Holy Ambition - Experience a Broken Spirit, Part 1

There is something that can block your relationship with God. It is a barrier that will keep God from tearing their prayers as a barrier to keep them from blessing your life.

It's a barrier that he wants to remove so we can watch what that barrier is welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge chips are vital to discipleship program Christians to live like thanks for joining us as we continue our series chips in the process of explaining how to turn our gosh into a reality by highlighting six key conditions in this program to find the in better understanding his will for our lives before we begin. If this is your first time listening to Living on the Edge you just want to learn more about what we do go to LivingontheEdge.org find tons of resources on a wide range of topics, and countless programs for you to enjoy. Or if you prefer that your paper map is also a great way to get that if you have a Bible turned out to view my chapter 1 chips message. A broken spirit for the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole earth, that he might strongly support those whose hearts are what an invitation given to a prophet but an axiomatic principle. All through Scripture God is looking for man. God is looking for a woman he's looking for a student whose heart is fully his, and some have a little. Some have a lot. Some have been between the God is looking for regular ordinary people who are all in that he might strongly support you give you what ever you need wisdom, faith people staff finances. What ever you need to fall the job.

These major to fulfill. The question is why does it take to make a difference for God and what kind of person does he promise to strongly support their six prerequisites you open your notes only do a quick review. The first prerequisite for the God of the universe with all wisdom, all knowledge, unlimited power and a desire to support and help you is to look at your life in your heart and say do you have a dislocated heart. Do you really care. Is your life really open and available to say I'll get beyond me.

In my world and my stuff and my thing to really extend if you would want me to to care about other people.

Our motto is Nehemiah. We read these words last week in the month of Kislev, November, December and the 20th year, which was the king Artaxerxes of Persia while I was in the Citadel of Susa. Hannah and I want my brothers came from Judah and some other men and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, those who survive exile are back in the province there in great trouble and a disgrace's bad God's promises God's people.

God's plan for all practical purposes, downhill the evidence. The gates been burned with fire.

The walls are broken down and then here's a dislocated heart when I heard these things, I sat down I stopped. I wept deeply demoted anymore and for some days and then he acted. He had no idea. He's a business guy is the right-hand man the king, he takes the wine he takes the foodies living in the lap of luxury and is thinking what can one person do so. He fasts and prays for three months and he finds a small group of people that have that on their heart. Could you find it. He asked God early to listen to the prayer of your servant, and then later in the chapter listen to the prayer of your servants plural and he says God what can I do a dislocated heart is a God-given concern for others that propels us out of our comfort zone. It's a passionate concern for God's agenda that supersedes our own personal desires for personal peace and prosperity and I will tell you that is counterintuitive to counter the flesh and unfortunately counter most churches.

We said there were three great examples.

Jesus in Philippians 2 Paul in Romans nine and then you we talked about individual stories. It's something that you're passionate about, that moves you out of your comfort zone to love and care for other people how to develop it talked about an honest evaluation of thing do I have one or not.

We talked about genuine repentance were to the level that we don't. I shared, my story you say you know something unknown that I'm gonna turn around and we talked about a careful consideration, not some knee-jerk emotional something goes up quickly, but what does God really want me to do and then to asking for now get a look at the second condition when these six conditions. When God finds these in the human heart.

I will tell you this will strongly support you.

The second is a broken spirit and we need to do a little theology lesson before we talk about how to develop a broken spirit because in Scripture. You need some backdrop about what a broken spirit is in Scripture there's one thing 100% of the time that God is 100% against when he sees it in a man when he sees it in a woman when he sees it in a child when it happens in the Old Testament. What happens in the New Testament he sees it in the Corporation. He sees it a nation. It's not like he's unhappy about it. It's not like he's mildly dispute displeased.

He's against it becomes against it brings consequences. He takes it in that one thing would be pride. Pride. Pride can be as strutting your stuff I don't need God. Rebellion or pride can be self-reliance and doing your own thing is that God doesn't exist. But the good news is there is something that whenever God sees it. If he sees it in a man or woman, or a nation or a country or company Old Testament or new when he sees this one thing in the human heart. You can you been to prison you can of murdered people. You can have committed adultery. You could had two or three abortions. You could've lied. You could've embezzled. You could've stiff arm, God, you could've blasphemed God no matter what you've done, but this one thing happens in your heart.

Heaven rushes to connect with you. Scott broken spirit.

Let me give you the biblical evidence here on pride. Proverbs 813 says to fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate notice the strong word I hate pride and arrogance and evil behavior and perverse speech in the New Testament it's James 46 but he gives more grace. That is why the Scripture says God opposes any of the little word anti-like against that word for opposing Greek.

It starts with that anti-he's against the proud but gives grace to the humble. But notice Psalm 51 it's David's confession is Amanda really knew God well love God wrote the Psalms valiant warrior musician. But like a lot of us was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He let his success swell his head instead of doing what is supposed to be doing ended up walking around wise nation was bad or look down on a very beautiful woman who probably should have been bathing where she was and he commits adultery with Bathsheba and the commits murder with her husband and Psalm 51 is him pouring his heart out before God, knowing that the consequence he deserves is death, and he writes in Psalm 51, 16 and 17. You do not delight in sacrifice or I would bring it you don't take pleasure in burnt offerings, the sacrifices of God or a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart of God.

You will not despise.

See, we have this idea that you know I've done something terrible. God can never use me I did this or I did that. So try and be a good person and are trying to do more of this and I'll be kinder to people and have this works mentality. It doesn't work with when we are far from God weather like this are like this.

What allows God to come in and forgive and cleanse is when we understand were spiritually bankrupt and we have a broken spirit and we just say God I messed up. I don't have any excuses. I blew it. What I did was wrong. How I did it how I said it. Would you please forgive me and have mercy upon me, I'm desperate. I deserve nothing. Isaiah 5715. This word actually is only used in two or three places and all the whole Old Testament but assess for this is what the high and lofty one says he lives forever. His name is holy I live literally the word is dwell. It's where his presence is where God can be God there's only two places in the universe where the manifestation of all of God being God can be in and here's the first one I live or I dwell in a high and holy place, but also with whom him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I'm always amazed when I read the Bible because I never read it. Growing up, but wasn't a Christian. Growing up, I thought all Christians are crazy and I had some good evidence that we know II think of the great heroes of the faith and you have Moses who is a murderer and you have David is an adult and a murderer. You know you have the apostle Paul was a murderer and somehow we get these little Bible stories. We act like they're just sort of stained-glass people.

They were very evil people in windows of times that did horrendous things that broke God's heart and then they repented. They recognize the distance and how they've violated a holy God, and they didn't try and cut a deal may try to earn their way back into his Grace HS said oh God forgive me. I don't deserve anything.

When God sees that in your heart to rush to meet you and will start you on a journey, not just forgiveness but restoration and healing and repair.

And guess what later on this Psalm. He says he says God I want you not only to heal me, but I and forgive me. I want the day to be that you actually restore the joy of my salvation and I would like to be an instrument yet again of teaching sinners your ways is he sure understands what it means to be a sinner.

So those are two timeless things concerning God and the danger when we begin to think about developing a broken spirit is of watch this happen fact, I've read some books, some even some very good devotional books but there's a sort of what I call it warm theology towards him to have a broken spirit all of a sudden what I must be a terrible person. I can feel really bad about myself and that's right I'm I'm gonna come to think of anything of ever done in and type take sort of the spiritual wet noodle. Shame shame shame shame about you and for sort L get myself worked up in some emotional, terrible, terrible person.

You know what that does guess where the focus is on you arrogant. You don't develop a broken spirit by beating yourself up.

Let me give you three keys to developing authentic, genuine, broken spirit, so that when the God who made and created all that there is looks inside your heart will say this person has a dislocated heart, and number two, they have a broken spirit number one it's begins with the restored view of God were to learn key number one number two that will lead to an accurate assessment of yourself and later will learn. It'll cause your agenda of your life to get aligned with God's agenda and his purposes is a will. Where you get that we get from Nehemiah again. Now imagine he's living in the lap of luxury right you know he's got his nice chariot is nice close, nice food, but he's heard about this is got a dislocated heart and it says he prayed and fasted for three months will learn when you like to be just like a little bird you know like he's praying like a wonder what he's praying you know, on the actual words, what did he actually say what are the kind of prayers that really get through to God, you got it right here we have a sample. This is when I heard these things, I sat down and I wept for some days in a morning fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said, there's his actual prayer. Oh Lord God of heaven. The great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands. Here's the request. Let your ear be attentive in your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant is praying before you notice the intensity. This is in some little. All I had a liver quiver. This is night and day for your servants the people of Israel. We put a box around the word, oh Lord it's it's his covenant name. It's all Yahweh, the I am that I am the ever existent one the all-powerful one. The personal one.

The God of all the earth put a box around God of heaven. These creator put a box around the word great. These all-powerful put a box around the world. Awesome in the old King James has the idea of terrible or fearful or holy.

He is in a totally different category and finally put a box around the phrase who keeps his covenant of loyal love. A broken spirit begins with a restored view of God, not a beating up of yourself and your view of you notice the high view of God, Yahweh, creator, powerful, fearful, holy, loyal, loving God, here's what you need understand we all have issues and problems right. Some people need a job. Some people in a difficult relationship.

Some people have money issues you know some people have kids that are driving you crazy and some people have parents are driving them crazy.

Some people have a secret sin that you never shared with anyone. And every time you come to church, you feel really guilty and you want draw near to God.

We have all the stuff going on inside.

But whatever the problem is the human tendency is to focus on the problem focus on the problem focus on the problem focus on the problem and pretty soon you look at all of life in all relationships in all circumstances to the problem in life stinks and so you drink stuff you shouldn't take pills that don't help you watch too much TV and eat all the time looking for pleasure in trying to put something in your mind or your heart or your body to keep you away from those bad feelings to you either have really big problems in a really small God, you have a very big God of very small problems similar to options.

Nehemiah saw a huge problem.

He had a dislocated heart, and he had God centered prayers God centered prayers are yours. God centered our mind, God centered. We just whine and complain before the throne of God.

What about this. Oh God, what about that you have done this, you know this and this keeps happening. What sometimes we just worry out loud and call it prayer and we don't think you're talking to when Nehemiah prayed, he said, I am speaking to the I am that I am I'm speaking to the one who spoke in the galaxies came into existence.

I'm speaking the one that has all power and all resources I'm I'm speaking to one who keeps his covenant of loyal love and starts by beginning to get a high view of God. In view of his Majesty's powers. Wisdom is love, his justice and his holiness love what Koser says I've read probably at a chapter of this book. The first 15 years I was a Christian, probably every day and then I kinda cut back to maybe a chapter once a week because it's just about this is the tiny book called the knowledge of the holy and just about God. What's God like toes rights. Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appropriate appreciate or experience the life in the spirit. The words in Scripture. Be still and know that I'm God mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshiper in the middle. Of the century.

But the alarming thing is is that our gains are mostly external, and our losses are wholly internal and since it is the quality of our religion that is affected by internal conditions. It may be that are supposed gains are but losses spread over a wide wider field. We've never had more TV nevermore video nevermore mega churches.

Nevermore presents Christianity is never had quote the external affluence and influence, but all the while the quality of the kind of Christians we been producing over the last 50 to 70 years or less and less and less like Jesus there less holy and there less loving and they have less faith in the name of Jesus, we sought personal peace and prosperity, and the average gospel going out in many parts of the world is Jesus as your self-help buddy and life is really about you now what make my life work out and if I ever get cancer or my marriage is in trouble or my kids have a problem or have a financial dip. Hey God, what's the deal you think you are. Don't you understand on the center of the universe and then we get mad we get mad and we get disillusioned with the God of the Bible because we don't understand who he is because he goes on to say what comes into our minds we think about God is the most important thing about us. If someone could register, bang the word God comes to your mind. What's he like who you really pray to that my friend is the most important thing about your entire being a low view of God will produce an anxious striving frustrating life and a high view of God will produce a life that has issues and problems will see them in view of his wisdom, power, sovereignty and responses to trust this message experience a broken spirit right back with his application for the stitching from his series holy ambition during God shaped dreams into reality in the study of Nehemiah chip uncovers six crucial conditions every day. People need to grasp in order to accomplish incredible things for God and as were learning this process is not for the faint of heart. It requires determination, faith, courage, and an unwavering commitment. Discover how with God's help, you can harness those qualities and make an eternal impact with your life. For complete details on all of our resources for holy ambition go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003, or LivingontheEdge.org hapless nurse Special offers or Bible teacher Chip Ingram is with me now in chip before we hear your application and I was wondering if you take a second and talk to a specific group of people they been listening to the series they think they have a dream, but they aren't confident in it, or their own sure it's even one God placed on their hearts. Know what advice do you have for them all day but I love talking to people there and just that spot because I think as God is birthing something in us. We usually have a barrage of doubts and I mean that's got to be for someone. I remember thinking, way smarter than me and way more holy than me and and and as I taught through for the very first time holy ambition, I watch different people. Like a coach get a view of it and then a businessman and he wants to group for businessmen and and then a teenager and I saw what they did in their school and it was just so exciting and so after that series. It a few years later became a book and everyone I've talked to just has this issue. I remember getting to teach this. It where I went to seminary and there was a young man there named name Zach and Zach said can I come out for maybe a couple days just hang out with you what you said about holy ambition deeply resonated with me and so Zach came out.

We spent a couple days together and little did I know that he was married to a lady named Jenny and it was Zach and Jenny Allen and Zach and Jenny are both just excellent leaders and Jenny actually took this concept of holy ambition overwhelm with lots of doubts and could this be me and she walked through that process that we walk through in the book and it's been amazing to see the if gathering grow out of that and now she speaks and is an author and and Zach is an entrepreneur building disciples so I would just say it if you don't know, where you go from those vague sort of sense of promptings. I don't know if is really from God. How do you get it clear, and where you go, that is exactly why we turn the series into a book called holy ambition how to turn God shaped dreams into reality.

They want to take just a second let people know how they can get it big lectureship to order the newest addition of holy ambition go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003.

Through this resource.

Triple walk through a step-by-step process to turn your dreams and good intentions into a God infused reality. Now during this series, we discounted this latest edition of Chip's book so order yours today. Simply go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at AAA 333-6003 hapless nurse Special offers chip as we wrap up this program take a minute if you would and talk about our role in God's master plan and what we have to be on the lookout for in order to be part of the extraordinary things he's doing. It's an amazing thing isn't the God of the universe wants to use a very ordinary and regular person like you and like me, and yet as we approach him.

We all have to admit that those two timeless axioms cut to the core of our being to think that every moment of every day God is against pride. I mean, he hates it and I realize in my life I get preoccupied with me. I get arrogant I get proud. Sometimes I don't even know it's happening and God hates it, and yet the wonder of the cross is provided something that ushers us immediately into God's presence and intimacy with him. The moment we come with a broken spirit. The moment like David, we own our stuff. The moment we realize were spiritually bankrupt and were willing to just lay it all before the Lord. He says he'll never ever despises in today we started the journey of learning will how do you develop a broken spirit begins with a high view of God will learn that that will lead to an accurate view of ourselves and then, finally, that will lead to a renewed commitment to God's agenda, but as you listen to today's program I want to ask you question what is your view of God.

If you would close your eyes and just write the word of God on a whiteboard, what comes to your mind. Is he a genie in a bottle, raising the high holy God of the universe that is created all that there is keeps his covenant of love who is terrible and holy and awesome and yet is eager to be your friend.

You know a high view of God doesn't mean that you where Rober have to have an extra large black Bible or you have to like candles, but a high view of God involves thinking accurately and biblically about God and what you learned is that that comes when you get into the Bible on a regular basis and get your mind renewed so that you have a biblical view instead of a cultural view of God. Secondly, it means there must be periodic regular times of worship were more than just reading your Bible, or asking God for things you focus on his character, and you worship him. Isaiah heard the angels in the temple cry out holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty and he got a right view of God, which led to an accurate view of himself and it transformed his life in the in the life of the nation, may I encourage you to worship today to behold your God as we wrap up this program just a quick but important thought Living on the Edge depends on listeners just like you to help us continue to encourage Christians to live like Christians.

So, would you consider partnering with us on a monthly basis so others can benefit from the ministry of Living on the Edge to set up a recurring donation, call us at AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org hapless nurse Donate. Thanks in advance for doing whatever God leads you to do what I hope you'll join us next time. November is really saying thanks for listening to this additional living on the