Pathfinders-Men of Freedom

Prepare for Battle . . . on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against itMatthew 16:18... We’re designed for battle by our Father God; we’re led into battle by our King, Jesus Christ; we’re aided in battle by God the Holy Spirit. These battles are waged against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). The places where we meet our enemies have names like sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these (Galatians 5:19-21). Though perhaps less dramatic than battles fought on the ground or in the air or on the sea, their outcomes are more momentous. They determine not only how we spend our lives, but our eternities too (Galatians 5:21). We have enemies. They’re real. They’re powerful. They’re cunning, relentless, scheming always against usscheming right now. We too, brother, must be cunning and relentless. We too must be prepared. Create a battle plan. Resist any this isn’t necessary or do it later tendencies. Create a plan to bring the fight to our enemies. They’ve brought it to you long enough. Write it out today. Make it explicit. Make it practical. 1. Definition of Battle . . . what problem would you like to finally overcome? 2. Definition of Victory . . . what’ll victory look like? 3. Lay of the Land . . . what external factors contribute to the problem? 4. Points of Weakness . . . what aspects of your lifestyle contribute too? 5. Plan of Attack . . . how will you counter or minimize or eliminate the external factors and contributing aspects of your lifestyle? 6. Sources of Strength . . . how’ll you stay connected to God and community? 7. Brothers-in-Arms . . . whom will you tell about this plan and keep updated, as to victories and defeats?

When a man is: Living in sin Addicted to porn... An alcoholic Living in adultery Neglecting his wife and children Swimming in a life of apathy Wasting time, talent and resources, Satan leaves him well enough alone because he has rendered himself ineffective. When you step into the ring as a man of God however, you will get punched, but you will be able to go the distance with the right people in your corner, a clear purpose before you, and power of God.

One Word to Start Over . . . for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemnedMatthew 12:37... Men sin. We all do. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). Fortunately, it’s not our sin that keeps us from God’s forgiveness. It’s our unwillingness to recognize it, to deal with it, which does that. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We must, therefore, confess . . . and regularly. That is easier to say, of course, than to live. Confession is hard. Giving voice to words describing our sin is hard. We often think that just saying them, naming our sin, will somehow make it more real. We think naming our sin will put more of its taint upon us. Brother, it’s real. Its full taint is upon us already. And there’s no path to forgiveness and taint removal, except first through confession. But it’s not actually confession if we never say the wordsif we obfuscate or talk around the sin. Naming it, simply and plainly, pulls it up and out of the tangle of denial and confusion. It places our sin in the open, where we can see it, where we can paint a target on it, where we can finally bring the power of the Holy Spirit and community against it. So here is what we should do. Reduce your struggle with sin to one word: Pride. Self-centeredness. Hard-heartedness. Indifference. Resentment. Rage. Greed. Dishonesty. Lust. You choose your word. Be honest. Once you have it, say it aloud. Gather some brothers. Pray for courage, then go around, each man saying only their one word. Pray again, this time against the words spoken. When the time is right, go deeper and explain the meanings behind the words.

Imagine............ for a moment, a man ever isolated, living alone in the mountains, perhaps. Imagine him living a vigorous, adventurous, spiritual life, but lacking community. The knowledge this man would have of God, the knowledge he’d have of himself, would be modest compared to the knowledge he’d have of both, were he to have full access to relationships, friendships, brotherhood. You see, the isolated man may know about God. But, no matter how much he might read and stu...dy, he cannot know God. That takes community. We get to know God by seeing his Holy Spirit moving in others. We encounter God, we experience him, we understand him when he works through the love and sacrifice of other people. In brotherhood, we get to show God to one another. And, the more we’re in community with brothers, the deeper our understanding becomes. Jesus created is among other things to live in community. That is why He established His church. He knew we needed each other. His desire, as we call for Him to dwell with us, is to live through us for each other. The isolated man may also know about himselfhis talents, his likes, his dislikes. But, he cannot know himself. He cannot know the man God intends him to become. That too takes community. It takes others around him, who know his story, who spend time with him, who watch him, to discern and affirm and call forth things true and eternal in him, things God longs for to emerge. It takes brotherhood to call forth the true man. Though we live in cities and towns, many of us are yet like the man isolated in the mountains. We know about God, but we don’t know him. We know the men we’d like to be, but we don’t know the men he created us to be. This message, right now, is another call for brotherhood. It’s a call for you, brother, to GET INTO COMMUNITY WITH OTHER MEN. Find some brothers; find your place.

We’re Here, Now What? Love one another with brotherly affectionRomans 12:10 We can’t live the full lives promised to us by our King, Jesus Christ, if we’re not in regular, authentic community with other guys. And the Church* can never be the Churchnot as God intends itif men aren’t connected in that kind of brotherhood. There are many ways the Church is supposed to work, but through men in community is a primary one.... Okay, so what do we do? The Apostle Paul gave us a framework. He wrote that we must be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10). We must make a handful of other men a priority in our busy lives, setting them above and ahead of other thingsnot God, of course; maybe not our families; but, really, most everything else (Philippians 2:3-4). Paul wrote that we must commit to honesty and transparency (Ephesians 4:25; 2 Corinthians 12:9) and accountability (Galatians 6:1-2). Community doesn’t work without them. It just doesn’t. And we must not presume we know how to fix each other, but rather should trust God the Holy Spirit to do all work that needs doing (Romans 12:3). Without meaning to, we can do damagespiritual, relationalwhen we offer fix-it advice to men who’ve been vulnerable in sharing struggles. It’s much better to listen and ask open, non-judgmental questions and praysomething else which Paul says we must do together . . . a lot (Romans 12:12). He wrote that we must encourage one another to live boldly and confidently in our faith, keeping each other fueled and aflame, and we must support one another, so that no man burns out (Romans 12:11 MSG). He wrote that we must stand with one another, helping each other through hardship, so that no man falls away from God in hard times (Romans 12:12; Galatians 6:2). * Note: The word Church here does not mean any building or denomination, but rather all of the people gathered together by God the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus Christ.

Got Risk . . . Discomfort? For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewherePsalm 84:10... Years spent in luxury and comfort can’t compare to one day spent with Godin his presence; experiencing his love; living his truth; doing his work. And, astonishingly, God doesn’t offer us just single days . . . mere glimpses, fleeting encounters. He offers himself more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20-21). He offers all of himself, all the timeas much as we want, as much as we choose. One proven method of choosing him is to strip away worldly comfort, strip away predictability and self-sufficiency . . . and intentionally move into situations we can’t handle on our own. Jesus sent his disciples into such situations: I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luke 10:3). He told them to travel light and resist taking anything that could provide comfort, predictability, self-sufficiency: money, extra clothing, extra stuff (Luke 10:4). They had to rely on him. And they returned full of joy (Luke 10:17). Because they’d been willing to move, in faith, into risk and discomfort, they got to spend precious days with God. Jesus told them: Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Luke 10:23-24). Ask yourself, what am I doingright nowthat requires faith? We get used to choosing risk and discomfort by practicing. So, look for ways to practice, brother. Look today for what moves your heart. Reach out to someone who needs help. Spend time with someone who needs a friend. Commit to a service project. Sign-up for a short-term mission trip. If you can do it you will have great stories to tell.

You were saved for a purpose. There is a reason that God allows you to still take up space here on earth and has not brought you home with Him. You have a purpose, something to do, through Him for the benefit of others. We will have that purpose further clarified by spending time with The One who created us and allowing the Truth of Scripture to change us from the inside out.

Rules for raising MEN. . 1. NEVER LIE TO THEM. They are smart, they know when you are full of it and if you lie to them they will lie to you. Dark, scary, embarrassing, doesn’t matter. NEVER LIE. . 2. SHOW THEM. I don’t remember a lot of what my dad said but I remember what he did. You can tell them to dream big but if you hate what you do they see that and will do as you do, not do as you say.... . 3. RESPECT THEIR MOM. Doesn’t matter if you are divorced and you ex is a raging lunatic, NEVER speak ill of their mother. When a woman enters the room you stand. There is a war on masculinity and they will learn to treat women how you treat them. Treat them well. . 4. LET THEM SEE YOU CRY. A MAN is both masculine and feminine. Men cry and POWERFUL men acknowledge that. Let them see your hurt, fear and care. NEVER shelter them from what scares you and show them your tenderness. . 5. TEACH THEM TO FIGHT. Inside every man is RAGE and VIOLENCE. Embrace and control that RAGE yourself, and teach them to do the same. Many would tell you that these feelings should be eradicated, these people are liars and a danger to society. Learn to HARNESS that primal gift, and teach your MEN to do the same. . 6. TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM. They need to HEAR these words. Tell them FREQUENTLY you LOVE them and are PROUD of them. . 7. MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE. Not every kid will be a star quarterback. Your son may be a nerd. Do nerdy things within him even if you can’t stand it. Show them you love their unique gifts. . 8. SPEND TIME WITH THEM. Quality > Quantity. Guys night. Weekends away just you and him. These memories will live with him forever and that quality time will build an unbreakable bond. . 10. LET HIM FAIL. He needs to fall down and get hurt. He needs to lose the game. He needs to get dumped. Letting him feel the sting of defeat without you EVER excusing it or trying to FIX IT will forge him into a man who can pick himself up, brush off and keep going. . 11. TEACH HIM TO WORK. Teach him money and investing. Show him hard work and show him success. One day he won’t have you but he will carry your work ethic. . KEEP YOUR HEAD HIGH DADS, WE HAVE A NOBLE MISSION WITH THESE MEN. See more

I know a lot of men struggle with this. Here is a resource from John Bevere that you will be interested in. As a young man, I had a big struggle with pornography. ... It seemed that no matter what I tried, I couldn’t break free. I prayed often and read the Bible consistently. I’d confessed the struggle to other believers and had them pray for me. I’d fasted. Whatever I seemed to try, eventually, I’d still find myself struggling again. I thought the struggle would go away after getting married, but it didn’t. It actually intensified. Fast forward to today, I’ve now been completely free for over 35 yearsso what changed? There were some key truths from God’s Word that I’d been missing. Once I got ahold of themreally got them in my heartit changed everything. Now I have a huge passion to help others walk in the same freedom. With technology today, so many are struggling, but staying stuck doesn’t have to be a way of life. I’ve experienced life on the other side and I can promise you, it’s way better. Not only that, it’s possible. God didn’t make us for cheap counterfeits. He created us to experience life to the full, and that means walking in complete freedom from the bondages that hold us back. Isn’t it time to finally break free for good? We created the Freedom Experience as a 6-week journey to a life full of freedom and renewed purpose. The Freedom Experience includes: * The Porn Free Course to help you break this thing for good * The Renew Course to help you renew your mind * Six private webinar calls with John Bevere & longtime counselors Chip Judd and Jorge Suarez * A follow along schedule/plan to help you walk in freedom * BONUS: When you join today, we'll also include the Killing Kryptonite course to help you discover your God-given strength Start a journey of radical transformation today with the Freedom Experience. Registration closes soon, so don't delay! God made us for freedom. The Freedom Experience is designed to help you get there. Join today!

People can not prosper without being connected to others. -Dr. Henry Cloud