Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul Outcome of Lesson 1. You would have a desire to have peace for your soul and discover the ancient paths of God 2. You will understand how your identity and destiny are affected by the ancient paths Introduction God loves you and desires you to live in the fullness of His blessing. Blessing means living in the very life force of God; within His protection, within His provision and health. He wants you blessed. He wants your husband or wife blessed. He wants your children blessed. He wants you to experience every good thing that is available in the Kingdom of God. The problem is we have an enemy. Satan is committed to thwarting the plans and purposes of God. Because you were created in the image of God to have dominion, Satan's commitment to thwart God's plans includes stealing, killing and destroying you. If you will allow him to, he will make your life miserable and unbearable. He will bring negativity, oppression and sickness, and ultimately try and depress you until you just want to leave this world. God is wanting you to be blessed. Satan wants you cursed. Both God and Satan desire for you to come under their influence. But you may say - isn't God big enough to just flick Satan out of the way? We often forget that this life is not about just two parties - God and Satan. There is a third person in the equation and that is me. I am ultimately the one who decides whether I will walk under God's plans for my life which amounts to His blessing, or surrender to Satan's plans for my life which amounts to cursing. The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul You can live your whole life saved but you can walk out life with your soul still not at rest because you haven't walked in the paths of the Lord or allowed the Holy Spirit to bring healing and correction as you walk in His paths. Satan would dearly love to keep you from understanding the ways and paths of God and use this to set up his systems of destruction. But God is giving us the opportunity to live according to the principles of His Kingdom. Identity and Destiny Now each of us is desperately wanting to know the answer to these two significant life questions: Who am I? and 2. Where am I going? 1.
These represent My identity and My destiny ● Who am I? is my identity. ● Where am I going? is my Destiny God has an answer for both of these questions. And Satan has an answer for both of these questions. It is his purpose to set up systems in our lives and in society to bring destruction - whether we are aware of it or not. If he can establish his images of identity and destiny in your life, then he has set up a system of governing your life that runs itself and requires little maintenance from him. A system of destruction in your life. You may be saved and already be experiencing the effects of Satan's schemes. Example from Ancient Paths by Craig Hill Joe was a Christian businessman. One day he was driving in a shopping mall when a man in the car behind him honked at him. Joe leapt out of the car, stormed back to the car behind, grabbed the shirt of the startled driver and jerked his face through the open window and shouted profanities at him. When he had finished he returned to his car and felt the guilt and shame for what he had just done. He was a Christian. He had a Christian sticker on his car. He admitted to Craig Hill in a counselling session that he sometimes felt like hitting his wife in his anger. He just gets so angry all the time. He said that he had prayed and prayed for God to take it away but nothing had happened. Throughout the session Craig asked Joe to ask the Holy Spirit for insight into the root cause. The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul Joe remembered what he said was an insignificant incident from his childhood but added "But I've dealt with it." But Craig Hill asked him to tell what the Holy Spirit had revealed. Joe shared. When he was 8 years old he had a Friday night where his parents allowed two of his friends to come over. Eight year old Joe was very excited. They watched movies, ate popcorn and fell asleep very late. When Joe awoke, to his horror he had wet his bed. He tried to hide the evidence by putting the sheets in the laundry but mum found them and showed dad. Joe's dad decided that the appropriate thing to do was to discipline Joe in front of his friends at the breakfast table. Which he did and then ridiculed him calling him a 'bed wetter' and told him that they would have to get him a nappy to wear. Joe's dad let him know what a disappointment it was to have an 8 year old son as a bed wetter. Then he proceeded to pull down Joes pants and give him a hiding right there at the breakfast table in front of his friends. Joe continued that after such humiliation he just wanted to sink through the floor and disappear. He also said that at that moment he wished he could have killed his dad. "But it doesn't bother me anymore and I haven't remembered that experience for over 30 years. Craig led him in a prayer to Jesus about how he felt while his father was ridiculing and disciplining him. This normally unemotional man wept and wept and forgave his father and revealed the truth about who he really was (identity). All the anger was released Satan had set up a system to bring Joe into a corrupted identity and it was set up so well that it kept triggering throughout his whole life until this moment. The message from Satan? You are a bed wetter. There is something inherently wrong with you. No matter how hard you try you will never succeed at anything in your life. You are a shame to your family and an embarrassment to God. After the release and forgiveness, Joe reported that previously life had been lived in black and white but now he was discovering a whole new world of colour. Discussion Q: Have you ever had a moment where you reacted in a certain way but you don’t know why? We want to identify God's method of building our identity and destiny so that Satan's schemes are abolished and removed. In this lesson and in the next 6 lessons, we are going to look at how God has given us the tools to prepare us to have the best identity and the best destiny - and how I can live under His blessing - free of the power and influence of Satan, and in fact with complete authority over Satan… The Future The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul When Jesus comes back, the Bible says that He will rule from Jerusalem for 1000 years. This is a future event. We are not quite there yet. When Jesus returns your identity and destiny will be complete. However, did you know that you can prepare yourself for that event now? And after He returns, and begins to rule from Jerusalem over the nations of the world, did you know that you will be ruling and reigning with Him? (2 Timothy 2:12, Rev 20:4, Zech 14:5) Discussion Q: Have you ever thought what that means? Ruling and reigning with Jesus? You are at very least a part of the government of King Jesus. That is a part of your identity and destiny. Wouldn't it be wonderful to prepare for that time now. After all, what would we need to learn in order to prepare? Would we have to learn how to sit on a throne as a king or queen? Should we be preparing our authoritative ruling voice? Do we need knowledge in military affairs? How should we get ready? And in all of our preparing for when He returns, perhaps it is possible that what we learn for that future event, may even benefit our life here and now because they are Godly principles. Those things may affect positively our identity and destiny. Look at this verse. It is in the future when Jesus returns. Read Micah 4 (NKJV) 1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it 2​
Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ​
ways​
, And we shall walk in His ​
paths​
. For out of Zion the ​
law​
shall go forth, The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul And the ​
word​
of the Lord from Jerusalem." Discussion There are several things mentioned here that are noteworthy. Read the passage again and see what jumps out at you first. (Allow people to work their way through and see if you can prompt with the following questions. Move quickly through verse 1). Q: What are the latter days? A: ​
Jesus' return. Q: What is the mountain of the Lord’s house? A:​
Mt Zion where Old Jerusalem was originally settled. Q: What does established on top of the mountains mean? A: The city throne of Jesus will be established there - most say where the current Dome of the Rock is - the golden dome - Mt Moriah). Q: What does it mean by: “Exalted above the hills”? A: ​
Jesus will be there. Surrounded by Mt of Olives and other hills. Q: What does it mean by: “And peoples shall flow to it”? Won't everyone be in heaven or hell? A: Zechariah 14 people and nations will come up every year to the feast of tabernacles. Q: What does it mean by “Many nations shall come”? What nations? A:This is after Jesus has returned. Re-Read Verse 2 & Discuss Q: Can you see 4 different things that God expresses here that are important elements of His Kingdom in the future? Q: What are God's ways? Q: What are His Paths? Did you know that each one of these areas of God's government have a unique blessing attached for us if we follow them? And yes, if we decide to prepare ourselves to be ruling and reigning with Him in His future Kingdom, then these are the 4 areas we should be accustoming ourselves with. The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul We are now getting into a place where we can understand how God wants us to invest into our own identity and destiny. Our hearts need to be ready to follow Him. Read Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord: “​
Stand in the ways and see​
, and ask for the ancient paths​
, where the good way is, and ​
walk in it​
; then you will find ​
peace​
for your ​
souls​
. Q: From this verse, what does God promise me if I stand in His ways? A: ​
Peace for your soul. Q: What does this mean? A: It means that when I align with God, His ways and thoughts being higher than my ways and thoughts, (Isaiah 55:9), I will gain vision - understanding of God and His Kingdom and what He is doing in the world. I will see my identity clearly. I will see my future and destiny clearly. Like standing in the middle of a freeway - I am in “the way”. I can see a long way ahead and behind compared to standing over in the bushes beside the freeway. For spiritual vision, I must align with His ways. God's Ways One of His ways is Salvation through Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus is the only way a man or woman can be saved. It is God's way. Jesus even says "I am the Way, the truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14:6). If I repent of my own ways of trying to get to God (standing in the bushes besides the freeway) and accept God's way - Jesus as my Saviour - (standing in the middle of the freeway) then I will have clear sight and understanding. The things that clouded my mind are removed and I am saved. Standing in God's ways equals sight or understanding. My identity is immediately affected. I am not a nobody. I am a son or daughter of a King. My destiny is immediately affected. I am not headed for poverty or death without God, I am on my way to heaven shouting victory. This is standing in His ways. ​
T he Result of Walking in God's Paths There is, however, a difference between the ways of God and His paths. The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul “... ask for the ancient paths​
, where the good way is, and walk in it​
; then you will find peace​
for your ​
souls​
.” (Jer 6:16) Peace for my soul is the outcome for walking in His paths. ● If I stand in His ways I get sight ● If I walk in His paths I get peace Who would like more peace? ●
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Peace in your own life? Peace in your marriage? Peace in your children's lives? Peace at home? Peace at work? Who would like to experience the peace that Paul speaks of - the "peace that passes all understanding"? (Philippians 4:7) Well, it comes from King Jesus and walking in His ancient paths. You can live your whole life saved but you can walk out life with your soul still not at rest because you haven't walked in the paths of the Lord or allowed the Holy Spirit to bring healing and correction as you walk in His paths. Satan would dearly love to keep you from understanding the ways and paths of God and use this to set up his systems of destruction. But God is giving us the opportunity to live according to the principles of His Kingdom. Discussion Before we continue, do you think that the paths that the Lord is speaking of are obsolete and replaced by Jesus' death and resurrection? Q: When is the Micah prophecy placed? A: ​
When Jesus returns. We are not there yet. Q: Is it ok for us to be gaining wisdom and instruction from the Word of God? Q: Are the instructions from the Word of God on how we are to live to be put aside or adopted? What is your view? "We grow not only by acquiring new knowledge but by assimilating old wisdom; not just by reading the latest books, but by digesting the oldest ones" - Eugene Peterson The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul Jesus is the King. He is peace. He brought peace into the midst of the storm. He said "I didn't come to remove the law but to fulfil the law" (Matthew 5:17-20) So what are the ancient paths that we should walk in them? We will be studying them over the next 6 weeks. You will get an idea from the topics we will be studying, which are: ● Lesson 2: The ancient secret of the power of the tongue (relational communication) ● Lesson 3: The ancient secret of God's purpose for family ● Lesson 4: The ancient secret of the power of a parent’s blessing ● Lesson 5: The ancient secret of relationships ● Lesson 6: The ancient secret of financial foundations ● Lesson 7:The ancient secret of the seventh day This journey is to explore and discover how to live a life of peace by rediscovering the ancient paths that many of us have forgotten or forsaken. A major part of this journey will help answer those 2 significant questions in the lives of every believer - Who am I? and Where am I going? Conclusion God wants you to be blessed. He wants you to experience the fullness of His Kingdom and for you to know who you are as His child. In knowing who He is, who you are and who He is calling you to be, you will find peace and rest for your soul. He is your peace and He is your rest. Feedback on the Lesson 1. What are the two significant questions we are addressing in this theme? 2. How does Satan attack me in those two areas? 3. From Micah 4, what would you say God's plan is for your life? 4. What is the result of standing or aligning with God's ways? 5. What is the result of walking in God's ancient paths? 6. Has anybody increased in their desire to find peace/rest for their soul from this lesson? The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank You for who You are and that You are a relational God who wants a relationship with us. In this week ahead, we pray that our beliefs of who we are and what we are called to do would be aligned with Yours. We thank You for Your grace in this journey and that You would continue to guide us in every step as we remain aware of You. Amen. Application of the Lesson In Your Life List some practical things you can do this week to cultivate an environment of peace/rest in your life. The Ancient Paths Lesson 1 The Ancient Secrets of Peace for Your Soul