Regaining Lost Ground

Pastor Shane Idleman: It wasn't until I cried out for for a day and night for a while that I found it. Wasn't until I fasted and prayed and really made it priority that God began to answer. It's it there's something to that deeper life that's seeking him with all of our heart, with all of our strength. Look at that verse I just thought of. If you seek me with all of your heart, with all of your strength, with all of your soul, there's a there's there's just something about that and that requires sometimes you don't have to here.

You can do it at home, but you should get on your knees at some point at home or if it's not comfortable. I know my knees are starting to hurt too. Lay down on the bed and just Lord, I'm going to seek you tonight.

Pastor Shane Idleman: Thank you for joining us here at West Side Christian Fellowship, located in Leona Valley, California, 1 hour north of Los Angeles.

Guest (Male): Today on Regaining Lost Ground, we hear the second and final part of this clarifying message titled, Are generational curses still for us today? Galatians 3:13 tells us, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Today, Pastor Shane expands on the need for Jesus to know the power and deliverance that can only come from Christ.

Pastor Shane Idleman: You can hear the whole message at Pastor Shane's YouTube and Rumble channels. Make sure to subscribe today. For more information, visit us online at westsidechristianfellowship.org. We also encourage you to hear more truth from Pastor Shane with the Idle Men Unplugged weekly podcast. And now from West Side Christian Fellowship in Leona Valley, California, here's Pastor Shane Idle Man.

Pastor Shane Idleman: Clear cut answer on how this works other than scripture. Because we do know that God can deliver. We will pray for deliverance. We've seen it. We know it, but we also if you're going to use scripture for that, you also have to use it for God saying my grace is sufficient. And it's tough maybe and I've had to tell um I I've had to tell people that I've known and I've prayed for an immense ministry and and even back in Lancaster um years. And like you know, you you might you might be the guy who cannot have that drink ever again.

Like they say every time I hear that ice hit the hit the glass, I just get and every time I see that that cold, you know, whatever and I just I I don't know it's like I haven't been delivered of this and like maybe they won't be. We'll pray for it, we'll hope for it, we'll have faith, but sometimes I think the struggle is left because we have to apply discipline as well. Cuz you can't discipline a demon and you can't cast out the flesh. And I know people can get wonky and weird on this topic.

Um and in the church we we try to I I actually sent this message all these notes to our elder board and they're all on the same page about this topic because I didn't want to go into waters that were that were muddy um because we we we understand that God um can deliver us, will deliver us, but sometimes there's a battle. For example, how many of you know in Ephesians where it says put on the whole armor of God? Do you know how many of you don't know what it says after that that you may be able to withstand the wiles, the trickery, the deceit, the strategies of Satan?

So that tells me he's coming after me and you. So don't look at me that way. And so I'm supposed to resist the devil, the that scripture, and he will eventually flee. So that tells me if I'm resisting the devil, probably the demonic minions, I'm going to be under some type of demonic attack from time to time. Maybe then I think the main way they work is through planting those those seeds, those those thoughts. Yes, fiery darts because I mean again I wish I had time to go through all the different verses, but it's interesting that Satan put it in the heart of Judas to to to betray him.

What about Simon the Sorcerer when he became I think it was Simon the Sorcerer when he became a Christian? He's following the disciples and he sees the power of the Holy Spirit and he goes I want to buy that. And I think as Peter said, you have no part, no portion in this matter because your heart is not right with God. You're you're poisoned by iniquity and bound by it. Why is Satan deceived you? See Satan he's planting these thoughts. And once you realize that because sometimes he can also I believe um Jesus actually rebuked a spirit of infirmity.

And I'm not into Leviathan and octopus spirit and all this. I mean I I I don't know. I just I just look at Jesus's example, right? And if you can say you know rebuke the spirit of infirmity or deaf and dumb He actually said deaf and dumb spirit which was the one that was that was hindering the boy from speaking. And I I do believe as believers I haven't believe you'd see that probably more in unbelievers that are bound by Satan and in order to pray over them and have them release, show them the power of the gospel and lead them to repentance.

But for believers it's it's it's a very interesting topic because and even when Satan deceived tried to deceive Jesus, how did he do it? Or he took him places and and showed him this. It was it was thoughts. It was thoughts. Look I take you on this high mountain and look at all these kingdoms. If you just bow to me, I'll give them to you. All Oh you bow to to God and God alone. Took him to the pinnacle of the temple, the very high spot of the temple. He said throw yourself down. The Bible says this.

And see that's another thing is very dangerous people twisting scripture just a little bit to to to um validate their air. We see that a lot, don't we? Don't judge. Don't judge me. Who are you to judge me? And Jesus, what did he say? Don't tempt the Lord your God. I'm not going to I am not going to throw myself down. Turn turn these stones into bread if you're really hungry. And so we we but we see that and and in our thoughts here's how he's going to work and we've seen it many times. If if if if other than you know giving giving maybe somebody a sickness or something um because we see that with Job as well um that that happened with Job.

But more often than not he's planting seeds and that 's why we recommend that book before I think Lori and Rick did a study with John Bevere on the bait of Satan. You know it 's huge that I would say without a shadow of doubt that is first place on what jacks up a church, what messes up a church, what divides a church, what makes our job really hard in a church is offense. Somebody made you mad. Have you ever felt that way? Nobody ever been offended? Is there anybody here that's never been offended by a Christian?

May yeah may yeah maybe not today. But that's what he'll do because and then that's why that's why it's hard to talk up you ever you ever I don't want to talk to them. I don't want to bring it up. I don't want to the enemy doesn't want you to talk to them because nine times out of 10 when you do you get clarity and the fiery darts are put out and you understand where the person's coming from and you work through it and often the relationship is stronger, stronger than when it was before that.

And so that's what he's using those those fiery darts of the enemy. He'll plant thoughts in your mind. They don't like me. They don't want to use me. They don't see my gifting. Um I mean I don't want to throw out too many examples here, but you guys get the idea. And then also I've seen how Satan will plant those thoughts on isolating. And we see sometimes mature believers do this too. They'll they'll just not come to church anymore. They're not fellowship with you anymore. They're not they're just they just isolate themselves all under the disguise of seeking God.

But that's how we live in deception because it's okay to do that for a season, but the Bible also says don't do not forsake the assembling together of coming together, letting iron sharpen iron iron open yourself up to constructive feedback. Be grow in the faith and apply the word of God. And so the more we get isolated from others but again I've been there where you you think you're hearing from God. And that's where it gets tricky too because not every thought you have is from God. I believe the satanic thoughts, demonic, whatever you want to call it, your own thoughts of course, and then God thoughts.

And that's how the enemy will deceive you. He'll plant those thoughts. Anybody ever hear of the victim mentality? Another word blame shifting. And so you see this a lot. I'm sure we see it all the time. Instead of owning it and repenting and growing, no here comes a victim. I've been this. I've been hurt. I've been or you shift the blame. Here comes a here here here comes a here comes a constructive criticism like a football player. I'm just going to take it. I'm going to shift the blame to somebody else. That's Satan often working because those thoughts will come in.

Don't let them talk to you that way. They don't know how hard you try. They don't and you so you've got all these different things working against you. And that's why this topic is so important because I've seen so many sincere believers and pray for deliverance. And sometimes God might allow that thorn to remain in order to keep you humble. And it it works, doesn't it? Can you imagine if you mastered everything? God took away every every stronghold and you were man you were walking holy for a while. You were good to go. You I mean you were just you'd be you'd be so arrogant.

I would be without those little reminders of God saying hey remember I've I've I'm I'm just keeping you together here. However, blessings can be replaced with consequences from disobedience which can be a form of a curse. In other words, we talk about this here when it comes to the topic of curses, I believe we can walk in the blessings of God. Many of you do as well in our marriages, right? We're trying to treat our spouses correctly. We're in the word. We're praying. We're trying to work through issues and and there's there's a covering I believe.

There's a covering that God blesses. But if you begin to walk outside of that covering and you open yourself up, then you can be in disobedience. And it's the Old Testament theology issue that I talked about a while ago, the doctrine of Balaam where he he was hired to curse the children of Israel and he could not curse them. He said I can't curse what God has blessed. And the king got so mad, Balak, because I I there's nothing I can do. God's blessed them. Nothing you cannot curse what God has blessed. Isn't that incredible?

But he did say but there is a way. There is a way. Have the women of the land come down and entice them the men to leave God and to begin to bow to the false gods and they will curse themselves. So that's really what happens is when we we remove away from God's shelter, that frame where there's there's a place of safety and protection. And it doesn't mean you're living life perfectly, but you're living life repentant. You're living life following God. You're you're falling forward. You're in his word. You're trying not to hold on to offenses.

You're you're forgiving and you know you're you're you you're playing all these things. There there's there's God's grace on the humble. But he resists the proud. Focus on the family had incredible article. I think we passed it out. They they they said this generational curse in Romans chapter 5 through 7 the Apostle Paul argues that from a certain point of view human sin and death are a corporate problem rather than an individual one. He tells us that one man's sin, Adam, brought guilt to all people and that sin entered the world because of one man's sin and death came because of sin.

So technically all of the world was under the curse especially I mean as unbelievers. This is why each one of us remains a slave to sin unless we're set free by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ in Romans 6. To get out from under the generational curse, you have to be grafted into a whole new family tree. So maybe none of you are here tonight that are not believers. I don't know. Some listening no doubt will be, but that 's how you get away from the the generational curse because in that sense there is a generational curse that started with Adam.

Humankind actually all of the earth even groans. Everything was affected by the curse. And that makes the life of Jesus Christ so much more beautiful. The truth sets you free. And once you repent and believe and now you're a child of God, that curse of sin and death and condemnation is broken. And so that's another reason it's hard for me to use the word generational curse for a believer because that has been broken in Jesus Christ. Every individual is responsible for their own choices. Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ is the question you must answer.

It won't be because of the skeletons in your family closet. It will because it will because you didn't embrace the gift of God's forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ. Or will you receive him? Will you live forever in fellowship with the heavenly Father? If so, it won't be because you somehow managed to avoid the mistakes that previous generations made. It will be because you accepted God's merciful offer of unmerited deliverance and salvation. So even though I'm not sure about a generational curse, I do know about generational blessings. There are generational blessings. I mean you look at the Psalms and from Joel to Deuteronomy even there's blessings and and the life of David and what he wrote about even even Joel, you know the the verse we we quote often about um in the last days I'll pour out my spirit among all flesh and your sons and daughters will prophesy and there's something there's something incredible that you can actually I believe you can set in motion for your family.

Oh my kids are grown. I know. I know, but I I believe we can still pray for them. I believe we can still intercede for them. It's it's so important. There's what we can we can establish. We can we can break our families out of these cycles. Lord that you and you pray tonight as we go into worship, Lord break this out of me. I I don't want to deal with this anymore and and whatever it is, I don't know. I mean I could I could start going over lots of different issues. But God knows and you know and you say Lord help me with this issue.

I don't I don't want to be this any way. I don't want to I don't want to struggle with this anymore. And maybe he'll deliver you. Maybe he'll set you free. Maybe something will will break. You know that song we used to sing something has to break. But be encouraged if you get up off this altar and tomorrow there's still that struggle sometimes because what happens is we can beat ourselves up because of the struggle. Have you ever done that before? And you're like man I was doing so good and now I'm I'm these these desires are coming again.

What what's going on in my heart, Lord? And we get discouraged and we almost get filled with shame and guilt and and I I don't know where these these thoughts are coming from or these desires are coming from. But remember temptation is not yet sin at least according to scripture that I I believe. Now what you do with that temptation, you know if you get the temptation you're like I'm going to feed on that for a while, then yeah you're not taking your thoughts captive. And that's another way that why the enemy comes in through our thought life and take take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

So when that thought comes in to do whatever you're struggling with and and you have that desire to do that, you say you know what Lord I'm going to take this thought captive. I know this isn't right. I'm going to choose to apply discipline. And I think we overlook that sometimes in the Christian community because discipline it's like oh that's kind of legalistic. You know that's pretty harsh. That's going to Shane what about the God of the New Testament now? What about just grace? Yeah but there's a lot of of verses on on discipline. I mean Paul said he disciplined his body, brought it under subjection.

He talks about making no provision for the flesh. Don't plan ahead. Talks about crucifying the flesh. Talks about running from sexual immorality. Uh there's I mean we could probably find a lot more verses on discipline which is actually a fruit of the spirit. So I think God is also teaching a lot of us discipline. He's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. That takes discipline. And you you do have to discipline the flesh and that's how you really begin to conquer certain things because when you give in to things, you begin to lose that battle.

And you lose the battle again and use the battle again. And what happens your discipline begins to fade. The things you used to control now are controlling you. And reapplying discipline against saying Lord give me the strength. That's why we talk about fasting a lot because I I believe that can be a one one huge way of just really disciplining the flesh and and bringing in the submission. And a lot of the the the choices we make, how we live our lives, um what we put into our body uh everything from medication to other things.

It's it's it's we really have to be seeking God on in this area. It's it's vitally important. Hezekiah when he was going to die, the prophet said get your house in order. And he cried and he cried. He turned he it's the Bible says he turned like to the to his wall and cried and cried out to God. And uh when the prophets they were leaving and God grabbed him and said go back and tell Hezekiah okay what? I've heard your cries and I've seen your tears and I'm going to heal you. I don't know.

I I there's there's something to that because we could also look at the Psalms. How many Psalms talk about God hearing the cries of his people? A broken and contrite heart I will not cast away. I will revive the spirit of the humble. I will bring back what was driven away. I will bind up the broken. I will strengthen the sick. But the fat, the proud, the arrogant I will feed in judgment thus says the Lord. He's looking for those people to seek him. And again I I don't it's not about coming forward. It's not about but guys there's got to be a point sometimes in our lives where we get out of our chair or we at least sit there and we we we engage with God.

I I don't I don't know if church is just listen a few songs. Oh that was a good message. Yep someday I'm going to apply that. I'm out of here. Like there there should be a stirring. And and I feel that's part of my calling is to stir the body to that deeper walk, to stir revival, to stir desperation. And I I I could stand up here for hours if we could bring in all the people, all the testimony after testimony after testimony. It wasn't until I sought God Shane with all my heart that I found him.

It wasn't until I cried out for for a day and night for a while that I found it. Wasn't until I fasted and prayed and really made it priority that God began to answer. It's it there's something to that deeper life that's seeking him with all of our heart, with all of our strength. Look at that verse I just thought of. If you seek me with all of your heart, with all of your strength, with all of your soul, there's a there's there's just something about that and that requires sometimes you don't have to here.

You can do it at home, but you should get on your knees at some point at home or if it's not comfortable. I know my knees are starting to hurt too. Uh lay down on the bed and just Lord I'm going to seek you tonight. Turn off Amazon, turn off Prime, turn off Netflix and seek God like never before.

Pastor Shane Idleman: Hello, this is Pastor Shane Idle Man with Regaining Lost Ground. I want to tell you about an important book that I just released for pastors and Christian leaders including worship leaders. The title is I Almost Quit. It's no surprise that thousands of pastors step down each year for ministry and most who start never finish. After nearly 15 years of pastoring and 25 years in ministry, I was ready to quit and this is where the story really begins. My wife also wrote an important chapter for wives that will encourage them as well. Make sure to send this helpful resource to pastors and those in leadership positions.

Again, you can find my book I Almost Quit, my journey of leading through the landmines of ministry right now on Amazon, etc. We also have a free PDF download of the book at westsidechristianfellowship.org. Again, that's westsidechristianfellowship.org.

Guest (Male): West Side Christian Fellowship is located 60 miles north of Los Angeles in Leona Valley, California. Thank you again for listening to today's message of Regaining Lost Ground where we are reminded daily. Times change, truth does not.

Pastor Shane Idleman: Regaining Lost Ground is sponsored by the generous supporters of the ministries of West Side Christian Fellowship.