New Work Fellowship Podcast New Work Fellowship

Not of This World: Daniel - "Calming Presence in the Chaos" (Daniel 2)
Step into a journey through time and truth as we explore “The Chaos of a Broken Culture.” In a world where the lines of masculinity are blurred and the pressures of power weigh heavily, we find a tale as old as Babylon itself. Nebuchadnezzar, a king driven to the brink of madness, demands the impossible: to know his dream and its interpretation. Amidst the turmoil, we discover Daniel—a man who embodies true strength and wisdom. As we delve into this ancient narrative, we uncover timeless insights into the essence of manhood, the pitfalls of toxic masculinity, and the divine blueprint for a life of purpose. What is a man?

Not of This World: Daniel - "Feeling the Heat" (Daniel 3)
Chapter 3 of Daniel follows well the reality of Chapter 1. When you awaken to the reality that this world is not your home, the immediate result of that is that you will feel the heat. This is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who stand firm under persecution. They refuse to worship a statue. (The crazy thing about our culture is we worship everything and anything. It really is like Paul wrote in Romans 1.) The Jews were singled out; targeted specifically because of their faith. The same is true today. Christians are often portrayed as mindless and ignorant, as well as cruel and judgmental people. Look at how Christians are portrayed in modern entertainment. We also see it in our everyday life. If you don't "go along" in order to "get along," you are ostracized. So how do you face the heat?

Not of This World: Daniel - "This World Is Not Your Home" (Daniel 1)
In Chapter 1 of Daniel, we are introduced to these uprooted and transplanted "aliens" who find themselves living in a strange world. But even though these Hebrew men are taken out of the Promised Land, it is clear that the Promises of God are still deeply rooted within them.  This chapter illustrates how to negotiate a faithful life in a pagan culture. Daniel sets an example of staying loyal to God in a culture that is less and less influenced by God (or a society that is no longer Christian).

More Than Meets the Eye - "Fighting Back" (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)
The longer we are in the fight, the better fighter we should become.  Are you keeping an inventory of lessons learned in the fight? Are you repeating the same fights over and over again? The Bible talks about the idea of spiritual strongholds. When we allow a place in our lives where the enemy can "set up camp," he wreaks havoc in our lives. Therefore, we must demolish the strongholds within us to be better equipped in spiritual warfare. Any stronghold has the ability to make it easy for the enemy to attack - prey on our weakness, so to speak. The Lord desires for us to demolish these strongholds by taking thoughts captive as Paul explains in 2 Corinthians.  There is a fight for the mind - your mind! Are you fighting back?

More Than Meets the Eye - "Who's In the Fight With You?" (Acts 19:13-20)
A quick review as we pick back up with our series, More Than Meets The Eye: Jesus said we have an enemy; there is a fight; and we need to be ready! However, it's not just about having all the right equipment. We need to be in relationship with the ONE who defeated the enemy. In this section of scripture there is an example of how NOT to fight a spiritual attack. The sons of Sceva tried to rebuke demons in the name of Jesus, but they didn't have a relationship with Jesus in the first place. The Name of Jesus has ultimate power when facing spiritual warfare. The way to combat it is through His Name and His Word, but we must first know Him and have a relationship with Him.

Eva Self shares her story with us and reminds us that the Lord is good!