Dharius Daniels - Loving God MORE Than Your Beliefs Changes EVERYTHING

I want to know, am I talking to anybody who loves God more than your beliefs? Woo! When you love your beliefs more than God, you will change God to fit your beliefs. But when you love your God more than your beliefs, when God exposes us to a deficiency in the way we’ve been believing or practicing our spirituality, you will let go of a belief to hold on to a God. This is the kind of conversation Paul is having with believers in Corinth. He’s trying to get them to see, «I’m trying to get you to change the way you’re living, not because this way is simply right.» He says, «I’m trying to get you to change the way you’re living because this way I’m introducing you to is better.» He says, «I want to show you better.» So he’s having this conversation with them. I don’t know if we’re ready for it; I don’t even know if I have time now. But let me just dip my toe in the water here, because the transition he’s trying to get them to make is a religious transition. Uh-oh! Yep, he’s talking to them in 2 Corinthians 3, actually about the New Covenant, is that right? He calls himself a minister of the New Covenant. He’s trying to get them to see that their old practices can get them to a new level. In order to elevate them so that they desire the New Covenant, he’s got to expose them to the deficiencies in the old one. Let me say that one more time: in order to elevate them and to get them to pursue the New Covenant, he has to expose the deficiencies of the old one. They’ve got to be emotionally mature enough and spiritually flexible enough to be exposed to a deficiency without being offended. Did you hear what I just said? I said, did you hear what I just said? He’s letting them know, «Hey, I’m not hating on this. I’m telling you that this is not sufficient for where you want to go.» So he has to expose the deficiency to create in them a desire to pursue God’s best. They’re spiritually settling, but they don’t even know it. They don’t know another level exists, so they don’t have an appetite for it. Therefore, he has to expose to them the deficiencies of the level they’re on and introduce them to the possibility that maybe there’s more to this than what they’re experiencing. Just because they aren’t experiencing it doesn’t mean it’s not a reality; it’s just not a reality for them. And I want to know, am I talking to anybody that loves God more than your beliefs? Woo! When you love your beliefs more than God, you will change God to fit your beliefs. But when you love your God more than your beliefs, when God exposes us to a deficiency in the way we’ve been believing or practicing our spirituality, you will let go of a belief to hold on to a God. And I promise you, God will not pry your hands off of one thing to put something else inferior in your hands. He will be a debtor to no one. He will not take something from you and give you something less in exchange. So when He tries to pull some of these things from our hearts, stop fighting the process and say, «God, it’s uncomfortable, but have Your way. I’m a little confused, but have Your way. I’m a little nervous, but have Your way. I need some clarity, but have Your way.» Because I don’t want to hold on to anything that’s holding me back. Listen, when you get better spiritually, everything gets better. Spiritual life is not the only important part of your life; it is the most important part of your life because it affects every other part that matters. But you don’t get stronger spiritually accidentally; it takes intentionality. You need to get fed, and you have to learn how to interpret, how to apply, and how to explain the Bible. The Bible’s the blueprint to your best life, and I’m going to tell you, Sunday is not enough to equip you with the tools you need to get better with the Bible. I want you to join me in my community called Bible You, where I help you take your understanding, your application, and your explanation of the Bible to another level. I want another level! I want to know, am I talking to anybody in this room who not only wants another level but also refuses to not have it? Is there anybody who has made a decision that this level is no longer an option? If I’m talking to you, let me hear you give God praise for ten seconds! If I’m making sense, wave at me. Now let me get very practical here. In order for God to take my prayer life to the next level, one of the things He may have to do is expose the deficiencies in my current one. When He exposes the deficiencies in my current one, my reaction to that reveals whether or not I love God more than my beliefs. Are y’all here? Now, there are examples of this throughout the Gospels, literally. There’s an instance where Jesus’s disciples are trying to perform an exorcism; they’re trying to cast out…