Declaration of Dependence
Man’s free will is easily swayed unless there is unwavering faith that our Heavenly Father knows best. His will and commandments are always for His children’s eternal well-being. Our Savior said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like [obedient] little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3). We are to become like children who are totally dependent on our heavenly Father and lovingly cling to Him. For those who insist on their independence from His authority and rulership, He says, "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the Lord Yahveh, "Who execute a plan, but not Mine … those who … do not … consult the Lord!” (Isaiah 30:1, 31:1) That woe began with Adam and Eve who did not consult Yahveh and did what seemed right to them as they fell prey to deception and Satan’s temptation of their flesh and its desires.
“Deception leads to the prideful self sin-nature saying, “I know what is best for me!” That was the biggest downfall for our first parents. They asserted their independence and it cost them everything!” ”
The great Apostle Paul teaches, that those “who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Messiah Yahshua [Jesus] … put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). They trust our heavenly Father and solely depend on His leadership as the all wise Redeemer and ruler of their souls. We must have wholehearted faith and loving obedience to His written Word, lest we fall prey to deception leading to the prideful self sin-nature saying, “I know what is best for me!” That was the biggest downfall for our first parents. They asserted their independence and it cost them everything! Adam and Eve wanted independence from the authority of their Father’s commandment and righteous restraint. As a mega warning against this prevalent self centered mindset, it is written, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). That is exactly why sin and death entered the human race through our first parents and all humanity that followed.
Independence is so inbred in the inherited sin nature. Most children go through, what is a natural and expected occurrence, called the “terrible two’s” when they begin asserting their independence continually saying, “NO!” to their parent’s will and guidance. These inherited attitudes are a by-product of our first parents, Adam and Eve, who asserted their independence against the loving restraint of their heavenly Father. As born again new creations in the Spirit, we are to mature in an opposite manner. The Almighty’s redeemed, spirit led children continually forfeit and resist the quest for independence. They are quick to respond, “YES! YES! YES!” Your will and “good pleasure” are the “desire of my heart” (Philippians 2:13, Psalm 37:4). As obedient children they are prayerfully seeking their heavenly Father for His will and direction in all aspects of their lives. In this politically correct age, most parents are foolishly cultivating independence in their children. In their lack of discernment and wisdom they are actually training their children to be by-products of Satan’s lethal strategy. This pervasive deceptive mindset inevitably leads to captivity to the selfish sin nature and its dangerous destructive eternal consequences. We are not to be politically correct, we are to be spiritually correct, and as a parent would say, “No” to an unruly child, we say “No! No! No!” to our unruly flesh that rages war against the Holy Spirit.
“We must wholeheartedly repent and ruthlessly resist and deny the flesh nature which is always vying for its independent right and power to make its own decisions””
We must wholeheartedly repent and ruthlessly resist and deny the flesh nature which is always vying for its independent right and power to make its own decisions. There is only one right decision: a declaration of independence from our flesh and other people in order that we will be completely dependent on our God and Savior. Yahshua (Jesus) gives us instruction, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing.” "If anyone does not abide in Me [live in the Spirit], he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned” (John 15:5). We must prayerfully and continually consult our heavenly Father and Savior’s Word and defer to His will, realizing, “what do we know?!” and “what can we do of eternal value?!” apart from His Spirit’s authority and leading.
“As redeemed children we must be completely dependent on our heavenly Father, having a righteous fear and dread of being independent from His infinite loving rulership over our “purchased” lives.”
As redeemed children we must be completely dependent on our heavenly Father, having a righteous fear and dread of being independent from His infinite loving rulership over our “purchased” lives (1 Corinthians 6:20). What little child doesn’t melt down with terror when they are separated from their parent, and rightfully so, because this world is a dark perilous place under “Satan’s rulership”? (John 12:31) Yahveh God’s children cannot victoriously and eternally survive apart from His guidance that directs their lives as they prayerfully seek Him with all their heart. Yahshua (Jesus) is “the light of the world” that shines on the dark path. He alone knows the route out of harm’s way on earth ascending the “narrow path” that leads to His eternal kingdom (John 8:12, Matthew 7:13-14). So many of the Father’s children have been deceived and kidnapped by the Enemy. Through their independence they have strayed in disobedience away from their heavenly Father, becoming a victim to Satan who is on a perpetual hunt to ravage and destroy lives.
“The cost of being independent is really a “sucker bet”; it is deceptively overrated and is the looming undertaker of our souls””
“It was for freedom that Messiah set us free” from Satan, to be His spiritual “born again” children (Galatians 5:1, John 3:3). The independent self nature and its strong inbred “entitlement” attitudes, causes us to insist on our independence. However, in reality, we are being played for a fool back into the Devil’s hands out of the will of our heavenly Father’s loving blessing and protection over our lives. It is written, “Cursed is the man who … makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from Yahveh” (Jeremiah 17:5). It could cost you your life. It is vital that we be directed by the Holy Spirit who “orders our footsteps.” If not, we will be led by our own understanding which gives the Enemy an inroad to lure us into harm’s way (Psalm 37:23). The cost of being independent is really a “sucker bet”; it is deceptively overrated and is the looming undertaker of our souls! The result of this supposed independence causes us to backslide once again into slavery to the Enemy. Our sin nature originates from our self will and its desires as it continually flexes its puny muscles of independence against our Savior’s rulership over our lives.
Yahshua (Jesus) came to earth, died to set us free, His outpoured sacrificial blood covers our repentant hearts, and His powerful indwelling Holy Spirit gives us self control over our sin nature. It is written “you are not your own … For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1Corinthians 6:19-20). “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Romans 6:16) Man is either going to be a bond servant to their Creator and Savior or they will remain bond servants to Satan who has duped them into thinking they are free to have their own way and do their own thing, whenever they please. In reality, according to Scripture, there is no freedom! This masterful deception keeps multitudes of double-minded lukewarm Christians in captivity to their flesh sin nature. According to our Savior’s words, many like Adam and Eve, will be cast out of the Almighty’s holy presence and righteous kingdom. He clearly stated, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven … I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21,23). The Savior emphasizes the consequences of independent, self-serving, rebellion, “these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” “… Assign [them] a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Luke 19:27, Matthew 24:51).
“The Messiah, the Son was continually under the rulership of His Father, setting an example for us to forfeit our independence to be under His authority. Anyone in their right mind (the mind of Yahshua/Jesus) is not going to desire their independence!” ”
It is vital at this late hour that we make a decisive choice as to who we are going to serve. Yahshua (Jesus) said, "No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). We have to choose everyday making every effort to serve our God and Savior through the power of His indwelling Spirit or by default we will be serving our flesh ruled by the god of the world, Satan. There is no middle ground; “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). We must resolve to despise the Enemy of our souls, our independent self nature, and all of its sinful inclinations that are at war against the rulership of the Holy Spirit. “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Galatians 5:17). The faithful remnant rejoices to seek and do their Master’s will, at any cost. They are gratefully surrendered to Yahshua (Jesus) for delivering them from bondage to their flesh, Satan, and the world. They are valiantly “fighting the good fight of faith” following in their Savior’s footsteps, saying as He did, "I always do the things that are pleasing to Him" (1 Timothy 6:12, John 8:29). The Messiah, the Son was continually under the rulership of His Father, setting an example for us to forfeit our independence to be under His authority. Anyone in their right mind (the mind of Yahshua/Jesus) is not going to desire their independence! They will truly view it as the archenemy of their soul. It is written, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Messiah Yahshua [Christ Jesus], who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant” “so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (Philippians 2:5-7, Romans 8:29).
Let us learn from Adam and Eve’s deadly mistakes and follow the “last Adam”, our Savior, Who redeemed a remnant to be under His authority. Yahshua (Jesus) prayed, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (1 Corinthians 15:45, John 17:21). In the conclusion of Scripture He comes as the all conquering “King of Kings” with “the called, chosen, and faithful” who will “rule and reign” with Him over His regained dominion of the earth, originally lost by Adam and Eve to Satan (Revelation 17:14, 2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 20:6, Luke 19:17, John 12:31). The curse on fallen man and the earth will become eternal blessings in the Messianic Kingdom for those who have lived their lives by the Spirit, dependent and surrendered to the authority of our coming King and His righteous Kingdom. Sadly, there are only a very few professing believers who will truly forfeit their independence to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit to “walk in a manner worthy” of the high holy call on their redeemed lives. Yahshua (Jesus) is preparing the remnant to endure in order that they will “rule and reign” with Him in His eternal kingdom. It is written, “If we endure [hardships and trials], We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him [and His rulership over our lives], He also will deny us” (Colossians 1:10, 2 Timothy 2:12, Matthew 24:13, Hebrews 12:7).
Prayer
Father in heaven, please forgive me for not having child like faith to surrender to Your Spirit’s control and leadership. I am sorry for being independent of You, thinking “I know what is best for me”. Forgive me for the many times I make my own decisions without prayerfully consulting You; being in charge of my own life, doing what seems right to me and others. Please forgive me for the arrogance of thinking I am independent and entitled to the freedom to have my own way, to do my own thing, whenever I want. I need Your help to forfeit my independence in order to be truly dependent upon Your Holy Spirit’s rulership in and through my purchased life. I acknowledge that apart from You there is nothing I can do of eternal value but I can do all things You would ask of me through You. Please forgive and free me from being a bond servant to my independent self nature, which gives Satan an in-road into my life. I surrender my life as a bond servant to You, Yahshua (Jesus). Thank You for dying to save me. I humbly ask You to cleanse and purify me with Your sacrificial blood. May my flesh be dealt with continually- blow after blow, until it has no privileges over the Spirit. I am making a declaration of independence from my flesh and other people to become completely dependent upon You, my God and Savior. Thank you for the power and the grace to live as the dependent obedient child that You redeemed me to be for Your praise, honor, glory, and dominion. Praise be to Yahveh God who causes me to triumph over my flesh, Satan, and the world through Yahshua (Jesus) my Savior!
Accompanying Teaching and Prayer
