Role Away the Reproach of Egypt (Slave Mindset)
Last week: Gatekeepers of the Promise
The Promises of God always have Gatekeepers – guarding the doorway of success
Gatekeepers use F.E.A.R. as a weapon to keep you out
You must defeat these Gatekeepers to get to your promises
1. You magnify the problem – Focus on the giants
2. You give the problem all of the power
3. You exaggerate what might go wrong if it you take the Risk
“The land devours its inhabitants”
4. You underestimate yourself “We are not able”
“We are like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we are in their sight”
5. You want the majority to confirm your decision – 10 spies ~vs~ 2 spies
6. You think you can take your time before taking action
Facing the Gatekeepers involves Risk & uncertainty
For you have not passed this way before. – Josh 3:4
1. Survey the land – Count the cost Luke 14: 28-33
2. Make your decisions based on your Promise – not the giants
3. Focus on the Possibilities – the land is a good land (13:27)
4. Have faith in Yourself – “We are well able to overcome it”
5. Use your Advantage – Favor
The Lord is with us; He will give us the land. 14:8
6. Don’t put off – Seize the Moment
Both groups had the same experiences – but interpreted them differently
Faith, yes
Mindset more
Look at the list – it reflects 2 mindsets
What determined their different interpretations?
Mark 4:40 (ESV)
[Jesus] said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
The disciples had experiences with Jesus, but their mindset had not changed
The Israelites still had a slave mindset – filled with limitations
Limited on where you can live
Limited on where you can go
Limited on job choice – laborer, domestic, laborer… at best a teacher
Limited on access to benefits
Once free – even though status had changed, slave mindset not changed
Embedded in our Soul – mind, intellect, emotions, will
That’s why there is the wilderness before the promise
The Wilderness is about personal development
Changing how you View – Interpret – Respond – Relate
Getting rid of your slave mentality requires re-education of the Soul
· Remember, they spied out the land after 2 ½ years
· Because their mentality hadn’t changed, God made it a Generation – 40 yrs
Josh 5:9. The Lord said to Joshua,
"This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you."
WE were raised by people who still had the reproach of Egypt
People who love you protect you, but…
They didn’t want you to be disappointed by overreaching
They taught you to live life within limits
1. Either by not constantly reaffirming that you can do anything
2. Or by setting the bar low
3. Or by actually telling you that you “can’t”
So, our main reach is for tangible things – financial blessings & healings
That comes from a “Slave mentality” that has to be overcome
It mistakes survival for blessings
- Their clothes never wore out & all they complained about was food
- Songs: How I Got Over & Climbing Up the Rough Side of the Mountain
- Sermons telling ”He’ll Bring You Through” & especially “Stand Still”
We don’t like messages about personal responsibility – tithing & fighting
You hear the Word of God week after week – It should be life-change
But we don’t change & we don’t Create Change
Because we don’t address the main issue: our Limited Mindset
Worst results: Now our kids’ main reach is for happiness – feels good & money
The teachings are life changing
It’s supposed to produce Faith… comes by hearing
There are 3 Voices that produce Faith
1. There’s my voice (the preacher)
2. The Lord’s Voice (the Word)
3. The most important voice is yours
It’s not what I say to you
It’s what you say to yourself
So when something is said that Challenges you
Your inner voice begins to speak
If it’s speaking from your new mindset – “We are well able”
If it’s from the old mindset – it will say “Amen” but not change
keep doing the same ole thing
The sound of the Word of God that you speak to yourself
Not just that you are Blessed, but that you have Dominion
You say you are “The Head and not the Tail”
But Head of what?
The message is good – the seed
Jesus said it’s the ground it falls on
You’ve got to “break up your fallow ground” – Hosea 10:12
Make ground suitable for producing
It can cause increase
Growth mindset, not a fixed mindset
How do we get to this place?
John 8:32–36 (NKJV)
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Knowing who we are – Sons, not slaves
The temptations of the enemy to the believer always include Identity – to keep slaves
· Serpent to Eve: “you will be like God”
· Satan to Jesus: “if you are the Son of God”
When we don’t know who we are, we won’t function from our God-nature
The Spirit comes to Reposition you – change your view
Renewed in your mind so you can
· Think from your Renewed Mind
· Function from your Free Mindset
Rom 12:2. 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.