Absalom

The flesh will always oppose to us living in the Spirit

The Flesh: There are a number of ways that the Scriptures refers to the flesh. Some of them have to simply do with our body, our natural self. There’s nothing negative about taking care fo our body. After all when God created humanity, he saw humanity was very good!

The Bible also uses the word flesh to denote the fallen part of humanity that pushes against God and his will.

The mistakes a leader make can create a ripple effect beyond their immediate relationships

Relationships are interconnected

It has been said that leadership is influence

Leadership is not optional. Whenever a leader doesn’t steps up to their God given role, the enemy and the flesh will step up and take over that place of authority and will turn it against them

Warning: if God has entrusted with a leadership role, you must attend to that role and commit to take it seriously [review lessons rom Absalom and David]

I would say that lack of influence will

God will permit you to take on some liberties with your life. God will allow you to sin. This is not his will but he will allow you to make decisions that will impact negatively your relationships and your future. It’s your prerogative and your responsibility to know how to act under circumstances when you compromise will come your way.

David was perhaps one of the most amazing leaders of Israel:

List of success stories

As you study his story you realize that he had an issue with relationships. He was looked down by his Father. Was shunned by his brothers. He was hated and later persecuted by his father-in-law, king Saul. After Saul became jealous of David, the king gave David one of his daughters to become a snare to him. Later on Saul took away his daughter form David and gave it to another man. You may think you’re having a bad semester.

As he fled form Saul, he began to marry a number of women. Whenever you find a polygamy in the Scriptures, you will find brokenness, fear, jealousy, and great hurt.

He also had a thing for women. He abused his power when he became a king and took the wife of one of his warriors and eventually plotted to have him die in battle to keep his wife. God punished him after this and he caused him to experience brokenness in his kingdom.

David experienced a loss consistently throughout his lifetime. He was a great leader and warrior for the people of Israel but he was a poor steward of his household. Are you focusing only on training yourself to be a leader, a great worker, employee or employer without paying the attention needed to become a leader of your life?

Experiencing holistic victory

Some people in this room are expert students but you all suck at life. God wants you to confront the areas of brokenness that you have been avoiding so you can experience victory in life as a hole

2 Samuel 13:

2 Samuel 13:1–2 NASB95

1 Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so frustrated because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

What was this? This was the time when David had an affair with Bethsheba.

God will forgive sin, but the consequences of sin will forge ahead

Amnon was sick in love with his step sister Tamar. Tamar is wiling to do things the right way and marry Amnon but he raped her. David was furious but he never dealt with the issue.

Times brews bitterness

Lack of forgiveness will cause God to hold back his blessing

Unresolved issues will brew dissension,

intense negative feelings over another’s achievements or success, jealousy, envy

Jealousy: intense negative feelings over another’s achievements or success, jealousy, envy (this is expressed explosively)

exertion or contention for superiority

Strife: a bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension; exertion or contention for superiority

Dispute: arguments. In Greek translated as selfish ambition. ἐριθεῖαι:

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. ἐριθεία

it denotes a self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means. Its meaning in our lit. is a matter of conjecture

forgiveness will

Romans 8:1–5 NASB95

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8

Celebrate you haver a new King: Jesus who walked blamelessly before God and humanity

Take on the authority of a child of God to walk in freedom

(vv. 16-17):

You are a child of God. Take on the new nature God gave you.

Shift your focus (v.6-8): Chances are that you walk in the flesh because that’s were you focus most of your thoughts. if you walk in th eSpirit you will learn to become subject to the law of the Spirit. Focus on the beauty of your savior. Focus on the glory to come

Claim the promise that you belong to God (v.11): the Spirit of Christ will live in you to do his will in your life. (read v. 14)