What Does It Mean? Why Does It Matter?
“For the wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans 6:23 (NKJV)
How Do You Treat God? Malachi 3
Malachi 3:8-11 ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
The people in Malachi's day had treated God badly by robbing from him. They had become bored with God. Their worship had turned from relational to ritual. As a result they offered blemished sacrifices (1:6-14); the priests had become unfaithful (2:1-9); divorce was commonplace and easy (2:10-17); their words wearied God (2:17); businessmen were defrauding their workers, cheating their customers and taking advantage of widows, orphans and aliens (3:1-5).
But the most egregious treatment of God was that they were robbing God (3:6-12). How? By withholding their tithes, by giving the worst instead of the best, by giving the least and not the most. Their attitude was, "How little can I give and still keep God happy?"
The people proclaimed their innocence, but Malachi, like a prosecuting attorney, presented the evidence to back up the indictment.
Five statements stand out to me in this passage.
I. The tithe is the minimum
"'Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me!' You ask: 'How do we rob You?' 'By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions'" (Mal. 3:8). The tithe comes from a Hebrew word that means one tenth. If you make $100 today, a tithe would be $10. It is simple math.
It gets more complicated, because in the Old Testament Law there were actually three tithes. The one to which Malachi referred was for the priests. A second tithe helped celebrate the annual sacred feast. The people used these funds to throw a party in honor of God. And then every third year the people would give another ten percent to help the poor. When you add that together, that equals about 23 percent of a household's income.
Tithing has always been the floor, not the ceiling, of giving to God's work. In other words, tithing is the place to begin, not the place to end in supporting God's kingdom business.
Larry Burkett said, "As best as I can tell, God never asked less than ten percent from anyone. But if that bothers someone, I can see no reason why they couldn't give twice as much if they desired."
Unfortunately today the term tithing is often erroneously used of all giving. People talk about "tithing" fifty dollars, when they make $2000 a month (a tithe of which is two hundred dollars, not fifty). If you give 2 percent or 4 percent of your income, that's a donation but not a tithe.
The tithe was recognized as God's. We should always refer to it as God's tithe not my tithe. People in the Old Testament didn't give a tithe but repaid it to the Owner of all things. Rarely does the Bible speak of giving a tithe, but rather of "taking," "presenting," or even "paying" tithes. No one ever said, "I feel led to tithe." The tithe was explicit and objective. It required no heart response. It was expected. Period. Offerings, on the other hand, (we can use the possession pronoun of "my" in reference to them since they are voluntary) were given from the heart when touched by God's grace.
II. The curse came from disobedience (v. 9)
"You are suffering under a curse, yet you - the whole nation - are still robbing Me" (Mal. 3:9). The Old Testament was written to the nation of Israel. God was addressing the nation. Because God's people robbed Him, they have put a curse on the whole nation. They did that to themselves.
Remember, partial obedience is no obedience. No one benefits from a tithe he or she holds on to.
But we must make one thing very clear: While there are spiritual and financial consequences for failing to give to God, we should never make the mistake of thinking that we will be "cursed" if we haven't tithed. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed" (Gal. 3:13). We rest in the new covenant Christ initiated in His blood. He freed us from the curse of keeping the law. And it's because of what He did for us that we should willingly and gladly obey.
III. The storehouse represents God's work (v. 10)
"Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house" (Mal. 3:10). In Israel the people brought their tithes of grain, olives, wine, and meat to be store in the Temple. These goods supported the priests and Levites, those serving God vocationally, since they did not have other jobs. The goods also met the needs of the poor in the community. And, thirdly, these goods met the expenses of the Temple operations.
Giving has always been God's way of financing his church. God never intended for the church to be funded by bingo and raffles. He expected his people to return to support the church with part of their income.
Let me take a slight detour here. The purpose of the tithe is to support God's work, but the primary purpose for the tithe is to put God first in our lives. The tithe was not a legalistic regulation. It was more than the Old Testament income tax. God had a special purpose in asking for the tenth. It was to teach his people to put him first. "Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields . . . so that you will always learn to fear the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 14:22-23).
When we put God first in our giving, He will be first in every area of life. This simple truth is the heart of giving. We pay God first. Too many reverse this process. If there's anything left, they give some to God. This is what was happening in Malachi's day. They were giving God the leftovers and, as a result, robbing God.
IV. The test challenges God to bless (v. 10)
"'Test Me in this way,' says the LORD of Hosts" (Mal. 3:10). God challenged His people to give according to the Law so that He could bless them. Do you realize that this is the only time in Bible where God puts out that kind of challenge? Too often we get hung up on the amount and miss the promise.
It's amazing to me that people who trust God for their salvation, their eternity in heaven, won't trust God with their finances. What's the logic in that? If we can trust God for our eternal destiny, don't you think we can trust God with our careers, our finances, and our giving?
V. The blessings are out of this world (v. 10)
"'See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure'" (Mal. 3:10). This is an amazing passage of Scripture.
In a giving match, the fact remains that you and I cannot out-give God.
A young boy went to the store with his mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed him a large jar of suckers and invited him to help himself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the boy held back. So the shop owner pulled out a handful for him.
When outside, the boy's mother asked why he had suddenly been so shy and wouldn't take a handful of suckers when offered.
The boy replied, "Because his hand is much bigger than mine!"
Conclusion
God's hand is bigger. His shovel is bigger. His wallet is bigger. His generosity is bigger. His love is bigger. Make a game of it. See if you can out-give God. That is the one game you hope you lose, and, in time, you will realize that you will always lose.
In the end, when we rob from God we are actually robbing from ourselves. We are robbing ourselves of spiritual blessings, of God's provisions, of a church that can meet the needs of others.
We are left with a choice: How will we treat God? Will we rob God by not giving our tithes, or will be faithful in giving to God what is His?
Loosed But not Limited.
Leviticus 26:12-13 - "I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt (Now that's whatever has been a place of bondage or despair for you) so that you would no longer be slaves. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high."
Maybe you have a tendency to think that God is mad at you - punishing you. But our feelings about God are based way too much on our experiences with our parents, with people who've hurt us, and on our immediate circumstances. So we end up missing the love that our Heavenly Father is trying to show us. We expect the worst.
Actually the plan God is unfolding in your life right now is designed ultimately to release you, not to restrict you. God's intentions for you are expressed in some words He originally spoke to His Old Testament people. But if you know Christ, you are one of those God calls "my people" in our word for today from the Word of God.
Leviticus 26:12-13 - "I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt (Now that's whatever has been a place of bondage or despair for you) so that you would no longer be slaves. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high." The Lord is committed to taking you through experiences with Him, some of which will be painful, to change your view of Him, to change your view of yourself, and to outfit you to really make a difference in other people's lives.
Maybe the reason God had to remind His ancient people that He was about releasing them and not restricting them was that their journey included plagues and wilderness. In order for them to be free, they had to go through all those plagues in Egypt and a difficult trip through the wilderness. Maybe you've been having your own share of plagues and wilderness. But that's not because God doesn't love you; it's because He does! Enough to take you through the processes that will ultimately lead you to the better plan and season He has for you.
So, don't be confused by the pain - by the wilderness. Your Heavenly Father has awesome plans for you, and He's not building a cage to contain your life. He's making something very special for you. After all, you are His child purchased with the blood of His Son! Is there any question how He feels about you?
The God of the Mountain is Still God in the Valley.
1 Kings 20:23 ‘And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
Have you ever faced a valley before? Where it seemed that you were outnumbered, surrounded, and were completely and totally helpless. .This is how Israel felt this day. The tear before Ben hadad had brought 32 kings and their armies against Samaria, and God brought a wonderful victory. But now Ben Hadad is back. A servant had convinced him that Israel’s God is a God of mountaintops, but their gods are gods of the valley. If they could get Israel into a battle in the valley, they would be victorious.
Israel is so out-numbered that they look like 2 small herds of sheep, While Ben hadads army cover the whole valley. Could you imagine the fear that gripped the hearts of the army of Israel? Discouragement and despair must have filled their minds. Thoughts of giving up; Surrender must have been the discussion of the day. But God was not going to stand for the idea that His presence was limited to the mountain tops.
Many times in our lives we find ourselves in the middle of the valley, We are weak, tired, empty and alone. We feel so far from the presence and the anointing of God. And when we call on Him we feel like we get a busy signal.
ILL: We are like the man who went to the Doctor;
The Doctor says to the patient I have bad news, and I have worse news.
The patient says ok lets have it.
The Doctor says the bad news is that you only have 24 hrs to live!.
The patient says I can’t imagine what could be worse than that!!
The doctor replies I forgot to tell you yesterday.
But I want you to know today that God is not only the God of the mountain but He is God of every valley that you will face in your life.
1. A Valley is a place of Trial.
(A) The valley is the place that our faith is put to the test.(1Peter 1:6-7)
(B) The valley is hard( Psalm 84:5-6)
Baca means place of weeping;
A valley in Palestine, Full of thorns and brush.
God will care for them in the valley.
God will bring them out.
Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy Comes in the morning. (Psalms 30:5)
When you are standing on the mountain tops the Power of God fills your Spirit.
1. Nothing like those services where the anointing is so great
Souls being saved.
People being baptized in the Holy Ghost.
Many slain in the spirit. We need those mountain top experiences.
2. The saint of God needed the mountain top experiences.
Peter, James, John. Needed encouragement for the days ahead.
Moses Mountain tops. Needed direction for what God called Him to do.
Moses didn’t even know how to refer to God. He needed encouragement to face Pharaoh.
3. But as much as we would like to we can’t live on the mountain tops.
We experience these wonderful mountain tops to prepare us for our valleys.
D. In the valley our faith is stretched. (John 11)
1. Mary and Martha were in a valley Lazarus was sick. They called for Jesus
He delayed His coming Martha and Mary both said If you only….”
Jesussaid I am the resurrection and the life do you believe?
2. What a valley of despair to walk through.
They had done everything right
They had given to the ministry
They called Jesus when their Brother Got sick.
3. Jesus was stretching their faith!!
Martha Do you believe?
I am here in the middle of your valley
DO you trust me.
4 He is God of the mountain but He is also God of the valley.
2. A Valley is a place of victory. (1Samuel 17)
A) Israel stood on the edge of the valley for 40 days listening to Goliath.
Fear had gripped their hearts.
Depression hung heavy over the army of Israel.
They were humiliated.
They hid in the rocks.
(Gods great men of war)
B) David stood that day full of the anointing proclaiming the power of God over this heathen that defiled the living God.
The moment the rock hit its mark Victory was heard in the valley, as all the army of Israel rose up to defeat the philistine army.
God was their God in the valley that day.
C. Victory comes to those that place their trust in Him. (Mark 9:17...)
There was a man that was in a valley his son was possessed
Would through himself in the fire and water to destroy him
Deaf, mute
The man brought him to Jesus.
Jesus said to Him Mark 9:23, 24.
What the man was saying is, Jesus I believe as far as my earthly faith will take me. Come alongside of me, in the midst of my valley, and extend my faith.
3. A Valley is a place of assurance.
A. No matter how hard it gets how alone you feel you can rest on His promises that He will be with us.
Deut 31:6
B. There is a song that Goes:
The God of the mountain is Still God in the valley
When things go wrong He’ll make them right
The God of the Good times is still God in the bad times, the God of the day, is still God in the night.
Prov 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
How To Not Over React to People or Problems?
We all have a tendency to over react when provoked.
'Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (James 1:19). Only when our mind, will and emotions are under the control of the Spirit of God can we accomplish His perfect will. In our fast paced world there are many temptations to respond quickly without weighing our words. However, the following principles can help prevent many problems caused by uncontrolled over reactions.
1. Choose your words carefully before you react. Solomon wrote, "A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered." (Proverbs 27:17) Practicing the discipline of restraint is especially important in our conversations.
2. Choose your companions carefully before you react out of bad peer pressure. The first Psalm writer wrote, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord." (Psa. 1:1,2) It is too easy to conform to the negative pressures of carnal friends who can influence one to become cynical.
3. Choose what you want to accomplish before reacting. Solomon once wrote, "Any enterprise is built by wise planning. Become strong through common sense and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts." (Prov. 24:3, 4) Think about what will be accomplished by your contribution before offering your opinions.
4. Choose what kind of affects you want to have with others. People gain a reputation by how they react under pressure situations. Jesus was known as a man who did not respond to provocation out of uncontrolled anger. One day, people were comparing Jesus unfavorably with John the Baptist. They said, "For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, ’He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ’Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. But wisdom is proved right by her actions." (Matt. 11:18, 19)
5. Let people know you by the fruits of your good deeds. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
6. Choose God’s greater purposes than pyrrhic victories. Sometimes you may be able to win a battle, but lose a bigger war. Many words said in anger are zingers that can bring short-term gain, but long term pain.
7. Choose to constrain your tongue until you have gotten Godly counsel. It is always good to get a second opinion before deliberating on all points of an issue. Jesus said, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." The disciples were wise to consult Jesus regarding such an explosive issue as doing work on the Sabbath. The Lord gave them objective wisdom when subjective emotions could have easily let a smaller issue erupt into a greater conflict.
8. Choose to pray about your response before speaking off the top of your head. Solomon wrote, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insights. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) God’s Spirit is ready, willing and able to give you supernatural wisdom for every situation, if you will only ask Him.
9. Choose to ponder your decision for at least a day. Many wise men have chosen to spend at least a day considering all of the alternatives, implications and costs of a decision before committing themselves prematurely. Solomon wrote, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (Proverbs 21:5)
10. Hasty over reactions are the cause of many poor decisions. Haste makes waste.
‘I Know the Plans I Have for You’
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(Jeremiah 29:1-3) Sometimes things are not as we want them to be. Despite our best efforts, our circumstances aren’t user friendly. In this passage, Jeremiah was trapped in the city of Jerusalem which was being dissembled by the Babylonians. False prophets were telling the people, “Don’t give up; there’s still hope. God will surely send a miracle of deliverance as He has in the past.” But Jeremiah’s message was, “There’s no last minute miracle on the way. The judgment of God is falling.” In chapter 29, he wrote to exiles who had already been deported to Babylon, giving the same message, but in the middle of it we find this remarkable verse of comfort and hope (v. 11). In looking this chapter, we can learn something about responding to negative surroundings. When we are not where we want to be, how should we respond?
1. Make the Best of Things (vv. 4-6): This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.” Jeremiah’s point is: There isn’t going to be a last-minute miracle or any sudden solutions to the problem. All you can do for now is make the most of it, do the best you can, rejoice in the Lord, and keep on going.
2. Pray Where You Are (v. 7): Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Ask God to bless your surroundings. If they prosper, you will prosper. Jeremiah was telling the people to pray for the “shalom” of the nation where they had been exiled.
3. Beware the Wrong Voices (vv. 8-9): Jeremiah warned the exiles not to listen wrong voices. There has never been so much deviant propaganda directed at so many unthinking people through so many mesmerizing media.
4. Take the Long View (v. 10): This verse contains a remarkable prophecy. The removal of King Jehoiachin occurred in 597 B.C. The complete collapse and fall of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem happened eleven years later in 586 B.C. On several specific occasions, Jeremiah predicted that the nation of Judah would be destroyed, its capital city burned, its people deported, and the entire nation would be wiped off the face of the earth, but that within 70 years, Judah would be back. The nation would be reestablished. Compare Jeremiah 25:8ff, ; Daniel 9:1ff, Ezra 1:1. We live in a day in which everyone wants immediate gratification, but Christians are looking forward to God’s long-term faithfulness (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
5. Get Hopeful about God’s Plans (v. 11): Remember that these words were spoken to a displaced, defeated, depressed group of exiles. They had hung their harps on the willow trees and had lost their song. But with the Lord, things are never hopeless. For I know the plans I have for you…
6. Seek the Lord Above All (v. 13-14): Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. Whatever our circumstances, we can make Him Lord of our lives and seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.
Recognize what is in The Valley
My wife Prossy, born in a small Mountainous Village ‘Kiwonnongo’’where there are several Mountains with Valleys in between. There is always a valley in between every two mountains. Before each mountain top experience comes a walk down below the valley. Now lets take this into a Spiritual Realm, Some Christians can live on the mountain top with the Lord for extended periods of time but some cannot for some reason or another.
We reach the mountain top, live there a while but then comes a wind of defeat or a wind of discouragement and the wind blows us right down to the bottom of the mountain again.
Some valleys are wide, some are narrow. Some are on rough ground and some on smooth ground. Most suicides occur there and most marriages break up while one or both mates are there.
I know I am talking to several people today who are there and some people live there most of the time. It may be because of physical reasons, emotional reasons, or spiritual reasons. Whatever the reason, too many of us have an address in the valley.
If your are going to be successful in climbing the mountain, then you must recognize what’s in the valley.
Psalm 23 Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
I. God is There.
(v.4) “…for thou art with me.”
The only way God can speak to some of us is in the valley. Some Christians get high up the mountain and their ears get stopped up and they can’t hear God speak. Some get so high in the mountains that they get in the fog and can’t see spiritually.
There is a different living standard there. The same vegetation doesn’t grow there as it does in the mountain top. Sometimes the only way to get the right spiritual diet is to go to the valley. God may have to take us down there in order to take us up to the mountain top.
II. Ground Zero is There.
(v.4) “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”
In this days here in Africa or there in your Country, if one has an old style bicycle, one has to get a long ride run at the next hill in order to get up and over the mountain top. I had a Bicycle that was like that or you too had a bicycle like that, haven’t we?
The valley is the ground floor for success.
It is the only access to the mountain.
It is where the elevator is. If you enter the elevator at the top, the only direction is down. Maybe you know a high school student, a college student, a mom, a dad, a teacher, a married couple or someone else who is in the valley and can’t seem to get out. Maybe you know someone who is considering throwing in the towel. Maybe you know someone who can’t seem to get a handle on their relationships. If it is you, get on the elevator. If it is someone you know, help them get on the elevator because it is about ready to leave the launching pad and the mountain top is the first stop.
III. Grappling (Wrestling) is there.
(v.4) “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
Jer 2:23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted; I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
Jer 49:4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me?
Joe 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
This place is always a place of decision. Am I going to stay here or am I going to climb the mountain? We must grapple with our decisions and trust the Lord so we can make the right choice. There is a battle between the flesh and the spirit. Will I make the decision to stay in the world or climb the mountain to spiritual attainment. Will I trust myself or the Lord? Will I depend on my strength or the rod and staff of the Lord?
The only reason for staying in the valley is that you don’t make a decision to get out.
Most successful people made life changing decisions while in the valley.Sam Jones was a drunkard in the pits of the saloon and accepted Christ and made the decision to climb the mountain and he became a great preacher. The prodigal son said, “I will arise and climb the mountain back home!”
IV. Grace is There.
(v.5-6) Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Luke 3:5, “Every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill shall be brought low.”That means that the mountain is accessible to all who trust the Lord and start climbing.
Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to them who love God.”
Ask Yourself a Question: What about it? Are you going to stay in the valley the rest of your life? You don’t need to. Why don’t you get out today? Why don’t you decide to start climbing the mountain today?
How to Put Jesus First @Devotional Blog.
Mark 10:17-22’ And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
What went wrong here? This guy had so many things going right. The Bible says, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. . .”
1. He was full of enthusiasm. “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running...”
This guy really wanted an answer to his spiritual question. He probably saw Jesus and his disciples leaving town and had to run to catch up.
TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than being sincere.
This guy was sincere, but he didn’t have the commitment necessary to carry him all the way into a relationship with Jesus.
2. He came to the right person. “He knelt before Him [Jesus]...”
Look at all the places he could have gone for answers: The Jewish rabbis, the
TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than admitting that Jesus has good advice.
Many people today are willing to say Jesus was “a great moral teacher.” But when it comes to admitting that Jesus is LORD – that he deserves control of every part of my life, then they aren’t willing to say that.
There’s a popular teaching going around that says, you can accept Christ as your Savior, but you don’t have to accept him as LORD of your life.
Story of a lesbian who “accepted Christ as Savior” and lived for 13 years in her lifestyle, until she decided to accept him as LORD.
That teaching is NOWHERE in the Bible. That’s NOT the way it works. When you come to Jesus, you accept him for who he IS. . . and he IS LORD just like he is Savior!
3. He asked the right question. "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Didn’t come asking, “How can I make my life more fulfilling?”
He didn’t come asking, “How can I make sure my family has all their needs supplied?”
He recognized the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION!
TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than knowing you need to be saved.
4. He was a good man. “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
WOW! This guy had been a really good person! He hadn’t slept around. He hadn’t lied. He hadn’t stolen. He hadn’t dishonored his father and mother.
TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than keeping rules.
Have you ever been to a funeral and heard them say “He was a good man”?
I want to stand up and say, “No, you’ve missed the point! Was he a SAVED man? Was he a follower of Jesus, or did he just keep a few rules?”
Jesus pushes aside the large commitments that this guy had made, and said, “what about this 5% that you’re not willing to give?”
Jesus still does that today. Jesus loved this man, and he loves you. . . SO MUCH that he’ll be willing to look at you and ask you the hard question. “What about this area of your life? Are you willing to let it go to follow me?”
Let me ask you: What is it that’s keeping you from being a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ?
Here’s how to surrender your life to Jesus Christ: Get rid of the excuses.
Excuse #1: Someone.
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters. . . he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26)
The word translated “hate” in Greek = LOVE LESS
- You’re afraid what they might think.
- You’re afraid you might lose them.
One pastor prayed with a person once during a come-forward invitation at the close of a service. The girl suddenly stopped praying, and pastor asked “Is there something that God is talking to you about?” The girl replied that there was her boyfriend who was not a Christian. She knew she would have to love God more than she did her boyfriend, and the Bible says, “Don’t be yoked together with unbelievers...” the pastor asked, “Are you willing to give that to God?” The girl looked up and looked him in the eye and said, “No pastor. I won’t do it.” She got up and walked away from the altar. She got what she wanted. She married the man, who cheated on her. Last I heard, she’s on her 3rd marriage. . .
Get rid of that excuse!
Excuse #2: Someday
Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." (Mathew 8:21)
EXPLAIN: Jesus isn’t saying to this guy, “No, you can’t go to your father’s funeral.” Before striking out on your own, at times you would wait until your father died, and accept your part of your inheritance. He was saying, “Let me wait until my father dies and I get my inheritance, THEN I’ll follow you.”
- You think you’ll do it later.
- You want to “have some fun first.”
- You want to “make a bundle” before following Jesus.
Augustine, the great Christian writer, was famous for praying before he truly became a follower of Jesus Christ, “Lord, make me pure. . . but not yet.”
Excuse #3: Something
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:21-22)
- You think you can’t give up. (Addictions?)
- You don’t want to give up. (Money, sex, lying)
- You’re afraid God might want you to
Excuse #4: Somewhere
Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Mathew 8:19-20)
Are you willing to go where I’m going? Are you willing to leave comforts behind? What if I call you to be a missionary, or go on a mission trip? What if I call you to leave your job and go into full-time ministry?
Get rid of that excuse! Tell Jesus, “I’ll follow you anywhere!”
Have you ever gone swimming for the first time, and made the mistake of sticking your toe or your foot in the water before jumping in? How many of you have said this phrase: “You’ve got to just jump in. If you keep just sticking your toe in the water, you’ll never get in”?
Following Jesus is like that. You can live your life dabbling around the edges, obeying a few rules, trying to be a good person, attending church, and all that. . . but Jesus today is talking to you, and he’s saying, “Why not plunge into a real LOVE relationship with me? Why not truly follow me starting today?”
Don’t do it halfway. . . it won’t work.
Jesus’ Sweetest Promise to Us.
Imagine you were one of the twelve disciples. You just heard Jesus – your best friend – tell you that he was leaving soon. You’d be perplexed to say the least. How could Jesus say that he would leave when he promised to always be with you? The disciples must have wondered what all of this meant.
How about you? Do you struggle with these words too? Many do. People wonder – perhaps you’re one of them – why Jesus had to leave. Life would be so much simpler if Christ had remained on earth, then we wouldn’t struggle with doubts or questions. Right? Wrong! Christ Jesus had to return to heaven so that our salvation might be complete. He did this not to complicate things, but to comfort us. In fact, in our text we find that JESUS GIVES US A COMFORTING PROMISE. 1) Jesus promises to care for us, and 2) Jesus promises to be with us.
1) Jesus Promises to Care for Us.
Everybody likes to feel needed. Everybody likes to feel cared for and loved. And now for a small sum of money, you can pay people to tell you those things! In many parts of the country this very weekend select groups of people are meeting; hoping to find some secret power that will develop all their hidden abilities and bring them to a new level of life experience.
One advertisement for such a seminar reads as follows: “Start the major love affair of your life by spending a weekend with yourself. Take two days out of your life to spend just with you. Discover the most fascinating, wondrous, magnificent person you will ever know – yourself – in an experience you’ll never forget.” Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
That advert makes some bold claims. It promises wonderful results. You may be wondering, “What’s the catch?” Well, the cost of this particular seminar – a mere $250 per person!
It seems seminars, retreats, and self-help groups are en vogue right now. You can find groups of people meeting for all sorts of reasons.
Now, I’m not knocking weekend retreats or seminars. In a sense, the Gospel reading for today is an account of a first century retreat, a special seminar, which Jesus conducted for his disciples. In John 13, we find Jesus telling his disciples about true greatness. He says greatness is found in humility and service to others. Then Jesus demonstrated that greatness by washing his disciples’ feet.
Jesus told his disciples about a radical concept: Christian love. This was the very heart and core of Christ’s love shown his entire life. This love would find its culmination on the cross as Jesus sacrificed himself for us. In order to do that, Jesus had to give up everything – the very glories of heaven – so that we might have a home with him in paradise.
Jesus gave himself wholly to his Father’s will. He dedicated himself to every law, decree, and command his Father ever uttered. He did this for us, so that we might find favor in God’s eyes. Everything Christ Jesus accomplished was for us. And this was all part of God’s plan to provide comfort and healing, care and mercy.
Now in chapter 14:15 Jesus expands on God’s plan of salvation. He promises to send another Person, whom he calls the “Counsellor/ Helper/ Comforter.” Jesus was promising to send the Holy Spirit ‘The Spirit of Truth’.
Jesus was foretelling the events of Pentecost. He did this to comfort his disciples. He knew they would be confused as they witnessed his crucifixion and death. Jesus wanted to let his disciples know that he would not forsake them. He cared for them. And so he makes a promise. He would send the “Counsellor.” Now, the original Greek word Jesus uses was “Paraclete.” That’s the word we translate “counsellor.” That Greek word has the idea of one who walks along side of you, encouraging and instructing. It’s a picture of someone who cares.
I can’t think of a better way for Jesus to describe God’s care and concern than his description of the Holy Spirit.
As a counsellor, the Holy Spirit comforts, guides, and instructs. He does this with the Word of God. First, the Holy Spirit shows us that we need a Savior. The Bible tells us that we cannot love ourselves into heaven. No amount of self-esteem can earn salvation. The power of positive thinking cannot remove sin from a guilty conscience. A pow-wow with the Holy Spirit is needed. Jesus promised this to his first 12 disciples and he promises it to us.
This is a promise he intends to keep. Just listen to the determination in his words: “and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” The Lord shows his care and concern by dealing with the truth. The truth is that God calls sin what it is: sin. It is an infraction of God’s holy commands. And the Holy Spirit reminds us that we have broken God’s decrees again and again.
We encounter our sins every time we read the Bible. We come face-to-face with the truth as the Holy Spirit convicts us. He shows us that we are sinners. The Spirit does this so that we don’t trust in ourselves for salvation. God wants us to despair in ourselves, so that we trust in him for all things. The Holy Spirit’s main job is to turn us from ourselves and towards Christ for certainty of forgiveness and salvation. The Spirit needs to force us to look into the mirror of God’s law and see our sins.
Sadly, a lot of people deny this truth. Consider Christ’s words: “the world cannot accept the Holy Spirit because it neither sees him nor knows him.” As a whole this world looks at the profound truth of Christ’s love and pronounces it foolish. This world is happy enough with lust and sex. People enjoy romance, or the feeling of “being in love.
” A lot of people talk about charity and peace, but rarely will anyone get close enough to anybody else to actually love, to come along side and help. It’s when we come alongside to help one another – to put our Christian love into practice – that the Holy Spirit feels at home in our hearts. He moves us to love each other even as we have been loved by God. In this way, we obey God’s commands. It’s all about humility and sacrifice. We do not love each other when we do things only to get a pat on the back, or some other kind of recognition or bragging rights. Christian love gives when the sinful heart isn’t willing to do so. Christian love gives when it is inconvenient or unappealing. In short, Christian love is the willing response the Holy Spirit works in our hearts. And it’s evident in our lives, as he leads us to focus on God’s faithful love and promises.
2) Jesus Promises to Be with Us.
Jesus made this clear when he said that the Spirit both dwells with us and will be in us. Talk about loving faithfulness! The Spirit has been with us much longer than we ever knew. Before we knew Jesus or even thought about spiritual things, the Spirit has been calling out to us, drawing us to Jesus. This is not a relationship we can create on our own. As Martin Luther correctly states in his catechism: I believe I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one truth faith.” The Holy Spirit sought us out and made his home within us. He did this through the gospel: the message of salvation in Christ.
The Holy Spirit is responsible for our faith in Jesus Christ. He’s also responsible for keeping that faith alive and allowing us to live for Christ. It might sound a bit unsettling for Jesus to say, “If you love me, you will obey what I command”, but those words need not frighten us. It would be scary to think that our obedience to Jesus was based on our merits or worthiness, but it’s not.
We can’t even believe in Jesus Christ on our own, let alone obey him. Again, this is all credited to the work of our Savior-God. The Holy Spirit leads us to obey God, by reminding us of his faithful promises. The Spirit uses the Gospel in the Word and Sacraments to remind us that we have a faithful God who loves us so much that he died for our sins and rose again so that we might live with him eternally. That message of love leads us to trust, listen, and obey.
It’s all because the Holy Spirit keeps whispering the song of the Gospel in our ears. Have you ever been seated in the car, when suddenly an old familiar song came on the radio – one you hadn’t heard in years – and it made you smile? Why is that? When we don’t hear those old familiar songs for a long time, we fill our minds with other things and forget those old familiar songs. There’s the possibility for that to happen to our faith. We fill our minds with other things and we forget the song of the Gospel.
So many other songs come along and compete for our attention: songs of worry and fear, of lust and greed, and they fill our hearts leading us to forget that Christ promises to be with us. Christ keeps his promise of abiding love by continuing to send the Holy Spirit to whisper the lyrics of the Gospel song in our ears. He reminds us that we are God’s children for Jesus’ sake.
At baptism, the Holy Spirit whispered, “You are mine. You are cleansed in the blood of Christ.” In Holy Communion our Lord says, “Take and eat; take and drink. Receive what I have given to you.” The Holy Spirit leads us to know that the gifts of hope, forgiveness, life and salvation are ours. Our Lord promises it. When you come to worship, go to Bible study, or have a family devotion the Holy Spirit continues to whisper the mystery of God’s love into your ears. He reminds you that the Bible was written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ and by believing you may have life in his name.
Weekend retreats and seminars are nice. They provide a “shot in the arm”, rejuvenating a person’s outlook on life. In fact, it’s good to get away and focus on the simpler things once in a while. The Holy Spirit does that for us every day. Each day he reminds us of the simpler things of faith: forgiveness, salvation, and the hope of heaven. We don’t have to listen to a charismatic, world-renown speaker to inspire us. It’s all right here in the Bible. So listen to God himself. And we don’t have to spend a small fortune to hear about the secrets of salvation. God’s love is a gift of his grace – it’s free of charge. So, don’t doubt. Simply believe. After all, your God promises it. Amen.
The Power of Love and Forgiveness.
They say that love is powerful and they say that forgiveness is powerful, but to put the two together is supernatural.
Only the power of God and the Holy Spirit working in our lives can we love and forgive people.
Even if you don’t go to church, you can finish this song, Jesus loves me, this I know….For the Bible tells me so.
A lot may know the song, but a lot of people don’t feel loved.
People may know that the Bible tells us that we should forgive, but that does not make it easy for us.
Today the text is about love and forgiveness.
It is found in the book of Philemon (1:8-20)
This book is short, it is not preached out of often because it is basically a letter from Apostle Paul to Philemon.
Inside of that letter are nuggets of truth for all of us this day.
Ancient story goes that this young man had a girlfriend and the girlfriend demanded of him if he loved her, he would bring the heart of his mother. He was running back to the girlfriend with her heart and he slipped and fell on his mother’s heart. In a smothered voice from under him, he heard his mother ask him if he was alright. Love of a mother, forgiveness of a mother is great, but it does not compare to the love and forgiveness God has for each of us.
Let me set up this text today
Paul is writing a letter to a man named Philemon, a slave owner who became a believer under Paul’s ministry.
One of his slaves, Onesimus apparently had stolen something and ran away.
Under Roman law, that was punishable by death.
Onesimus also met Paul and came to Christ and became one of Paul’s ministry helpers.
Onesimus the slave wanted to make things right, he needed to return to his owner Philemon.
Philemon (1:8-20)
Apostle Paul’s audience is Philemon, the church of Colosse, and each one of us.
The theme of this short letter is Apostle Paul urging Philemon to show grace to his runaway slave Onesimus.
How hard is it for you to forgive?
I cannot picture Paul “smoothing things over”, kissing up to someone, I see him telling it like it was.
Philemon was a believer in good reputation, Paul makes the request because it was the right thing to do.
Philemon would do the right thing no matter how hard it is.
Paul was asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus and restore him to the position that he had before he ran away. (They were a big part of the family)
Philemon had an opportunity to model what Christian forgiveness is all about.
Paul told Philemon that if he could not forgive the debt, to just put it on Paul’s account.
The theological word for that is imputation.
That is exactly what Christ did for us on the cross. He took our sin upon himself so that we would not be held responsible, so that our relationship with God could be restored
Imputation- To take responsibility.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated his love for us in this; while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved; through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.”
There is power in forgiveness, and it comes from God, we are not able to forgive as God forgave us without the power of God to help us.
Forgiveness comes as we release the situation or the circumstance to God. It is not based upon the response or actions of the offender.
C.S. Lewis “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea, until he has something to forgive.
Deep wounds come from many places.
They usually come from people we have gotten close too.
God is not asking you to get over it. God is not asking you to put it behind you.
He is asking you to release that person of what they have done to you, so that you can move on.
Keep forgiveness in mind as I read this verse again
“Therefore, all though in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love, I then, as Paul- an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus- I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly, he was useless to you, but now he has become useful, back to you and too me. I am sending him- who is my very heart-back to you.”
Paul becomes an encourager!
Ever had to make a hard decision?
One you know that you need to make, and you just need that word of encouragement.
I appeal to you on the basis of love.
I am sending him- who is my very heart back to you.
If you are going to experience God’s love and forgiveness. It has to be unconditional. The same way he offers it to us.
Life experiences are never perfect scripts. They don’t line up into perfect situations. They come with hurts and they come with very hard decisions that usually involve forgiveness to people that have hurt you deeply.
Apostle Paul is in the middle of two believers that have a very hard decision to make that could affect their lives positive or negative. Onesimus the slave has run away from his master and after becoming a Christian realizes that the right thing to do is to go back and ask for forgiveness. Philemon, the slave owner faces a decision also, with a letter from apostle Paul in hand, his slave returns to him after stealing and running away and asks to be restored to the position that he had before he ran away.
It would be foolish for me to ask if you have ever been hurt. We have all been hurt in some way over the years.
We have all had to make tough decisions when we could have taken the easier way.
This is not about easy- it is about the love of God for us. It is about doing the right thing. It is about seeking or giving forgiveness and relying on the power of God to help us.
This is like a good play and you are in the audience.
You have one seeking forgiveness- Onesimus the slave.
You have one that needs to forgive and move on- Philemon
You have Paul, the encourager, who knows both people and wants to see them restored to what it was before the conflict
What part of this scripture is the Lord trying to show you TODAY?
Need forgiveness?
Need to forgive?
Need to have the mind of Christ and be an encourager?
No matter what you need today, God has the answer. It is found in two characters of God. In His love and in His forgiveness.
God’s love and forgiveness is accessible!
Listen to this verse a minute as I finish,
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Where all hope lies is in God’s love and forgiveness
From the person that wants to run, to the person that needs to forgive, the answer is found in the love and forgiveness of God.
It is not easy, it takes a big person to forgive someone.
Little people carry grudges, little people allow bitterness to eat them up.
Forgiveness is not forgetting, it is not necessarily becoming friends, it means that you are going to let God have it and not let bitterness eat you up. You are going to do the right thing.
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
God is omniscient- he can’t forget. What he means is that he will not remember them against us anymore.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as Christ also forgave you,”
Amen.
God Will Finish What He Has Started In You!
‘’Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
People talk about having favorite Bible verses. I have to confess that Philippians 1:6 is one of my favorites. The truth that God has revealed here is something every Christian needs to understand. If you are a true Christian today it is because God began and is continuing a mighty work in your life. That work is absolutely guaranteed to turn out successfully, because it is God’s work not man’s. If you have been born again by the Spirit of God, then you don’t need to be afraid that you will ever be lost. God who called you will be faithful to complete the work he began in you.
In this verse Paul tells us four things about the good work that has begun in the life of a Christian:
First of all, Paul speaks of…
I. THE AUTHOR OF THE WORK
"Being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Who is the "he" of this verse? Of course it is God himself. Paul does not refer to the good work he had done in Philippe. Paul was the missionary who was sent by God to preach the Gospel in Philippe. Paul did a great work there. He established the church and built it up. But when he writes this letter he does not refer at all to the work he had done. It was God’s work -- through him. In Acts 14:27 when Paul and Barnabas returned from their first missionary journey they gathered the church together in Antioch, not to give an account of what they had done but what God had done: "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles." It wasn’t Paul; it was God who began that good work in them! Salvation is a work of God.
It is not surprising that Paul should emphasize that salvation is all of God and not of man. Paul never forgot what he had been before God reached down and saved him. Turn to 1 Timothy 1:12-14: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." He says, I was a blasphemer! I was a persecutor! I was violent! He was a blasphemer because he adamantly spoke against Jesus and denied he was the Messiah. He was a persecutor…a ravenous enemy of the faith. He arrested and imprisoned men and women and tried to make them renounce their faith. Third, he was a violent man. The word Paul uses here (hubris) means "a man of insolent and brutal violence." He
delighted in inflicting pain on other people. But then as he was on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians, the Lord suddenly appeared to him. Acts 9:3: "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ’Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’" It wasn’t Paul’s plan to become a Christian. It was God who initiated the work in him. He says in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."
Not only did God initiate the work in Paul. Paul remembered how God also initiated the work in the Christians at Philippi. In Acts 16 verses 6 and 7 we are told that Paul did not intend to go to Philippi. He wanted to go somewhere else. He wanted to preach somewhere in Asia. That seemed to him the right thing to do. But it says "the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to." Then Paul had a vision during the night. God gave him this vision. A man of Macedonia appeared to him and said, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." As a result of that vision Paul crossed the sea and landed in Europe.
When Paul arrived at Philippi, the capital of Macedonia, he spoke to some women gathered by the side of the river for prayer. As Paul preached, it says the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to respond to Paul’s message. It doesn’t say Lydia was impressed with Christianity and decided to try it. No, the Lord who brought Paul to preach opened her heart and the hearts of her whole family and they all became believers.
Then the demon possessed girl was delivered by the power of God. Her life was transformed. This made some people so angry that Paul and Silas got thrown into jail. In the middle of the night there was an earthquake; and the jailer got saved and his whole family too! Paul didn’t produce any of this. It was a work of God in Philippi. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:10, "We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…" (Ephesians 2:4). "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Yes, I do love the Lord Jesus Christ with a fervent love. I have a hunger to know His Word. My heart longs to please him, and it grieves me to think of disobeying His commands. My delight is to live for Him. Whatever he brings into my life I know he is using it to conform me to the image of Christ
If this describes you then there is evidence that God has begun a good work in you! I pray that each one reading this, this morning can join the Evangelist Ivan in saying, "I am confident of this, that God who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Break every Chain (The Master Chain Breaker)
Look at opposites. What is the opposite of good? Bad. What is the opposite of right? Wrong.
What is the opposite of girl? Boy. What is the opposite of light? Dark. What is the opposite of God? No opposite. You would be amazed how many Christians mistakenly respond that the Devil is the opposite of God. He would like us to believe that. We are not ignorant of his tactics. Satan and his demons are merely fallen, disgraced angels. God is all powerful, everywhere present, and nowhere absent.
The scripture says that Satan is the prince and power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). There is no doubt as one travels around the world entering countries, cities, and even villages, the power of that prince is felt. However, it is good to remember that we are more than conquerors through Jesus (Romans 8:37).
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a Sound mind.” Fear is negative faith. We have power over the evil spirits called demons. There are numerous testimonies of missionaries and ministers in Africa walking into a place where the demons immediately recognized the presence of a “chain breaker;” a Jesus’ name, Holy Ghost filled man or woman of God.
The Book of Acts chapter 19 verses 13-15 explains how some itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to try to use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ without having experienced His power. They boldly proclaimed to the evil spirit that by using “the Jesus whom Paul preached” they would cast it out. The sons of Sceva embarrassingly received this reply, “We know Jesus and Paul…but who are you?”
Without the power of the Holy Ghost it is not advisable or possible to try and break the devil’s chains. When we are full of His Spirit we can take authority over demons and cast them out through the power of God’s Word. His Spirit that dwells in us allows us to “speak the Word” to evil spirits.
Now, not wanting to ruffle feathers, some of our practices are not biblical. Jesus never told His believers to bind someone, sit on them and then he would cast out the demon. In fact, we find where people tried to bind the demon possessed man that dwelt among the tombs. They could not bind him with physical chains or fetters. “Neither could any man tame him” (Mark 5:3). You cannot physically bind a demon possessed individual just like a man in his own power cannot set him free. Jesus is the powerful chain-breaker.
One night while preaching in Budaka, where I was in the missionary work, the message was preached and the altar call made. With any and every proclamation of the Word, you can expect a demonstration of God’s power. A young lady came to the altar and began to slither about on the floor like a snake. Immediately, as can be our Pentecostal custom, the saints began to try and subdue her physically. I told them, “Let her be.
We do not wrestle against flesh and blood.” I came close and began to rebuke the demon, commanding the evil spirit to loose and leave her. It began to react even more violently and she continued to move around like a snake all over the floor. However, it wasn’t long until the demon saw that God’s power was present in the Name of Jesus, so it departed. Very soon, she was raising her hands speaking in other tongues. The chains were broken.
On another occasion when still in Budaka in the Revival meeting there was a demon possessed man that came to the meeting, literally bound in chains. After prayer in Jesus’ name, the chains were broken as he was set free. I still have that chain in my office. It constantly reminds me that God can and will break the chains of the enemy.
Many are in bondage and addiction. To enter the strong man’s terrain and take back our possessions requires a stronger authority. We’ve got the power. It is still in the name of Jesus. Our mandate remains, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). People of the Name…let us go forth and break the chains of the spirits that bind souls, towns, cities, and countries in our sin-darkened world. We have the power…in the Name of Jesus.
Palace or the Pasture?
1 Samuel 16:11 KJV
[11] And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
David was the youngest son. The youngest child generally two distinctions...
1. spoiled
2. uninformed.
In David's day, very little would have been expected of him. He displays fewer characteristics of leadership than his brothers. After all, he never led.
He only follows; he has no one younger on whom to practice leadership. The seven older sons of Jesse worked near their father’s farm. The youngest was sent on treks into the mountains to graze the family’s small flock of sheep.
This youngest son would leave home and carried two things: a sling and a small, guitarlike instrument.
Spare time for a sheepherder is abundant. The sheep would graze for days in the green meadow. As days became weeks, David became very lonely. There was a feeling of friendlessness inside him.
It would perhaps rise up and cause him to weep from isolation. In his boredom, He would play his harp to pass the hours. As his harp playing improved, he added singing. His voice changed over the years and became strong.
When these activities failed to comfort him...
I can see in my mind’s eye David as he gathered up a pile of stones and, one by one, placed them in a sling an pd twirled it overhead as he swung them at a distant tree...
When the rock pile was depleted, he would walk to the blistered tree, reassemble his rocks, and designate another leafy enemy at yet a farther distance.
I'm sure he had many victories over many trees...
In his loneliness, David worked on something else also...
David loved God...
At night, when all the sheep lay sleeping and he sat staring at the dying fire, he would strum upon his harp and break into quiet song...
He sang the ancient hymns of his forefathers.
While he sang he wept... and while he wept, he praised...
The Distance Mountains lifted up his praise and tears, passing them on to next mountains, and so on until they eventually reached the ears of God.
When David was not praising and cry he tended to each and every sheep and lamb...
When not occupied with his flock, he swung his sling and swung it again and again until he could tell every rock precisely where to go.
One day, while singing to God, angels, sheep, and passing clouds, he spied a living enemy:
It was a bear!
David lunged forward. Both found themselves moving toward the same small object, a young lamb...
Shepard and bear stopped halfway and whirled to face one another...
“Even as he instinctively reached into his pocket for a stone, the young man realized, “ I am not afraid.”
Meanwhile, brown lightning on mighty, furry legs charged at the shepherd with foaming madness. Impelled by the strength of youth, the young man married rock to leather, and soon a brook-smooth pebble whined through the air to meet that charge.”
“A few moments later, the man—not quite so young as a moment before—picked up the little lamb and said, “I am your shepherd, and God is mine.”
And so, long into the night, he wove the day’s saga into a song...
He hurled that hymn to the skies again and again until he had taught the melody and words to every angel that had ears...
It has been said, what is done in darkness, will come out in the light...We tend to lean towards the negative when this point is made. We seem to believe that out sins will find us out.
If all you do in the dark is sin that is true. That's not the only things happening in the dark.
Psalms 119:62 KJV
[62] At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.
Acts 16:25 KJV
[25] And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
I've come to tell someone, midnight is what you make it!
Those lonely times are what you make them...That isolation is not a time of punishment, is a time of preparation...
I wish I could get a witness...
More importantly I wish I could get someone to understand that God is more interested in preparation, than punishment...When you see as an end, God sees as a beginning...
Peter thought it was over.... Denied and disconnected....
But Jesus said, it's in that lonely time that I prepared you for Pentecost...
In the midnight of his life, when Peter was isolated and alone, Jesus was working some pride out.... Some arrogance out.... Some selfishness out....When he was brought out of isolation, he was also brought out of preparation...
You better hear this preacher, if it had not been for the time in the wilderness, you couldn't handle the promise land....See, your destiny is greater than your dilemma...
Pardon my improper English, but, if you ain't got no dilemma, you ain't got no destiny...
When you’re isolated, lonely, discouraged...You better recognize what's happening!
God has set you apart so you can perfect the tools that you will need in your destination....
Instead of pouting, pray...Fleeing, fast...Worrying, worship...Wringing your hands, read your bible...
Bad things ain't the only things happening in the dark, lonely hours...
Some of us have been being prepared for the greater part of our life....It's not happening where everyone can see it, it's not tasking form in centre stage....
I'm going to blow your minds...
When Saul called for David to play the harp to sooth his spirit, that wasn't the first time David picked one up...
Long before he played for the king, he was playing for the king of kings...
Before the kingdom knew his name; he perfected his ministry in isolation...
Before the kingdom sang his praises in the streets, he sang Gods praises in the meadows...
You want to know why David rejected Saul's armour? It had not been proven in the trying times of isolation...
David understood that God was going to meet his needs and make a way....
If he didn't need it in the lonely hours and days with God, it was going to be weight.... Before Paul told a church to set aside every sin and weight.... David proved it works!
Let's take it another step farther...
When David picked up his sling that day Goliath was challenging, it was not his first day to "try it out"!
Years before David defeated a giant; he was defeating trees and targets...
Don't get hung up on the philosophy that God guided that stone...I propose to you today that God guided a Shepard boy...God graduated David from trees and targets to a bear...
When his faith was strengthened he guided him to a lion...Then a giant...God was guiding long before that stone left that sling...
What do you think gave David the faith and confidence to think he could take a giant?
It was the time spent in isolation...
God guided David in times of isolation, so he could stand in times of admiration...
If you get admiration, before isolation, it will lead to devastation...
Your wondering why you are where you are....It's so you can be prepared for what is coming....
Well brethrens, it's been a long time....
One of two things are happening either there is a great destiny awaiting you, or you are not working on the things you should be...
If David had never picked up the harp in his time of isolation, he would have never been asked to play...If he had never picked up the sling...If he had never sang and praised God, he would have never been anointed King...
God didn't get to know David in the palace; he got to know him in the pasture...
Where are you today?
Our Relationship with God.
A love relationship with God is more important than any other single factor in your life.” Why should knowing God be more important to us than anything else? Primarily because that’s why we have been created. Study the first two chapters of the first book in the Bible, the book of Genesis, and you’ll see man walking with God. Study the last two chapters in the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation, and you’ll find men dwelling with God. And in between those important chapters are 1187 other chapters of God’s Word that reveals to us:
· Our sin and need of God,
· The way God has made for us to be restored back to our original relationship with Him,
· What it means to know God and daily walk with Him, and
· What will happen in the end to all those who don’t.
God’s goal in our salvation is to bring us to a point to where we can know Him in a real and personal way. We often speak of a ‘personal relationship’ with Jesus Christ and the reason we call it ‘personal’ is because God knows and deals with each of us on a personal basis. Jesus said in John 10 –
“… he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
· He created each of us personally and unique from everyone else.
· Jesus died on the cross for each of us personally.
· The Holy Spirit speaks to us personally about our need of salvation.
· We have to make a personal decision as to whether or not we will receive Christ as our Savior.
· If we do not, we each will have to personally stand before God and give an account of the sins we have committed.
· When someone receives Christ and is born again, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in them personally.
· And our name, that new name, that was personally given to each of us by God, is recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Salvation is a personal relationship with God. The Bible says that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER will believe in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Friend, have you ever made that personal decision and received Christ as your Lord and Savior?
I want to give you three reasons why a personal relationship with Christ is important and all three reasons can be found in the book of 1 John:
1) For the Assurance of Salvation
2) For the Joy of Fellowship
3) For the Confidence for Living
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
I. Assurance of Salvation
Can we have assurance of salvation?
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
We know exactly who John was writing to and why. He was writing to those who have believed on the name of the Son of God and he wants them to know that by doing so, they have eternal life. You can’t make it any clearer than that.
The verb “know” found here is in the Greek Perfect Tense. That’s very important and let me tell you why. The Perfect Tense indicates action that is now complete and never needed to be repeated. We can know right now with sure certainty that we have eternal life. Why? Because we have believed on the name of the Son of God.
Our certainty is not based upon what we do or have accomplished. That would be an effort to obtain by salvation by works. The Bible clearly tells us
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
Our salvation is made available to us by God’s grace which we receive through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason faith in Jesus will save us is because scripture tells us that – “Christ died for our sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:3) The means of receiving His forgiveness is our faith or trust in Him.
Why is Jesus so important to our assurance? The Apostle Paul wrote, “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded (root meaning of word faith) that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12) Paul’s confidence was not in himself, but the Lord Jesus Christ and that Jesus was able to save him and keep him saved.
Look with me once again at 1 John 1 –
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
A. Notice that he says that Jesus is God’s Message of Eternal Life.
Jesus is the Word of Life manifested or “revealed” to us. The writer of the book of Hebrews began his great letter by declaring –
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
God the Father, by sending His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to this world, has declared that we all are sinners and incapable of earning our way to heaven. By crucifying His Son on the cross, God has declared that sin must be judged. By raising His Son from the dead, God has declared that He is satisfied with Christ’s sacrifice for us. And by sending us into all the world with this gospel message, God is declaring that He so loves the world, that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That is quite a message. Friend, God has declared these things and He has put an exclamation point at the end of His message.
According to the writer of the book of Hebrews, Jesus has now been”appointed heir of all things”. Jesus has ‘purged’ the records clean of our sin. And Jesus is now “sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Oh my friend, don’t dare put a question mark where God has placed an exclamation point. Accept it today. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!
B. Jesus is also God’s Means of Eternal Life.
John wrote – 2 …eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us…”
Jesus is God’s means of eternal life. Romans 6:23 tells us – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Peter preached in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Consider what Paul wrote to the Galatians –
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
What was this ‘yoke of bondage’ that Paul was referring to? It was the yoke of bondage that some were trying to place on men by telling them that they had to obey the Law of Moses in order to be saved.
Galatians 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
One of the most self-righteous men who ever lived was a Pharisee named Saul. Consider what he said once his eyes were opened and he accepted Christ –
Philippians 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 6 … touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win (gain) Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
The Bible says four times – “the just shall live by faith.” (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38)
John wanted his readers to have the assurance of their personal salvation. Why? Because only then could they find the –
II. Joy of Fellowship
1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
God wants us to have a joyful salvation. But there are conditions to finding the kind of joy John is writing about. In the verses following, John tells us the Place of Fellowship, the People of Fellowship, the Pleasure of Fellowship, and the Purpose of Fellowship.
A. The Place of Fellowship
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
The place of fellowship is in God’s light. To declare that God is light is to declare that He is holy and absolutely pure. Darkness in the Bible often refers to sin. God does not dwell in darkness nor does He have fellowship with darkness. To have fellowship with God we must come to where He is at and we must dwell there. That place is in the light of holiness. What will coming to this light do to us? First of all, it will expose our sins and secondly it will enable us to see the truth.
1. Expose Our Sins
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Someone can’t be saved and find the joy of fellowship with God until they come to the point of admitting that they are a sinner. Jesus said to the Pharisees –
Mark 2:17 They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Jesus was not saying that there are some who are spiritually whole and in no need of healing; otherwise He would not have died for the sins of the world. The Bible says –
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
2. Enable us to see truth
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The light of God’s holiness reveals the darkness of our sins and points us to His way of salvation – faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
a. The People of Fellowship
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Who are the people of fellowship? They are those who are walking the light of God’s truth. Their sins are revealed and they confess them and the Bible tells us that the ‘blood of Jesus continously cleanses them.’
b. The Pleasure of Fellowship
What is the pleasure of fellowship? It is the pleasure of knowing that all of their sins are under the blood of Christ and that they are completely forgiven. The most horrible thing that could happen would be for me not to be able to confess my sins and receive forgiveness. My greatest pleasure and richest gain is knowing that I am clothed in the righteousness of Christ. According to Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6, through faith in Jesus we can become the sons and daughters of God and now call God ‘Abba’ which means ‘daddy.’
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Some might ask, “Does that hope mean that we hope that we will be saved?” It can’t mean that because right before it John declared – “Now are we the sons of God.” What then is that hope? Is it the promise that when Jesus shall appear, our Lord and Savior, we shall be like Him. Paul describes this change in 1 Corinthians 15:51-57. Concerning the Pleasure of Fellowship, John teaches us that it produces a fullness of joy. I don’t know about you but I can’t think of anything that brings me more joy than to know that Jesus Christ is coming for me to snatch me away from this old sin-cursed world and to escort me to a place He has prepared for me!
c. The Purpose of Fellowship
We might ask, “What is the purpose for this fellowship with our personal Savior?” Others might answer, “pleasure or fullness of joy.” Indeed that is true, but God has another purpose that we need to consider. Notice once again what John teaches us in 1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
The blessed hope is the promise of Christ’s return and our being completely transformed into His image. According to Romans 8, our bodies are still waiting for redemption which will occur at the Rapture and Resurrection of the Saints. And so, with eager anticipation, we along with creation ‘groan’ for that day. But until then, this hope, this promise, this great expectation, prompts us to seek to live a pure life; a life that is pleasing to Christ. The reason we desire to live a holy life is not to gain salvation, but because salvation is already ours and out of gratitude to God, we study His Word and seek to apply it to our lives so that we may walk in obedience before Him.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word,
What a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
III. Confidence for Living
God wants us to have confidence as His children; not confidence in ourselves, but confidence in His love and will for our lives. How do we find such confidence?
1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Note, our confidence begins with the assurance of salvation. If we have received the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, scripture says – “now” are we the sons and daughters of God. (1 John 3:1-3) Once our relationship with God has been restored, God begins a process of renewing our mind so that we may approve what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:1-2) How does God do this? He does so by sending His Spirit to dwell within us to teach us and to guide us. (1 Cor 2:6-16) The Bible says that the Spirit teaches us by ‘comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.’ What does this mean? Consider what Paul wrote to young Timothy –
2 Timothy 3:15-17 NLT You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and reveals to us to the Will of God. And according to John, this process puts us in a place where we can have great confidence concerning our prayers and doing the will of God. When we know the will of God, we pray the will of God and therefore we receive the will of God.
Conclusion
Dear friend, do you have assurance of your salvation? In what or in whom are you trusting – yourself and your ability to follow certain rules that will make you righteous? If that is your confidence, then you are no better off than the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. As Paul wrote to the Galatians who were being swayed to try to live by the Law – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Gal 5:4) But if you will put your trust in Jesus Christ to be your Savior, He will save you and make you a child of God today.
1 John 5:11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
If you are unsure of your salvation, pray this prayer with me –
Dear Jesus,
I confess that I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins. I believe that You are the only way to heaven and that I cannot earn my way there by my good works. I am convinced in my heart that You died for me and I am asking you to forgive me of my sins and to save me. You are my Lord and my Savior. In Your name I pray Lord Jesus. Amen
No Turning Back!
In Luke 17:32 we read the shortest saying of Jesus and the second shortest verse in the Bible, "Remember Lot's wife!"
This saying recalls the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom was where Abraham's nephew, Lot, had chosen to live. But God had declared to Abraham that he would destroy these cities because "their sin is so grievous" (Gen. 18:20). Abraham then prayed that the city be spared "if there are fifty righteous people in the city" (v.24), or "forty" (v.29), or "thirty" (v.30), or "twenty" (v.31), or "ten" (v.32). God's promise to him was "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it" (v.32).
Yet when the angelic messengers went to Lot's house in Sodom, the riotous degraded actions of the men of the city make it quite clear that their heart was turned against the Lord God. There were not even ten!
The city would not be spared the divine judgment! They must escape while they could! So Lot and his wife and two daughters set out for safety. Among the instructions given to them was, "Don't look back!" (19:17). "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt" (v.26).
When Jesus said, "Remember Lot's wife", he was warning against the temptation to turn back to the old life. As he stated it in today's Scripture, (Luke 9:62) "No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God". Before we look at this temptation, however, let us think about the nature of the old life and the new.
One of the most marked characteristics of the old life is selfishness. Paul speaks about walking "according to the sinful nature (literally, the flesh)", fulfilling its desires, considering our chief responsibility to be towards ourselves. This has always led to the greatest blot on the image of God in us - sin. We see this right back in Genesis - it was through the temptation to be equal with God that Adam and Eve fell into sin. Paul writes that "the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans.8:68).
In the fate of two cities in Genesis, Jude sees a pattern of all who sin, when he writes, "Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire" (Jude 7). We find Peter also, in his second letter writing about how God "condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men... The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority" (2 Pet2:6-7, 9-10).
The greatest offence in sin is not that it corrupts our nature, nor that it is often against others, but that it is against God, and the old life is characterised by separation from God. On the surface there may be superficial happiness, but the deadly disease of sin is at work. Whatever the appearances, the old life was rotten deep down and leading the person who trod it to destruction. So we find Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, speaking of the old life with all its glamour, "Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it" (Matthew7:13).
In contrast, the new life is the life "in Christ". Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Rev3:20).
It is only through Christ that the new life is possible - it is supremely through his sacrificial death that God's grace has become available to us. From our side, no efforts at righteousness could bridge the gap between us and God. God has taken the initiative - the new life is a gift, requiring only to be accepted by faith. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2Cor 5:17).
The very inner principle of our lives has been changed. Compare a petrol engine with a diesel. There are very significant differences, but both are internal combustion engines. On the other hand, the electric motor is powered by a different principle.
Paul describes the Christian as the person who no longer lives "according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). And God's grace, now active in our life through faith, is directed towards good works - "for we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph 2:10). So the new life will express the "fruit of the Spirit" - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Our sins are washed in the blood of the Lamb; our lawlessness is overcome by obedience to Christ, the Lord of all; our self-centredness is overwhelmed by God's infinite love and mercy. Yet of this new life, Jesus spoke these sobering words, "Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:14).
There was a time in the ministry of Jesus - when he had been teaching the absolute necessity of each person receiving for him/herself the benefits of his atoning death - when we read, "From that time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him" (John 6:66).
There are those who take offence at the cross, who are interested in different aspects of Christianity but baulk at the Gospel itself. Our concern here, however, is with those who have set out on the race of faith - it is, if you like, with Lot's family, not with the people who chose to stay behind in Sodom. Of such disciples Paul wrote (1 Timothy5:15), "Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan." He spoke to the Ephesians’ elders in Acts 20:30 about those who would "arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them."
Quite obviously, since the evil one is the enemy of the Lord, we can expect him to take delight in leading astray, by one means or other, those who are Christ's.
For the young Christian, the keenest temptations come along the line of the old life. They are temptations to "turn back", or at least to "look back" with longing on the old life we have left. We try to supplement the joy we have in Christ. Although we know that Christ died for the entire world, we revel in our own personal salvation. We become "conformed to the pattern of this world" rather than "transformed by the renewing of our mind" (Rom12:2). We fill our minds and lives with so-called "harmless" activities, ignoring the words of Jesus, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23), or again, "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27).
It is not enough to enter the small gate, if we will not walk the narrow road. At one stage in Jesus' ministry we are told that, as Jesus spoke, many put their faith in him. "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'" Later in the same passage we read, "... they picked up stones to stone him" (John 8:31-32, 59). At one moment of exultation the crowd cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:9). Later a crowd (how many of them the same we do not know) cried out, "Crucify him!" (Matthew 27:22-23).
Three men - three backgrounds, three motivations, three agendas - thought it would be good and commendable to follow Jesus. But Jesus challenged them to a wholehearted commitment. "No one," he said, "who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for [service in] the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
Surely then, we must be in earnest when we come to Christ - not trusting ourselves, but with our confidence fixed on him. We need to learn to say with the humility of the great apostle Paul, "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14).
"Remember Lot's wife." We seem to need that warning - we can all go through periods of slackness! But we need to get into gear and positively fix our mind on what Paul says here. We have to forget what is behind. When those things are confessed and forgiven, we are not to waste our time brooding over them. Rather, straining toward what is ahead, we must press towards God's goal.
The Fullness of God Dwells in Us.
Ephesians 3:14-16
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, {15} Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, {16} That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
A. We Are Strengthened Because We Know He Hears Us!
1Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord over the righteous, and his ears unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord against them that do evil.
1. Some people pray but wonder if God actually hears their petitions. Their faith falters and fails.
2. We must recognize that God hears the faintest cry of those who love him.
3. The Lord is able to hear us at all times. The psalmist says in Psalms 121:3 "he that keepeth thee will not slumber".
B. We Are Strengthened Because We Know He Helps Us!
Psalms 121:2 ‘My help from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.’
1. Many people think their own efforts will see them through
2. We cannot do anything in our own strength. We must have God’s help.
3. The Lord is able to help all who trust in him. He promises in Isaiah 41:10 "be not dismayed; for I thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness".
C. We Are Strengthened Because We Know He Holds Us!
Psalms 139:10 ‘ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’
1. Ours is a dangerous world, filled with violence and destruction.
2. There is no place to hide except in Christ. He is our defense and protection.
3. God promises in Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I with thee:"
D. We Are Strengthened Because We Know He Heals Us!
Exodus 15:26 "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I the LORD that healeth thee.
1. When Jesus was on earth, he healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, made the lame walk, and forgave sins.
2. The Lord is the same today. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
3. The Lord is able to hear us, to help us, to hold us and to heal us!
EPH 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
The word "dwell" translates from a Greek verb form that means Paul was praying for Christ to take up permanent abode. He was asking for Jesus to make His home in the hearts of these people. The word "heart" means the center of the will and emotion. Your daughter may approximate this idea when she comes home with an enagement ring and announces, " I love him with all my heart".
2. Ephesians 3:18-19
May be able to comprehend with all saints what the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; {19} And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
A. HIS PAST LOVE: - 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1. Full penalty in our stead; That is LOVE.
2. The Wonder of the Cross. Galatians 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed every one that hangeth on a tree:
3. The Glory of the Cross. – Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
B. HIS PRESENT LOVE: - Ephesians 1:18-19
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, {19} And what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe
1. In the Person of the Holy Spirit. John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
2. As our Hope – 1 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, our hope;
C. HIS FUTURE LOVE: - Titus 2:13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
1. "This same Jesus" Acts 1:11
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
2. At His coming the believers shall not taste of death.
3. We shall be Present with the Lord forever
4. We shall behold and partake of the eternal glory of Christ
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, {21} Unto him glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
A. When We Experiance His Fullness We Will Give God The Glory:
1. Because of what He is – 1 Timothy 6:15
Which in his times he shall show, the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
2. Because of what He did (John 3: 16)
3. Because His promises are true –Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
4. Because of His final triumph – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10
Seeing a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; {7} And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; {10} When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
B. When We Experiance His Fullness We Will Glorify God In The Church
1. The music of the worship should glorify God
2. The preaching should glorify God – 2 Corinthians 4:5
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
3. The praying should glorify God – Mathew 6:7
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen : for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
A. If We Experiance His Fullness We Will Not Rob God Of His Glory
1 By failing to finance the church – Malachi 3:8
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
2. By failing to attend worship – Jeremiah 2:13
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
3. By failing to live holy lives – 1 Peter 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
4. By failing to have unity in the church – 1 Corinthians 3:13
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
A. When We Experiance His Fullness We Will Bring Glory To God By Considering:
1. What I am in this world – 1 John 3:1
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2. How I should think of this world 2 Corinthians 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean ; and I will receive you,
3. What my plans for the future are Micah 6:8
He hath showed thee, O man, what good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
4. Where I will find help in times of need?
Crossover.
Are you at a crossroad of your life where you know what God wants you to do yet you are afraid to obey? Is God asking you to make a decision yet you are wavering? Or, you already decided and you are excited to take a step of faith. If you are, then I believe this message is for you! Let us look through the book of Joshua chapters 3 and 4. We will glean our lessons from their miraculous crossing through the Jordan River.
Joshua and the nation of Israel were poised to attack the Promised Land. They waited for this moment for 40 years already. For three days, they were camped near the edge of the Jordan River. Their leaders gave them specific instructions to wait for the Ark of Covenant before moving out. Then, Joshua ordered them: “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” [1] This brings me to our first point: CONSECRATE yourselves.
Let’s do a word study on “consecrate.” Forty years before, when Israel left Egypt, God commanded Moses, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”[2] Note the words “Consecrate” and “belongs to me”. To be consecrated then means to be set apart for a person or a purpose.
Before God gave the 10 commandments, He told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”[3] Here the idea is not just commitment but also cleansing. There are times we ask God what His will is, like the choice of a mate or career. But He doesn’t answer our prayers because we have no intention of obeying it. If we like His will, if it is to our advantage, we might obey. But if we don’t like it, if we feel it’s hard, we won’t follow. Even before we ask for His will, let us commit ourselves to obey. There are times we can’t obey His will because we have some sin issues. We want to obey but we are not prepared to obey. Is there a sin or a relationship that we need to deal with so we can be ready to obey the Lord? For the Lord is looking for a clean vessel, not a golden one. 2 Timothy 2:21-22 says, “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honourable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.”
[4] So, let us cleanse ourselves from sin and commit ourselves to obey so we can take the step of faith.
Joshua commanded the people to wait for the Ark of the Covenant because, “Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.”[5] The Ark of the Covenant was a symbol of the Lord Himself. Moses prayed to the Lord, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”[6] So, when we take our step of obedience, let us RELY on the Lord. Joshua told them that God assured them of His presence. “By this [the miraculous cross-over] you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the [inhabitants of the land].”[7]
So, we must trust God for His wisdom and strength in every decision that we make and every action that we take. The Lord should have the first word, the last word and every word in between. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.”[8]
Remember that Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament to prepare the people led by Joshua to conquer the land. They need to learn from the mistakes of their parents who were denied entry to the Promised Land. This generation read the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus. Many of them witnessed that event when they were still young. The Lord assured Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.”[9] As they crossed the Jordan River, they recalled also the time when they crossed the Red Sea. Thus, “That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.”[10] There are times we worry about what people would think or say when we take steps of obedience. However, the Lord assures us that He will take care of that. Of course, that doesn’t mean that people will always like what we said or did. But, if we would not be proud when we succeed, then we should not be ashamed if ever we fail. We have to remember that it is the Lord we are pleasing, not men.
To emphasize that it was indeed a miracle, Joshua pointed out “the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.”[11] Thus, they “crossed the Jordan when the river was at its widest, deepest, and swiftest”.[12] The water can rise up to a depth of 12 feet and as wide as 360 feet, which normally is only about 180 feet wide. Now, the priests were standing at the edge of the raging, overflowing river. About 900 meters away, about 2 million Israelites were watching as they wait on what would happen next.
Maybe in their mind they heard the ancient Nike commercial: “Just do it! Seriously, at that moment, they decided by faith to OBEY! So, as they hold their breath, the priests took the step. As soon as “their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away… while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”[13] How can you get plainer than that? Some people question this miracle by saying that there was an earthquake that caused a landslide and blocked the river flow. They say it was not really a miracle but just a coincidence, a great timing of a natural phenomenon. But how can they say this was no miracle? Look at these factors: “(1) The event came to pass as predicted… (2) The timing was exact… (3) The event took place when the river was at flood stage… (4) The wall of water was held in place for many hours, possibly an entire day… (5) The soft, wet river bottom became dry at once… (6) The water returned immediately as soon as the people crossed over and the priests came up out of the river”.[14]
Now, in our case, the miracle is in the obedience itself. Things may not go well as expected. But, as long as you are obeying the will of God, you can rest assured that “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”[15] Just obey.
The Lord then commanded Joshua to have twelve men take 12 stones from the exact spot where the priests stood and bring them over to their camp site. Not only that, he set up another pile of 12 stones on that same spot. Now, what was the purpose of those stones? The Lord Himself explained to them that these “serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”[16] Verse 24 adds, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” To remind us of the faithfulness of God, to remind us of our commitment to obey, to remind us of our step of faith, we are to SET a memorial.
How? We can journal our journey of faith. We can share our testimony. We can memorize the verse that encouraged us. What I do is I write the blessings that I received in my planner. And then, at the end of the year, I list it all and thank God for it again. Doing so strengthens our faith. There are times we find it hard to trust God. But, as we review what He has done for us in the past, we find ourselves encouraged to move on. Psalm 103:2 says, “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”.
Joshua wrote this book to encourage the people to complete the conquest. Joshua mentioned that the stones of remembrance were still “there to this day”,[17] at least at the time of the writing of the book. Also, remember that the Lord instituted the Passover the night before He took Israel out of Egypt. Now, “Interestingly, the nation arrived across the Jordan just in time to celebrate the Passover… God’s timing is always precise.”[18] It is as if God was telling them, “Mission accomplished!” Now, what’s next was the conquest of the land. All the elements in the account, the similarity between the supernatural crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, the “dry ground,” the stones of remembrance and the Passover, all encourages the nation to SEEK to continue.
Let me rewind to the questions I posed at the start. Are you at a crossroad of your life where you know what God wants you to do yet you are afraid to obey? Is God asking you to make a decision yet you are wavering? Or, you already decided and you are excited to take a step of faith.
Brothers and sisters let us C-R-O-S-S over!
Nehemiah’s Secret for Success.
Everyone is seeking for the secret to success, for that winning edge, a “leg up” in this competitive world. At the same time, every successful salesperson or celebrity is looking to make money by sharing their particular secret to success! In their humble opinion, you must purchase their product; pay to attend their seminar, in order to be successful! It’s amazing how many formulas there are in the world, to achieve success.
Our text has to do with a very successful individual. His name is Nehemiah. Years earlier, the Babylonian empire had conquered Judah, and most of the people were exiled to Babylon (modern Iraq). However, in 538 BC, Cyrus released some of the Israelites to return to their homeland to rebuild Jerusalem. Zerubbabel returned to rebuild the Temple; Ezra returned later to restore the people and Israel's national life, by teaching them the Law of Moses; and Nehemiah returned to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, securing it from the threat of invasion. Anyway you measure it, Nehemiah was a successful person.
God wants you to have a successful life, that is, as long as you define success correctly. What is success? The biblical definition of success is to be the person God desires you to be, and to accomplish the things God desires you to accomplish.
When we think of Nehemiah, we think of him as a successful leader and builder. Nehemiah is remembered as one of the Bible's most resilient and innovative leaders. He was a gifted administrator and motivator, who was able to plan and organize both difficult people and complex projects, in the midst of a dangerous and difficult setting. Without doubt, the Lord accomplished great things through this man.
What was his secret to success? The answer is clear when you read the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a man of prayer, with a deep concern for God's will above all else. This man, from the very beginning of the book, is depicted as a man of prayer. It is his fervent reliance upon God that gives him the strength and the winning edge, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. It is his prayer life that sustains him in the midst of his trials.
Prayer was a way of life with this great man! When he first hears for the sad condition of his people and the city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah begins to fast and pray. Nehemiah 1:4 reads, “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” This famous prayer is recorded in Nehemiah 1:5-11. Later in Nehemiah 2, as he stands before King Artaxerxes with a heart burdened for his people and his home town of Jerusalem, he fires off a quick prayer to God. In Nehemiah 2:4 it says, “Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Prayer saturates the book of Nehemiah, because it saturates the life of the man.
Our text verses are two separate recordings of what must have been a continual prayer on the heart of this successful man. It flows spontaneously from his lips and life. From this simple prayer, we can find three things that present God’s formula for success in your life. Your life can be a success if you pray the Nehemiah way!
Praying God’s Formula For Success
First: Success comes when you pray with a proper view of yourself.
Here we see the one who prays, or the petitioner. In Nehemiah 5:19, the first three words of Nehemiah’s prayer are, “Think upon me.” In Nehemiah 13:31b, it is reduced to two words, “Remember me.” What a bold yet humble request! Nehemiah is asking God to examine who he is and how he is! How we view ourselves as we approach God is very important! Why? God rejects the proud. Peter affirms this in I Peter 5:5-7. Whether we come into the house of God or before the throne of grace, we should be clothed with humility. Why? Peter says in verse 5b, “...for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” He goes on to say in verses 6-7, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
How did Nehemiah view himself as he approached the Lord in prayer? We can discover the answer to this question as we examine his famous prayer recorded in Nehemiah 1:5-11. You learn a lot about someone, when you listen to their prayers.
Nehemiah approached the Lord as a humble servant. Nehemiah desired nothing more than to be a loyal servant of God. In Nehemiah 1:6, Nehemiah prays, “Let Thine ear now be attentive, and Thine eyes open, that Thou mayest hear the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee now, day and night.” Verse 11 says, “O Lord, I beseech Thee, let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant, and to the prayer of Thy servants.”
Someone has said, “You can be too big for God to use, but you can never be too small.” To be successful in God’s eyes, you must first see yourself as a servant. Jesus Christ, the most successful person who ever lived, entered this world as a humble servant.
Nehemiah approached the Lord as an unworthy sinner. Nehemiah was quick to confess his sin before God. In Nehemiah 1:6b he prays, “...and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against Thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.” We serve a moral God who hates sin, but loves to forgive and restore His wayward children!
Have you confessed your sins to God today? Un confessed sin will rob you of success! Proverbs 28:13 tells us, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” We often refer to prayer as coming before the “throne of grace.” Why do we call it the “throne of grace?” Because were it not for God’s grace extended to us through Jesus Christ, who is the “new and living way,” we could not approach God at all! By faith, God has covered and cleansed us in His redemptive blood, and clothed us in His righteousness! Yes, we can come boldly before the throne of God, but we must never forget to take off our shoes!
Nehemiah approached the Lord with a heart that desired to reverence Him more and more. In Nehemiah 1:11, Nehemiah prays, “O Lord, I beseech Thee, let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant, and to the prayer of Thy servants, who desire to fear Thy name.” Wow! Nehemiah’s life was focused on God. God was at the center of His life. His desire was that his thoughts, words, attitudes and actions were seasoned with a sense of reverence toward God.
Are you living your life according to what you think is right and best? What does God think about your life? What does He think about your actions and attitude? Are you aware of God’s future judgment of your present life? Do you even care? The “fear of God” has been lost in this world, and sad to say it has been lost in the hearts and lives of most Christians.
Nehemiah approached the Lord with a heart that desired to be blessed, to prosper! In Nehemiah’s short prayer, he asked God to remember him “for good,” not bad. He sought not only the Lord’s approval, but His blessing! In Nehemiah 1:11a he prays, “O Lord, I beseech Thee, let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant, and to the prayer of Thy servants, who desire to fear Thy name: and prosper.” Nehemiah faced a great challenge. Would the king allow him to return? Would he guarantee safe passage? What about the needed materials? Nehemiah knew that if he was going to make it to Jerusalem and complete his task, God must make it happen!
How often in our prayers do we use the word, “bless.” We pray, “Lord, bless this. Lord bless that.” There is nothing wrong with asking God to bless and prosper us! God has promised to grant us the desires of our hearts, as long as those desires are holy and in line with His divine purpose for our lives!
Your life story can be a success story, but it all begins when you pray with a proper view of yourself!
Second: Success comes when we pray with a proper view of God.
In Nehemiah 5:19 Nehemiah prays,“Think upon me, my God.” In Nehemiah 13:31, he prays, “Remember me, O my God.” It is evident that Nehemiah had a personal, intimate relationship with his God. He prayed, “my God.” He knew God.
Nehemiah’s knowledge of God came no doubt through personal experience. We all learn about who God is and how He is as we live life. Paul in II Corinthians 1 tells us that God is the “God of all comfort,” and that we learn of God’s ability to comfort us in every situation, as we experience troubles and trials in this life. In II Corinthians 1:4 Paul says, “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
But there is another way we can learn about God. We come to know God through His Word! Nehemiah prayed to the God of the Bible! Notice his prayer in Nehemiah 1:8-9. He prays, “Remember, I beseech Thee, the word that Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.” Nehemiah knew God through His Word. He applies God’s words spoken to Moses and Israel, to his present situation! Why? God is consistent with His Word.
You must read your Bible to learn about God. Your knowledge of God and your knowledge of the Bible are connected! If you want your prayers answered, you had better believe in God; know what He is like; and above all, maintain a personal relationship with Him. What kind of God did Nehemiah pray to?
Nehemiah prayed to a God who was over and above all creation! Nehemiah 1:5a, “And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God.” Recently I saw a magazine article whose heading read, “Never underestimate the power of a woman.” A woman can spot a small piece of lent on a suit one hundred yards away. She senses things and knows things that defy logic. Her ability to multitask boggles the mind! The only difference between a hockey mom and pit bull is lipstick! Never underestimate the power of a woman!
How many times do we underestimate the power of God? Nehemiah prayed to, “...the Lord God of Heaven, the great and terrible God!” There is nothing God cannot do! Sarah laughed at the thought of conceiving and bearing a child in her old age. The thought was absurd to her, but the Lord rebuked her saying, “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?”
Nehemiah prayed to a God who keeps His promises. Nehemiah 1:5 continues, “...that keepeth covenant.” Nehemiah knew that his existence and the existence of his people rested on God’s faithfulness to keep the promise He made to Abraham! Israel is alive and well as a nation today, occupying their land, all because God keeps His Word!
God is faithful! Our relationship with God is based upon a covenant! We can pray according to the promises of God revealed in Scripture, knowing that He will keep and honor every promise! Philippians 4:19 promises, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Pray the prayer! Claim the promise!
Nehemiah prayed to a merciful God. Nehemiah 1:5 continues, “...that keepeth covenant and mercy.” Mercy is God withholding what we deserve. All we deserve is the full judgment and consequences of our sin. How else could we exist for one day, one hour, one moment, were it not for the mercies of God? It is by His mercies that we are not consumed! Every day we sin wilfully and repeatedly against God! Because God’s mercy endures forever, we have life, hope and opportunity to begin again! Hallelujah!
Nehemiah prayed to a God who especially loves those who are obedient. Nehemiah 1:5 concludes, “....for them that love Him and observe His commandments.” Nehemiah was an obedient servant. He acted upon God’s revealed will for his life! He told the Lord, “Here am I, send me.”
Nehemiah knew what to do and how to be so to receive the full favor and blessings of God upon his life. If you notice, I said the full favor and blessing of God. We do not deserve or merit the grace of God. We do not merit or deserve the blessings of God. However, we are fooling ourselves to believe that God as our Heavenly Father, is going to bless us fully, when we are walking and living in disobedience to Him. God chastens His children. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep (observe) my commandments.” Charles Stanley once said, “God doesn’t have favorites, but He has intimates.” We cannot live lives that are sinful, disobedient, and expect God to give us success.
Our success lies not in ourselves, but in the hands of the great God of Heaven. If we are to be successful, we must pray not only with a proper view of ourselves, but with a proper dependency upon God! In a real way, prayer connects us with the presence and power of God! We are involved in a Partnership with God! God is the Senior partner.
Third: Success comes when we pray with a proper view of our role in the world.
Nehemiah petitioned God to remember him for good, based upon his record as a man who lived for others, not himself. Notice his prayer in Nehemiah 5:19. “Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” Nehemiah was not just a servant of God; he was a servant of the people. He lived for a cause that was greater than himself! Everything Nehemiah did was for the blessing and benefit of the people he served. When they were in danger as they worked on the wall, Nehemiah was quick to devise a plan that protected them and their families. He looked out for the welfare of the people when they were being charged interest on the money borrowed from their brethren. Even when Nehemiah was appointed governor, he refused to follow the lead of those who held the office previously, using the position to take advantage of the people they served. Nehemiah was always fair and just. Nehemiah loved and served his people!
True success is not selfish! Success is found in loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself! Do your prayers focus solely upon yourself? Why is this a great prayer? It is others centered, not self centered.
For Nehemiah, miracles did happen! He went to Jerusalem and successfully built up the walls. Nehemiah teaches us that success begins with prayer and ends with a surrendered life. As believers and as a church, prayer is one of our core values. Prayer is essential to Christian spirituality and success in this life! Persistent, prevailing prayer empowers us to achieve our God-given purpose.
Dan Crawford who lived from 1870 to 1926, spent most of his adult life serving as a missionary in Africa. When it was time to return home to Britain, Crawford described to an old Bantu, the kind of world to which he was returning. He told him about ships that ran under the water, on the water, and even those that flew above the water. He described English houses with all of their conveniences, such as running water and electric lights. Then Crawford waited for the old African to register his amazement. "Is that all, Mr. Crawford?” the aged man asked. "Yes, I think it is,” Crawford replied. Very slowly and very gravely, the old Bantu said, "Well, Mr. Crawford, you know, that to be better off is not to be better.”
What are you doing with your life? Do you pray? If so, do you pray with a proper view of yourself; a proper view of God; and a proper view of your purpose in this world? This is the formula for success! Its time to pray the Nehemiah way.difference in your world? Will you make a difference in your church? You must pray!
It Is All About Jesus.
A theological college in Uganda..... Invited to their annual conference ... a renowned professor as their..... Guest lecturer.
He spoke for two and one-half hours..... "Establishing proofs”..... That the resurrection of Jesus.... never took place.
The professor quoted scholar after scholar and book after book.
He concluded that since there was no such thing as.... the historical resurrection ... the religious tradition of the church.... was groundless.
It was all emotional mumbo-jumbo ... because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact ... never rose from the dead in any literal sense.
After this verbal dissertation he moved back from the lectern and asked if there were any questions.
After about 30 seconds ... an elderly pastor with a head of woolly white hair ...... stood up in the back of the auditorium.
"Doctor Professor ... I have one question", he said..... As all eyes turned toward him.
He reached into his sack lunch.... and pulled out an apple and began eating it.
CRUNCH, "My question is a simple question” ...CRUNCH ... "Now, I have never read those books you've read"...CRUNCH... "And I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek"...CRUNCH... "I know nothing' about Niebuhr and Heidegger"....CRUNCH ...He finished the apple. "
All I want to know is: ..... This apple I just ate------was it bitter or was it sweet?"
The professor paused for a moment and answered in a scholarly fashion: ..... "I cannot possibly answer that question ... for I haven't tasted your apple".
The elderly preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag ... looked up at the professor and said calmly ... "Neither have you tasted .... My Jesus."
The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves ... the auditorium erupted with applause and cheers.
The professor thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
Beloved.....It is all about Jesus...... It is all about Jesus this morning (evening) and every morning (evening).
Hear Paul's Words to us today: BIBLE "For he has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son".
The Colossians were well taught by Epaphras a faithful minister of Christ (v7) but it became clear to Epaphres that the Colossian Church was having problems with false teaching.
These problems were shared with Paul ...... thus came the letter..... to the Colossians.
These false teachers were extremely confused about Creation..... And the physical realm.
These false teachers insisted that all matter was evil.... including the human body.
They taught that Jesus Christ did not have a real body..... Since this would have put Him in contact with evil matter.
The results of these false teachings were tragic.... including extreme self-denial and austerity ....on the one hand ...... to unbridled
After all.... If the physical world is totally sinful..... You either try to enslave it..... Or you sinfully.... enjoy it.
The truth is they really did not know Jesus. Jesus is fully man and Jesus is fully God.
In his letter to the Colossians Paul brings forth the truth of who Jesus is.
Jesus existed before Creation (Colossians 1:15).
In Paul's letter ... he uses the term firstborn which does not refer to time..... It refers to status.
Jesus Christ was not the first being created ... since the scriptures tell us..... Jesus ... is the Creator of all things. ..... All Things!
Firstborn simply means "of first importance ... of first rank."
Solomon was certainly Not Born First of all of David's sons ... yet he was named the firstborn in the Psalms (Psalms 89:27)...... The first of importance!
Firstborn of all Creation means "prior to all Creation."
Beloved....Jesus Christ is not a created being ...He is eternal.
Paul used the word image to make this fact perfectly clear.
It means....... "An exact representation and revelation.”......... Begotten not made.
The writer to the Hebrews affirms that Jesus Christ is quote "The express image of His Person" (Hebrews 1:3). The Image of the Godhead.
Jesus was able to say ...”He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father" (John 14:9).
Beloved ... It is all about Jesus.
The Apostle John explains it with these words. BIBLE "In God's essence, he is invisible; ...... but Jesus Christ has revealed Him to us" ( John 1:18).
It is only in Jesus..... That the invisible God is revealed..... Perfectly.
Jesus Christ.... is and always has been.... He is eternal.
God from God ... Light from Light ... true God from true God ... Begotten not made.
It is no wonder that the winds and waves obeyed Him ... that diseases and death fled from Him ...for Jesus.... is Master over all.
It is all about Jesus.
Jesus existed before Creation and Jesus created all things.
All things in heaven and on earth ... visible and invisible. ............. All things..... All Things are under His command.
If everything in creation exists for Jesus ... then nothing can be evil of itself ... except maybe Satan and the fallen angels ... but even those God uses..... To accomplish His will.
God's creation ... even though under bondage to sin (Romans 8:22), can be used for God's glory ...... and enjoyed ...... by God's people.
Jesus existed before Creation, Jesus created all things. And Jesus holds all things together (v. 17).
A guide.... took a group of people through an atomic laboratory and explained how all matter was composed of rapidly moving particles.
The tourists studied the models of molecules.... and were amazed to learn ...... that matter is made up primarily..... Of empty space.
During the question period... one visitor asked ... "If this is the way matter works ...what holds it all together?"
For that ... the guide said there are many theories..... But there is no definitive answer.
But the Scriptures..... Have the answer.
And As Christians...... We have the answer:
It is..... And always has been..... Jesus Christ!
"He is before all things," he created all things and He holds all things together.
It may seem at times that Satan is in control of this world.... but our God..... Our God is on the thrown;
He is El Shaddai.... the Almighty One.
The words of this historical hymn speak so much truth.
This is my Father's world
O let me ne'er forget
That Though the wrong
Seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet
Beloved .... Jesus Christ made all things ... He controls all things ... and by Him all things are held together.
Jesus is the Head of the church ... and as Paul proclaims...... He is also the Firstborn from the dead.
The Apostle Paul speaks a wonderful truth when using the word born in connection with death, though the two concepts seem opposed to each other.
But the tomb.... was a womb.... from which Christ came forth in victory, for death could not hold Him (Acts 2:24).
Praise God.... We have Victory in Jesus....... It is all about Jesus! Christ is the First Born of all creation.
Hear God’s Word: BIBLE "That in all things Christ might have first place .... In everything.... or as the King James states: .... That in all things Christ.... might have pre-eminence" (Colossians 1:18).
The Greek word translated "first place or pre-eminence" is used nowhere else in the New Testament. ..... Nowhere else!
It is related to the word translated "firstborn,”..... And it magnifies ...... the unique position of Jesus.
"Christ is all ... and in all" (Colossians 3:11).
The Scriptures are clear... The Greek is Clear. Christ alone.... is the way the truth and the life.
Now the false teachers would never give Jesus Christ the place of pre-eminence;
To them..... He was not the way the truth and the life (John 14:6); Rather, ...... He was to them.... but one rung on the ladder!
In Charles Colson book...... "The Faith given once for all" and I commend it to you.
He shares this truth ...... concerning many in the Main line churches.
Colson States: When doctrine and truth are abandoned ... when the authority of the Scriptures is denied..... You do not get liberal Christianity.
For it is not Christianity at all.
You get a whole new humanistic religion.
You get.... A Religion that is perverted by man.... A Religion that attacks the Pre-eminence of Christ.... A Religion that denies the authority of the Godhead.
Beloved.... Hold..... to the truth.
Jesus is the way, Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is the life.
There is only one arbitrator who can bring God and man together..... And that is Jesus Christ ....the One who is both fully God and fully Man.
He was God in human flesh (John 1:14). Jesus is who he says he is.
It is only in Jesus Christ that the invisible God is revealed ...... perfectly.
And the Scriptures proclaim the power that lies in his name.
For even at the name of Jesus.... Satan will surely flee. ....... It is all about Jesus.
Beloved ... It is all.... about Jesus
Amen! & Amen!
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.
Luke 4:18-19 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’
In this scripture we see something very powerful
#1We see that Jesus knew exactly what he supposed to do.
#2 we see that Jesus knew that he was empowered to do the work
In other words; Jesus was consciously aware of an enduement, an equipping, a supernatural endowment called the anointing.
It is in the mind of God today that every one of his saints were so consciously aware of this anointing that every single one of us could say: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.
This is not simply an idea or an expression or figure of speech; we're talking about the tangible, manifested reality of the power of God resting upon your life.
When the anointing would come upon Samson (he knew it) There was a conscious awareness that a supernatural power and enduement was upon him.
Samson knew when this power was on him and he knew when it wasn't.
When this power, this anointing, this unction was upon him, he was unstoppable he moved in a supernatural arena.
That was a shadow, a type of the anointing that was going to come upon Jesus Christ and his covenant children through the power of the Holy Ghost.
It is my intent today to help us to realize that this anointing was not just for Jesus nor is it just for Pastors, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists and Teachers, it's for every God called blood washed child of God.
It is the will of God that every blood washed Holy Ghost filled believer could say with the same certainty and the same authority as Jesus did "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me"
The anointing is the divine enablement and supernatural equipment to carry on the ministry of Jesus.
Acts 10:38 ‘ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him..
He was the Pattern Son.
Now we say: We are anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power
We go about doing good healing all who are oppressed of the devil, for God is with us.
Jesus in his physical body is no longer here, but the anointing is still here.
The same Holy Ghost and Power is still here, and now we are his body
We are his hands and his feet
We are his voice in the earth
We are anointed to carry on his work
We are anointed to preach the gospel, to cast out devils, to heal the sick to deliver the bound and the oppressed and set the captives free.
This anointing is Heavens power, its Holy Ghost electricity, (like natural electricity you can't see it with your natural eyes) but when it touches you, you will know it.
The anointing is burden-removing yoke destroying power.
Isaiah 10:27 ‘And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointin.’.
1John 2:20 ‘But ye have an unction from the holy one. 27 The anointing which you have received abideth in you.
You have an unction
You have an anointing
it’s the same anointing Jesus had
We often sing the song: We've got the power and don't really recognize how much power we really do have.
The sad truth is: A large majority of the body of Christ have never really tapped into the power supply.
The majority of the body of Christ are living very weak, inferior, anemic lives and are always looking for someone to bless them, encourage them, lift them up, prophesy over them.
In other words many of Gods people live their lives as a professional patient.
Meaning they live their lives always in need, always struggling, always hurting, always suffering.
What God wants to do by the power and the anointing of the Holy Ghost is to turn every patient into a doctor.
To bring you to a place where you are functioning by the anointing and ministering that anointing you are able to inject others with the power of God that will save them and heal them and deliver them.
Act 1:8 ‘Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.’
Peter and John looked at this poor crippled beggar sitting at the temple gate asking alms from any who would pass by.
Here was a poor unfortunate soul who lived dependant on the generosity and the surplus of others.
He was a taker, always reaching out, always in need.
Everyday someone would pick him up and carry him to his spot outside the beautiful gate of the temple where he would sit with his little cup and beg for alms.
What I love about Peter and John was, (they saw a future for this man beyond what he could see.)
He couldn't see anything different in his future than to sit and beg every day.
When Peter and John saw him, they were moved with the compassion of Jesus.
Compassion and pity are two different things.
Pity may look and feel sorry, may even cry
But Compassion Acts, Compassion changes the situation.
Peter and John saw this poor man and they saw a future for him, and they were moved with compassion,
When they said (look on us, it was because they knew they had not only the compassion but the capacity to change this man’s situation)
I wish we understood in the church how much power we have.
We are walking around with the same Spirit the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, living on the inside of us.
The supernatural miracle working power of God is in us.
One of the devils greatest fears is that we will recognize who we are and what we have and what we can do.
Peter and John knew this supernatural life power was in them.
And they also knew that they had the ability to transfer, to release that power to others.
Silver and gold have I none but such as I have
There's the key: Such as I have
In other words: I know what I have.
That is to say that Peter and John were consciously aware that they had in their possession a power greater than themselves.
Such as I have
Give I thee
I present to you, I offer to you, I release, I transfer, I give to you.
And Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him up.
Peter was pulling him into his destiny.
Pulling him out of his past, pulling him out of all his guilt and shame, pulling him out of his emptiness and helplessness. Pulling him out of his brokenness. Pulling him up, up into wholeness, up into joy, up into fullness.
And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Was it God’s will to heal this man and make him whole?
We know it was
Why didn't it happen sooner?
Because no one had passed his way with the knowledge of possessing the power to change his dilemma.
I'm telling you today; that it is the will of God to heal the sick, deliver the bound and the oppressed and to set the captives free.
But I'm also telling you that although it is Gods will and Jesus paid the price and the power of God is available, nothing is going to happen until we realize that we are the carriers and the conduits of the power of God and we start laying our hands on the sick and we start lifting them up in Jesus name and we start casting out devils.
There are people just like this crippled beggar all around us today, and even though God wants them well and whole they will die lost, sick and afflicted if we don't recognize that we are the channels of Gods power and if we don't take his power to them.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me, (not to make me feel good or give me goose bumps) But the anointing is on me to prophesy, to lay my hands on the sick, to rebuke sickness and disease, to cast out anything the devil has brought to you or upon you.
I am anointed: I am anointed to release you from your heavy burdens.
I am anointed to declare to you that your debt has been paid, your sin debt has been cancelled, and Jesus himself carried your sickness and your disease in his own body.
1Pet 2:24 is your receipt for perfect healing. ‘He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.’
You were healed
You were redeemed
You were delivered
You were set free
When Jesus died on the cross he paid for everything
Be healed, be restored, be made whole.
Walk in Jesus name
See in Jesus name
Hear in Jesus name
The anointing is here to heal you now, the anointing is here to deliver you and set you free.
The anointing is here to destroy every yoke, (be free in Jesus name)
Where the Spirit of the Lord is: (where the anointing is) There is Liberty.
The Spirit of the Lord is here: I know he is because his anointing is on me, and on you.
