes off His loin belt (weapons) and exchange them. All the power I have I give to you. Your enemies ore my enemies.
9. Pass each other, walk away and turn around and meet again in the middle of the blood.
10. Say, “I stand with you, just as I am standing in the blood.” Recite the terms; blessings, swear by God.
11. Wrist or hand is cut. An area that would fester and scar to cause one to “remember”. That is a covenant word. The life blood of the family is now being shed. Lev17 “the life is in the blood”, This is where we get wedding ring from. Blood shed in cup, stir it around (intermingled blood meant intermingling spiritual natures.- united spiritually – committed to one another – until death do you part) Pour it on the 7 stones as witnesses for all to see. Often would drink it.
12. Name change – either connected names (Williams-Burgs) or new name. Each person in family would be called that. Our new name is Christian “Little Anointed one of Jesus the Anointed One” Then became friends (another covenant term), love neighbor as self, a relationship has been born. I remember you are in the forefront of my mind, and eternal loving-kindness, tenderness, mercy forever.
13. Covenant Meal – feed his new covenant brother (friend) bread and say, “My body and life are yours, eat my flesh.” Offer wine to his new covenant brother (friend) and say, “This is the blood of my life, my life blood is yours.” In East, they would light a torch or in celebration of a marriage to symbolize the fire of destruction if the agreement should be broken.

VIII. Hesed

Now, they are bound to show Hesed to one another. Translates to loving-kindness, tenderness, mercy, rememberance, loyalty, service. “I serve you all the days of my life, not because of what you do for me, but because, I am in blood covenant. I do it with authority of God.” God says, “The devil can do what he wants, but because I am in covenant, I’ll see that he doesn’t to you. I am planning and plotting ways to keep you. I am bound to show you Hesed agape.”

Women's Bible Study For Chapter 3

Women Motivated 4 L.I.F.E.
Our Covenant with God
Part 3 of 6

Reading Assignment: Our Covenant with God, Chapter 3, “The Curse of the Law”

Memory Verse: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us it is written. Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14

MP3 Teaching: The Forgotten Weapon – Darlene Bishop, Solid Rock Church, Part 5 and 6
The Blood Speaks – Pastor Sam Hinn, Part 1

Declaration: I choose to believe the Word of God. I will not harden my heart to unbelief, but mix faith with His Word and receive the promises of my inheritance. Because of blood covenant, I abide and prosper under the Blessing. My Heavenly Father, keeps His Word and will not break his covenant with me. Jesus became the curse for me, therefore under the new covenant no curses can come near me, my marriage, my children, my health, my finances, my ____________. No weapon of the enemy will prosper against me, because I overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of my testimony.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.



From the Lecture

What does “covenant” mean?


Explain Ephesians 2:11-13 and how that affects us in this world.




What key role does “unbelief” play in receiving the promises within our covenant?




What do the birds of prey represent in Genesis 15:11? What buzzards are swooping in on your covenant?




Name some similarities between ancient covenant practices, covenant with God through Jesus Christ and marriage covenant?





Explain the word Hesed.




What did you learn from the MP3 teaching?






From the Reading

1) Under the Abrahamic Covenant, if a man refused to obey the law that would bring the blessing what was the result?


2) Since, Satan was already cast down before man actually fell, we can determine that the curse was already present, but why did it not prosper against mankind?


3) What does Joshua tell us about “standing in the middle” in Joshua 24:15?



4) What did God tell Abraham to do in Genesis 17:1 which would guarantee protection from the curses?



5) List the things which fell under the curse in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.








Personal Reflection

Can you relate to any of the curses mentioned in Deuteronomy 28:15-19? Do you see any of them prospering in your life? Mention them below.





Good News!! Reread our memory verse, Galatians 3:13-14, and ask the Spirit to give you revelation of it. Declare it, and keep declaring it to yourself, your situation and the devil that this curse can no longer prosper against you, because Jesus became the curse for you! Hallelujah!!!!

Carrots and Donuts Teaching

Allowing God to Guide His Teaching