Part 6 2026, The Year Of Our Lord
Part 6, 2026, The Year Of Our Lord
Tuesday February 10, 2026
Preamble:
For the past two weeks, we have been contrasting between a spiritual mindset and a carnal mindset.
With regards to the body of Christ, we identified a spiritual mindset as Kingdom Mindset and a carnal mindset as Empire Mindset.
Today, before we go further, we need to emphasize the grave importance of recognizing the distinctions between the two. There are a number of reasons why this recognition is necessary.
The Year of Our Lord’s Pleasure.
When we say 2026 is the year of our Lord, it means it is the year of the Lord’s pleasure. We must make it our aim to please Him.
If we are to please Him, then we need to know when we are in the spirit from when we are being carnal.
Romans 8:7-8 ESV For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. [8] Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Everything must be done His way.
God’s instructions are clear and detailed, if we care to learn of them, we will not miss the way.
John 2:5 ESV His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Isaiah 35:8 ESV And a highway shall be there and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
Isaiah 35:8 TLB And a main road will go through that once-deserted land; it will be named "The Holy Highway." No evil-hearted men may walk upon it. God will walk there with you; even the most stupid cannot miss the way.
Psalm 103:7 ESV He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the people of Israel.
Psalm 32:8 ESV I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go. I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Willingness before and Obedience
Isaiah 1:19 NKJV If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.
Knowing the will of God must be preceded by a determination, a willingness to do the will of God, whatever, it may be.
That is the stumbling block for many Christians. They want to learn the will of God first, and then decide if they will comply.
When willingness precedes knowledge, it is an act of faith.
That is walking by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
If we insist on first knowing, that would be walking by sight.
Pleasing God is not as difficult as people make it out to be.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
James 4:6-8 But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Submitting God in this context means acknowledging His superiority in wisdom and power. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. Isaiah 55:7-8
Psalm 19:7-14 ESV The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; [8] the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the hearts; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; [9] the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. [10] More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. [11] Moreover, by them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. [12] Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from secret faults. [13] Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. [14] Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
2. The risk of mistaken identity.
We are likely to do the greatest wrong, when we are most fully convinced we are in the right. (Saul of Tarsus)
John 16:2 NLT For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.
It is sometimes difficult to tell good from evil.
The difference between good and evil is often quite subtle, very nuanced that the difference is revealed only much later by the outcomes. By their fruit you shall know them.
Difficulty with cross-racial identification due to unfamiliarity is well documented eg, mistaking a Pakistani man for an Indian. Many people have been wrongfully convicted because of the identifier’s error.
We are more familiar with the Empire mindset because it is the prevalent way of the world.
If we are not familiar with the Kingdom Mindset, we can easily mistake the empire mindset for it.
Be careful how you repeat what you hear least inadvertently you are doing the devil's work.
A good rule of thumb should be, “If it is popular in the world, don't be too quick to fall for it.” Also, “If it’s trending, thread carefully lest you get carried away.”
The devil appeals to man's greed, man's lust and man's pride.
He even quotes and misrepresents scriptures to support his position like in his temptation of Jesus. (Luke 4)
Man is made in the image of God so his conscience will not be at rest when he hears a lie. The devil now moves to the reframing and mischaracterization.
The devil is very skillful at reframing and mischaracterization.
Isaiah 5:20-21 NLT What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. [21] What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.
From the Garden of Eden, the devil successfully used the tactic against Eve.
Genesis 3:1-5 NLT The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" [2] "Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. [3] "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.'" [4] "You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman. [5] "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
The devil persists to this day in the use of this effective tactic of reframing and mischaracterization.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 NLT but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
1 Thessalonians 521 ESV But test everything; hold fast to what is good.
It is sometimes difficult to tell good from evil because the devil is well practiced at camouflage and subterfuge.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 ESV And no wonder, for Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. [15] So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond with their deeds.
He takes a good thing, tweaks it with a little wickedness and presents it as an improvement and if care is not taken even the elect will be deceived.
Mark 13:22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
