Be Thus Minded by Brother Duke Hansen

         There will be a couple of places we will be reading from this morning to aid in telling the message. The first scripture will come from the book of Philippians chapter 3. This message is for those of you currently in the press or passing through the fire spiritually. You have allowed God to put you through some tests to strengthen your walk and your spirit man. 

        Paul writes at the beginning of chapter 3 that he knew all about confidence in the flesh. He lists parts of his biography starting in verse 4 to verse 7. Paul was zealous in his ways before his conversion. He would call out others if they hadn't followed what he followed to the letter. He placed value in what he believed and walked. He put all that aside after his conversion. You can believe in things but no one really cares in your beliefs. It is viewed as opinion and not fact. Your guiding light should be what you believe aligns with what is scripture. Let's begin reading with verse 8.

        8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win in Christ.

        Let's think on this for a second. Paul traded his entire world over for Jesus. If you read Acts chapter 9, you see the conversion of Paul. He was on his way to Damascus, maybe in the press spiritually, to persecute more believers when the voice of God spoke to him and struck him blind. Saul's question to the voice was "Who are you?"

        Afterwards, Paul was led to Damascus where he met Ananias. God had appeared to Ananias in a vision to meet with Paul. There in Damascus, Paul was baptized and then filled with the Holy Ghost. Paul had also confounded the men in the synagogue with his proclamation that Jesus is the Son of God. Soon afterward Paul went to the desert for 3 1/2 years to receive the truth.

        9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

        The longer you're with God, he will attack your public image. God will put your flesh in an uncomfortable position and activate its primary instincts. Your core instincts to a perceived threat are either fight or flight. You will either fight God to retain and maintain your flesh image or run away from God out of self preservation.

        Don't let fellow believers nor various denominations deceive you. There is a righteousness present in the world. There are groups and denominations who blind people to the truth and shorten the hand of God by stating there is only one who is perfect. I can think of Enoch and Elijah off the top of my head who did not see death. That statement is a passport for you to not truly live for Jesus and rather live by your own terms. It is the wrong mindset to carry. Pursue the righteousness.

        10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death;

        Let's think on that last phrase. Being made comfortable unto his death. This means you take your carnal self to the cross and put it to death. You can perfect things you want to perfect in life, but many of us just want to go only so far and stop short from a full relationship with Jesus.

        11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

        12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

        13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

        Forgetting to surrender in life. Thoughts, incidents, situations, people, jobs, homes, etc. Your primary focus is often dwelling in the past and not fixed toward the future. You are in bondage and in contempt of yourself. God does not care about that. God wants you with your head high towards him and moving forward.

        14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

        To press on is just move. Leave and go forward. It does you no good to merely sit in your situation, The press is you fighting your flesh and striving towards righteousness. The prize awaiting is redemption and heaven.

        15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

        People feeling pressure in the earth can be a motivation for some. It brings the best out from some people.

        16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing,

        17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

        18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ;) 

        Be thus minded is a command to follow while in the press and the fire. Seeking God is an issue for many people because you're not prepared for the revelation about your character. There are some situations in life which are bitter and could be poisonous in your life. We could exercise spiritual discernment in avoiding these bitter situations.

        Passing through the waters of affliction may be at times overwhelming where you may be treading that water. In the past, being in the press caused you to react out of emotion towards your situation and the people who are involved in it. A wine press is a good example for the press in the spirit. Your flesh is crushed and torn asunder from your spirit. Statements in the scripture of pursuing a life similar to Jesus are going through the press or passing through the fire.

        Going to Daniel chapter 3 now. Daniel had perfected prayer and speaking truth while in captivity in Babylon. You look at the three Hebrew boys in this chapter. They took a stand against bowing to an image of gold the king of Babylon had made for his nation to praise and celebrate.

        Not everyone can feel the hand of God, go through the press, pass through the fire. No one cares about the truth unless you are allowed to live tour life how you feel fit. We are going to start reading in Daniel 3 with verse 16.

        16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

        So what is the question asked that provoked this answer? Up in verse 15 it is asked "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" All the people, all the gods which had been brought into captivity to Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar had not yet experienced the one true God.

        17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

        When you go through things daily, ask yourself if God is able. He is always able. The Hebrews knew that God was able to be delivered from the fire and from the king's hand.

        18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

        If you stand for God, God will stand for you. When you go through the press, you should display your faith. Develop and strengthen your mindset. The three men were thrown in the fire out of anger from the king. The furnace they were thrown in was heated seven more times than needed. The three men were called out and emerged from the furnace not burned nor their clothes singed. We go to verse 24.

        24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the kind, True, O king.

        25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

        If you stay in the press and overcome, your faith is still strong, man will see God evident in your life. There would be no denying it whatsoever. It doesn't matter if other people see the miracle it matters that you not only see it, you receive it.

        He is my God, he is one Lord, and he is Jesus. Opinions are many and varied but not the truth. This is the truth. It isn't fun to see people resist what God is putting them through on their walk and through the press. 

        26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendnego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendnego came forth of the midst of the fire.

        27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

        28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendnego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

        Jesus has always been in the fire. He's always been in the press. Whether it was Joseph, Joshua, John, Jeremiah, Isaiah, David, even through the New Testament with the disciples, Paul, Peter and more, God was with them in their press every step of the way. The word of God in practice changes you for the better and it's noticeable to others. Enjoy the pain and strive towards perfection. The press, pain, suffering are all in the process towards perfection.