Severing Our Affections for this World

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Freedom Resource Manuel

8 KEYS

1.Comfort   [ definition of comfort: avoiding the life of faith; preferring to live out of our five senses.]

   Characteristics of comfort:

·Prefer predictable routines, knowing things ahead of time

·Gravitate towards tasks that do not require us to move (out of fear)

·Require a certain amount of money in the bank in order to feel secure

·Uncomfortable living outside of our five physical senses

·Satisfied to live on other people’s faith and passion

·Indifferent towards evangelism, discipleship, and

·Avoid change

2.Pleasures [ def: excessive focus on ESCAPE ]

   Characteristics of pleasures:

·Preoccupation with hobby

·Emphasis on “days off” instead of “days on” lifestyle; can’t wait for the weekend

·Forms of escape occupy our time and energy: movies, food, leisure time, hanging out, naps,

     games, internet, email.

·Lack of passion about work: seek to avoid it.

3.Status 

      Characteristics of status:

·Who we know is very important

·Prefer company of people who make us feel important

·“by invitation only”

·our reputation with others is more important than our reputation with God

·preoccupied with impressing others

4.Royalties / Credit

     Characteristics of royalties/credit:

·Desire to get credit for what we do

·Desire for recognition

·Cling to notion that some or all of our gifting is merited or deserved

·Tendency to be angry with God or leaders when we do not receive the recognition we think we

        deserve

5.   “Hollywood Christianity”

     Characteristics of Hollywood Christianity:

·I am “still waiting for the perfect moment” to get involved

·I am “still waiting for the perfect moment” to get baptized

·I have a greater preoccupation with worldly glitter than with my own spiritual need.

·I want to work in ministry where my contribution can be easily recognized.

6.    Prestige   [ definition: abundant comfort ]

     Characteristics of prestige:

·Desire to obtain what I want and what I need

·Conforms to my pre-determined images of what I will own in the future

PRIS additions:

·Having a bigger house, up to date model car, is important that others will recognize that I’m

       successful. 

       Looking good to others is more important that actually being good.

·  Wanting something is akin to having it.  My needs come first.

·  Having my name everywhere on posters, buildings, advertisements, etc. is another way to know that

        I’ve arrived.

    7.    False Image       [ def: preoccupation with illusion of ministry, & what we look like]

           Characteristics of false image:

·Failure to realize that goodness and success is the work of God’s spirit in me.

·More confidence in the flesh and in appearances than in Jesus

·Attitudes reflected in statements such as:

·“I will do that when I am married”

·“ I will do that when I lose 30 pounds”

·“I will do that when I have some sort of spiritual experience”

·false notion of circumstances indicating that I am to move out into calling.

7.Approval of Man

      Characteristics of approval of man:

·Seek the approval of others for my decisions when God has already clearly spoken.

·Hesitant to obey, due to concern about what others might think or say

·Fear of man replaces fear of God