The Empowered Christian Road Map

Chapter Two: REBUILT AND HEADED IN A NEW DIRECTION

You need more than a new map but also a new car, new driver, new mechanic—a NEW EVERYTHING!

This chapter provides greater detail about why we need to become a new car (be born again) before our journey can even start and how this process happens. You’ll learn different aspects of our fallen human condition. We dive into a branch of theology called Soteriology, which is the study of how we’re saved. We’ll go deeper into topics briefly covered in chapter one.

You’ll learn what God’s grace is, and the importance of attributes like humility and repentance when it comes to your salvation. We will study faith itself and you’ll learn what “real” faith looks like. You’ll learn about forgiveness and the atonement of Jesus on our behalf and about several different views held about the atonement, as well as harmful views currently being taught that you need to guard yourself from. You’ll learn about imputation which is how we receive righteousness of Christ on the basis of our faith in Jesus.

In Part 3 you’ll learn about aspects of our new nature. We’ll discuss the necessity of spiritual regeneration and the process of sanctification, and you’ll learn how to get the most out of it! Section O gives an overview of the Bible and its reliability for guidance. You’ll learn why to trust God’s Word and how to rely on the Holy Spirit inside of you to venture towards your destination with confidence.

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• Soteriology (the study of how we’re saved)
• Understanding original sin, the sin nature, and human depravity
• Calvinism, Arminianism, and Provisionism (what they are, how they’re different, and why it matters)
• What exactly Grace is and its role in salvation
• What exactly Faith is and its role in salvation and the Christian life
• What Humility is, its role in salvation, and why its an essential role in the Christian life
• How and why humans have free will and why this matters
• What Justification is and why it matters
• What exactly was accomplished on the cross, for who was it accomplished, and why it matters
• False teachings about what was accomplished on the cross and how they are harmful to Christians
• What it means to receive “the imputation of Christ’s righteousness” and why it matters
• Why and how the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome sin and sinful temptations
• Why and how the Holy Spirit guides and leads us in the new direction

Chapter Two Breakdown:

I. Understanding the Old

• a) We’ve Got A Bad Map
• b) We’ve Got A Broken Car
• c) We’ve Got Poor Eyesight
• d) You Must Be Born Again

II. Understanding the Process

• e) By Grace God Calls
• f) By Grace God Forgives
• g) By Humility We Repent
• h) By Faith We’re Saved
• i) Legal Fines Paid-in-Full
• j) Imputed Righteousness

III. Understanding the New

• k) Our New Car
• l) Our New Driver
• m) Our New Mechanic
• n) Our New Fuel System
• o) Our New Owner’s Manual
• p) Dying To The Old Daily

Regular examination of your car will confirm you’re rebuilt, and enhance and protect your journey.

Building from the foundations of the view of human nature in chapter 1, and the new car in chapter 2, you’ll learn how even a new car can be bogged down with garbage baggage that still needs to be removed. This spiritual warfare and counter-cult apologetics manual will teach you about Satan’s true nature as a saboteur and equip you for victory!

Part 2 describes bad drivers and passengers to throw out of your car including beliefs from harmful philosophies, false religions, legalism, demonic spirituality posing as the Holy Spirit, sinful lifestyles and identities incompatible with godliness, and unbiblical beliefs about Jesus espoused from Islam, the New Age, or Christian cults. The Holy Spirit must be driving instead of one of these to affirm that you’re truly a new car! Detailed comparisons and documentation of the divinity and humanity of Jesus provided.

Part 3 teaches about different types of open doors that need to be closed including hyper-grace beliefs, false repentance, sinful behavior, toxic habits, toxic relationships, soul ties, curses, cursed objects, emotional brokenness, and unforgiveness. Driving with this junk in your car will hinder your journey, making it less enjoyable or fruitful.

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• Why we need to continuously remind ourselves of the lessons learned in the previous two chapters
• Why we need to renew our minds and faith daily to trust in the Gospel to make sure that we’re born again
• Who Satan is and how he’s often working like a clever Saboteur in our lives
• What the most common forms of False Religion are and how they wrongly influence our thinking
• What the most common forms of modern False Spirituality are and how they can be deceptively attractive
• What carnal compromise by Christians looks like and how it can deceive us into believing we’re saved when we’re not or are saved but our walk is being severely destroyed
• What false religions and Christian cults teach about Jesus and why it’s wrong, unbiblical, and damnable
• How any false view of the person, attributes, and work of Jesus leads to idolatry and false salvation
• What, why and how to close the most common open doors that lead to an unfruitful life
• How sinful behavior and emotional brokenness can invite Satan into your life
• Why and how toxic relationships, connections, and habits can invite Satan into your life
• What Hyper-Grace theology is and how its hurting people who believe that they are Christians

Chapter Three Breakdown:

I. Evidence of the Old and Remnants of the Old

• a) The Old Road Map
• b) The Old Car
• c) The Old Driver
• d) The Saboteur

II. Bad Drivers and Bad Passengers

• e) False Religion
• f) False Spirituality
• g) Carnal Compromise
• h) Counterfeit Jesus’

III. Open Doors and Unlocked Doors

• i) False Beliefs
• j) False Repentance and Faith
• k) Sinful Behavior
• l) Emotional Brokenness
• m) Toxic Relationships
• n) Toxic Connections
• o) Toxic Habits
• p) Hyper-Grace

Control the atmosphere in the car and it’ll make your journey way more fruitful and pleasurable.

Just because you’re moving along in the journey doesn’t mean that it isn’t still a long one with plenty of bumps in the road ahead. How can you control the vibe in your car so the journey is enjoyable and joyful? What’s playing on the radio? What’s the conversation about? You’ll learn how your thoughts and beliefs affect how you feel, and how you feel affects what you do.

Part 1 deals with beliefs: how to crucify old patterns, reaffirm your new identity and righteousness in Christ, understand and trust your election, know what the unpardonable sin is, confirm your salvation, and renew your mind using God’s Word.

Part 2 deals with emotions: good vs. bad, and how to live with gratitude, optimism, and a conqueror mentality.

Part 3 deals with behavior: how the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome and persevere, and how to use prayer, warfare prayer, worship, activations, and declarations to rebuke Satan.

Includes an 11-page exposé on Word of Faith (Health & Wealth) beliefs that pervade the Church so you’re not misdirected by a counterfeit New Age-influenced faith, but empowered by genuine faith!

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• Why and how we crucify old patterns of behavior and how they will cause us to stumble if we don’t
• Why we need to renew our trust and faith daily in the Gospel to find our righteousness in Christ alone
• Why we need to renew our faith in our new identity in Christ as a saved and adopted child of God
• What Election is and isn’t and how every person who believes and trusts in Jesus is of the elect
• Why some Christians believe they can lose their salvation and how to always be sure that you haven’t
• What the Unpardonable Sin is, how a person can commit it, and how to make sure that you haven’t
• How exactly our Sin separates us from God, and what ways it doesn’t separate us from God
• Why we need to Renew our minds daily in these things and never grow out of doing this
• How to manage our Emotions and Feelings so that we can be used by God to bear good fruit with our lives
• Why we need to be in a constant state of Gratitude and how to do it
• Why Optimism is better than Pessimism, how it glorifies God, and ways for you to start being an optimist
• Why Christians need to walk in a Conqueror mentality rather than a Victim mentality and how to do it
• How our Words and Behaviors reflect the condition of our soul
• How to think about Prayer and let it bring us intimacy with God that builds our relationship
• How we think wrongly about Worship, how to think differently about worship and make it a way of life
• What Repentance and Confession are, why they are necessary, and how to make them a way of life
• What Word of Faith theology is, how it came into the Church, why it’s bad, and what to do about it
• How Word of Faith theology in very different from Biblical Faith
• Does God always desire to heal? A discussion about how and why God uses illness for our long term good
• How to be empowered against demons by rebuking Satan and how to do it in a biblical and godly way
• What Activations and Declarations are and how to use them in a biblical way to be empowered against demonic oppression by the Holy Spirit
• How and why the Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome everything that stands in our way
• How and why the Holy Spirit gives us power to endure everything else

Chapter Four Breakdown:

I. Thoughts & Beliefs

• a) Crucifying Old Patterns
• b) Clothed in Christ
• c) New Identity in Christ
• d) Understanding Your Election
• e) Losing Your Salvation
• f) The Unpardonable Sin
• g) How Sin Separates
• h) Renewing the Mind

II. Emotions & Feelings

• i) Good vs Bad Fruit
• j) Gratitude as a Constant
• k) Optimism vs Pessimism
• l) Conqueror vs Victim Mentality

III. Words & Behaviors

• m) Prayer and Intimacy
• n) Worship Way of Life
• o) Repentance and Confession
• p) Word of Faith vs Biblical Faith
• q) Rebuking the Enemy
• r) Activations and Declarations
• s) Power to Overcome
• t) Power to Endure

You’ll know you’re going in the right direction when you’re moving towards the fruit.

Next, you’ll get your compass: fruitfulness. You’ll use the fruit of your life and decisions for navigation to know if you’re going in the right or wrong direction.

Part 1 looks at the significance of fruit and why it needs to be an expression of God’s character to be good, and attributes of those in God’s Kingdom, like humility and childlike faith.

Part 2 examines the aspects of fruits of righteousness such as: God’s Law to govern Israel, its relation to repentance, how it manifests first inwardly in the heart and then flows outwardly through individuals into families and society. Next you’ll learn about biblical justice and both the godly and demonic aspects of the modern social justice movement, including how certain supposedly-good cultural trends will likely be used by the Antichrist.

Part 3 covers how good fruit must be humble, merciful, obedient, and driven by right motives. You’ll learn how works don’t assist in salvation but faith without them is dead, and how they’re evidence of saving faith, of sanctification, and of actually being Jesus’s disciple. You’ll learn how all fruitfulness must be built on Jesus to have eternal significance because He’s the vine and foundation. And how to earn eternal rewards!

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• What exactly “fruit” is and it may be different than you think
• How what we call “good fruit” is actually an Expression of God, and if it isn’t then it isn’t good fruit
• What characteristics those in the Kingdom of God have and why God desires it this way
• Why it’s only those who love and do the Father’s will bear good fruit and those who don’t, aren’t
• How God’s Law in the Old Testament created good fruit in society by legislating fruitful behavior as laws
• Why good fruit requires both initial repentance and demonstrates a repentant life
• Why all good fruit first needs to come from within and begin in the heart of an individual first
• How to take fruitfulness from within and move it outwards to influence change in others and society
• What Biblical Justice is, and isn’t, and why Christians must both desire and commit to doing biblical justice
• What the Social Justice movement is, and understanding the godly and ungodly aspects of this movement
• A simple way to think about personal character that God gave us to always know what is right thing to do
• Why it’s impossible to “be good” or really do good works without faith in Jesus
• Why our personal motivations of the heart matter and not just our outward behavior
• Why it’s impossible to do good without being connected to Jesus first
• Why Christians need to do good for God’s glory or all of our efforts will be burned up and be for nothing
• Why the passage Roman Catholics use to prove Purgatory is twisted and doesn’t support that belief at all
• Why we can’t do good deeds to get to Heaven, why Works-based salvation is a false gospel
• Why and how any Christian faith without good works is evidence that a person doesn’t have real faith
• What the Bema Judgment is and how believers can earn eternal rewards there
• How certain good behaviors can serve as proof of being Jesus’s disciple
• What Sanctification is and how and why it matters

Chapter Five Breakdown:

I. The Significance of Fruit

• a) What is Fruit
• b) Expressions of God
• c) In the Kingdom Such as These
• d) Those Who Do the Father’s Will

II. Fruits of Righteousness

• e) God’s Law Legislated Fruit
• f) In Keeping with Repentance
• g) Inward Fruit First
• h) Outward Fruit Flows
• i) Biblical Justice
• j) Social Justice

III. Fruit as Evidence of Saving Faith

• k) Loving Mercy, Walking Humbly
• l) Works Without Faith
• m) Examine Your Motives
• n) Jesus is the Vine
• o) Only the Foundation Survives
• p) Works-Based / Assisted Salvation
• q) Faith Without Works is Dead
• r) Loving Father Who Rewards
• s) Proof of Being Jesus’s Disciple
• t) Sanctification

You’re a disciple of Jesus whose mission is to make more disciples of Jesus.

In this chapter you’ll learn the difference between fruitfulness and our mission as a follower of Jesus.

Part 1 covers how good fruit is only a byproduct, isn’t eternal, and may even seem unloving to the world.

You’ll learn in Part 2 that the Holy Spirit gives us power for a reason: for our mission to be an ambassador for Christ and to be a light in the darkness. You’ll learn how to preach the gospel, make disciples, and advance the Kingdom of God. You’ll learn how Jesus reigns now with all authority, what Satan still has authority over, and what we have authority over.

In Section (F) I systematically refute the Catholic Church’s claim to be the true Church and describe why this is part of our mission.

In Part 3 you’ll learn how to run the race, be a good and faithful servant, receive rewards at the BEMA judgment, and endure, persevere, and witness during the Tribulation and Last Days.

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• Why as good as “bearing good fruit” is it isn’t our actual mission as disciples of Jesus
• How to maintain focus on what your mission is when life gets complicated
• How to have an eternal mindset by focusing on earning treasures in Heaven rather than worldly things
• Examples of how good fruit can seem unloving to the lost since we still need to preach Jesus and godliness
• How Jesus reigns now with all authority, what Satan still has authority over, and what we have authority over
• What Jesus actually meant when He said “On this rock I will build my Church”
• A full exposition on why and how the Roman Catholic Church is wrong to claim that they are the true Church
• A biblical walk-through showing that neither Peter nor the other apostles thought Peter was chief leader
• How and why every follower of Jesus needs to be a light bearing witness in the world
• How the Holy Spirit has spiritually gifted and supernaturally empowered believers to accomplish God’s will
• How you are called to be an Ambassador for Christ in the world
• Why your mission is to preach the Gospel to all of creation and why this needs to be a Verbal Witness
• How and why we need to not just make converts but actual Disciples of Jesus and how to do it better
• Examples of ways to advance God’s Kingdom that you may not have thought of
• How and why you need to faithfully Steward everything God has given you (including but not only money)
• What the Bema Judgment is and how believers can earn eternal rewards there
• Examples of some of the eternal rewards we can earn
• How enduring tribulation (both the final Great Tribulation and all forms of tribulation) glorify God
• Why and how the Holy Spirit empowers us to persevere as saints no matter what happens to us
• Why you should prepare to be here during the Great Tribulation and be a witness for Jesus during it

Chapter Six Breakdown:

I. Seeing the Big Picture

• a) Fruit is Only the Byproduct
  
• b) Remembering Our New Map
• c) Treasures in Heaven
• d) Fruit Can Be Unloving

II. Our Primary Mission

• e) Jesus Reigns With All Authority
• f) On This Rock I Will Build
• g) Lights Amidst Broken Roads
• h) Empowered For A Purpose
• i) Ambassadors For Christ
• j) Preach the Gospel To All Creation
• k) Make Disciples
• l) Advancing the Kingdom of God

III. Running the Race

• m) Good and Faithful Servant
• n) The BEMA Judgment
• o) Rewards for Performance
• p) Enduring Tribulation
• q) Perseverance of the Saints
• r) Witnessing in the Last Days

Church is the unity and collaboration of Jesus’s disciples.

Bonus Throughout: Tips to have an Empowered Church.

This chapter will shift your perspective of what and who the church is, and what it’s for.

Part 1 describes the differences and similarities between the global Church, the Elect, the Body of Christ, and the local congregation.

In Part 2 you’ll learn Jesus’s intended function of the Church was to be united in a common Spirit and mission. You’ll learn about each of its basic functions: to be a community for fellowship, baptism, Lord’s Supper, prayer, preaching and study of God’s Word, and community outreach and service. You’ll learn about each of these and why we shouldn’t neglect them. You’ll also learn some ways you could be an empowering force for good in your local church.

You’ll learn in Part 3 what we call the higher calling of the Church. You’ll learn why and how to become more like a spiritual family of missional people and less like a building or a business. You’ll learn why we need to make discipleship a universal, active, missional personal lifestyle rather than a class that we attend.

The chapter ends with an in-depth survey and critical analysis of spiritual gifts outlined in the Bible. You’ll learn how to discover yours and how they could be better utilized in the church today towards equipping and empowering mutual collaboration towards discipleship, total restoration, and advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• Multiple ways to think about who and what the Church is
• Who the Elect are and how to make sure you’re one of the elect
• Why perhaps the best metaphor for the Church is is “the Body of Christ”
• The importance of the local congregation and how it is a reflection of, but different than the larger Church
• The difference between the basic functions and the higher calling of the local assembly
• Why Biblical reading and Study is essential and if a church doesn’t do it they’re probably a bad church
• How the local church’s Sunday sermons and other programs is similar to chapter one of this book
• Why community and fellowship is an essential part of being a church and some ways to improve it
• How individuals can be much more fruitful with their lives through Spirit-led church activities
• How even occasional church visitation keeps many people connected just enough to keep their faith alive
• Why the church should celebrate its members’ repair and growth and work towards total restoration
• How to use other people in the church to practice learning how to love other people as Jesus calls us to
• Why every single person should both disciple other people and be discipled by other people
• A detailed description of spiritual gifts and where they are found in Scripture
• A survey of different uses of spiritual gifts in Scripture and how to use them to edify and build the Church
• What many spiritual gift assessments get wrong and how to discover and interpret your own gifts
• The three main areas and purposes to work together with others using your gifts, talents, and calling

Chapter Seven Breakdown:

I. Who and What is the Church

• a) The Global Church
• b) The Elect in Christ
• c) The Body of Christ
• d) The Local Congregation

II. Basic Function – Community, Maintenance, Repair

• e) Road Map Refinement
• f) Owner’s Manual Review
• g) Car Club Meetings
• h) Fruit Delivery Services
• i) Routine Maintenance
• j) Vehicle Repair

III. Higher Calling – Family, Restoration, Missional Empowerment

• k) Love One Another
• l) Upholstery Replacement
• m) Everyone is a Driver
• n) Everyone Should Be a Passenger
• o) Spiritually Gifted Parts
• p) Collaborative Discipleship
• q) Collaborative Gospel Provision
• r) Collaborative Advancement

You have a unique identity, calling, and mission to fulfill. And your story contributes to the grand narrative.

In this chapter you’ll learn that we’re all going to the same destination but we each take a unique path there.

Part 1 builds off the previous chapter to help you discover your own unique identity and calling within the Body of Christ. You’ll learn a simple framework to follow and use exercises to determine your highest values, personality type, spiritual gifts, and S.H.A.P.E. Each of these different aspects will offer you unique insights into who you are and help carve out the unique path that God has been preparing you for.

You’ll learn what the A.P.E.S.T. roles in the Global church are. But more importantly you’ll learn how to embrace the concept of the APEST categories—my unique take—in order to more fully optimize the full use of them. You’ll gain further insights into how you can be most fulfilled and effective within the local and global church.

You’ll learn ways to be more empowered for your calling by putting God’s presence first, getting regular updates from the Holy Spirit, focusing on your circle of influence and local community. Then you’ll create your own vision, mission, and S.M.A.R.T. action plan!

Some of the topics that will be covered in this chapter and during this section:

• Why and how you are uniquely designed by God and called to fulfill a unique contribution to His story
• A simple framework to understand your universal primary calling from your unique secondary calling
• What your unique values say about who you are as a part and how to discover what they are
• What your unique personality says about who you are and multiple ways to better understand yourself
• An analysis of the A.P.E.S.T. roles (apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher) in the Global Church
• Whether it’s possible these roles still exist today and how these roles can help you discover your calling
• How to see the big picture and play a significant role in one area without neglecting all other opportunities
• What the S.H.A.P.E. acrostic is (spiritual gifts, heart desires, abilities, personality, experience)
• How to identify your own SHAPE and use it to discover your unique calling and opportunities to serve
• How and why you need to prioritize God’s personal presence in your life over what you should be doing
• Why, even if you have a clear idea of your calling, you still need to hear get updates from God regularly
• What your Circle of Influence is and how to evaluate all of the people and things around you with it
• Why you need to start locally in your church and community before moving outwards
• How and why to live intentionally and how failing to do so will lead to unproductivity and unfruitfulness
• Why you need to identify a personal vision plan and how to create yours
• Why you need to identify a personal mission and how to create yours
• Why you should create a personal mission statement and how to go about doing it
• Why you need a S.M.A.R.T. Action Plan in order to be effective and how to create a plan for your mission
• Why and how you need to develop discipline and habits and some resources to help you with this

Chapter Eight Breakdown:

I. Discovering Your Unique Identity and Calling

• a) You Are Part of the Body
• b) BE-DO-GO
• c) Your Values
• d) Your Personality
• e) A.P.E.S.T. and Other Roles
• f) Embrace Your S.H.A.P.E.

II. Empowered for Your Individual Mission

• g) Presence Over Purpose
• h) Get Regular Updates
• i) Your Circle of Influence
• j) Your Local Church and Community
• k) Living Intentionally
• l) Dream Big: Your Vision
• m) Start Small: Your Mission
• n) Your Mission Statement
• o) S.M.A.R.T. Action Plan
• p) Developing Discipline and Habits