Romans 12 - Stay Ready

Fortified - Stay Ready -Spiritual Strengthening

Thesis: That the congregation will realize that they have to participate in their Fortification process. God and His Word strengthen us, and we understand that our obedience and implementation in the process is crucial, because I am being made, fashioned, and formed. The end product is totally fortified and useful for the season I am in.

Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

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. 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.

The Apostle Paul wrote Romans 12:1-2 as part of his letter to the church in Rome to encourage believers to offer their lives as living sacrifices, renewing their minds to understand and follow God's will, and avoid conforming to the patterns of the world. 

To Encourage a Spirit of Self-Sacrifice: Paul called for Christians to present their bodies as living sacrifices, which is described as their spiritual worship. This involves offering their entire being to God out of gratitude for His mercy.

Renewing of the mind to understand be transformed.

Avoid conforming to the patterns of the world.

In essence, Romans 12:1-2 is a powerful call to a new way of living, rooted in a transformed mind and a surrendered heart, enabling believers to live in harmony and advance the Gospel message

QUESTION: “What is the outcomes for engaging and doing what the Word of God says?”

Joshua 1:8

Joshua 1:8 NKJV

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Matthew 13:3–9 NKJV

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Matthew 13:3–9 (NKJV) Some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. The evil one came and snatched it away quickly….and there was no response to the Word….. receive it be intentional….The hearer don’t understand- the evil one snatches it out of the heart.

Matthew 13:3–9 (NKJV) Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. The Word is received but doesn’t take root in the heart it spring up…Life happens and burns up the seed it whither stumbling happens immediately.

*You received the Word, but do you believe the Word? [Bishop said to prophesy to your car keys]

Do we believe the Word of God when tribulation comes and persecution arises? We got to believe

3. Matthew 13:3–9 (NKJV) And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. The thorns have not been plowed the grow wild (What is in your life that is growing wild and out of control that chocking out the Word of God in your life. What you are going through…life is lifing..or financial struggles are so tough it has your attention more than God does.

4. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Not just physical hearing but what God is saying to the spirit man and spirit woman.

I must give my all to God, I must protect my ear gates and my eye gates.

We must do Joshua 1:8

Joshua 1:8 NKJV

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Opportunity cost is any gain you pass up by deciding on one use of your resources (time)over others.

Key Takeaways

Opportunity cost is the forgone benefit from an option that you failed to choose.

In other words, what blessing from God did we didn’t receive because we failed to receive the Word and believe the Word of God.

The Process of Building In Strength

The Idea of Availability

The idea of availability is such a common theme that it is typically sorely underestimated as to meaning and

significance. This underestimation is caused by the inherent ease with which we move between the states of being

and not being available. The reality is that our state of availability is typically placed at the disposal of external

matters, which are only a part of our context, but have been given authority to make availability decisions, sometimes

without our present permission.

Transforming the mind involves a cyclical process of self-awareness, challenging existing thought patterns, replacing negative or false beliefs with truth, and reinforcing new, positive ones through repeated practice and new experiences. This can be facilitated by tools such as reflection, meditation, community support, and, for many religious and spiritual traditions, relying on sacred texts and the guidance of a higher power to align one's mind with divine truth. 

How much of life have I forgone to scrolling social media outlets and binge-watching television?......

The process of mental assimilation is when a person incorporates new information, experiences, or ideas into their existing cognitive structure or belief system, fitting new knowledge into pre-existing mental schemas. It's a process of fitting new information into what is already understood without changing it significantly, allowing a person to make sense of the world by expanding on what they already know. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Existing Schemas: You begin with pre-existing mental frameworks, or schemas, which are organized patterns of thought or behavior that help us organize and interpret information. 

2. New Information: You encounter new information, experiences, or ideas from the environment. 

3. Fitting New into Old: The mind tries to make this new information fit into the existing schemas. If the new information is similar enough to what is already known, it can be integrated and added to the existing framework. 

4. Modification (if necessary): The new information might slightly modify or expand the existing schema, rather than changing it entirely. This expansion allows you to better understand your world. 

5. Maintaining Equilibrium: This process of fitting new information into existing schemas helps maintain a state of mental equilibrium and a consistent understanding of the world. 

Joshua 1:8 NKJV

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The seed is God’s Word; the various soils represent different kinds of hearts; and the varied results show the different responses to the Word of God. Jesus explained this parable so there is no doubt of its meaning.

Why compare God’s Word to seed? Because the Word is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12, sco). Unlike the words of men, the Word of God has life in it; and that life can be imparted to those who will believe. The truth of God must take root in the heart, be cultivated, and permitted to bear fruit. It is shocking to realize that three fourths of the seed did not bear fruit. Jesus did not describe an age of great harvest, but one in which the Word would be rejected. Jesus was not impressed with the “great multitudes” that followed Him, for He knew that most of the people would not receive His Word within and bear fruit.

Fruit is the test of true salvation (Matt. 7:16). This would include holiness (Rom. 6:22), Christian character (Gal. 5:22–23), good works (Col. 1:10), winning others to Christ (Rom. 1:13), sharing what we have (Rom. 15:25–28), and praising God (Heb. 13:15). If a plant is to bear fruit, it must be rooted in soil and exposed to sunshine.

In the parable, the sun represents persecution that comes because of the Word. Persecution helps believers grow. But the sunshine will kill a plant with no roots. This explains why some “believers” do not last: Their faith was weak, their understanding was meager, and their decision was not sincere.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 45.