Less of me, more of You

Limits in the Bible encompass physical, moral, and spiritual boundaries designed for protection, order, and reliance on God. While humanity faces innate limitations—frailty (Psalm 103:14), finitude, and sin (Romans 3:23)—God, Jesus, Holy Spirit imposes structural limits (Genesis 1) to honor His design. Embracing these limitations leads to trusting in the Holy Spirit’s power, as highlighted in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. 

Key Aspects of Biblical Limits:

• Created Boundaries: God sets limits for nature and human activity, such as the boundaries between land and sea (Genesis 1:9), and the prohibition against eating from the forbidden tree (Genesis 2:17).
• Moral and Ethical Limits: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) define ethical boundaries for human behavior, while sexual immorality is warned against (1 Cor. 6:18).
• Human Frailty: Human existence is marked by mortality, exhaustion, and cognitive limitations compared to God’s infinite nature (Isaiah 55:8-9).
• Consequences of Sin: Moral failings introduce limitations like death, emotional struggles, and separation from God (Romans 6:23).
• Spiritual Stewardship: Individuals are taught by the Holy Spirit thru HIS word in the Bible to recognize our limited capacity and steward their time, resources, and heart. 

Overcoming Limitations
The Bible teaches that while human capacity is restricted, the Holy Spirit’s power is not, HE is limitless.

• Holy Spirit’s Intervention: God often displays His power through human weakness, such as healing the blind man (John 9).
• Growth Through Boundaries: Constraints are portrayed as opportunities to rely on God’s strength, enabling spiritual breakthroughs rather than merely restricting freedom. 

Discernment in the Bible is the God-given ability to distinguish between truth and error, good and evil, and to make wise decisions aligned with God’s will. It involves applying biblical principles to life situations, relying on the Holy Spirit rather than human understanding, and, in some cases, the spiritual gift of distinguishing spirits. 

Key Aspects of Biblical Discernment:

• Definition: It is “thinking biblically” or seeing situations through God’s perspective, separating righteousness from unrighteousness.
• The Goal: It aims for spiritual maturity, allowing believers to approve what is best and to live pure and blameless lives (Philippians 1:9-10).
• The Source: True discernment is a gift from God, often sought through prayer, as exemplified by Solomon (1 Kings 3:9).
• The Tool: It is heavily reliant on the Word of God, which is described as a sword that penetrates to judge thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12).

How to Grow in Discernment:

• Study Scripture: Immersing oneself in the Bible sharpens the ability to distinguish truth.
• Pray for Wisdom: Actively asking God for insight and understanding.
• Test Spirits: Evaluating teachings and influences to determine if they originate from God (1 John 4:1).
• Seek Godly Counsel: Relying on the wisdom of mature believers. 

Key Bible Verses on Discernment:

• Hebrews 5:14: “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
• Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God…”.
• James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him”.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14: God’s Word is “spiritually discerned”. 

Discernment vs. Judgmentalism:
True biblical discernment is humble and focused on discerning truth to protect and build up, whereas a “critical spirit” is often characterized by pride, quick condemnation, and an overly confident, self-righteous attitude.

1 Corinthians 12: ⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. ⁸ To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. ⁹ The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. ¹⁰ He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. ¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

Boundaries in the Bible are designed by God to protect, promote health, and define responsible behavior, stemming from the creation order where God, Holy Spirit separated light from darkness. They include setting moral, physical, and relational limits—such as the Ten Commandments, keeping the Sabbath, and personal stewardship of one’s time and energy—to foster love, safety, and spiritual growth. 

Key Aspects of Biblical Boundaries:

• Definition of Self: Boundaries define personal responsibility and protect one’s soul, allowing individuals to maintain their own “load” (Galatians 6:5) while loving others.
• Protection and Safety: Setting limits protects individuals from destructive behavior, such as avoiding harmful relationships (1 Corinthians 15:33) and guarding the heart (Proverbs 4:23).
• Respecting Others: Scripture encourages honoring the personal space, time, and convictions of others (Romans 12:18).
• Jesus’ Example: Jesus demonstrated boundaries by withdrawing to lonely places to pray, saying “no” to demands, and prioritizing his mission over popular opinion (Mark 6:30–32, Luke 5:16)

Key Scriptures on Boundaries:

• Proverbs 22:28: “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.” (Respect for established limits).
• Matthew 5:37: “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Clear communication).
• Galatians 6:2-5: Distinguishes between bearing one another’s burdens (helping in crisis) and carrying one’s own load (personal responsibility).
• Psalm 16:6: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” (Boundaries as a blessing)

Relational and Spiritual Boundaries:

• Healthy “No”: Setting boundaries isn’t mean; it is necessary for maintaining love, self-control, and integrity.
• Separation for Purity: 2 Corinthians 6:17 instructs believers to “come out from them and be separate,” highlighting the need for boundaries against sinful influences.
• Conflict Resolution: Boundaries include managing relationships by setting clear expectations or ending toxic situations to protect one’s spiritual health.

There are three voices we hear; the enemies of our souls whose job is to tempt us, distract us and discourage us, the flesh who is staying when Jesus comes, and does not care about anything, as what is leaving is the soul, and the Holy Spirit. The more time we spend in the presence of the Holy Spirit each day and reading the Bible the more we get to recognize who is speaking.

John 10: TLV ⁶ Yeshua told them this parable, but they did not understand what He was telling them. ⁷ So Yeshua said again, “Amen, amen I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate! If anyone comes in through Me, he will be saved. He will come and go and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly!

Ephesians 6: The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Galatians 5:¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

John 10: ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,

Thankful for those who are praying for both my daughter and I, as well as for those who have and will be of monetary support all for the souls in the Great Commission. Take the time to read or re-read the Bible verses mentioned here, asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand what HE needs you to understand and put into practice in Jesus’s name. Take the time also to go into this page and read and or listen to the other teachings and testimonies, as well as sharing and subscribing, all for the souls in the Great Commission.

If you have been touched by this page/ Great Commission in any way, we are grateful (the Holy Spirit and I) that you have decided to partner with us financially. Your love offering continues to mobilize the Lord’s movement that reaches a lot of people a month through in person and online! With every monetary offering you sow you are helping in sending me into battle for the souls. Partner with us (the Holy Spirit and I), as we continue to reach people all across the globe with the Gospel, all for the souls in the Great Commission! These are the different platforms or ways to send the offerings: Zelle is Lourdes K Delacruz: Lourdeskdelacruz@gmail.com. CashApp: Lourdes Delacruz: $Lourdeskdelacruz, Venmo: Lourdes Delacruz, @Lourdes-Delacruz. Revolut: Lourdes Delacruz, @lourdeh0t5. For BHD bank(Dominican Republic): 36436030019, Lourdes De La Cruz, BANRESERVAS: 9603622008, PayPal: Lourdes Delacruz, @Yonkers16, Western Union: Lourdes Karenina De La Cruz, you can send me a message thru WhatsApp, thru the number at the end of this message, to ask me what country and state I am in, and to send me the receipt with the amount, your information and the tracking number, once the money is sent to: WhatsApp: 849-428-6776.

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