Simply Uncaged

When you have the Holy Spirit...

Worldly music won't sound the same.

Clubbing and poppin bottles on the weekend won't be the highlight of your week.

You won't be laughing at the same jokes like you used to.

Everything shifts when you truly surrender to the Lord.

37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 39 And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” (Luke 5:37-39)

There is a new remnant that is roaming around the earth that God is raising up!

Who have allowed the Holy Spirit to transform them from the inside out.

So why do people struggle to get filled up with God?

Because they are so full of them.

Sometimes you don't crave God or the things of the kingdom because you are so full of you!

Wilderness was meant to deliver you from YOU!

If you take a tree away from the ground, it eventually dies.

If you take a fish away from the water, it eventually dies.

If you take human beings away from God, you are dead in the spirit.

One person in the bible... Elijah.

He followed wherever the Lord told him to go.

From cave, to Zarephath, to mount Carmel, to the wilderness, & eventually handing off the mantle to Elisha.

& the Lord ALWAYS provided for Elijah.

His trust was in THE SOURCE not the resources.

When you get a word of God... OBEY! 

(Ezekiel 3:1-3)

The bible is sweet like honey.

Health to our flesh, strength to our bones.

God's word is alive.

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)

Learn to proclaim God's word over your life.

Learn to proclaim God's promises over your life.

How do I allow the Holy Spirit to change my desires?

#1 No longer crave former.

We must no longer crave toxic.

4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (Numbers 11:4-6)

The children of Israel were delivered from Egypt (bondage), yet they still craved the things in Egypt while they were free in wilderness.

It's hard to move forward when you continue to miss former.

#2 Desire to break old habits

(Isaiah 43:18-19)

You can't meditate on former and forward at the same time.

Be willing to break from old ways of thinking & old patterns.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

#3 Deeper hunger for God.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

You must be more hungry for God than the world.

More hungry for God than your own selfish desires.

Learn to continue to deny your flesh, pick up that cross and follow Jesus.

#4 Your circle shifting.

33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20)

Your influence and people around you matters.

Know when people are trying to contaminate your mind & heart, then build healthy boundaries around that!

🙏🏼Forgiven Merch: https://simplyuncagedgifts.com/collections/forgiven-collection

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The word of God is the best foundation you can have in life! 

In a world full of uncertainty and chaos, God’s Word has the power to guide, sustain, and lead us. However, knowing about God and His Word is one thing, but being intentional about applying it to our lives is another. 

As followers of Christ, it is crucial that we constantly submit to biblical discipleship to grow in our relationship with God. There is power in being in environments that promote mentorship and Bible-based relationships, and we should desire to pray for and seek out these interactions. 

Ultimately, we are confident that when we live according to the Bible and embrace the importance of discipleship, we will grow significantly in our relationship with God.

The condition of your heart, determines the direction of your life.

Whatever your heart is tied to, that's what your identity is tied to.

The heart houses the thoughts & feelings that's connected to the mind.

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)

What our heart is thinking privately, our mouth speaks publicly.

 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)

When the Lord encountered Solomon this first time, Solomon prayed and asked for an understanding heart... which pleased the Lord.

10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, (1 Kings 3:10-11)

Solomon could have asked for ANYTHING, but He asked something that pleased the Lord.

 (1 Kings 3:12-14)

Later, Solomon's love for the foreign women turned his heart away from God.

Your influences around you, have the ability to turn your heart away from God.

1 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. (1 Kings 11:1-4)

Solomon didn't have a wisdom issue, he had a heart issue.

David (Solomon's father) was a man after God's heart.

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.  (Matthew 22:37-38)

Jesus states you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart... give the Lord your heart!

Man looks at the outward, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7)

Here are a few examples of a negative things the heart does...
Proverbs 6:18 - Devises wicked plans
Jeremiah 5:23 - Rebellious heart
Jeremiah 17 - Desperately wicked & deceitful above all things
Ezekiel 14:3 - Hearts are idolatrous
Ezekiel 36:26 Hearts of stone
Exodus 7 - Hearts can be hardened
Psalm 101:5 - Heart is proud
Mark 7:21 - Heart is treasury of evil
Ephesians 4:18 - Hearts are blind
Hebrews 3:12 - Unbelieving Heart

A few things God plays a role with our heart.

Proverbs 21:2 God weights heart
Psalm 10:17 God prepares heart
Acts 16:14 God opens the heart
Ephesians 1:18 God enlightens heart
Ezekiel 36:26 God gives a new heart of flesh
Psalm 147:3 God heals heart
Proverbs 17:22 Merry heart

7 Ways to Examine Your heart:

#1 Decide to make God #1 daily (Matthew 6:33)
#2 Decide to be transformed in the mind (Romans 12:1-2)
#3 Remove ALL idols (Exodus 20:4)
#4 Know your identity in Christ (John 1:29-33)
#5 Don't make haste decisions (Proverbs 21:5) (2 Peter 1:5)
#6 Be excellent (Daniel 5:12, 6:3) (Psalm 150:2) (Psalm 16:3)
#7 Choose friends wisely (Proverbs 12:26)

Where you place your identity is where you will find your rest.

True rest for a weary soul is in Christ.

But when your identity is in the world, religion, man’s approval, your career, etc, etc. then you will not have true rest for your soul.

Rest isn’t in a day like the Sabbath. It’s in Christ and He says He is the Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus gives us an invitation to rest. This invitation is extended to every believer, but it is our job to accept it.

28 Come to Me, all *you* who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. **29** Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke *is* easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus says to take His yoke upon us.

What is the yoke? It’s something you are bound to.

The yoke was a wooden crosspiece that was fastened over the neck of two animals and attached to the plow so they could labor together.

Jesus invites us to labor with Him. To do life with Him, and to rest in Him.

Rest isn’t the absence of labor, it’s the presence of Christ. 

You can rest in your labor when you are laboring in Christ, for Christ, and with Christ.

But when you labor to get the approval of man, to increase your paycheck, or out of anxiety that you won’t be able to provide, then you obviously won’t be able to rest in that labor. That is not the yoke that Jesus invites us to be bound to. That is the yoke of the world.

Jesus says He is the provider and He commands us not to worry about our life - what we will wear, what we will eat, or where our necessities will come from. Jesus says He will provide for all of these things.

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:31-34)

Rest isn’t found when labor ceases, rest is found when striving ceases. Striving for acceptance, striving to try and be more or become more to the temporary world around you.

Rest is spiritual. Sleep is physical.

You need sleep for your body, but your spirit needs rest to have peace. And Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

You can be sleeping physically, but still have a spirit of anxiety or worry in your sleep.

Get sleep at night, but rest during the day and after your labor is done make sure you’re at rest before you go to bed.

Labor and then rest. This is the simple formula for life. 

12 I know that nothing *is* better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it *is* the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

The question you must ask yourself is what are you yoked to?

When you are yoked to the world’s standards, religions systems, or to lies of the enemy then you will not be able to rest in Christ.

A great way to break yokes is through fasting and reading the word of God.

Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6)

Fast and read the word of truth.

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

His presence is the rest you’re looking for.

One touch of God is all it takes. And one touch of God’s favor is better than a lifetime of labor.

🙏🏼Forgiven Merch: https://simplyuncagedgifts.com/collections/forgiven-collection

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1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. (2 Samuel 3:1)

Saul self righteous.
David spirit of repentance.

There is a war happening during these times between the religious house & the house of repentance.

It’s one to be in church & another to be the church.

We must have living service over lip service.

The Pharisee's saw Jesus but didn't acknowledge Him as God.

There are people who talk about Jesus but can't discern the Holy Spirit

Here are 7 signs

#1 Holy on the outside, but hypocrite on the inside

 (Matthew 15:1-11)

This is the difference between condemnation and conviction.

Condemnation: You’re a mistake.
Conviction: You made a mistake.

#2 Blind spiritually

14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. (Matthew 15:14)

18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. (Acts 9:18)

It was the physical eyes that Apostle Paul got blinded with… but really His spiritual eyes opened once the scales fell off & knew Jesus was Lord.

Spiritually people are blind & it is the Lord that encounters those that have a pure heart to see & hear in the spirit.

#3 Hardened heart… NOT humble heart

(Matthew 15:15-20)

#4 Hates a radical move of the Holy Spirit… accusation

(Mark 3:1-6)

If some of us aren’t excited about the word of God… we might be under a religious spirit NOT the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wants healing, deliverance, & freedom among people.

Anything that hinders a move of God & His will is always AGAINST God!

#5 Judgement of  unrighteous by always blaming others…

 (Matthew 7:1-5)

We are called to judge with a RIGHTEOUS judgement.

24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)

#6 Self-righteous over Holy Spirit revival

A true spirit of repentance activates a spirit of revival.

We want righteousness over being right.

(Luke 18:9-14)

#7 Lots of words, but very little weight in the spiritual realm…

More words of their own opinion, twisting scripture… rather than real revelation of the word of God.

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Matthew 23:15)

1 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

🙏🏼Forgiven Merch: https://simplyuncagedgifts.com/collections/forgiven-collection

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Read the blog on this topic: https://simplyuncagedgifts.com/blogs/blog-of-faith/exposing-false-humility-in-the-body-of-christ

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False Humility. 

False Humility is an assignment of deception (tricked into believing something to be true), from the enemy against the disciple of Jesus Christ. 

Where the enemy tries to trick the disciple of Jesus Christ into believing that they are operating in true humility in the sight of God, but in reality they are operating out of what we call false humility in the sight of God.

This assignment is purposed to hinder and put the disciple of Jesus Christ in bondage from fulfilling and doing the will of God for their lives.

In this video, we will be highlighting a few type of lens' when it comes to false humility to give understanding for why a person in the body of Christ would possibly operate out of false humility. And to help encourage the body of Christ in exposing the assignments of the enemy, revealing ways to overcome this false humility, and to share a part of what true humility is.  

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My surrender is based on what I see

God has given us the power to change our mind like it says in Romans 12:2 do not be confirmed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of the mind. 

We all know that one of the biggest attack that the enemy uses is attacking our mind because as soon as he has our mind he has everything of us. There many things to love about God and one of them is how patient He is with us like it says in 1Corinthians 13. 

Growth does not happen over night, it takes time, it takes learning how to surrender, it takes patience, and if God is so patient with us why cant we be patient with ourselves. 

We all here about the wilderness process, breakthrough happens when we understand that wilderness is not just about you being taken out from Egypt, also about Egypt being taken out of you. there are patterns, things that have been installed in us that we need to let God remove and replace with His word. 

He knows what we are able to handle, and if He removes all at once, it might affect us and not in a positive way, and Gods desire is for us to draw closer (James 4:8).

As much as many want to deny God, whenever one has a true encounter with Christ, you can no longer deny the truth, but all you want to do is start living out the truth. looking back God allows us to go through so many things, and I truly believe that for many He allows us to hit rock bottom to only realize that He is that ROCK at the bottom, He is our God that never changes and always remains faithful.

We all have a choice in this world, and it all comes down to who has you, does your actions show that God has you or that Satan has you. It’s either the Kingdom of Light or the kingdom of darkness. Many go after the self seeking desires, but its time to ask what are those seeking desires attach to, are they connected to exalting me or exalting God.

Full Surrender is allowing God to have His will over your life and seeing life the way the Lord want you to see it. 

Recognizing is a big part of seeing through Gods lens, we need to recognize what are the things that are pulling us away from God, recognize that the decision that I make are my responsibility, and my actions are either going to bring a positive affect or a negative affect. recognition brings awareness of the problem that needs to be addressed.

After recognizing comes releasing things to the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach, guide, lead us into all righteousness. 

Acknowledge that even though I have been doing things a certain way my entire life, I might be wrong, and if I am wrong allowing God to correct us, and from there just building that relationship with God, and walk on this journey with Him.

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