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The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

As believers, we are called to be transformational agents in our world - salt, light, and leaven in our culture. Yet sometimes our mindset can hinder us from seeing the transformation God desires to bring through us. Understanding the right perspective is crucial before we can receive the strategies God wants to give us for breakthrough.

What Mindset Hinders Transformation?

It's easy to become fixated on everything the enemy is doing - all the darkness, oppression, and wrong we see around us. While these realities exist, if we stop there, we miss what God is up to. We can become so tuned into what needs to change and who's wrong that we ignore and neglect where God is moving and working.

Our calling is to identify where God is moving and join Him in what He's doing. When our spiritual radar only picks up the devil's activity, we stop short of being the salt, light, and leaven that allows God's kingdom to permeate our culture.

Learning from Lot's Example

The story of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah provides a powerful example. Scripture tells us that Lot was "oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked" and "tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds." The environment around him was having a negative impact on his spiritual and emotional well-being.

Yes, the atmosphere we live in can influence us. But we must learn to turn the tables and realize we're the ones with authority. We have access to divine power. We can turn the light on. We need an offensive mindset rather than hunkering down in a bunker waiting for God to deal with everything.

Understanding the Two Trees

To grasp God's original intention, we must return to the Garden of Eden. God placed Adam and Eve in a garden called Eden, which means "pleasure." He intended for them to live in perfect fellowship with Him, drawing from the Tree of Life that would sustain them forever in perfect health and well-being.

But there was also the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which God forbade them to eat from. When they disobeyed, they experienced separation from God, from each other, and death entered their existence.

Which Tree Are You Eating From?

Today, we are still influenced by one of these two trees. The Tree of Life represents God's perspective, His truth, His life flowing through us. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represents a mixed perspective - sometimes calling evil good and good evil, as Isaiah 5:20 warns.

When Jesus came, He only ate from the Tree of Life. Because He died as our sacrifice, we receive His eternal life. We become new creations in Christ, with access to the Tree of Life through Him.

How Do We Combat Spiritual Vexation?

Like Lot, we can become vexed or oppressed by the atmosphere around us. The enemy tries to intimidate, frighten, and wear us down through various forms of spiritual harassment. But we don't have to live in fear.

We have power in the name of Jesus, through His blood, and through His Spirit dwelling within us. When we understand who we are in Christ and what authority we carry, we can stand our ground, shine our light, and take dominion over darkness.

The Importance of Knowing Your Identity

The enemy often works through condemnation and shame, trying to get us to focus on past failures rather than our new identity in Christ. We must learn to value what God says about us more than what the world or our feelings tell us.

When you believe what God says about who you are, you align your faith with His truth rather than being governed by emotions. The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin. If you've repented and confessed, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

Intercession vs. Accusation

After Adam and Eve sinned, separation occurred not just between them and God, but between each other. They began playing the blame game - pointing fingers rather than taking responsibility.

As believers, we can fall into the same trap. Instead of becoming intercessors who pray for the lost and deceived, we can become accusers who focus on judgment and condemnation. While sin is real and judgment is coming, our hearts should break for those who don't know Jesus.

Developing a Heart of Compassion

Jesus could have given up on humanity, but instead He rebuked His disciples when they wanted to call down fire on the Samaritans. He said they didn't know what spirit they were operating in.

We must maintain hearts that gravitate toward intercession rather than accusation. This doesn't mean we compromise our values or accommodate sin, but we share truth in love while praying for people to come to repentance.

Breaking Free from the Curse

One tree leads to blessings while the other releases curses. When Adam and Eve sinned, God had to pronounce curses as consequences - pain in childbearing, difficulty in work, relational struggles, and ultimately death.

But Jesus came to reverse the curse. When they placed a crown of thorns on His head, He was taking upon Himself the very symbol of the curse that had infected the ground. Through His sacrifice, we now have access to the Tree of Life and can live under blessing rather than curse.

Life Application

This week, examine which tree you're eating from in your daily thoughts and responses. Are you focusing primarily on what's wrong around you, or are you looking for where God is working? Challenge yourself to shift from an accusatory mindset to an intercessory one.

When you encounter difficult people or situations, instead of immediately judging or complaining, pause and pray. Ask God to help you see them through His eyes of compassion. Remember that you carry His light and authority - you're not a victim of your circumstances but an agent of transformation.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Am I more focused on what the enemy is doing or what God is doing in my community?
  • When I see people living in sin or deception, is my first response judgment or compassion?
  • Do I truly believe what God says about my identity in Christ, or am I still listening to condemnation and shame?
  • How can I be salt, light, and leaven in the specific places God has positioned me this week?