Spiritual foundations

By deacon Steve Sheilah

Introduction;

Chinese Bamboo:

In its first year though, we see no visible signs of growth in spite of providing all of these things.

In the second year (again), there is no growth above the soil.

The third, fourth year…still show no signs of anything happening.

Our patience is tested, and we begin to wonder if our efforts caring for and watering the tree will ever be rewarded. We start to doubt ourselves and question the value of our efforts. Inevitably, we contemplate quitting.

But then finally in the fifth year – something amazing happens…

The Chinese Bamboo Tree grows 90 feet tall in just six weeks!

Foundations takes long, they are painful, they are invisible they may break your heart.

1 Corinthians 3:11

For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Matthew 7:24-27

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

2 Kings 4:1-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil

4 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

Turenda maaguta, Maguta nimo ithue turenda.

We want the anointing… the anointing of God.

The anointing of the Holy spirit…

The anointing which fought for Joseph,

The anointing which fought for David,

Holy Spirit is our foundation…

How to Lay foundation in the Spirit

Step No. 1: Lay foundation in the Spirit by Throwing Off Hindrances

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” –Hebrews 12:1, NIV

Step No. 2: Lay foundation in the Spirit in the Spirit by Sowing to the Spirit

“He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” – Galatians 6:8, NKJV

How do you sow to the spirit?

With your time. Many Christians don’t grow because they don’t get the Word into themselves. If you don’t give God time, natural voices will overwhelm His Spirit in your life.

Step No. 3: Lay foundation in the Spirit by Presenting Your Body as a Living Sacrifice

“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.”—Romans 12:1-2, NKJV

Lay aside the things of the world. This means being willing to give up activities, friends or habits that don’t match God’s best for our lives—walking away from anything that is not pleasing to the Lord.

Obey righteousness, not the flesh. The reason people get so good at sin is because they practice it. For example, a person doesn’t become an alcoholic the first time he takes a drink. He had to practice drinking until the flesh was trained to demand it. To become good at obeying the Holy Spirit, we must practice.

Make a daily decision. You make a decision to put on the Spirit each day the same way you would put on a coat. Present yourself to the Lord as a living sacrifice, according to Romans 12:1, by speaking the following declaration first thing every morning:

Step No. 4: Lay foundation in the Spirit by Praying in the Spirit Daily

“For we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.” –Romans 8:26, AMPC

Step No. 5: Lay foundation in the Spirit by Obeying the Promptings of the Holy Spirit

“The sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” –John 10:4, ESV

Everything God tells you to do is important. So, tune in to the Spirit of the Lord in all things, even when He’s telling you something that seems small, or something you don’t want to hear.

Confess this every day: “I hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, and a stranger’s voice I will not follow” (John 10:5).

The End