Mind of Christ: Ep 8: The Posture of Power: Humility That Lifts

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Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast with your host,

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Connie Morris, where healing has a voice and truth is no longer silent.

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Father God, like Jabez, we cry out that thou would bless us indeed.

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Bless every woman listening beyond trauma, beyond limits, beyond what she thought

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was possible. Enlarge her territory.

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Expand her purpose. Let your hand be upon this moment.

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Saturate every word with oil and truth. break cycles, cancel every curse sent

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to silence her. This isn't just a podcast.

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This is holy ground. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Hello, and welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and we're continuing with our Faith on the Ghost series.

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Today's title is The Posture of Power.

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Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

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That is why this space was created for your quiet moments, your work days,

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commutes, and those in between places where your spirit just needs to be refilled.

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It's going to go for the times when you're fighting battles, not yet one.

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But already finished in Christ. It's the ones who keep believing,

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keep pressing, and keep walking, even when the road gets long and narrow.

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So wherever you are today, settle in and let the word of God strengthen your

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faith while you are on the go.

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Apostle of power still comes from a mind of humility.

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Let's go with our key scripture found in Philippians 2, verse 8 through 9.

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He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

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Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.

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When Jesus walked the earth, he could have commanded legions of angels.

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He could have silenced his accusers, defended his name, or demanded his rights.

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Instead, he chose silence, surrender, and stillness, not because he lacked power,

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but because he was power under control.

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He stood before Pilate, wrongly accused.

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The governor marveled that Jesus wouldn't defend himself.

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Do you not realize I have the power to release you or crucify you? Pilate asked.

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Jesus replied, you have no power over me if it weren't given to you from above. John 19, 10-11.

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That's humility. Divine restraint wrapped in confidence. He didn't need to prove

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who he was. He already knew.

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Humility is not weakness. It's wisdom in motion. It's a posture that says, I don't need to see him.

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Be seen to be secure. Jesus bowed low and the father lifted him high.

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I love this. Let's just pause and let's go back to this conversation between Pilate and Jesus.

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Jesus stood before Pilate and Pilate said, do you not realize I have the power

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to release you or crucify you?

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And Jesus said, you will not have power over me. It was not given to you from above.

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So Jesus knew that delegated authority that Pilate had.

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And he humbled himself before Pilate and let him do what he did. Why?

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Because it was according to what the father wanted.

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The mind of Christ understands that humility precedes honor.

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The world says, stand tall and be noticed, but heaven says, bow low and be lifted high.

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When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, he took the position of a servant,

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not because he was lesser, but because he was Lord.

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He taught them, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.

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Mark 10, 43.

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Humility is the language of heaven, and pride is the dialect of the fall.

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Satan was cast down for pride.

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Jesus was lifted up for humility.

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Humility doesn't mean thinking less of yourself. It means thinking of yourself less.

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It's the quiet strength that knows, Promotion comes from God, not people.

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Humble yourself, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

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1 Peter 5, 6.

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Let's talk about this promotion that comes from God and not people.

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You know, have you ever, I know many of you work, and so you're in probably

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the same kind of situation I may be.

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Especially if there's a promotion pending, and there's an application that allows

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you to get promoted, and you complete the application, and you're the top candidate.

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And all of a sudden, people start to notice you.

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People start to notice you. And you know, crabs like to have everybody down at the bottom.

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And so you can get caught up if you realize that your promotion comes from God,

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that he's situated you in this place so that you can represent him.

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And so when you seek him and he promotes you, don't you go to the people asking for their approval.

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You just do your job. If Jesus could kneel before those who would deny doubt

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and desert him, what excuse do we have not to serve in love?

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Humility keeps your spirit light and your motive pure.

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It protects you from pride, deception, and positions you for divine elevation.

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The Lord you bow before God, the higher he can trust you to rise before men.

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Ask yourself, am I seeking to be seen or serving because I've been sent?

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Do I seek credit for what only God could praise me for? Can I celebrate others'

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victory without feeling unseen in mine?

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Heaven promotes those who can handle recognition without losing reverence.

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Do never forget where your promotion came from.

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It came from the Lord. Let's walk it out like Jesus.

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Number one, choose the lower seat. Jesus taught when you are invited, take the lowest place.

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Luke 14, 10. Let humility be your default position and God will handle the elevation.

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This is interesting because I go, you know, I'm in different circles and we

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have at our tabernacle, we have, you know, seats assigned.

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To the elderly, to the mobility challenge, I call them, and don't have a problem

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with that. It's not a problem.

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But I do have a problem when people come in early and violate the rules because

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they've sat in that seat last week and they don't leave room for new people to sit.

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And so knowing my background as a police officer, you know, I'm fair and we're

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not saving seats. Either you sit there or you don't, right?

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You know, not being mean, just saying, hey, you know, I sat here last week.

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Oh, wow, there's no room for you this week, right? I could buy you another seat.

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But it's so hard because people want what they want, and even in the church, right?

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And so when you're invited, take the lowest place. Let humility be your default position.

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God will handle the elevation. The people are humble and say,

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okay, thank you. We always have a seat for them.

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Number two, acknowledge God in every success.

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Give him credit openly. Gratitude keeps pride from growing roots.

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James 117, when God opens the door that only he can open, you have to acknowledge

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that he is on the move, that he is on the move.

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Serve, number three, serve quietly, give generously.

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Do good in secret. Your father will reward you openly. Todd said he rewards you openly.

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Matthew 6, 4, serve quietly and give generously.

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Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

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Just do it. You don't have to have a parade. You don't need a banner.

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You don't need to post it, take a video of it. You just need to just do it.

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Number four, stay teachable.

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Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered. Hebrews 5, 8.

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The humble heart stays moldable. You know, the humble heart stays moldable.

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Moldable. I just want to just let that sit in you that don't ever get that hard

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heart that's not moldable, right?

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That's where you kind of, you reek with anger for no reason, you know?

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Just angry for no reason. You allowed your heart to become hard.

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Now nothing works on your behalf because God can't get in there.

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Just begin to humble yourself and it will soften your heart so that God can

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come in and finish his work.

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Remember the cross before the crown. Jesus' exaltation came after his sacrifice.

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True authority comes through humility, Philippians 2, 9-12.

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Let's pray. Father, thank you for showing me that humility is not weakness,

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it's strength and surrender.

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Keep me low enough to hear your voice and pure enough to reflect your heart.

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When pride whispers, remind me of the cross.

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When recognition comes, let me deflect the glory back to you.

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Help me walk with quiet confidence, knowing that every elevation is your doing. In Jesus' name, amen.

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I have the mind of Christ. I walk in humility and divine strength.

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I don't strive for status. I serve with sincerity.

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As I bow low in obedience, God lifts me up in purpose. My posture is humility.

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My reward is His presence.

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Where is God asking you to humble yourself today?

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In your words, in your service, or your response, so that He can lift you higher in His timing.

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Where is He asking you to bow low to?

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Just a pause for effect here. You have been listening to Faith on the Go with

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your host, Connie Morris, from Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

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I pray that this word energizes your faith.

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And reminded you of God's promise.

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Isaiah 55, 11 reminds us here that his word would not return void.

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So whatever God asking you to do in obedience, it is not done without a reward.

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It would not return empty-handed. Give it a test. Give it a try.

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Let me know what you find out.

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Philippians 1, 6 says, he who began

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a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.

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Remember that God will finish what he started in you.

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So keep believing, keep walking, and keep trusting. In Jesus' name, amen.

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I pray and I see you on the next episode. Thank you for listening to this episode.

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And before we close out, I want to speak a word of promise over you from Jeremiah 29, 11 through 14.

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Father God, you declared, I know the plans I have for you.

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Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

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So today we receive that truth.

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You said when we call on you, you will listen. So we pray.

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You said that when we seek you with our hearts, you will be found.

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So we pursue. You said you will restore us from captivity.

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So we declare freedom over every place where our listeners feel stuck,

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silenced, or small. Thank you

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for always drawing near when we show up in faith. In Jesus' name, amen.