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133 Knocked Down but not Knocked Out!
Knocked Down but not Knocked out!
As you know, the Apostle Paul suffered greatly for the cause of Christ, and yet he never lost his focus on his commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. He determined in his heart not to allow the circumstances of life to define who he was and his relationship with the Lord. Listen to what Paul says in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The upward call is the perfect plan of God for your life, Paul recognized that at times life would be difficult, but he decided to never waver.
I love what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”
- The treasure that is spoken of in earthen vessels is the treasure of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are the earthen vessels; we may be imperfect; some might even say we are “cracked pots,” but the creator of this universe lives in us. Therefore, nothing is impossible with God, and by extension, nothing is impossible for those who are led by the Lord.
- We may indeed go through hard times, that’s what the apostle Paul means when he says that “we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed.” At times, we’ve been perplexed because we don’t know how God will perform what he has promised, but by faith, we trust and believe. Therefore, we will not become discouraged. In extreme cases, we may be knocked down, but we are not knocked out! In those extreme cases, we will choose to rise and not waver in our faith in Jesus, the one who has redeemed us and will deliver us! Remember, Jesus is the miracle worker, promise keeper, and anchor of our souls.
The Spiritual Battle
The apostle Paul was aware of the enemy of his soul, Satan, as each one of us needs to be. Even Jesus makes it clear that we have an enemy. In John 10, Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd who comes to give life and life more abundantly. At the same time, he describes the thief, and of course, the thief, in this case, is Satan. Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Satan comes to steal your joy, kill God’s vision for your life and destroy your hope in Him.!
The Devil’s strategy
The strategy of the enemy is to undermine your faith in Jesus Christ. Remember, the “shield of faith” is your protection against the Devil. Satan wants to create doubt about what the Lord has promised, and he used the same tactic in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3).
The importance of faith
Our salvation and every other promise found in the Bible is appropriated by faith. Every promise was provided to us because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Our faith is not in the promises but in the one who provides the promises, Jesus. In other words, our faith is not in faith itself but in Him!
The writer of Hebrews defines faith for us, Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hope in God’s promises is central to receiving from the Lord. Anything that undermines that hope is an attempt by the enemy to try and cause us to doubt the Lord and shatter our faith.
Faith in Jesus is so essential that it says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The book of James tells us that no one should expect anything from God if they waver in faith and wallow in doubt.
Disappointment and Discouragement
These facts alone should make you aware of how Satan will try to undermine you- he will attack you in the area of your faith in the Lord! This is Satan’s strategy; I call it the two “D’s”, disappointment and discouragement.
- Disappointment: the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations
- Discouragement: feeling the loss of confidence or enthusiasm; to cause to lose hope.
Let’s look at each one of these:
Disappointment
Every day we are plagued and challenged to face obstacles and issues: at work, in our finances, in our health, raising children, in relationships, in marriage, or even controlling our mind and its negative thought patterns. Everyone is susceptible at times. Maybe a friend betrayed you in the past, or perhaps you are disappointed with the job that you excitedly embraced a year ago; it could be that someone may have walked out of your life forever, or a loved one may have been disappointed by sabotaging your expectations, or maybe even some of your finest long-term dream may have tumbled down and shattered irreversibly.
While everyone experiences disappointment in life, it is important to realize that it is an emotion and that emotion does not define you. It’s a feeling, and feelings come and go. The danger is not to recognize that the enemy of your soul is a liar, and he wants to drag you down to the next stage, and that is discouragement.
Discouragement
Discouragement means you are losing hope and beginning to not trust in the Lord!
It is a ‘choice’ that we make in how to respond to disappointments, it’s in that battlefield of the mind that we must be aware of.
If we are feeling discouraged, then it means we have subconsciously decided to blame our disappointment on our circumstances and wallow in pity and negativity. It’s a choice! A deliberate choice. We can either choose to cave in and have a pity party by being discouraged or we can consciously and deliberately decide to shake that disappointment off turn to the Lord with joy and expectation.
The bottom line is we cannot do away with disappointments in life. However, we can shake off the negativity that comes with discouragement. We can shake off self-pity and worry and all the other accompanying disappointments that can afflict the human mind. As the Lord said to Joshua when he took over the leadership from Moses, “Be strong and courageous, or another way of saying it might be “be strong and don’t be discouraged!” Joshua maintained his courage by following hard after the Lord.
II. Discouragement differs from disappointment. When our expectations aren’t met, we feel disappointed, Whereas discouragement produces a feeling of hopelessness. We can choose to remain without courage (discouraged) or determine to work through our feelings and overcome them. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear but taking action despite the fear!
III. The Causes of Discouragement
- Inability to please others
- Physical or verbal abuse
- Unanswered prayer
- Lack of proper recognition
- Strongholds
- Financial pressure
- Health problems
- Unexplained adversity
- Feelings of worthlessness
IV. Blindness caused by Discouragement
- Lies from Satan. He is an accuser and an opposer of God’s people. Fear, unbelief, bitterness, self-pity, and condemnation are all based on Satan’s lies.
- Not recognizing that the battle is spiritual
- 2 Corinthians 10:4… We don’t wrestle with flesh and blood… READ
- Not recognizing your weakness AND then not calling on Him!
- 2 Cor 12:9 “9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
- Not maintaining your Spiritual Armor
- Ephesians 6:14-18… READ
- Specifically: Neglecting His Word!
- Putting down the shield of faith – “Faith comes by hearing…” Rhema and Logos
- When we lose sight of God’s ways or God’s resources in Christ, we remove our spiritual protection.
- Neglecting the Sword of the Spirit –
- When we are not reminded of His promises, we easily forget the truth and fall for the Devil’s lies.
- Putting down the shield of faith – “Faith comes by hearing…” Rhema and Logos
V. The Cure for Discouragement
- Recognize pride in your life. Some put their trust in themselves and pursue relationships, accomplishments, or possessions instead of a relationship with the Lord.
- Look within yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Why am I discouraged?”
- Look back. Don’t dwell on hurtful things in the past. Instead, think about God’s faithfulness to deliver you.
- Look up. God has the authority, power, and ability to rescue you from harmful attitudes.
- Look ahead. Focus on what the Lord is doing now in your life. Be encouraged by what He has planned for your future.
VI. Biblical examples of Discouragement
- Rachel could not have children. One day, she burst out to her husband, Isaac, “Give me children, or else I die!”(Genesis 30:1).
- Rachel’s discouragement came from her disappointment in a situation she had no power to change instead of trusting God to change the situation.
- When the Israelites heard that the Canaanites were giants and lived in fortified cities, they “lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night” (Numbers 14:1).
- Their discouragement came from comparing a difficult situation to their resources instead of God’s resources.
- When the Israelites traveled in the wilderness, the Bible says, “The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way” (Numbers 21:4).
- In this case, they were discouraged because they focused so much on their difficulties that they lost sight of God’s promises and provisions.
- After a major victory, Elijah fell into discouragement when Jezebel threatened his life. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” (1 Kings 19:1-3)
- Elijah was physically and emotionally exhausted.
- Elijah took his eyes off the Lord and put them on his enemy.
- David was about to be stoned by his own men when they were distressed about losing their wives and possessions. (Ziklag, 1 Samuel 30…)
- David’s low point came through experiencing rejection and misunderstanding from those he loved.
- We have the good news that he didn’t yield to discouragement, but rather “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6). Following the Lord’s instruction David and his men were able to restore all of their families and possessions.
In conclusion,
All of us experience disappointment when things don’t go the way we expect or want. The danger is in falling into discouragement for any length of time. It is in those moments of discouragement that we need to place our focus on Jesus our savior and deliverer. His promise is that He will never leave you nor forsake you. You are never alone because He is with you.
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132 New Beginnings!
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to leave the past behind and make new decisions for the future. The most important decision one can make is to make a new commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps you’ve strayed or walked away from God, there is no better time than now to re-dedicate or re-commit to your relationship with Jesus.
For a first-time commitment consider the Words of Jesus
- John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
- John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
And this is how to become born-again, believe the promise:
- Eph 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
- Romans 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
You see, all that is required is to believe that Jesus is who He says He is and receive the gift of new life. With that gift is the promise that the Hoy Spirit of God will come into your life and help you fulfill the hopes and dreams that Jesus puts into your heart.
For a re-commitment consider the following Scriptures, Return to me… (Backslider)
Jeremiah 3:14, “Return, O backsliding children,” says the LORD; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.”
Jeremiah 24:7, “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.”
The prophet Jeremiah has something to say to those who are far off from God, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
You may be feeling weak and tired but listen to what Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
And don’t forget Isaiah 43:18, “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth.”
Beginnings!
A new beginning can start at any time, but there is no better time than now! I find it interesting that in the Old Testament the first book of the Bible, Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Then in the New Testament the first chapter of the Gospel of John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
New beginnings for a Christian Believer.
2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
You are not defined by your past, good or bad, but you are defined by your relationship with Christ! Look at your life and figure out what has been holding you back. Those weights may be sin and preventing you from moving forward. Remember you are forgiven and keep marching in His direction. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4: 20, “But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true the righteousness and holiness.”
Every person knows what things are preventing them from moving forward with the Lord, and it is up to them to walk away from those strongholds that are holding them back. Every person in Christ must make the decision to be completely committed to the cause of Christ. You can’t be halfhearted you must be “all in” to reap the benefits of an overcoming life on earth.
There are times when we don’t quite know what to do, it is in those times we must turn to the scriptures. The Old Testament contains three books that are classified as Wisdom books, they are Job Ecclesiastes and Proverbs some scholars also include two more books Psalms and Song of Solomon. The Wisdom books give practical everyday advice and direction. They are the building blocks of a life focused on the Lord.
Psalm 23
For instance, a very familiar passage would of course be Psalm 23. I believe that Psalm 23 is a good guide for planning for the new year. It gives us instruction and promises; if we follow God’s instructions, He will fulfill his promises.
Psalm 23 is a psalm of David. David is described by God as “a man after my own heart”, which means that David wanted to do only one thing, please God! This doesn’t mean that David was perfect, but it does mean that his desire was to please the Lord. As believers, our desire should be to please the Lord in all that we do.
There are times when the Lord reveals to us His purpose and plan for our lives and then there are times when we must make our own decisions in life. It is in those times of making decisions that the wisdom of the scriptures becomes an important guide for living. That is why we are encouraged to read and meditate on the Word of God. You see it is not just about knowing the Lord’s intentions and will for us, it is the ability to obey and follow through the Lord’s direction. How are we to know God’s will unless we spend time in His Word. We can count on the Lord to help us in our ability to hear and obey because the Lord has placed His Holy Spirit in us to be a guide, teacher, and comforter.
Psalm 23 instructs us to acknowledge that the “Lord is my shepherd” and that “I shall not be in want.” The Lord promises to fulfill all of our “needs”, but not necessarily all of our “wants” because sometimes our wants lead us away from the Lord and His plans and purposes for our lives.
Verse 2 promises that if we trust Him, He will make our path easy and not troubled. “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” All of this speaks of His provision. Remember Matthew 6:30, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” These “things” are the things you need for life and godliness!
Verse 2 is about physical needs, but the Lord is concerned about your emotional needs too and we see that in verse 3. “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Philippians 4:6 says, “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Peace in this case is the peace that does not depend upon circumstances it is the peace of knowing Him and knowing that you are known by Him as well.
Verse 4 is the promise that regardless of what is going on around me I do not need to be in fear. Fear causes us to doubt the Lord and doubt is the enemy of faith. Remember we are learning to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). No matter what you are going through God is with you. He will protect you and guide you.
Verse 5 is another expression of God’s protection and abundant provision. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.” As Christians, we face enemies both spiritual and physical and we must remind ourselves that God has promised to “never leave us or forsake us.” The Lord is ours and we are His. That will never change.
Finally, the conclusion to David’s Psalm to the Lord, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” Here we have a reaffirmation of the Lord’s promise that He will provide and protect and that we will also spend eternity with Jesus our Lord and Savior in Heaven
Let me close with this final scripture from the Apostle Paul which should be our personal mission statement:
Philippians 3: 12, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
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131 Celebrate Your Salvation!
1 The title of this message is “Celebrate your salvation!”
The thrust of the message is that when one is saved or born-again, the issue of sin has been dealt with. Sin is no longer an issue as it deals with salvation for a Christian. However, Christian or not, sin always has consequences.
Let’s define our terms:
- Sin is the opposite of righteousness (being in right standing with God)
- God determines what is righteous and what is sin throughout the history of mankind.
2 This may seem an odd question but “How do you kill a zombie…?”
- First of all, let me assure you there are no such things as Zombies, and even if they did exist as Christians, we have nothing to fear from them because of the scripture that assures us that “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
- Now, if zombies did exist, based on the TV shows, movies, and books, you must destroy the brain!
- This is a metaphor for Wrong Thinking. As Christians, we often hold to wrong teaching that opposes what the Lord has said.
The consequences of sin are the Zombies of guilt, shame, and “regret.” They won’t stay dead and buried! Let’s look at terms again.
- Guilt – a feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation:
- Shame – a loss of respect or esteem; dishonor.
- Regret – to feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or missed opportunity)- regret is not always bad, as we will see later.
All these emotions can be a result of letting yourself down or letting someone else down, for instance, letting the Lord down!
My proposition is the following; if you experience guilt, shame, and “regret,” it’s not from God! You were taught to do it to yourself, or you are falling for the lies of the enemy, Satan. Remember, Satan is called the “accuser of the brethren” for a reason. (Rev 12:10)
3 Here is the foundation of this message:
1 John 3:9, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”
Born of God – “You must be born again! John 3, Jesus said, “you must be born-again!”
His Seed – the Holy Spirit of God!
A seed does not represent what it will look like when mature. The seed must develop and grow.
He cannot sin – because of a change in direction (repentance)
You have a pass for sin, not a pass to sin!
For example, I know- police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and court officers wear badges to show their authority, but they also have little badges they put in their wallets. If these people get “pulled over” for speeding, they will often show their license or ID card next to their badge. Because they have a badge, they will often get a “pass” and get off with a warning. Note: speeders will eventually have accidents; sin always has consequences in life.
4 Is Grace absolute? The answer is YES!
Ephesians 2: 8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
- Ephesians 1:13, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
5 THE KEY – How to know that you are truly born-again?
- Two magnets in sync or opposed. When they are opposed, for example, the magnets will repel when the two north poles are put together. However, when the two opposite poles, north and south, are put together, they attract.
- The magnetic needle of a compass, the nature of which is always to point to the pole, is easily turned aside but always re-seeks the north pole. To be attracted to the north is the default.
- In the same way, our natural default nature is to seek sin. No matter how hard you try to do the good or righteous behavior, you are pulled in the wrong direction, over and over again. Something must change!
- Salvation means that you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); the default nature has been changed because of the Holy Spirit in you. It is as if the magnet inside of you has been reversed and you’ve been charged; the Holy Spirit now lives in you.
- Now your default is to seek righteous behavior. However, you still have old habits and ways of thinking that need to be overcome.
6 How do I know that I am truly born-again?
- I know that I am born-again because I want to know more about Jesus, and I want to change to please Him.
- Spirit is willing; the flesh is weak, Romans 7 and Paul’s dilemma, Romans 8 the solution!
- The Chosen – Mary Magdalene, “I was one way then, I am completely different now; and in between was Him!” “He calls me His own!”
7 Conclusion
- Repent means to have a change of mind and to change, not simply to feel guilt and shame.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
- You will never have victory if guilt and shame are a part of your thinking because guilt and shame will cause you to try and hide from God.
- Jesus said the truth will set you free. John 8: 32 & 36. The truth is that you are totally and absolutely forgiven… you need to forgive yourself and move on. When guilt and shame rise, you need to rebuke it because the source is not God, but Satan, the accuser.
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130 – Known by God!
Many years ago, I started a Christian publication, a newsletter, called “The Christian Crier,” which announced upcoming Christian events in my region. As a result, I became somewhat well known in the area because of the publication.
One time I was at a meeting of Christian men and women, and during break-time, I was talking with a group of people. Now picture this, we were all wearing name tags identifying who we were. One of them heard that I was from a town called Hopewell Junction, and he responded by saying, “Do you know a friend of mine his name is Vic Torres he does the Christian Crier newsletter.” What struck me was that I did not know him, and yet he said I was his friend. I was so embarrassed for him that I put my hand over my name tag so that he wouldn’t realize who I was. You see, he knew of me, but I did not know him! He may have known about me, but we had no relationship.
As Christians, we often ask, “Do you know Jesus?” when in fact, a more important question should be, “does Jesus know you?”
There is a major difference between knowing about someone and being known by that someone. The Apostle Paul knew the difference, listen to what he says in Galatians 4:9 [emphasis mine], “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?” in this verse Paul is admonishing the new Christians to not return to their old forms of worship, worshiping those things which are not god. He is speaking to Born-again Believers because he refers to them as being known by God! It is not enough to know God; our confidence should lie in knowing that he knows us!
I Never Knew You
Let’s look at a very powerful verse that speaks to the issue of being known by the Lord. Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” From these verses, the individuals Jesus speaks about are followers of Christ in name only. They approach their Christianity in a ritualistic way. They know how to “talk the talk.” They dress right, act right, but they really don’t know Jesus; they know about Him. So, what does a real Christian look like? The rest of Matthew 7 will give us some insight.
Matthew 7 – Known by God
Matthew chapter 7 has some very relevant instructions as it relates to being known by God.
1. Don’t Judge Others
The chapter begins with a warning that we should not judge others. What is especially important is that we do not judge others until we have judged ourselves. When we judge ourselves honestly, we often discover that we are in no position to judge others. Very much like the religious leaders who brought the women caught in adultery to Jesus in John 8. The hypocritical leaders expected Jesus to condemn the sinning woman to death by stoning as was prescribed by the Law. Instead, Jesus asked the simple question, “Whoever is without sin cast the first stone!” One by one, the accusers withdrew and left Jesus and the woman alone. In John 8:11, Jesus said to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Instead of judgment, Jesus extended grace and mercy. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must do the same.
2. Keep Asking, Seeking, and Knocking
Then beginning in verse seven of Matthew 7, we’re told that we’re to “keep asking seeking and knocking.” This is speaking of the fact that we should never give up on the promises of God, especially when we are going through difficult times. You and I both know that God is never late He’s never early, but he is always on time. We struggle with the fact that there are times that God does not seem to move fast enough in our difficult situations or circumstance. However, we are to never lose heart; we must be persistent in coming before the Lord, making our petitions known to Him, and behaving as one who knows that the answer is coming.
3. The Narrow and Wide Gate
Then Matthew 7:13 tells us that the path to life, both in the present and future, is sometimes difficult. We are told to enter through the narrow gate, for the wide gate leads to destruction. There are no shortcuts in God. We must not abandon our righteous standing with the Lord. That means never resorting to lying, cheating, stealing, or any unrighteous act. We are called to be a people of integrity, at any cost.
4. False Prophets or Teachers
Then beginning in Matthew 7: 15, we are warned that there are false prophets in the world; this phrase means that there are those who are intentionally trying to deceive us or, for lack of knowledge, lead us in the wrong direction. We are told to observe their fruit and that we shall know them by their fruits. This means that we need to watch them not only when they are in public, because everyone behaves properly in public, but we need to find opportunities to observe them in private. Many people act righteously when in public but are unrighteous in their private lives. How a person treats their family will tell you much about that person.
5. I Never Knew You
Now we arrive at the relevant scriptures to the message today Matthew 7:21 and I quote, 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ pay special attention to verse 23, Jesus says, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”
You see, it’s one thing to act like a Christian it’s another thing to be a Christian. A true Christian is one who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That means he has surrendered his will to do the will of the Father just as Jesus did. To do the will of the Father means first and foremost to love the Lord God with all your heart with all your soul with all your strength, and here comes the hard part that you will love others as you would have them love you. This may seem difficult at times but remember you have the “Helper,” the Holy Spirit of God living in you!
6. Build on the Rock of Obedience
The key to being known by the Lord is found in the following section, which is Matthew 7:24, and it has to do with building on the rock. I’m sure you know the parable of the two builders; one builder built a house on the sand, the other built a house on the rock. Jesus said that the floods rose, the winds came, and the wind blew down the house built on sand, whereas the one built on the rock withstood the storm. We know that Jesus is the Rock that we need to build our lives upon Him, but the parable is really about hearing (knowing) and doing what Jesus taught and not just hearing(knowing) alone. We are called to be “doers” of the Word and not just hearers. Being a doer of the Word is the kind of believer Jesus knows. James says in James 1:22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
Conclusion
The evidence that you are known by God is that you love God; this means that you are obedient to Him to the best of your ability. Listen to what Jesus says in the Gospel of John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” Loving God is the natural response of the Holy Spirit in you, and the Holy Spirit is the evidence that you are known by the Lord.
To love God means more than an emotional feeling of love, the kind of love that God is talking about is what the Greeks called “Agape.” Agape love is unconditional, it is the kind of love God has for us, and as followers and disciples of Jesus, this is the kind of unconditional love that God responds to. Someone defined love as “living your life for someone else’s good.” The Lord only has good for you, as we like to say in church, “God is good, He is good all of the time!” We demonstrate our love for the Lord by blessing and glorifying Him through our lives. Our words and deeds reflect the grateful heart that we know that the Lord knows us! As it says in 1 Corinthians 8:3, “But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.”
Remember the following from Matthew 7:
- Don’t judge others because Jesus knows you.
- Keep asking, seeking, knocking in all your endeavors because Jesus knows you.
- Take the Narrow Way; you don’t need shortcuts to success because Jesus knows you.
- Recognize other Believers by their fruit, not just their words, because Jesus knows you.
- Build on the Rock of obedience to the Lord because Jesus knows you.
You will never have to worry that Jesus would say, “I Never Knew You!”, because you are His, and He is yours!
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129 – Healing for Today!
In my personal experience, I have observed that there are two camps of belief regarding divine healing in the Bible. There are those who believe that divine healing is for today and those who don’t. Both groups can find scripture verses to support their agendas. So, what one thinks about divine healing is in great part influenced by what one is taught! Those who don’t believe that healing is for today will overlook the preponderance of Bible verses that talk or witness about healing. However, there is another group of people who are taught about healing but are skeptical about healing. They are skeptical because it doesn’t make sense or line up with their experience. Finally, they have never witnessed supernatural healing for themselves!
Since divine healing is such an essential part of the Gospel, I want to take the time to share my testimony. My testimony takes me from when I was essentially an atheist to believing in God, accepting Jesus as my savior, and finally believing that healing is for today. It was a journey from skepticism to faith in all that God has provided for us today. I’ve learned that you cannot pick and choose what you will believe from the Bible! Either all of it is true, or none of it is true, and the only way to know the truth is to embrace all the Word of God and walk by faith in it.
I hope my testimony will somehow connect or relate to your personal experience and your walk with the Lord. As I share my testimony, I will be witnessing as to what Jesus Christ has done in my life and giving him all the glory.
After coming to the Lord in 1978, I started going to a church that did not believe that divine healing was for today. As a matter of fact, the church was more interested in developing a fellowship around social interactions. By that, I mean having gatherings for fellowship and “potluck dinners” but never talking about Jesus. As a matter of fact, they seemed uncomfortable about the supernatural ministry of Jesus Christ. They were “Cessationists”; they believed that miracles stopped after the Apostles passed away. However, as I pointed out in my last post, Jesus had many more disciples than the 12 that he called apostles. Those disciples moved in the power of the Holy Spirit, and I believe that what was true then is also true for us today. Also, keep in mind that there has been no shortage of miracles, signs, and wonders throughout church history.
At that time, instead of searching the Bible and seeking the truth for myself, I simply believed what I was taught in the church I attended. But then I began to associate with other Christians who believed a little bit differently, they believed in miracles, and they believed that miracles could take place today. These Christians pointed me to the Bible verses that spoke of how to know that the Kingdom of God was present, and it was through signs, wonders, and miracles. Most practically healing the body, mind, and emotions.
So, at that point, I was being pulled in two directions about miracles, signs, and wonders. The big question for me was, is divine healing and miracles for today? I had heard about people being healed, but I never witnessed a miracle for myself! So, I was very skeptical. What made it more difficult for me was that my background was in chemistry and biology, and science teaches that only what can be measured or seen is real. And, of course, the supernatural can’t be measured or seen with our natural eyes. So here I am a relatively new Christian trying to understand with my mind if supernatural healing was possible for today? I know now that the mind cannot fully comprehend the spiritual realm or the mind of the Lord.
The Healing Miracle
Now let me introduce my father-in-law. My father-in-law came to live with us after having suffered a stroke. He was paralyzed on the right side, his right arm hung limply by his side, he was unable to use his right arm, and of course, he walked with a cane because he had limited control over his right leg. It never occurred to me to pray for him, for healing, because healing wasn’t what I was taught.
My father-in-law had heard about a healing service about four hours away from where we lived. He decided to go with a group of friends, and I, of course, wished him well but did not expect anything to happen. He left my house in the morning crippled, and he returned home that night totally healed! He could now walk without a cane. He was able to shake my hand for the first time in many years, and he was so proud that he could finally write with his right hand again. He was so excited about what Jesus had done, and he spent all his days telling everyone about the healing miracle he received. And, he would say, “if God could heal me, then God could heal anyone!”
Now the story doesn’t end there. You may be thinking that my father-in-law is the one who received the miracle, but in fact, I was the one who received the miracle. Because from that moment, I went from being a cessationist, that is, believing that healing was not for today, to a Believer without any doubts that healing was for today. From that day to the present, I pray for people to receive miraculous healings, anytime and anywhere, and have seen the Lord do marvelous things.
You see, that is the key to the Kingdom of God, believe with your heart, that is faith, and then lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. But you say what if they are not healed? Let me share with you an important truth, you are not the healer Jesus is! I mean that whether the healing takes place at that time or not is the Lord’s business. Your responsibility is to lay hands on the sick and, in faith, pray for them.
Andrew Womack Ministry
I recently came across an article by Andrew Womack Ministries that clearly speaks to the issue at hand, is healing for today. This is what he had to say, and I quote:
“One of the main reasons I think Christians don’t believe that it’s always God’s will to heal is that it is convenient to believe that way. Instead of making their experiences match God’s Word, many seek to make God’s Word match their experiences. It is obvious that not everyone gets healed, not even all those who desire healing receive it. To deal with this dilemma, the doctrine that it’s not always God’s will to heal has arisen. That’s convenient. That makes it God’s fault and not ours if things don’t go right. That is not what the Word of God teaches.
The prophet Malachi said in Malachi 4:2, “But unto you, that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” This was not just a metaphor for spiritual healing and health. The same thing was spoken by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53:4, which says, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
There has been a great effort by many theologians to spiritualize this to say that the healing provided in Christ’s atonement was only spiritual and emotional, not physical, but that is not true to God’s Word.
Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus bearing our grief and carrying our sorrows was quoted by Matthew in the New Testament in relation to Jesus healing every single one. Matthew quoted Isaiah 53:4 this way in Matthew 8:17: “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
Matthew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, substituted the words “infirmities” and “sicknesses” for Isaiah’s words “griefs” and “sorrows.” Indeed, a study of the Hebrew words in Isaiah 53:4 will reveal that they were always speaking of physical healing. The following verse, Isaiah 53:5, makes it very clear that this was speaking of physical healing when Isaiah said, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Couple this with the example of Jesus healing every single person who came to Him for healing, and the truth that healing is a part of Christ’s atonement is undeniable. Jesus said that He did exactly what He saw His Father do (John 8:28). If God is the author of sickness, as some teach today, then Jesus failed to follow His Father’s example. He never made one person sick, and He never failed to heal a single person who believed. As Peter put it in Acts 10:38 (emphasis mine), “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
Notice the word “ALL” (emphasis mine) in that verse; and also notice that those who were sick were oppressed of the devil, not God. The Lord would no more put sickness on someone than He would make a person sin. We’ve been redeemed from both.
Am I saying that since healing is a part of the atonement, Christians don’t get sick? No, not any more than those who have received forgiveness of sins never sin again. Freedom from sickness and disease has been provided just like the freedom from sin, but Christians still sin, and they still get sick — not because God wills it but because of other reasons.”
Andrew WomackIn closing, let’s take a look at why some Christians get sick?
One reason is our own personal sin. God doesn’t “punish us” when we sin. We punish ourselves because of the principle of sowing and reaping, Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” An alcoholic gets dementia or liver disease; a drug addict gets blood-borne diseases; an adulterer or the promiscuous get sexually transmitted infections. You see, it is not because God is punishing him, but because he did it to himself. There are always consequences for sin.
Second, don’t ever forget that as a Christian, you have an enemy, the devil. He uses lust, fear, doubt, and confusion to lead us into all kinds of problems in life. Satan’s goal is to draw you away from the Lord, to doubt the Lord, and destroy your faith in the Lord and His Word! Satan will use whatever influence to try and bring you down. However, remember as a Born-again Christian, the Holy Spirit of God lives in you, and 1 John 4:4 states, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Of course, never forget the following in James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
The third reason for sickness is that it is often a result of living in a fallen world. When the Lord created the earth and all its inhabitants, there was no sickness or disease. In Genesis, the Lord said of His creation, “it is good.”, but sin entered the world through the Fall of Adam and Eve, and we have had to deal with the consequences ever since.
Conclusion
Salvation is available through the grace of Jesus Christ. There are Christians, both those who believe in divine healing and those who don’t, who will spend eternity in Heaven with our Lord. However, we can avail ourselves of a little bit of Heaven on earth by embracing ALL that Jesus provided at the cross of Calvary. By His resurrection, we are assured of our resurrection one day, and by His stripes, we are assured that we are healed. Jesus is the healer of our minds, emotions, and our bodies. Amen.
