Divine Nature!

INTRO Welcome, open up to 2 Peter as we started this letter last week. It is on page 1,843 in the Bibles around you.

Small review?

Jump into it!

Pray SCRIPTURE

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

-Wow there is a lot there. Some pretty big statements too that I think would be good for us to know so that we can grow in grace. So let’s start with where this verse starts with to talk about the divine power. What is Peter talking about here?

DIVINE POWER MEANS GOD POWER, HOLY SPIRIT, OR POWER OF CHRIST.

All of these are interchangeable but this is a gift that you have been given. You have God power in you, the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in you.

This is what Paul prayed for us to know in Ephesians 1 where he wants our eyes to be open to the power that was given to us through the resurrection of Christ. WE will get to that verse later.

This divine power, the Holy Spirit, unfortunatley is not known about, pushed aside or even not discussed in many american churches today. Mostly because of how they have seen counterfeit versions of this power. Meaning, you have seen someone say they have the power of the Holy Spirit and they are really weird. Like John the baptist weird. Or it is misused and abused by pastors, ministers, traveling speakers etc.

Let me ask this though, if there were counterfeit $20 circulating around town would you stop using your real $20? No, why? Because you know that you are using the real thing because you are using it correctly. SO how do we know we are “using” the Holy Spirit correctly?

What does this power do? So many things but according to Peter in this letter it says that this power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.

Excuse me, what? Can you explain that to me like I am a 5 year old please? Yes I will, this is what Peter is telling you and I.

God gave us His power so we can be like Jesus in every area of life.

-You and I can’t do the christian life without the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit pulls you out of a victim mindset in life and in your walk with Christ.

-Galatians 5 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit (the attributes of God) are accessible to us through the Spirit in us.

-1 Corinthians 12 and 14 show us that we have gifts given to us through the Spirit for the edification of the bride.

-The Holy Spirit wants to work through us to manifest christ everywhere we go. Not just in church, everywhere you go!

So how do we do this?

We walk in divine power by believing his precious and very great promises.

-There are between 3,000 to 8,000 promises in the Bible, depending on what you are counting as promises.

-What promises is Peter talking about? New covenant promises, the ones he mentioned in his sermon in Acts 2.

-The promise that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. That, like Jeremiah prophecied about, that we would have new hearts. No more hearts of stone. That this promise would be fulfilled through the Christ who would bring this about. It would not be based on law or strength from us.

-Is this me telling you to read the Bible more so that you know what you have through Jesus? Yup! But more importantly this is not just reading but believing it.

-What would it look like if we believed in the precious promises that God does what he says? he pours out and has poured out His spirit on us so we can walk like Christ did. That’s better than religion!

We walk in divine power by resisting sinful desires.

-Some translations say sinful desires, some say lusts, some say evil desires.

-Don’t picture the non religious people, this is the picture of selfishness and desiring the forbidden fruit. To chose our way rather than God’s. And we know that leads to death and living by the Spirit leads to life.

-I don’t want living rock church to be embarressed of the Holy Spirit, I want us to live in the power God has given us.

How do we do that? Through prayer. Do this because communion with God changes us, but so does praying together. Don’t worry, I’m going to help and guide us through this time.

I’m also doing this to show you what we do at our prayer on monday’s so you can see how it is not scary at all.

We are going to pray from Ephesians 1

English Standard Version Chapter 1

16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Guided prayer- Praise/Worship | Thank you Jesus that you are raised from the dead so i can remember you are in control of…Jesus you have all things under your feet and I worship you as the head of all things…Thank you that you can open the eyes of my heart so I can see your…

Guided prayer-Response: God | I don’t see the immeasurable greatness of your power in me, help me to see it in … Jesus, my hope has been on other things, forgive me and remind me of the hope I have in you. Father, I have forgotten that Jesus is the above all rule and authority and have been fearing…

Guided prayer: Requests to God | God please open my eyes to know you more as… Jesus please help… to know you and to see you as raised from the dead for their sins. God increase my understanding of immeasurable greatness of your power in me by…

Guided prayer: Readiness | Jesus you are raised from the dead and seated above all authority, may that give me confidence in… Let the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of you God change me in… Jesus, I am your church, help me to follow you in reaching out to… to show them your power in me.