Coach Chelsea G - Life in Christ

The Smyrna Culture - What the Holy Spirit Says to the Church Living in that Culture

"Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches"
Sometimes we have to suffer and go through hardship.   
Sometimes God allows good people to go through really hard things.    
The Revelation comforting to the Church in Smyrna applies to us today!  
It's important to listen to what they went through because history does repeat itself and though we are in a digital age and things are different now, what happened back then in the physical is happening now in the mental, emotional and spiritual.
We suffer and go through hardship like they did, just Instead of being killed by people physically, we're cancelled, slandered, and beaten down mentally and emotionally.
The Smyrna Culture:
Smyrna in ancient times was a very wealthy and powerful city.   It compared to Ephesus and Pergamum for influence in the region. 
At the end of the Hellenistic period, in 197 BC, the city suddenly cut its ties with King Eumenes of Pergamum and instead appealed to Rome for help. 
Because Rome and Smyrna had no ties until then, Smyrna created a cult of Rome to establish a bond, and the cult eventually became widespread through the whole Roman Empire. 
Smyrna was devoted to Rome and the worship of the emperor, with people offering worship and sacrifices to him.
As of 195 BC, the city of Rome started to be deified, as the people in Smyrna now were worshipping the spirit behind it all and had a cult following to their goddess Roma.  In this sense, the Smyrneans can be considered as the creators of the goddess Roma.
The Church in Smyrna:
The believers refused to worship or offer sacrifices to the emperor or their godess.  And they refused to deny their true King, Jesus Christ.  And they suffered because of it.
In the year 155 AD, an 86-year-old bishop, Pastor of the church of Smyrna, named Polycarp, was cruelly put to death by a mob of Jews and Pagans, who killed him by fire and sword because he refused to renounce Jesus Christ. 
Many followers of Christ were very poor, having lost their jobs when they were kicked out of the local trade guilds because Christianity was illegal in Smyrna. 
They were also targeted and looted, having all their possessions stolen.
In Revelation 2:8-11 it says:
"These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. (Jesus)
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! 
I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. 
I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 
 
The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death."
The New Testament has many scriptures that remind us that we will have to go through many hard things and we will suffer for following Christ.  But it's WORTH IT!!!🙏
In 1 Peter 3 it says:
"But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 
Do not fear their threats.  Do not be frightened.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 
But do this with gentleness and respect,  keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 
For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
1 Peter 1:6 says: 
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
So what we can learn from the church in Smyrna, is when we are wrongfully targeted, rejected and hurt by how people are unfairly treating us, even rejected by people who are part of a church and say they believe in God...... 
As we go through hardship it's important for us to keep praising God!  He is GOOD!  No matter WHAT!!!💛
Keep pushing!    
Keep moving forward!   
Keep praying!   
Keep going, don't give up!  
We will eventually come out on the other side of the dark tunnel we're walking through, or the desert we are wandering in with extremely harsh conditions!  
Keep putting one foot in front of the other and get continued strength from God through the grace and power of Jesus Christ!
This will help us to grow.   
To refine us, to strengthen us, to purify us to help us get to the next level of maturity and faith, causing us to be more powerful for the Kingdom and for His purpose, and to receive our reward in heaven in the end if we DO NOT GIVE UP!!!🙏💛

The Ephesus Culture - What the Holy Spirit Says to the Church Living in that Culture

"Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches"
The Revelation warning to the Church in Ephesus applies to us today!  
It's important to listen to the warning and get back in alignment where we've got off track!
The Ephesus Culture:
Ephesus was the thief commercial city of the province of Western Asia and In the New Testament Era it was "The Gateway of Asia", the fourth greatest city in the world, after Rome, Alexandria in Egypt and Antioch of Syria.
Ephesus was the center of mother goddess worship, and was a Hellenistic city of paganism and mysticism. 
Here, the Apostle Paul encountered many who practiced magic, read occult books, and attempted to control demons, not being led by the Holy Spirit, but by different spirits.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus first commended, and then warned the church in the midst of this kind of culture:
"I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. 
I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: 
You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Consider how far you have fallen! 
Repent and do the things you did at first.
If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 
(Lampstand = Church)
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
(Nicolaitans led lives of unrestrained indulgence. Whatever they craved, they indulged in it.  Food, sex, adulterous relationships, idolizing things that are not of God, they promoted a lifestyle of doing whatever makes you feel good.   
Jesus made it very clear.   He hates this kind of behavior.)
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
- Revelation 2:1-7

The Importance of Forgiveness and Prayer for God to Search Our Hearts 2023-02

We didn't just receive the Gift of Salvation when we first believed in Jesus!  There's much MORE!!  He came to set the captives free! He gives us the Power and Authority to be healed and be freed from what has held us back or kept us in bondage for years, even generations!
Pray with me in agreement to be able to be even more healed and whole, receiving more peace, joy, and freedom as we walk out this life in Christ!

Trench Prayer when we are Depressed, Discouraged, Overwhelmed, under Attack 2023-02

If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, if you are desperate and decided for change, if you are serious about living a lifestyle of Confession, Repentance, Renunciation, and Forgiveness, then this prayer is for you! 
I've got good news! 
We didn't just receive the Gift of Salvation when we first believed in Jesus!  There's much MORE!!  He came to set the captives free! He gives us the Power and Authority to be healed and be freed from what has held us back or kept us in bondage for years, even generations!
Pray with me in agreement to be able to be even more healed and whole, receiving more peace, joy, and freedom as we walk out this life in Christ!

Prayer for Deep Roots of Bitterness causing Anger, Rage, Addiction and Negative Behaviors 2023-02

If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, if you are desperate and decided for change, if you are serious about living a lifestyle of Confession, Repentance, Renunciation, and Forgiveness, then this prayer is for you! 
I've got good news! 
We didn't just receive the Gift of Salvation when we first believed in Jesus!  There's much MORE!!  He came to set the captives free! He gives us the Power and Authority to be healed and be freed from what has held us back or kept us in bondage for years, even generations!
Pray with me in agreement to be able to be even more healed and whole, receiving more peace, joy, and freedom as we walk out this life in Christ!

Spiritual Warfare 101 - Close The Doors - Guard Your Gates 2023-04

When you don't know you're in a battle, you've already lost.
There is a war going on at all times. A war against good and evil. The enemy of Jesus Christ is out there, 24/7, tirelessly deceiving and influencing as many as possible to partner with his ways to try to steal, kill, and destroy God's original plan and purpose for your life and your family's life. To destroy and desecrate God's healthy design and intention for family, faith, and freedom. To keep you away from God. And to get you to partner with him and his ways.   
You can't see it, you may not even believe it. But it's there. And the most vulnerable ones are the people that choose to ignore it.
The enemy knows the battle was won on the cross and Jesus defeated him and his army. But he also knows a lot of Christians don't understand that. They don't understand their power and authority in Christ and don't know how to walk in that victory.   
Don't be ignorant to satan's devices anymore!  Listen to the explanation of how the enemy works and how you can close the doors!!
 
 

Offense - How to Catch and Release it and Pray to Restore your Peace 2023-02

The biggest bait of the enemy on God's people is Offense.  If he can get us to stay in our feelings and stay offended, then he can start to plant seeds in our mind that grow roots of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness.   This causes us to unintentionally open the door to the enemy to start to influence our thoughts behaviors and actions, which can lead to even more hurt and doesn't end well.
Listen and pray with me in agreement to be able to be even more healed and whole, receiving more peace, joy, and freedom as we walk out this life in Christ!

Soul Ties - Explanation of How They Form and Prayer to Cut them 2023-02

If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, if you are desperate and decided for change, if you are serious about living a lifestyle of Confession, Repentance, Renunciation, and Forgiveness, then this prayer is for you! 
I've got good news! 
We didn't just receive the Gift of Salvation when we first believed in Jesus!  There's much MORE!!  He came to set the captives free! He gives us the Power and Authority to be healed and be freed from what has held us back or kept us in bondage for years, even generations!
Pray with me in agreement to be able to be even more healed and whole, receiving more peace, joy, and freedom as we walk out this life in Christ!

Quick Prayer to Remove Pride and Check ourselves with God

Pray with me in agreement and let's conquer this life in Christ!  And it starts with us allowing Holy Spirit to shine that light on our own hearts and our own actions and behaviors that are not of God!

Deep Healing Prayer to Heal from Health Problems Rooted from Rejection 2023-02

If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, if you are desperate and decided for change, if you are serious about living a lifestyle of Confession, Repentance, Renunciation, and Forgiveness, then this prayer is for you! 
I've got good news! 
We didn't just receive the Gift of Salvation when we first believed in Jesus!  There's much MORE!!  He came to set the captives free! He gives us the Power and Authority to be healed and be freed from what has held us back or kept us in bondage for years, even generations!
Pray with me in agreement to be able to be even more healed and whole, receiving more peace, joy, and freedom as we walk out this life in Christ!