Discipline and Strength by Brother Duke Hansen

         Our scripture reading will be in the book of Hebrews chapter 12. In chapter 11, the author of the book lists and describes the faith of the patriarchs of Israel as well as other figures in the Hebrews history. The chapter serves as a memorial and history of the Hebrew people. Now, we can read and study that chapter and feel often an air of superiority. Our mind likes to deceive us where we place our walk and our relationship with Jesus in the same company. The flesh has enmity with God, yet it enjoys elevating our mindset as always right in dealings, always just in how we handle ourselves, and great overall. The term superhero is overused and misdirected with fellow believers more than in the world. We are not superheroes. You should actively avoid saying such foolishness.

        You are instructed to be a steward of what you have with God has provided. The physical things such as property, money, time. You also need to be a steward of your spiritual growth and gains to pass along to others. There are two different moves of the spirit. There is the actual spiritual move of the Holy Spirit and there is a fleshly move. The latter move mimics and imitates a true move. It rides high on emotion and the moment is fleeting. It's why some think they get their cup filled at the altar or during the service, get out in the parking lot and consumed by the wiles of their flesh once again. Their cup is dry as a bone for another week. Many of us may get the spiritual high of a powerful service, but without allowing proper correction and discipline, our propensity to kill, steal, and destroy is still very active and sometimes used under the guise of building the kingdom.

        We will be reading Hebrews 12 starting with verse 1.

        Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

        What are the witnesses we are compassed about being written? It's those who came before us, the people of faith in the previous chapter. In a sports analogy, it's the crowd cheering you on in your race to glory. 

        So what are the things which weigh us down? A short list here is not forgiving others, malice, hurts, anger, fear. These things weigh us down. Think of wearing a backpack and putting 5-10 pound weights in it. By themselves they don't feel too heavy, but the more you put in the harder it is to bear. If you are carrying weights, you are also carrying sin. The sin is attached to what you are carrying. To run with patience is to recognize that you are in a marathon and not a sprint both in this walk of life and our walk with God. We are all pressing and running toward the same goal but on different tracks. We all have differences in strengths, weaknesses, and obstacles.

        2 Looking unto the Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

        The joy set before him are those who rise above and consistently rely on Jesus and living in righteousness. Jesus came before to establish the new covenant with man, to enact the current time of grace.

        3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

        Jesus life on Earth was a contradiction of the Mosaic law which the Hebrews followed in those days. Thinking about what Jesus went through is fine with you. There's a distance in reading about his life and his suffering. It's when you are told you also will go through the press, face chastisement and discipline when your flesh will flinch at the thought of discomfort and pain. Your rebellious nature will be your reckoning if you deny and refuse to follow the two simple commandments Jesus spoke to the multitudes and disciples while on Earth.

        Can faith exist with fear? No. Not one. In the book of Genesis chapter 21 where Abraham made a treaty with Abimelech in Beersheba. Abraham had told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister and not his wife in this chapter. Abraham was operating under a spirit of fear and self preservation. Many people do the same each day similarly and make wrong decisions that often make a small problem in life bigger.

        4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

        5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

        6 For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.

        In the model setup of our faith, God is the father and we are his children. A father will teach the child, guard and protect his child. Sometimes his protection can be correction of the child in order for that child to know what not to do or where to go. This is an important facet of our relationship which is still present and active, that many people conveniently avoid. 

        7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasten not?

        8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are the bastards, and not sons.

        9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

        Physical punishment doesn't work when there are spiritual strongholds and bondage in your life. Physical beatings of your body will not break generational curses. Your steps and moves are dictated by that bondage. 

        10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profits that we might be partakers of his holiness.

        11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

        True strength is not muscle building, endurance nor stamina. It's when you deny your flesh. You don't waste your pain and you overcome that flesh. God will put you through chastisement and you allow that to happen, you grow yourself the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

        12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

        13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

        Find some strength, lift your head, straighten your path that you are on. Don't have one foot in the world and one in the faith. How do you know you're making a straight path? Through the teaching and reading of the word.

        It's up to you if your lame spirit be turned out off to the side or to be healed. It's hard for someone in life to voluntarily take up a new thing. You can look at the stories of Jesus and the man at the pool of Bethesda or even the man lowered through the roof for a healing as Jesus taught in a home. 

        14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

        15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

        Peace with all men both in the church and the world. It's on you to decide to look diligently within yourself or let a root of bitterness from and trouble you. That bitterness makes you unclean before God. We have to take responsibility for our failures. There's growth in that responsibility. If you see failure, there's failure. If you see success, celebrate it. The work and growth towards righteousness is realizing and correcting your personal failures. It's vital that you need to recognize the triggers and warnings that reveal your shortcomings.

        We are going to go down to verse 20 to continue reading.

        20 ( For they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust though with a dart:

        21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake:)

        This scripture is referencing the book of Exodus where the Israelites had come upon Mount Sinai. 

        22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

        23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

        You take the things God gives you and perfect them. You work on them and work on them and make them perfect. You are spoken to overcome. There is nothing wrong with being a servant of God but you are called to be a son and daughter of God. We can't afford to let our flesh off the hook all the time, but to put it under subjection. Doing so is to begin the process of perfection.