Lionheart

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Lionheart by Joe Pinto

Ezekiel 1:5-12

“Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.”

There were four creatures that were before the throne: The Ox which represents the fat of the land, the prosperity of the Lord; the Eagle which represents God who sees all. He sees past, present and future and all of the earth at the same time. Then there’s the man which is a shadow of how God is a three-part being like His creation of humanity. He feels emotions. He has thoughts. He has a heart, will, and a mind. Then there’s the Lion which represents the fierceness of God, the burning He has in His heart towards His mission for holiness, righteousness, and His people. As the lion is fierce after its prey so is God towards His bride. These creatures all are a shadow of God’s character.

I once had a dream where I was sitting with a religious man and he was telling me how God’s character was only one way. He’s just a stoic, just a happy God. And then I said no, we are created in His image. The same things man feels are similar to Him. 

God gets happy, sad, angry, and so on. There’s more than one aspect to His character. Then there was a screen door by where we were sitting. And these four strange animals were charging slowly for the screen door. These animals were not normal. The animals had the body of another animal. For example, there was a roaster with a husky’s body, an eagle with the roaster’s body, and a big dog with a small dog’s head. And what I understood this to be was the different types and ways of character that God moves in or the different forms that God acts in. Then these animals stormed through the screen door. And all of a sudden, a black and white skunk jumped in and tried to spray us. I then ran away. Meanwhile, the religious guy sat there to enjoy the stench of the skunk. 

The skunk represents religion because it’s black and white but it stinks! And these religious folks are enjoying the stench of dead teaching. I’m pretty sure the smell of a dead body and a skunk are in the same ballpark of bad smells. And religion is enjoying dead teaching and teachings that get them focused on one part of God, not receiving His fullness.

They want His love, but they don’t want the severity of God. They want His joy, but they don’t want His sorrow. They want His encouragement but they don’t want to hear the lion roar. And if you’re one of these that will not receive all of God no matter how pretty or ugly it looks and sounds, then you’re going to stink just as bad as religion. 

The Lion is roaring…can you hear Him? He’s saying, “I want to make you like a lion. You want to be made in my image, you want to look just like me, well, accept what I look like and I will transform you. I will not look like what you think I look like. I will not sound like and act like how you think. I come in many different forms. Though I am true, righteous, faithful and just. So you say you want to be like me? Well, one form of how I present myself is a lion. And if your heart can’t become like a lion, you cannot be like me.”

Luke 15:8-10

“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Just as intense as God chases after us and the Church as a whole is as intense as He wants us to chase after Him. He wants to give us an attitude adjustment. And the type of attitude He wants you to have for the kingdom is to be like the one that lost one of her special coins. 

Think of something that means a lot to you. Now think what would happen if you lose that thing. You would go crazy for it. You would look everywhere. You would move things and even mess things up just to find the thing that means most to you. You would give up all your time to find it. You would be stressed out over it and put all your energy into it. This is the intensity that God wants from you and even more because He is God! He is more precious than anything you have. Just as a lion goes after its prey with intensity and determination, so we shall go after Him. We shall have a heart like a lion!

TENACITY: the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly. 

~persistence, pertinacity, determination, perseverance, single-mindedness, strength of will, firmness of purpose, strength of purpose, fixity of purpose, bulldog spirit, firmness, patience, purposefulness, staunchness, steadfastness, constancy, staying power, application, diligence, insistence, relentlessness, inflexibility.

~the quality or fact of being very determined; determination.
the quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence.

This is what tenacity looks like, and this is how the church should look. This is how the children of God should be! Just like their daddy, Jesus, the Lion of Judah.

Are you determined? Are you persistent? I’m talking about when the enemy strikes. When the storms come, are you still standing with boldness? When the storms came while Jesus was at sea, He was not fazed by it. Are the storms that come to rattle your faith shaking your emotions? Or do you have the tenacity to say “bring it on” because your heart has such a grip on your faith?

Are you a coward? Or are you a bulldog? You know why God hates cowards? Because they don’t take hold of the power and strength they have in Christ. Lions rely on their body and strength. Though this lion is you, the son or daughter of God, your body, your strength is the Lord! We need to have a bulldog mentality towards the enemy and life. Knowing what Jesus has done for us at the cross. Knowing because of His strength, you can resist anything thrown at you. Know that resurrection power lives in you! 

We need to hold fast the profession of our faith! Paul talked many times about holding on to what we believe, though he didn’t say that so we can recite it to ourselves just to be religious. He told us to hold fast to it so that we can remember what we have and can take hold of the power of God through the Gospel. This is what makes us bold every day, the power of God on this Gospel. You want to be like a lion? Pick up your cross!

Many Christians get attacked by the enemy, and then they just roll over and give him the victory. Or they expect someone else to pick them up. Though a righteous man falls seven times, he gets back up. And that righteous man is only righteous because he got up every time. Now that’s a warrior. That’s a bulldog. That is a lion! No matter what failure you encounter, you have the tenacity to get back up. This is what God is looking for: a head-strong, never-give-up attitude for the Kingdom! Attitude is everything to God!

In every situation, depending on our attitude, our attitude can alter our situations. And when we have a heart like a lion, a straight forth to the kingdom attitude, God will honor it and He will release power!

Revelation 5:5

“And one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’"

He has overcome! Many Christians forget the victory they have on the cross. They mess up once and they feel their whole future is thrown away. The enemy comes with one attack and they are ready to throw in their flag, but we need to see our victory and this will give the boldness before all and especially boldness over the enemy. 

Hebrew 4:14-16 

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Let us come boldly!!!!! Boldly to the throne of grace! This is our strength! Religion lies to you and says that the throne of grace is the throne of mercy where God overlooks your sin and you can keep on doing it. There is a form of grace where God has patience with us, but the grace that’s being expressed in this verse is the form of grace that releases power in our life to complete the will of God in our life and power to become the Sons of God.  

In every situation, we need to look at this grace that we have, in every struggle, in every temptation, in every trial and fear that comes before us. This is where we have to loom that we may be empowered to not be a coward! 

Now are you ready to be a lion? The blood of Jesus is your entry to be as fierce as one, to give you an excuse for God to release His strength in your life for His work.

Philippians 4:12-13

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Paul said he knew how to be abased and abound. He knew how to be abased, to be able to stand on his faith through situations, and how to abound, which means he knew how to endure through his situations. This is why we have to rely on our foundations in the Word. This is why we need to go boldly to the throne of grace, why we need to hold fast to what our faith says we have in Christ. So that we would be abased and abound in every situation. Not wavering, not being pushed to and fro, but standing and enduring! Faith that cannot be shaken! 

Psalms 57:4 

“My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword.”

Lord, let us be made like you. Let us have a lionheart like you, being steadfast in all things towards you and your will, having unshakable faith. Plant a strong foundation in us of your Word that would make us like a brick house. It’s time to become a warrior. It’s time to arise. It’s to sharpen our swords. Let us dwell among the Remnant, the other lions that you’re making. Let us dwell amongst the voices that Satan hates, the voices that breathe fire and have tongues sharp like swords.

It’s time to know our faith. It’s time for the weak to say they are strong. It’s time to get that tenacity in us. It’s to be intense for the kingdom! Tell everything else in your life to hit the road and let the heart of the Lion of Judah burn in us! 

Watch the full message: Lionheart