Greetings, Remnant Fam! Here’s what you’ll find in this week’s issue:

• Shows This Week:
  -Does Your Personality Shape Your Calling?
  -4 Ways Prayer Fuels Spiritual Gifts

• RemCon Spring 2025: Feb 27-Mar 1 | San Diego, CA

• Live Q&A Session: Michael Rowntree

• Your Questions Answered

• Last Week’s Shows:
  -Speaking in Faith or Happy Lies?
  -Truth or Gossip? How to Navigate Allegations in the Church

• Extra: This Has to Stop - Michael Miller as guest on The Table podcast

• Support the Show

• Connect

• Earn Rewards

SHOWS THIS WEEK

Tune in to The Remnant Radio and join the Remnant Community Live Chat on Monday’s and Wednesday’s at 4:00 p.m. CST / UTC-6.

Does Your Personality Shape Your Calling?

Does your personality influence your calling? You know, those personality tests everyone’s taking…can they tell us anything about how God might use us in His kingdom?

This isn’t just about Myers-Briggs letters or Strengthsfinder results. It’s about understanding how God uniquely crafted you AND how He calls you. We’ve seen plenty of ministry books trying to crack this code, but what does Scripture actually say about it?

We’re breaking down: • God’s blueprint for our calling • When natural wiring meets divine purpose • Biblical keys for discerning your calling • Why getting this right changes everything • Real talk about personality tests in the church

Whether you roll your eyes at personality tests or you’ve got your MBTI in your social media bio, this episode will challenge you to think biblically about God’s calling on your life. Join us as we navigate this intersection of personality and purpose - no personality quiz required!

Join us LIVE on Monday, January 27 at 4:00 p.m. CST/UTC-6.

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4 Ways Prayer Fuels Spiritual Gifts

Are you wanting to grow in spiritual gifts? The key might be simpler than you think. Today we’re diving into something that might revolutionize your supernatural walk - the connection between prayer and spiritual gifts.

We all want to operate in spiritual gifts effectively, but sometimes we overcomplicate things. From Pentecost to Paul’s ministry, we see a simple but powerful pattern: prayer fuels supernatural power. In this episode, we’re breaking down four game-changing ways your prayer life impacts the flow of spiritual gifts.

Whether you’re just starting to explore the gifts or you’re looking to go deeper in your current gifting, this teaching will help you build that crucial foundation of prayer. Come join us as we discover how to walk in both Word and Spirit through the power of prayer!

Episode premieres on Wednesday, January 29 at 4:00 p.m. CST / UTC-6.

SPRING REMCON 2025: REGISTER TODAY!

We can hardly wait! As a member of our Remnant fam, you know we’re passionate about creating space where Word meets Spirit. And that’s exactly what’s happening at Journey Community Church next month.

Finding solid biblical teaching and hearing God’s voice can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. If you’re feeling spiritually homeless between either the cessationist or hyper-charismatic camps, you need to join us. This is three days with your tribe - people who want all God has for them without compromising sound theology.

The Details: 📅 February 27-March 1, 2025 📍 Journey Community Church, San Diego, CA 🎥 Can’t make it to Cali? Join us via livestream! 📱 Registration Bonus: Get study guides + 1-year access to all session recordings

Grab your spot at www.theremnantradio.com/remcon

PATREON LIVE Q&A

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Have a theology question? Drop it here. While we can't guarantee we'll tackle every question, we'll dive into one or two each week. So, fire away and let's explore together!

Question from Matthew from Solomon Islands: Having recently come to believe that Christians can be demonised, how do you reconcile this with 1 John 5:18? “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” ‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬ ‭

Answer: The key to understanding 1 John 5:18 lies in properly interpreting what it means that “the evil one does not touch him.” This doesn’t mean Christians can never experience demonic influence or attack, but rather that Satan cannot ultimately claim or destroy those who belong to Christ. The context shows this is about ultimate spiritual protection. While the same epistle acknowledges that Christians still struggle with sin (1 John 1:8-10), it emphasizes that believers are ultimately kept safe by Christ. The Greek word for “touch” (haptetai) implies having power over or taking possession of something. While demons may attack or influence believers, they cannot ultimately claim ownership of those who belong to Christ.

This understanding aligns with other Scripture showing Christians can face spiritual warfare, such as Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” described as “a messenger of Satan” (2 Corinthians 12:7), the need for spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18), and warnings about giving the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27). Therefore, while Christians are ultimately protected in Christ and cannot be fully “possessed,” they can still experience demonic influence, particularly when there are areas of persistent sin or spiritual compromise in their lives. The key is maintaining a strong spiritual walk through repentance, faith, and obedience.

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Question from Ash in New Hampshire/Tonga: I have recently been introduced to a teaching that claims sin no longer lives in us and because of what Jesus did on the cross, the curse has been broken, and we are in the same state as in the garden of Eden. Therefore, any sin we struggle with is from ONLY a "critter" that needs to be kicked out and not as I’ve been taught from scripture that we struggle with the world, the flesh, and devil. They also say that where Paul talks in Romans 7 about struggling with sin he is in fact referring to the old way under the law.

I feel conflicted as understanding better what Jesus truly did for us on the cross and who we are now as believers is great, but, I feel uncomfortable with treating everything that rises up inside me as a demonic attachment. Going through the process of deliverance everytime there is a struggle just seems like its the same as confession and repentance for sin. Thoughts?

Answer: This teaching appears to misunderstand both the completed work of Christ and the ongoing reality of sanctification. While Christ’s death indeed broke sin’s power over us (Romans 6:6) and made us new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17), Scripture teaches we still battle three distinct enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil (as you had previously learned). Romans 7 and 8, when read together, show Paul describing the real struggle believers face with indwelling sin, while also pointing to Christ as our victory.

The idea that we’re currently in an Eden-like state overlooks clear New Testament teaching about our ongoing sanctification. While we are positionally righteous in Christ, we are being progressively transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18). Scripture teaches that:

1. We still battle our flesh (Galatians 5:16-17)

2. We need to put off the old self and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22-24)

3. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)

4. We’re called to resist both fleshly lusts and the devil (1 Peter 2:11, 5:8-9)

Attributing all struggle to demons oversimplifies spiritual warfare and could lead to:

• Neglecting personal responsibility for sin

• Missing the biblical process of growth through repentance

• Creating dependency on deliverance ministry rather than developing spiritual disciplines

• Overlooking the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in believers’ lives

While deliverance ministry has its place, it shouldn’t replace the biblical pattern of confession, repentance, and growing in holiness through the Spirit’s power.

Check out our episodes that explore sanctification and growing in holiness:

SHOWS LAST WEEK

If you missed joining the Live Chat, you can still catch the episodes:

Speaking in Faith or Happy Lies?

On Monday, we sit down with Christian apologist and author Melissa Dougherty to discuss her new book, Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World.

Melissa will trace the roots of our culture's toxic subjectivity and relentless pursuit of happiness back to an influential 19th-century philosophy called New Thought—a movement that shaped much of today’s self-help culture and even infiltrated the church. As a former follower of New Thought teachings, Melissa brings a unique perspective, blending her personal journey with biblical insights and a touch of wit.

We’ll discuss:

• The hidden dangers of New Thought philosophy and its modern manifestations.

• How the "positive thought" movement hijacks Christian-sounding ideas and burdens believers.

• Why our culture's obsession with self and "fake authenticity" undermines true redemption.

• How the Christian worldview offers a life-giving alternative to the world's Happy Lies.

This episode promises to be eye-opening, equipping you to recognize and respond to deceptive ideologies with truth and grace. Don’t miss it!

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Truth or Gossip? How to Navigate Allegations in the Church

In some of our recent episodes, we’ve addressed allegations of sin among notable pastors and Christian influencers, sparking an important question: Are we crossing the line into slander or gossip as we address these issues?

We’ve also observed pastors accused of wrongdoing using their sermons and platforms to label those discussing the allegations as agreeing with the "accuser of the brethren" or as gossipers spreading baseless claims.

The Bible, indeed, warns against the very real sins of slander and gossip.

Where is the biblical boundary between speaking truth and engaging in the sins of gossip or slander? How can we discern when we’re approaching these pitfalls? And how do we guard our hearts and tongues against falling into them?

In this episode, we turn to Scripture—our ultimate authority—to guide us in navigating these challenging situations. Together, we’ll explore how to communicate truth in a way that honors God and avoids sin.

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EXTRA

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