Episodes
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We can all know great hope and light in our lives. In so many ways and for so many people this has been a particularly dark year. More than ever we all need the light of the Christmas message. Thankfully the coming of Jesus into the world means that we can experience His bright guiding light even in the darkest of times.
Even when there is so much gloom all around, you can discover the glory of the Lord in your own life. When everyone is feeling down, you can get up and experience great blessings. This is what the prophet Isaiah makes clear in Isaiah 60:1-2 which says: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”
These words were originally addressed to the Jewish people who were sad and depressed after seeing their nation and Temple destroyed by the Babylonians. But in their encircling gloom, the words of the prophet Isaiah assured them that God had a bright future after their time of Babylonian captivity. And that is in fact what happened when they were able to return to their homeland and see their temple rebuilt. What the prophet is saying in these verses is very applicable to us today. This is a time for us to:
1. Cheer up (Isaiah 60:1; John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9)
2. Light up (Isaiah 60:1-2; John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-15; Romans 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:8; Psalm 119:105; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:9; Matthew 5:16)
3. Get up (Isaiah 60:1)
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1. Cheer up. In so many ways, the words of Isaiah resonate with our current uncertain world as we witness so much darkness in the form of despair, division, and depression. Today it can seem as if the world is becoming increasingly dark. As we look out at a world full of problems and many forms of moral and spiritual darkness, you could be depressed. But you must not be depressed, and you will not be if you understand the power of the light of God to pierce the darkness. For this is the very clear promise that the prophet speaks of: “Your light has come.” Even though it is dark outside, you can personally experience great light. Isaiah was very clear that even though ‘darkness covers the earth and that thick darkness is over the people’… ‘the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you’. The light that has come into our world is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world who was born in Bethlehem’s stable 2000 years ago. All the light and hope the world would ever need was wrapped up in this baby. Light comes into our lives when we decide to follow Jesus (John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9). When we truly know Christ has come to us, we no longer have to walk in darkness. We don’t have to stumble about in our decisions and relationships. We don’t have to be fearful and insecure. We don’t have to be trapped in dark circumstances. There is a way out and that way is through Jesus who came to rescue us from sin and all forms of evil. The closer we draw near to Christ, the clearer we can see where we are going. His light shows us how to act and react in life and how experience more of His glory and presence. So cheer up; your light has come, the glory of the Lord will rise upon you.
2. Light up (Isaiah 60:1). Christians are to be people who not only have light; we are also to be people who transmit light (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-15). Christians are the answer the world is waiting for. The real hope of the world does not lie with the leaders and wisdom of this world but with followers of Christ, according to what Jesus is saying in Matthew 5:14. It is real Christian people who uniquely have the light that can penetrate personal, religious and cultural darkness. This is of course a radical and controversial statement. This means that an ordinary person who knows Christ has more light than the most brilliant person who does not. Christians individually and corporately as the church have responsibility to bring light into the world because of our relationship with Christ. So how do we do this? We shine the light of Jesus by living holy lives (Romans 13:12-13; Ephesians 5:8). We shine the light of Jesus by being illuminated by the Word of God (Psalm 119:105). We must daily read and meditate on God’s word to see where we are going. We shine the light of Jesus by being in right relationship with your Christian brothers and sisters (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:9). We shine the light of Jesus by living under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. We must have the insights and direction of the Holy Spirit. We shine the light of Jesus by speaking positively and sharing the good news about Jesus. Jesus is the hope that people need. He’s the one who can bring them out of the dark and the gloom of depression. We shine the light of Jesus by your good deeds (Matthew 5:16). We are to care for one another, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, the neglected and despised. Our sincere hearts of compassion and simple acts of kindness can reveal the light of Christ to those who most need it. In all the ways we can, help all the people we can.
3. Get up. If you are going to shine the light of Jesus, then you have to arise. When it is dark and cold outside, it’s tempting to retreat into your own little cosy world and tuck up asleep and not get up. But if you, and also every Christian church family, are going to help people then you have to get up, even if you don’t feel like it. This is the moment for you to get up: from the pain of your past; from the pressures of the present; get up and face into the destiny God has for you. With the light of Jesus in your life can decide to: Arise from your failure; Arise from your grief; Arise from your low self-esteem; Arise from your doubt; Arise from your fear; Arise in faith; Arise with the revelation that your light has come; Arise because you have a role to play in this world; Arise because He is going to position you and use you; Arise because God is with you and is glory is upon you. Here’s how to celebrate Christmas and to live every day with hope. Because Jesus has come into our world, we no longer need to live in darkness. His light can shine bright in our hearts and homes and in the nations of the world. We are not alone. Jesus, Emmanuel, is with us, in whatever circumstances we face. He will never leave us or forsake us. His light will always guide us. Let’s arise and shine because our light has come. Let’s cheer up, light up and get up and receive and share every blessing God has for you.
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Christmas is a very special time when our church family in the UK and in SA joins with millions who are celebrating the light of Jesus. But have you seen the light of Christmas?
Bright lights are associated with Christmas because it was a radiant bright light that startled the shepherds when the angel announced the birth of Jesus to them. And it was also a bright star that rose to lead the wise men to the stable where Jesus was born in Bethlehem so they could worship Him. And today it is the great hope of the Christmas message that can light up our world that is dark in so many ways.
This Christmas is an opportunity for us to understand how Jesus can light up our world which is so often dark and gloomy. The prophet Isaiah put it like this in Isaiah 9:2: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” We can see why this verse is so relevant to us all today:
1. People need the light of the Lord (Isaiah 9:2; John 3:19; Ephesians 4:18)
2. People can have the light of hope (Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 61:1; John 8:12)
3. People can experience the light of Jesus (Isaiah 9:2; Ephesians 5:8; Acts 9:3-4)
Apply
1. People need the light of the Lord. It says here that people are walking in darkness, “living in the land of deep darkness” (Isaiah 9:2). The Jewish people had known many dark times in their history, especially when their nation was destroyed by the Babylonians. They were scared alone and without hope for the future. We can see many similarities in our world today. This Christmas is the time to see the light because our world is not only economically and politically gloomy but there is also widespread moral and spiritual darkness. We see this around the world with the war in Ukraine, with the rise of anti-semitism against the Jewish people, the persecution of Christians, and so much instability focused on the Middle East. But there can be darkness at a more personal level. It can be in us, in our minds and hearts. Many people are depressed. Life and circumstances seem dark because what they have experienced has been dark. Depression is growing rapidly in the UK. Reports last year show that 1 in 6 adults feel chronic loneliness, anxiety, stress and even suicidal thoughts. These statistics rank highest in young people. In the workplace health report, 61% of 16–24-year-olds in employment admit to feeling depressed. Darkness can also come in the form of sin with so many people bound by habits, addictions, and powers beyond their control (John 3:19). The Apostle Paul explains how people are living when they are separate from God (Ephesians 4:18). For darkness to be removed in the world it must be removed in our heart, so we do not walk in darkness but walk in the light.
2. People can have the light of hope. Isaiah 9:2 says “a light has dawned.” 2000 years ago a light came into the world. That light was Jesus! This is the good news, that God didn’t leave us in darkness but sent His son Jesus to break the power of darkness and to destroy the works of the enemy (Isaiah 61:1). Nobody has the power to bring the light into our homes, our lives, and our thinking like Jesus (John 8:12). He came into this world to show the heart of God, to take away sin, and He shared how if anyone turns to Him and repents, they can be set free from all the works of the enemy. Whether people want to recognise it or not, the only hope to remove darkness in the world is Jesus. When people turn away from God all darkness descends into the world. Whatever darkness the world may be in, no matter how many dark and gloomy circumstances you may be facing, Jesus can light up your life. For He is the saviour of all. This is why the angels announced to the shepherds the good news that “A saviour has been born to you”.
3. People can experience the light of Jesus. Isaiah 9:2 says “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light”. When people experience Christ personally it's like a bright light has come on (Ephesians 5:8). Devout Jewish religious leader Saul was not expecting what happened to him when he was involved in violently persecuting Christians. He was on his way to Damascus when his whole life changed (Acts 9:3-4). At that moment he realised that Jesus was real and alive. From then on instead of being the greatest opponent of Christianity, he became the apostle Paul, one of its greatest promoters. His life completely turned around for good. And today you too can experience the light of God.
This Christmas is a new day to sing ‘Joy to the world’ because the Lord has come. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. You can be delivered from every dark and evil power holding you captive. You can be set free from depression. You can be rescued out of the land of deep darkness. At the cross, Jesus came to rescue you from everything that can ruin our lives. He came to forgive and to set you free. Have you been walking in deep darkness: negative thoughts, worry, loneliness, addiction, grief? Have you been searching for life in the wrong and dark places? This Christmas is your opportunity to step out of the darkness into the wonderful light of Jesus.
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The apostle Paul proclaims that all true freedom is rooted in Jesus Christ, through following His teachings and by knowing Him. That freedom, which begins with us experiencing personal spiritual freedom, leads to many other freedoms in life and in society.
The apostle Paul outlines the big differences between religion, which is based in rules and practices, and true Christianity, which is based in relationship with God, and we understand that we are not slaves, but sons and daughters of God through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Real Christianity is about having a changed heart, and love for God and people. We see in Galatians 6 what every true Christian should always do.
1. Always care for people (James 2:15-17; Galatians 6:1-6,10)
2. Always be confident to reap the best harvest (Galatians 6:7-9)
3. Always keep Jesus at the centre of your faith (Galatians 6:15-18)
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1. Always care for people. Care is love, and love is at the heart of real Christianity. God is love, God loves the whole world, and this love was showed through Jesus caring for people. Jesus taught that His true followers must care for people, not only believe in Him. In the New Testament, James teaches that faith without action is dead, and this includes caring for people and their practical needs (James 2:15-17). If we are merely religious, we will always have a hard heart towards people. The apostle Paul outlines very practical ways to care for people (Galatians 6:1-6,10). We must look to restore people. People sin and people mess up. When that happens, you must not look to condemn nor criticise them, but rather see how we can get them back to the best place. Do it gently because people are hurting. Nobody is perfect, and we can fail too. But our job is to help people go to a new level in life. Look to help lighten the burdens of people. Whether you are young or old, a new Christian or experienced leader, we all need to support one another. The question we must ask is ‘How can I help others?’. We should look after our Christian brothers and sisters. It’s great to reach people who don’t know Christ yet, but we must first look after our brothers and sisters locally and globally. In many nations our Christian brothers need practical support (i.e. consider giving into the KCI Care Fund to support people struggling this Christmas).
2. Always be confident to reap the best harvest (Galatians 6:7-9). Be sure of the law of sowing and reaping. There is no escaping this principle: if you live in sin, living for yourself, you will reap the bad consequences that brings (e.g. someone who neglects or mistreats their family will not reap the blessing of God-centred family life). But if you live for God, you will reap the best rewards. What you put in, you will get out of life, so therefore be sure to sow the seeds of the Holy Spirit. Last week we heard about the fruit of the Spirit, such as being kind to people, being patient, treating others well, being gentle, prayerful, studying the word of God and serving Him. God will honour you for how you speak, act and all your faithful service. Be sure that you will reap a great harvest if you don’t give up. Too many people give up and lose the great reward that God has, but if you keep on faithfully, God will bless you more than you can imagine. Every Christian should be confident that we will reap a great harvest if we stay close to the Lord.
3. Always keep Jesus at the centre of your faith. There can't be true Christianity without Christ. As Paul has been saying through this book of Galatians, religious activities and religious practices like circumcision are all irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that you fully identify with Jesus, even if that means persecution. It means that we are not ashamed of the Cross of Jesus. He was crucified and because of that we also need to be crucified to the world, dead to the world, so that we can pass from death to life (Galatians 6:15). What counts is the new creation, the new life Jesus gives us and the person He makes us. The challenge is: are you a religious person? Are you a legalist who follows the rules but doesn't have the relationship? Has your heart been changed? Are your life and lifestyle different because you have encountered Jesus Christ? Are you living the old way and following what this world says and does, or have you been changed and become a son/daughter of God? Paul was changed by the Lord and was prepared to suffer for Christ (Galatians 6:17-18). This is what it takes to live as a real Christian. Every true Christian should always care for people, be confident to reap the best harvest, and keep Jesus at the centre of your faith.
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God wants you to live in freedom in every area of your life. But you need help: the help of the Holy Spirit. The greatest declaration of freedom comes from the writings of the apostle Paul, in the book of Galatians 5:1 which states: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’
The book of Galatians, which has often been described as the Magna Carta of Christianity, proclaims that all true freedom is rooted in Jesus Christ, through following His teachings and by knowing Him. That freedom, which begins with us experiencing personal spiritual freedom, leads to many other freedoms in life and in society. But it is within the church, the Christian family, that the battles of freedom must first be won. To set others free, we ourselves must first be free. We can only share what we have experienced.
In the first four chapters of this book the apostle Paul highlights a major killer of freedom, namely so-called religious Christianity or legalism. In the early church there were powerful religious groups who insisted on following Jewish traditions and practices like circumcision. Paul however even more strongly insisted that all true faith is based on Christ alone. Only though Christ’s death and resurrection we can be forgiven for all our sins and freed to live a new life as sons and daughters of God, rather than as slaves. That’s God’s plan and vision for every Christian. But how do we live in the freedom that Christ has provided for us? How can we avoid the big trap of always trying to live right through our own actions and strength? The answer is that we need to recognise our need for the help of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can help you live in freedom.
Galatians 5 continually emphasises the importance of living in the Spirit, because no Christian and no church can live in freedom without the Holy Spirit. The church is a spiritual entity. The church is engaged in spiritual battle. Every Christian and every church must therefore be filled with the spirit. Everything that will be achieved will be achieved through the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). Human gifting, logical thinking, natural resources and religious traditions will accomplish nothing without the Spirit. On the other hand, we may feel weak and lacking in many areas, but with the Spirit we can accomplish great things. That’s why the apostle Paul says we must ‘live by the Spirit.” In this chapter we see some big lessons about the importance of the Holy Spirit.
1. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you overcome sin (Galatians 5:16-21)
2. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you become more Christlike (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV & AMP)
3. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you keep in step with the direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26).
Apply
1. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you overcome sin (Galatians 5:16-21). We are called to live by the Spirit turning your back on a lifestyle that is contrary to a lifestyle of the Spirit. Martin Luther spoke of a three-fold battle in the Christian life. The Christian is locked in mortal combat with the world, the flesh and the devil. The Apostle Paul makes clear the total contrast between living life by the Spirit of God or one according to the sinful nature. He clearly outlines the ugly works of the flesh. Uncontrolled sexual and physical appetites: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, drunkenness, orgies and the like; Uncontrolled ambitions: selfish ambition, jealousy, envy, factions; Uncontrolled temper: hatred, discord, fits of rage, dissension; Uncontrolled spiritual rebellion: idolatry and witchcraft. Remember when Paul writes about these sins, he is writing to a Christian church and telling them that they can’t have sexual sin in their lives, they can’t have hate and anger in their lives, they can’t be rebellious, and they can’t be doing the work of the Devil. Someone may claim to be a Christian or a good religious individual. They may have been on the church board or sung in the church choir but in reality, the person who continually practices these sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible could not be clearer on this. You cannot and must not live in contradiction to the Word of God.
2. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you become more Christlike (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV & AMP). When the Apostle Paul says, ‘live by the Spirit,’ He is outlining an alternative way to live. The Christian disciple, and the Christian leader, is to live a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. If we want to live free as children of God, we need to have the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It’s not enough to say we are Christians; the fruit of the Spirit means that we must have Christlike characteristics in our lives. Every day people must see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, especially our families, close friends and colleagues. We cannot just be religious by simply talking about Jesus, saying that we will pray for people or serving in the church. It must be increasingly obvious every day that we have the good fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Ask yourself, am I becoming more: Loving, Joyful, Peaceful, Patient, Kindness, Full of goodness, Faithful, Gentle, and Self-controlled. If you are struggling in any of these areas, then you cannot accept that this is normal behaviour for a Christian. It’s a sign you haven’t died to your flesh, so you need to come to the cross and crucify or put to death your passions and desires and your ego and image and live a new life with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to help us in our weaknesses and He is the only one who can help you change even in the areas that seem impossible for you to change. For when you live close to the Holy Spirit all this beautiful fruit will be seen in your life.
3. Only by living by the Holy Spirit can you keep in step with the direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26). The Holy Spirit, like the wind, is always moving. He is always wanting to guide us and direct us just like He directed the apostle Paul to city after city. The Holy Spirit wants to continually lead us so that we never fall back into old ways of pride and provoking and being jealous of one another. Living in the Spirit means that you begin to know the Lord more and more as you read His word and listen and obey the voice of God. When you keep in step with the Holy Spirit you will no longer make decisions based on emotions or on what you think or what you feel or what the media or your friends say. Living in the Spirit means that you are no longer independent of God's will for your life, doing what you want. Rather you will be confident in your growing relationship with the Holy Spirit to walk close to Him in every situation and circumstance, especially when making significant decisions. Dr Yonggi Cho, founding pastor of the world’s biggest church, described the Holy Spirit as his ‘senior partner’, saying ‘without fellowship with the Holy Spirit there can be no spiritual life, no faith with power and victory.’ We too need to constantly develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit, listening to His voice, being sensitive to His direction and moving in step with Him. The Holy Spirit wants to come and be a key friend and partner to you. As you learn to live by the Spirit you will become a great disciple and a great leader. Maybe you are still struggling with the desires of your flesh or struggling to leave old habits. Today repent of your sins, fully surrender your life to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
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Have you messed up in your life? Do you know how much God wants you to experience His amazing grace? One of the most famous stories that Jesus told is the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son is a story of two sons who took very different paths in life. One was outwardly respectable; the other was a rebel. One looked good; the other acted badly. One seemed like the perfect churchgoer; the other a sinner you would never expect to see in church.
Last week we learned about the older brother who had been faithful and responsible but had also become very harsh, self-righteous and judgemental. He had a bad attitude towards his younger brother who had been so unfaithful and irresponsible. So, when he saw him being blessed by their father, he was angry. The older brother saw himself as a servant of his Dad, rather than a son. He needed to discover the love of the Father (representing God) just as much as his misbehaving brother did.
The younger, prodigal son was somebody who had really messed up, like so many people have in life. He made wrong decisions and got in with the wrong crowd, blew his money and ended up losing virtually everything. He was down but this story shows, he was not out. He was about to receive unexpected and undeserved mercy and a future of more blessings than he could have ever dreamed of. What happened to him can happen to you, especially if you are at a very low point in your life right now. Your paradise is not lost. God still has a paradise for you. This story shows how you can experience great turnaround in your life.
1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17)
2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father (Luke 15:18-20; James 4:6-7)
3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father
- Instead of rejection, he received the father’s embrace (Luke 15:20)
- Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration (Luke 15:22-24,32)
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1. The Prodigal Son recognised how far he had gone from his father (Luke 15:11-17). The prodigal son clearly recognised what mess he had made of his life. He'd had money and he’d done everything he wanted, but he got into big trouble because of his own ego, selfishness, and because of his false values. He had failed to recognise all the blessings he had received through being close with his father. Instead, he thought he would be happy if he could have money, sex, and the party life with many cool friends. But despite doing everything he wanted and spending his inheritance on ‘wild living’, he was not happy. In fact, his friends were not his friends, abandoning him when the money ran out. He had been used. He came to an awful situation where he just begged for a job, and got the absolute lowest, most degrading job for a Jew, of looking after the despised, unclean pigs. He was desperately trying to survive, even if that meant eating the food the pigs were getting. But then he got real and recognised the true state of his life. He came to his senses. He recognised how low he had sunk and how far from the father he had gone. That’s what we must do if we want to see restoration in our lives. But how low do we have to go in life before we come to our senses? How low does a family have to go? How low does a nation have to go before we recognise something is wrong? A road to recovery begins with this recognition of our need of help and of God the Father Himself.
2. The Prodigal Son decided to return to his father. Life is all about making decisions. Not to make decisions is a decision. The greatest decision is to return to God and turn away from living our lives our way. This is something which the Bible calls repentance. Repentance means to turn right around (Luke 15:18-20). After recognising how far he had gone from the father, the prodigal son decided to repent and return to him. He determined that he was going to go back to the father, and that he was going to go humbly. He felt he was no longer worthy to be called the father’s son. He was ready to just plead to see if there was any chance that he would be allowed back as a lowly servant. And this is how we too should come to God, with honesty and humility when we recognise how much we need Him. So often in our culture today, we act as if we're God, and He's got to come on our terms. But if we're going to know God, we must come on His terms. We need to get real with God and acknowledge how we really need to turn around. We must repent of having gone our way and not God’s way (James 4:6-7). Then you can receive the revelation of the Father’s love mercy and grace for all who believe in Jesus Christ.
3. The Prodigal Son experienced the amazing grace of his father. Grace means undeserved favour. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. Our world longs for grace. It’s no coincidence that Amazing Grace’ is the world’s best-known and most popular hymn sung in churches and non-religious events all over the world. The hymn writer, John Newton, the former vicious slave trader who became a pastor and leading opponent of slavery, knew first-hand it was only God’s grace that ‘saved a wretch like me.’ We see what true grace looks like in the response of the father when his broken son returned home.
- Instead of rejection, he received the father’s embrace (Luke 15:20). The Father had been looking for lost son all the time. He had never given up on him. While he was a great way off, the father saw this bedraggled, poor, hungry, skinny figure, coming towards him. And he was so excited that he ran towards him and warmly embraced him, hugging and kissing him. The Prodigal had made big mistakes, but the father was more concerned about him than the mistakes he had made. He just wanted to have his son close with him. This is what God our Heavenly Father is like. He’s the best father. God is full of compassion for you and wants you to receive His embrace today.
- Instead of condemnation, he received a big celebration. Instead of telling him off, punishing him and accepting the son’s offer to keep him as a servant, the father went over the top in his celebrations (Luke 15:22-24). The father gave him the best new clothes, new shoes and a ring of new authority. He threw a huge party for him. The Father was so happy because his missing son had come home. And when his older son complained, the dad explained why they could not contain their joy (Luke 15:32). Today, if you have got into trouble and gone far from God, it’s time to recognise your mess and return to your heavenly father who wants to welcome you home. He wants to clean you up and give you new clothes of righteousness. He wants to bless you as a son or daughter. He wants to embrace you with his unconditional and never-failing love. This is why Jesus came into the world: to seek and to save those who are lost. God is not out to beat, humiliate you or turn you away.
Right now, is your opportunity to come home to God and to receive his amazing grace and mercy. (See hymn: ‘Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling’, that was sung at the funeral of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.)
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Are you a driven person? Do you know the unconditional love of God? English author Charles Dickens famously wrote ‘A tale of two cities,’ a novel set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. But Jesus told an even more famous story about two brothers. One is very well known as the Prodigal son, who got into big trouble by living a wild and rebellious life but who then returned to his father and received an amazing and undeserved welcome home. The other son, the elder brother, however, was very upset about this. His reaction showed the true state of his own heart. For he also needed to be reconciled with his father and to discover his love.
There is much about this story of the elder brother that many churchgoers and good and faithful Christians may find that they can identify with. For it is more than possible to serve God without really experiencing the love of God and the many blessings that we can enjoy each day. As we read Luke 15:25-32 we can learn from the older brother’s story after the return of his Prodigal brother because, although he seemed to be good and responsible, he had some big issues that needed changing in his life.
1. The older brother was angry and resentful at the blessing being given to his brother (Luke 15:25-28)
2. The older brother had the mentality of a slave not a son (Luke 15:28-29)
3. The older brother was judgmental (Luke 15:30; Matthew 9:10-13; John 8:3-7)
- The father tried to make him see that he was a son not a servant (Luke 15:31; Galatians 4:7; 1 John 3:1)
- The father tried to show him that he was missing out on the blessings he had already been given (Luke 15:31)
- The father tried to get him to celebrate mercy over judgement (Luke 15:32)
Apply
1. The older brother was angry and resentful at the blessing being given to his brother (Luke 15:25-28). When the younger brother left home and wasted his life and family money, it was the dependable older brother who faithfully continued working to help keep everything going. So, when he heard that his younger brother who had caused so much disruption and trouble had come back home, he was not pleased. And when he heard that his dad had put on a special party for him, he was very angry. The older brother decided not to celebrate with his family and missed out on this amazing moment of restoration with his brother because he was carrying so many negative feelings in his heart. Perhaps you too have carried on faithfully serving in your family and in the church but in your heart a lot of anger has built up. Maybe you feel put upon and taken for granted. Inside there is a lot of resentment bubbling away. And maybe that’s why churchgoers can sometimes seem so bitter and miserable to those outside of the church. They have unresolved bitterness of heart. Do you have some anger issues in your heart that needs dealing with?
2. The older brother had the mentality of a slave not a son (Luke 15:28-29). The brother’s first response was very telling of their relationship. He saw himself more as a servant of the father than his son. He saw himself as a slave who never once disobeyed or did anything wrong. And he felt totally unappreciated. He had what we could call a victim mentality and had a lot of self-pity. He tried to earn is his father’s love, blessings, rewards and acceptance by working hard. He did not realise that his father loved him unconditionally, regardless of the way he was “slaving” away. Maybe that is something you can relate to.
3. The older brother was judgmental (Luke 15:30). The bitterness that the older brother had in his heart resulted in a lot of judgement and criticism towards his younger brother. He could see his brother’s sins, but he could not see how hard his own heart had become. He felt that he was justified in looking down on him. Jesus encountered this condemning attitude at different times in his ministry (Matthew 9:10-13; John 8:3-7). Religious people can be very critical and mean spirited. They are like the elder brother in this story who don’t have an experience of God’s grace. But the father wanted him to discover this just as much as he wanted the younger and seemingly worse son to receive his mercy and forgiveness.
Having seen these three bad attitudes of the elder brother let’s see how the Father dealt with him:
- The father tried to make him see that he was a son not a servant (Luke 15:31). There was a big difference in perceptions. The father perceived the elder brother as his son, but the eldest son perceived himself as a servant. The older dutiful brother constantly did his best to please his dad, but he didn’t understand how much his dad loved him anyway. Because he saw himself as a servant, he perceived his dad as a boss. But his dad was not his demanding boss but his father who viewed his son with great pleasure and unconditional affection. In the same way we cannot earn God’s love, and He doesn’t expect if of us either. If we accept Jesus into our hearts, we are part of God’s family. We are adopted as God’s children (Galatians 4:7; 1 John 3:1).
- The father tried to show him that he was missing out on the blessings he had already been given (Luke 15:31). The older brother was so focused on what his brother received that he did not realise how much he already had. All the time the prodigal brother was away from the father and blowing his inheritance, the older brother already had constant access both to his father and to his inheritance. He was already blessed, but he couldn’t enjoy it because of his servant mentality. Just like the older brother missed out on having a close relationship with his father, we need to be careful that we are not to be so busy serving God that we miss out on enjoying a daily relationship with the Lord Himself and what it means to truly be a son or a daughter of God our Father. We can enjoy daily blessings by walking close with the Lord as well as being confident of blessings to come on earth and in heaven.
- The father tried to get him to celebrate mercy over judgement (Luke 15:32). If the angels rejoice over one sinner who repents, how much more should we be happy when others are blessed, particularly those close to us? We should not compete, compare or criticise natural or spiritual brothers and sisters. Rather when we are secure in God’s great love for us, we should celebrate when others can receive God’s goodness and mercy and join the party. Are you like the elder brother who needed to come into close relationship with God the father? You may have been dutiful and faithful, but do you know you are loved? Do you know you don’t have to perform to be accepted? Do you know that God wants you to daily enjoy every blessing He has provided for you? Pray today to have a softened heart and enjoy God’s grace.
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The KCI Men's Conference 2024 took place this weekend, hosted by KCI Senior Pastor Wes Richards, and with special guest speaker Bishop Oriel Ballano.
Bishop Oriel is the G12 National Coordinator for the Philippines and the Founder and Senior Pastor of Doulos For Christ World Harvest Ministry (DFCWHM) in Manila which has grown from 200 members in 2003 to over 15,000 members today.
This week's online service is a special interview by Pastor Wes with Bishop Oriel. Listen in as there's so much you can learn, receive and be blessed by today!
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Do you know how much God loves you? Do you understand that God will help you through every problem you face? Whatever you are facing or feeling right now, you are going to make it in life and see many future blessings. How you see yourself and how you act is of great significance in any area of life and particularly in the Christian life. That is also the theme of the book of Galatians which we are currently studying. We could title it: Free Christian or Slave Christian.
In life everyone has mountain top experiences in one way and another. But how you think of yourself and how you act will determine whether you are on top of the mountain, or the mountain is on top of you. Every day you have a choice to be a victim or a victor, to be an overcomer or to let your problems and pressures overcome you. Whether you are younger or older, a new believer or a long time Christian, how you see yourself will greatly affect how you act and react, especially when you face trials and temptations.
Many people struggle with low self-image and maybe that includes you. Maybe that’s because of how others view you or have criticised you. Maybe you have accepted a narrative that you are not important, and you are not loved. If that is the case, you are challenged to change the whole way you think, and act based on what God thinks and says about you. For God wants to raise you up in your life and calling and not let you get pulled down by negativity and the lies of Satan.
The apostle Paul was so passionate about Christian believers living with faith and freedom that he wrote this very hard-hitting letter to the Christians in Galatia. He saw that they were being fiercely attacked by a traditional group of Jewish zealots who wanted to make all Christians follow Jewish laws and practices like circumcision. Paul was not happy about this (Galatians 5:12), insisting nothing must change the gospel message that salvation is through faith in Christ alone.
In Galatians 4 he outlines in the most inspiring way how to live free as a child of God (Galatians 4:7). We see how you can be confident and clear in your identity as a Christian.
1. Being a Christian means being freed from the slavery of your past (Galatians 4:7-11,22-31; Galatians 5:1)
2. Being a Christian means that your present status is adoption as a child of God (Galatians 4:4-6; Romans 8:15; John 14:18)
3. Being a Christian means that we have a powerful future inheritance (Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29; Genesis 12:2-3; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:3-4; Luke 4:18; Ephesians 3:12; 2 Corinthians 3:17)
Apply
1. Being a Christian means being freed from the slavery of your past. This chapter is full of references to slavery and in particular the dangers of Christians living as slaves by becoming bound again by religious laws and festivals (Galatians 4:8-11). Living by the Old Covenant is like being slaves where you must strictly observe religious events. In the New however we are free through Christ to know God through inward personal experience. The apostle Paul highlights the differences between Ismael who was born to a slave woman and Isaac who was born to a free woman (Galatians 4:22-31). Are you trying to live under the old covenant with all its rules and regulations? Is your life overshadowed by guilt or grace? Are you constantly down on yourself and never feeling good enough or do you realise that Christ is with you, for you and has provided everything for you to conquer in life? Are you bound up in yourself or are you walking in the freedom, forgiveness and fullness that Jesus has purchased for you on the Cross? Well, here’s how you should be living: through Christ you have been set free from sin and from the fear and finality of death. So, you do not have to be enslaved in any way: not to fear, guilt, shame, addictions, despair, depression. Jesus is the saviour who forgives all sins and redeems from all bondage. And also He is the great shepherd who wants to guard us and guide us through every difficulty and danger in life. Just like the Israelites who were delivered out of the slavery of Egypt, you who have put your trust in Christ are no longer slaves but a free born-again men and women. Make sure then that you are not like those Israelites in the desert who wanted to return to Egypt. Don’t lose your freedom (Galatians 5:1).
2. Being a Christian means that your present status is adoption as a child of God. Far from being slaves, God has brought us into his family as sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-6; Romans 8:15). Best-selling author Warren Wiersbe says in his book ‘Be free’: ‘we do not enter God’s family by the way a homeless child would enter a loving family in our own society. The only way to get into God’s family is by being born again. We are spiritual babes who need to grow....the New Testament word for adoption means to place as an adult son. We are not little children but adult sons with all the privileges of sonship.’ Paul’s language about slavery, adoption and inheritance would have been entirely familiar to his readers. The difference is that most early Christians were of low birth, servants and slaves, who would never have dreamed of being adopted into a great Roman family. But Paul tells us that we can be “children of God, and of children, then heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ.” Through Christ you too have been adopted into the family of God. You are no longer outsiders and orphans (John 14:18). Because God in his love has adopted you into His family, you can live confidently with ready access to your heavenly father and every blessing He has for you.
3. Being a Christian means that we have a powerful future inheritance. The apostle Paul says that we share in the sufferings of Christ now and will share in the glory of Christ later as His “co-heirs” or “joint heirs” (Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29). The original promise given to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 was not just for Abraham’s physical descendants but for all believers. This means that we will be blessed and become a great blessing and ‘all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ As heirs of the promise, we can also experience great multiplication and see our descendants blessed. Above all we can enjoy every blessing and inheritance that Christ has promised for us both in this life and the life to come (1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:3-4). This is your moment to understand who you really are because of God’s great love and mercy to you. Don’t let anybody or anything rob you of your identity in Christ. You are not a slave any more so stop living like one. You are adopted into God’s family as beloved sons and daughters, not through your good works but your faith in Christ. You are heirs of every blessing through Jesus. You have a great future ahead of you both in this life and in the life to come. Today step into your freedom and never step out (Luke 4:18; Ephesians 3:12). Give your life to Christ and be forgiven and freed. Thank God for the freedom Christ has bought for you and receive His Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17).
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Do you know how much you matter to God? Do you understand how much you can help to bring value and reconciliation to others? The greatest movement on earth for freedom is the church of Jesus Christ. Or so it should be. For when individuals have their own personal experience of freedom in Christ, they become part of a community that is called to model liberation from deep divisions and old prejudices. Once we are reconciled with God as our father, we instantly come into a new family of brothers and sisters all equal before God.
In our current series on ‘Living in Freedom’ from the book of Galatians we come to powerful declarations in Galatians 3:26-27. We have all become children of God through faith in Christ, by being baptised as identified with Christ and being clothed with the new nature of Christ. This means all of us have come into God’s kingdom, not because of our own efforts, talents or religious works but because of our faith in Jesus who loved us unconditionally and gave His life’s blood to save us from our sins and free us from Satan’s dark rule.
We have all been born again into God’s family the same way. We are all on the same level. And the consequences of this are literally revolutionary for our thinking and behaviour. For as Galatians 3:28 goes on to say ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’
Previous divisions are swept away by our new shared identity and faith in Christ. We have all become one in Christ Jesus. Through Jesus we are reconciled not only to God but also to one another. Man-made works-based religion does not accept this, which is why throughout history traditional churches have often re-enforced divisions and have in fact been leading agencies of oppression (e.g. the Dutch Reformed church and other denominations in apartheid South Africa; German churches supporting the Nazis in WWII).
However, both these examples have everything to do with human religion and nothing to do with the reconciling vision a true Christ centred church that the apostle Paul outlines in these verses. We see the main barriers that are overcome when we understand what it means to be united through Christ.
1. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between Jews and non-Jews (Galatians 3:28; Acts 10:34; Romans 11:11-36)
2. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down social and economic barriers (Acts 2:45; 1 Corinthians 12)
3. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between men and women (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:18; John 13:34-35)
Apply
1. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between Jews and non-Jews (Galatians 3:28). In the beginnings of the early church there was a strong majority Jewish presence. Jesus was a Jew. The first disciples were Jews. The church grew rapidly amongst the Jews in Jerusalem, but it was not long before the Holy Spirit was poured out on many non-Jews which totally astonished the Jews who witnessed it in the home of the Roman Centurion Cornelius. Peter himself had needed a complete reset of his previously Jewish mindset (Acts 10:34). So at first the church grew with Jews and non-Jews united in a common faith in Christ. They stood together against attempts by Jewish traditionalists to make non-Jewish believers follow Jewish customs, something that Paul opposes in this book of Galatians. However, such was the speed and the scale of the acceptance of the gospel amongst Greeks and other Gentiles, that the Jewish believers not only quickly became a minority but a persecuted minority. Soon the teaching emerged that the Jews were Christ killers and that the gospel, and the church had now replaced the Jews. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that God loves the Jewish people with an everlasting love and will fulfil all His promises towards them both regarding the Promised Land and their descendants. But their blessings and the blessings of Gentile believers will greatly increase when both Jewish and Gentile believers come into a new level of unity in their love of God and obedience to Christ (Romans 11:11-36). What this means practically is that there must not be any trace of antisemitism amongst Christians. We must not ignore or have any hostility towards the Jews. Rather Christians need to unconditionally honour and love the Jewish people wherever they are and be sure to develop fellowship with the increasing number of Messianic believers in Yeshua (Jesus). Our awakening to the importance of our Jewish brothers and sisters will be of great blessing to all concerned and bring great strength to the body of Christ on earth.
2. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down social and economic barriers. Slavery was commonly practised throughout the Roman Empire, but it was only in the community of believers that slaves and slave owners met and worshipped together as equals before God. Because of their shared faith in Christ, those from the lowest and the highest in society, both slaves and slave owners treated one another with mutual love and respect. Onesimus for example was a runaway slave of Philemon, who came to view him as ‘a dear brother.’ Later in history it was the strong efforts of evangelical campaigners who helped abolish the transatlantic slave trade. Their famous image and motto was of an enslaved African, kneeling, manacled hands outstretched, with the title 'Am I not a man and a brother.' In the early church there was also a great concern to help the poor and vulnerable, especially by those who had the means to do so (Acts 2:45). The apostle’s Paul’s reference to neither slave nor free was in keeping with the teaching of James to give an equal welcome to rich and poor and not to give special attention to the rich. And as Paul outlined there can be no room for either inferiority or superiority in the church (1 Corinthians 12). No one is more special than another. True Christianity is no respecter of class and status. God has no favourites. We are all one in Christ.
3. Shared faith in Jesus breaks down barriers between men and women. Put simply there is no room for a macho culture or an ultra-feminist, anti-man culture in the kingdom of God. Men should never view themselves as first class, while they treat the women as second class. Equally women should not resent and despise men. Everyone must highly value both men and women as brothers and sisters. The Bible teaches that God created us in the image of God, both male and female. But because both were disobedient to God, the beautiful image that God had for them was ruined. They became divided and in tension with one another. But when Christ shed His blood, He gave the possibility of a new self-image for both men and women. Jesus of course restored the image of countless women who flocked to hear Him. In a male dominated culture, He broke patronising and oppressive traditions which treated women as inferior. He shocked a Samaritan woman by talking with her, something most Jewish men regarded as beneath them, especially as she was from a despised culture. He was protective of the woman taken in the act of adultery and showed her great love and respect when she was so vulnerable. So different was Jesus' reaction from all the other male chauvinistic religious leaders that He saved her from being stoned to death. Women saw in Jesus great compassion, kindness and wisdom and became His devoted followers. In the early church there was great unity between men and women (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:18). Today so many women have not been valued or treated well. But you can receive healing in your heart. You can be forgiven for your sins. You can have a new identity in Christ as a much-loved daughter of God. When the Holy Spirit comes to you, He makes you like a new person. Women need to know this. But also, many men need to know that they are loved and valued, despite their troubles and their sins. It’s been said ‘most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ That’s why both men and women need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Both men and women can be changed. God can change the heart of the abusive husband, He can change the man who abandoned his family, He can heal the man who was himself mistreated. Through the work of the Holy Spirit men and women, fathers and daughters, sons and mothers, brothers and sisters can be reconciled and restored in their relationships. Instead of hurting the opposite sex, you can help them.
The church God is building is a revolutionary new society, the kingdom of heaven on earth, free from deep divisions and discrimination which have no place. The church is to be a family and community where all can know God’s love and where all members are of equal value. So what does this mean?
• We must all know that we are all equally loved and valued by God our Father
• We must all respect one another as of equal value
• We must all humble ourselves and repent of any form of discrimination, pride, judgement, bitterness in our hearts or any harsh words or behaviours
• We must work together in our marriages, families and communities to build greater unity across all previous divisions and above all
• We must truly love one another (John 13:34-35)
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In our studies on Galatians called ‘Living in Freedom’, we see in chapter 3 that the apostle Paul couldn’t believe that so many believers had drifted so far and so quickly from a simple faith in Christ and needed to be urgently rescued from living in a religious way (Galatians 3:1). Magic and sorcery were common in Paul’s day. Magicians used both optical illusions and Satan’s power to perform miracles, and the people were drawn in without recognising their dangerous source. They were bewitched.
By equating the smooth arguments of the false teachers with the imagery of their hypnotic magic, Paul grabbed the attention of the Galatian church. Paul wanted to shock them as to the state of their real spiritual condition because he himself was shocked at how it has been so easy for them to fall away from the truth, as if someone had put a spell on them.
This passage shows how easy it is to drift in our faith. Maybe you were once were passionate for Jesus but now you are more casual about your relationship with Him and in reading and studying God’s word. Maybe you were once a generous giver but now you’re mean with your money and no longer give tithes and offerings. Maybe you were once an active participant in prayer meetings, in person or online, but now not so much or not at all. Maybe you were once careful about what programs you watched or things you searched on the internet but now you mindlessly scroll through the tv menu or web pages. Maybe you once were passionate about winning people to Jesus but now it’s been a long time since you have led someone to Christ because you are passionate about other activities.
This passage should make us all take stock of our lives. Have you lost your sense of purpose? Are you in a good place emotionally, mentally and spiritually? Have you drifted in your faith? You can avoid the dangers of drifting away from all the blessings and freedoms God has in store for you. We must always be focussed on staying on course for the rest of our lives. In Galatians 3 we discover some keys to making sure that we don’t drift in our faith.
1. Faith is in Christ alone (Galatians 3:1-5)
2. Faith in Christ means receiving the promises of God (Galatians 3:6-9; Genesis 15:6)
3. Faith in Christ means being freed from condemnation (Galatians 3:10-14,19)
Apply
1. Faith is in Christ alone. It’s not the result of anything we can do (Galatians 3:1-5). Paul argued that just as they began their Christian lives in the power of the Spirit, they should also grow by the Spirit’s power. Why would they suddenly abandon the Holy Spirit and try to live by the flesh which had done nothing to make them Christians? The Galatians had taken a massive and unnecessary step backwards when they decided to insist on keeping the Jewish laws. For we grow spiritually because of God’s work in us by His Spirit, not by human effort of by following special programs and rules. The false teachers who advocated for salvation by works and denied the power of the cross had infiltrated the Galatian churches at the time of Paul’s writing. They were jealous of the Galatian believers’ freedom in Christ and were attempting to force them back into slavery by the law. So Paul had to remind them of the foundations of their faith. Their faith rested in Jesus as their saviour. The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘God saves’. Jesus is the Son of God who is the only means for saving us. His title ‘Christ’ means ‘anointed one’, the prophesied and promised King who would rescue and redeem Israel from their oppression and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords across the whole world. The word ‘crucified’, referring to the execution of Jesus on a criminal’s cross, made no sense to many of the Jews but it was God’s plan to rescue the world. The Galatian disciples had heard the truth that Christ was crucified and died for sinners. They heard this truth, believed it, and obeyed it; and as a result were born into the family of God. They received God the Holy Spirit: the big evidence of conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The Spirit came into the Galatians’ lives because they trusted Jesus Christ. They experienced miracles from God the Father: the same Holy Spirit who came into them at conversion continued to work in them and through them to build up the church. These miracles would therefore include wonderful changes within the lives of Christians, as well as signs and wonders within the church fellowship. These are the core truths that distinguish a religious person from a real Christian. Have you received and experience a revelation of Jesus Christ crucified? Have you experienced the Holy Spirit? Do you believe the miracles in the Bible? Salvation is through Christ alone.
2. Faith in Christ means receiving the promises of God (Galatians 3:6-9). Paul exposed the flaw in the argument that Gentiles had to become Jews in order to be Christians. He showed that the real children of Abraham, who they called their father, are those who have faith. It’s not those who keep the law. Abraham himself was saved by his faith. It had nothing to do with his work (Genesis 15:6). Abraham’s fruitfulness came because he was totally dependant on his faith in God’s promises not on how hard he worked. This is something we too need to learn when we are believing to multiplication in our lives and ministries. Yes we need to go out to reach people but it is God who gives the increase according to His promise that those who ‘remain’ close to Jesus will bear much fruit. Your fruitfulness will come according to your faith in God’s promises. You must believe to receive. The promises that God gave to Abraham apply to all believers in every age and from every nation. The promise is that God will be with you and at work in you.
3. Faith in Christ means being freed from condemnation. The law had an important role to play (Galatians 3:19 (GNT)). What Paul is saying here is that the law was given to clearly teach right from wrong: not so that we could be made right through following the law, but that we’d recognise we are sinners in need of saving. The law then condemns us and shows our guilt. But our faith in Christ brings great understanding and freedom (Galatians 3:10-14). In short the law curses and condemns us but Jesus who paid the price of our sins frees us from every curse and all condemnation (See Charles Wesley hymn: And can it be?). Through Jesus shedding His blood for sinners, all the chains of religion and guilt were broken and we are now free to know and enjoy fellowship with a Holy God. Are you free from sin and guilt and condemnation? Well the reality is that you will never be free as long as you are relying on your own efforts to please God. Religion and good works can’t save you. The law will only show you where you have gone wrong. It won’t help you get right. Circumcision won't save you. Observing religious rules and regulations won't save you. Be careful never to drift into that trap. Instead understand that faith must be in Christ alone; faith means receiving the Promises of God and faith means to be freed from condemnation. Today is your day to choose to live in the freedom that Christ offers you. Come to Him now repenting of your sins and of where you’ve drifted from Him, and receive His forgiveness, love and the power of the Holy Spirit for yourself.
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The world we live in today is a warzone, whether looking at global conflicts, in the political area, or even conflict closer to home, in marriages, in families and in day-to-day life. Each of us also face our own personal battles, whether in your health, finances or career.
Few people like conflict and most of us would just like a quiet life but many times we must fight in some way or other whether we like it not. For if we do not fight, we may lose our freedoms, our blessings and even our families and children.
Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil. One of the biggest battles we must win, is the fight for the truth of the gospel in our lives and in the life of the church. In fact, the church is often one of the biggest battle grounds for truth because if the gospel is watered down or corrupted then worldly culture will conquer the church rather than the church being a light of hope in the surrounding darkness.
In our current series on Galatians, we learn about Paul’s battle to preserve the truth of the gospel against powerful religious opposition and human thinking. Although the first century church was growing so fast amongst the Gentiles or non-Jews, the apostle Paul saw that there were powerful groups who were insisting that new believers had to strictly follow old Jewish traditions and practices, including the practice of circumcision (Galatians 2:4-5).
So, what is this truth, and why is it worth fighting for? Let’s explore how the truth of the gospel is revealed, how it confronts us, and how it transforms us.
1. Revelation of the truth of the gospel (Galatians 1:12; Galatians 2:16)
2. Confrontation for the truth of the gospel. After revelation comes confrontation (Galatians 2:11-15)
3. Transformation through the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:19-21; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
Apply
1. Revelation of the truth of the gospel. Paul’s revelation of the gospel didn’t come from human teaching but from a direct encounter with Jesus (Galatians 1:12). This revelation was that knowing God comes simply through faith in Jesus Christ and not by following religion (Galatians 2:16). This revelation was the catalyst that changed everything for Paul, transforming him from a religious man and persecutor of Christians to a passionate leader giving his life for the freedom of the gospel. Paul, who been highly trained as a Jewish leader, understood that real Christianity centred solely on faith in Christ alone and that meant a radical change of mind and behaviour from old ways of thinking and religious tradition. Everyone, Jew or non-Jew, can now enjoy the grace of God because it is the free gift of God and not the works of man which leads to religious slavery. To this day one of the most dangerous enemies to freedom in Christ is being trapped in a religious mindset and behaviour. Many people may go to church regularly, but this does not necessarily mean that they have had a revelation of salvation through faith in Christ alone. We need to real about this. What is Christianity to you? Is it following rules and judging others? Is it just duty and expectation to carry? Is it all outward? Or is it freedom, love, joy peace? When you have a revelation of freedom and relationship with Jesus, everything changes. Revelation brings excitement, passion and purpose! Paul was driven by the conviction that God had entrusted him with a mission to spread the good news of freedom in Christ and that was something he was prepared to stand for and fight for.
2. Confrontation for the truth of the gospel. After revelation comes confrontation (Galatians 2:11-15). This was a defining moment for the early chair, for Cephas is none other than Peter, the main disciple of Jesus, and the most prominent leader in the early church before Paul had even become a follower of Jesus. Peter had seen how the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius and accepted that the non-Jews did not need Jewish laws forced on them. Yet now as Paul writes in Galatians 2 he had needed to directly confront Peter (Cephas) for acting in a way that contradicted the truth of the gospel. Peter had allowed cultural and peer pressure to influence his actions, which led to hypocrisy and confusion among other believers. Even Barnabas, the much loved and respected leader in the early church, who had in fact launched Paul into ministry in Antioch, had been taken off track. Religion was creeping in to corrupt the life of the early church. This is quite a challenging passage as it shows us even those who walk closely with God can be swayed by cultural pressures, past upbringing or fear of what others think. Sometimes people you have previously looked up to or even your whole group of people you have known, can get off track and compromise. But you must not be shaped by the behaviour of the group or the herd. You must test everything by God’s word. You must be led by the Spirit of God not by social or historic relationships. You must not fall into the trap of automatically doing the same thing as everyone else does. You must focus on your own relationship with God and in bringing your family up in obedience to God and not worry what other families are thinking or doing. The truth of the gospel will confront our wrong thinking and behaviour. It confronts our past. It confronts the culture we live in, which constantly pressures us to conform to worldly and materialistic standards rather than biblical ones. Not only will the gospel confront us, but we must be willing to confront and challenge others who are going off track. That’s not easy if there is strong pressure from a whole group of people who are self-righteous and insisting that you must conform to old ways which is what the apostle Paul had to do. And it will take a lot of courage to stand for truth especially if it involves people that you know well, maybe even family members something Jesus Himself had to face. However, the future of the gospel and the church and also your family depends on us being willing to engage in confrontation and to stand up for the truth of the gospel. How often do you allow fear to dictate your behaviour, to push you away from standing firmly in the truth of the gospel? How much do you conform to the standards of the world or empty religious traditions? How often do you compromise your beliefs to avoid conflict or to fit in with your friends and the world around us? How much are you living fully in the freedom and grace of Christ, or are you still trying to earn God’s favour through your own efforts? Today, like Paul, you too may need to stand up for grace particularly if you come from a religious background or culture. The control of religion doesn’t let go easily! When we make a stand, it is then that we can live a life of real freedom in Christ. When we do this that we can protect and bless our families and can step into the future of generational blessings and inheritance that God has for us.
3. Transformation through the truth of the gospel. The truth of the gospel doesn’t just involve revelation and confrontation: it brings profound transformation (Galatians 2:19-21). This isn’t just a poetic statement, it’s the reality of the gospel’s transforming power. When we accept the gospel, we die to our old selves, to the law, to the need to prove ourselves through our own works. We are crucified with Christ, and in exchange, we receive new life through Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). The gospel doesn’t just change a few behaviours here and there; it completely transforms our identity. We are no longer slaves to sin, no longer bound by the law, no longer defined by our past mistakes or failures. We are new creations in Christ. This transformation affects every part of who we are: our spirit, speech, thinking, emotions, purpose, values, and behaviour. The gospel isn’t about working our way to God, it’s about accepting the grace of God and allowing that grace to transform us. This transformation is ongoing as we continue to walk with Christ. Take up this challenge to fight for the truth of the gospel in your life. Don’t give in to the pressures of the world or the fears that hold you back. Don’t settle for a watered-down version of the gospel. Stand firm, as Paul did, and preserve the truth of the gospel for yourself, your family, and your future. Let the truth of God’s amazing grace guide you, confront you, and transform you as you live in the freedom that only Christ can give.
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In his letter to the Galatians, Paul urged them not to be bound by region and not to be justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. He was amazed how they were going off track. Paul was trying to keep the church on the main road of what Christianity was and still is all about.
Christianity is about being saved by the grace of God, nothing about what we do or religion: it’s all to do with Jesus Christ. Paul emphasised this by telling his own story in Galatians 1:11-24.
1. Paul was convinced of the truth of the gospel (Galatians 1:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 1:16)
2. Paul was totally changed by the gospel (Galatians 1:13-15; Acts 9:1-7; Galatians 1:23)
3. Paul had a clear call to spread the gospel (Galatians 1:15-24; Matthew 28:19-20)
Apply
1. Paul was convinced of the truth of the gospel (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul is saying that the gospel is from God and not man. It is from heaven not earth (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 1:16). Paul understood that the gospel wasn’t a dream, myth, or human construct based on religion, but a divine revelation from God. The gospel reveals the grace and the love of God through Jesus Christ. The gospel was made real to Paul personally.
2. Paul was totally changed by the gospel (Galatians 1:13-15; Acts 9:1-7). Paul was a Jewish zealot whose religious background had been a great source of pride (Philippians 3:5). Before his encounter with Jesus, Paul was so sucked into religion it turned him into a persecutor of Christians (Galatians 1:23). He saw Christianity as a big problem, a major threat and very dangerous. Paul had a plan to eradicate Christianity. However, God had a different plan. Paul encountered Jesus and was transformed from a religious terrorist to an evangelist. He became an ambassador of grace. Paul realised that it wasn’t about knowing and keeping all the laws, rules, or festivals that he had been brought up in, but it was about God’s love and His amazing grace in Christ Jesus. We do not earn God’s love. Rather it is freely given to us by God. Paul also became an apostle and leader in the church. An apostle generally means a sent one. It also means specifically to be a major part in the ministry of church planting and laying the right foundations for church life, teaching and behaviour. In Paul’s case, this former enemy of the church, became one of the greatest leaders of the church along with Peter, John and James. Paul was transformed by God’s grace into one of the most influential Christians ever. Paul’s impact on Christianity is profound. However just like Paul, God can turn anyone around, including you. He can turn outspoken atheists around. He can turn radical Islamists around. God can turn around those who oppose you and the church. Jesus can bring about divine turnaround in every life.
3. Paul had a clear call to spread the gospel (Galatians 1:15-24). After his amazing encounter with Jesus, Jesus sent Paul to preach the gospel to those that had never heard the good news. Paul now understood that before he was even born, he was set apart to be used by God. Paul refers to this as God’s kindness and grace. God created each one of us for a purpose. We have been given a great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Specifically, Paul’s call was to the gentiles. Although Paul was a Jew, loved the Jews and always went first to synagogues to preach to the Jews, his main calling was to spread the gospel to gentiles or non-Jews. He knew that the promises of God, first made to Abraham and revealed through Jesus, were to bless all people of every nation. Therefore, his focus was on reaching those who had never heard the gospel, and that should be our focus too. Reach out to the great numbers of people who have never heard the good news of Jesus. Go to the streets, neighbourhoods and groups that most churches never contact. Also we see that his call required preparation. Paul spent 3 years in training before starting his ministry. If you believe you have a calling then you need to be trained up (e.g. Nicky Gumbel was a barrister who then spent 3 years in theology training before being ordained as a priest). Jesus also took 3 years training His disciples. If you believe you have a call and you want to be a disciple and leader, you need to be trained up (see: Life Class and Destiny Training courses run by KCI). Plus of course you need personal mentoring, for example through your life group leader. Additionally, Paul’s call was recognised by other leaders and Christians. The leaders and Christians in the early church heard about Paul’s amazing transformation and gave thanks to God that this man who wanted to destroy the church was now preaching the good news of gospel. Paul’s calling was recognised because it was a calling given to him by God. God had a great story for the apostle Paul, a life story that he never imagined, and God has a future story for you. God wants to give you the best story and to change your life, whatever state it is in: religious or unreligious; whether your life is in a mess; whether you seem to have it together but really you have an emptiness inside. God can change your life. He can turn you around and give you a great calling to serve Him with great success. Today, give your life fully to the Lord.
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The book of Galatians in the Bible is known as the Magna Carta of Christianity. Paul's letter to the Galatians, long before Magna Carta in 1215, proclaimed Freedom for all people through faith in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 says: ‘it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.’
Jesus came to liberate everyone from the slavery of sin and condemnation so that each one of us can live lives enjoying the grace of God. He came to free us from guilt and shame, free us from fears, addictions and all forms of oppression. He came to free us in our worship, and to free us from legalism and being bound up with religious rules and regulations.
Spiritual freedom leads to many other kinds of freedoms in society. In the 18th Century revival, those Christians who had experienced personal freedom in Christ were the main supporters of the American Independence movement and who were united on both sides of the Atlantic to abolish slavery and promote movements for social reform.
In the 20th Century, Communist regimes oppressed the church because they knew it stood for freedom. The peace prayer movement in Nicholai Kirche in Leipzig started the chain of events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the freedom of East Germany.
Studying this book of Galatians over the coming weeks will show us just how important it is to understand what freedom in Christ really means and how we can live our lives, not as slaves but as sons and daughters of God. We start by looking at Galatians 1:1-10 where we see 3 things Paul is telling us, and then 3 applications to our lives.
The Apostle Paul says he was:
1. Sent by God (Galatians 5:1-2,11; Acts 13 and 14)
2. Saved by Jesus (Galatians 1:3-5)
3. Shocked by the church (Galatians 1:6-9, 2:11-14, 4:10, 2, 5 & 6)
Applications to us – we are saved:
1. By faith in Jesus (Galatians 2:16)
2. Not by observing rules (Galatians 2:21 & 3:1-3)
3. Keep your focus on Jesus (Matthew 23:4 & 11:28–30; Galatians 1:10)
Apply
1. Sent by God (Galatians 5:1-2). It's important that we too as Christians know that we are God-sent. Our mission is not one we've set ourselves but if you are a Christian, you have been called and commissioned by Jesus: by God himself. Paul's commissioning was as an apostle; a church planter, an overseer of churches (Galatians 1:11). Paul tells us he is sent by God to the churches in Galatia, and that's who Paul is writing to: it's a letter to a group of churches and chapter 4 makes it clear these are churches he founded. Galatia is an area where Turkey is nowadays. Paul went there on his first missionary journey starting churches in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (Acts 13 and 14).
2. Saved by Jesus (Galatians 1:3-5). Paul says we are living in an evil age. Bad things are done all around us: there is evil in this world. And the wrong we have all done - our sin - deserves punishment. But Paul says Jesus gave himself for our sins and that Jesus' followers have been rescued from this evil age.
3. Shocked by the church (Galatians 1:6-9). Why was he shocked? What had gone so seriously wrong with the Galatian church? The problem was, over time, they had become legalistic: got into rules. The first Christians had been Jews: Jesus' disciples in fact. Then very soon non-Jews (or Gentiles) had started to become Christians, including the people in Galatia that Paul evangelised and they were full of joy to know God. But some Jewish Christians then came to Galatia and said that as well as believing in Jesus, they also had to follow Jewish religious rules. A look ahead at the coming chapters shows us then:
• Rules about food (Galatians 2:11-14) - it says the apostle Peter had led people to follow Jewish food laws and Paul had had to correct him.
• Rules about religious festivals (Galatians 4:10) - it says some taught they had to observe special days and months. Paul says we should not be bound by these traditions.
• Rules about getting circumcised (Galatians 2, 5 & 6) - it says people were teaching that to be a Christian you had to be circumcised and Paul writes 'no'.
Paul says this is a big issue. Why was he so strongly opposed to these rules? Because the Gospel sets people free from legalism, and that freedom was under threat. Traditional religion laid burdens on people that they couldn’t fulfil. Jesus had transformed that with the good news of grace. But now people had come in and pushed the Galatians back to legalistic religion; and Paul said 'no: that's not the gospel' If you add in extra requirements so that the Gospel becomes 'believe in Jesus AND do certain things' then actually in Paul's words this is "a different gospel" or "no gospel at all." So what does all this mean for us?
In Galatians 2:16 Paul writes: "a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ." There are 3 application points.
1. By faith in Jesus: Know that God accepts you, just because you believe in Jesus. Putting your trust in Jesus and telling Him 'I will follow you' is all that is needed.
2. Not by observing rules: Know that you don't have to do things to win God's approval. For thousands of years people tried to keep the laws of the Old Testament, and everyone failed. That's why we needed Jesus (Galatians 2:21). No-one gets right with God by following rules, Jewish customs or other religious laws.
Law - or introducing Rules - has been a big issue not just in the early church but through history. In the Middle Ages there were lots of rules in the church. People were told to earn merits by going on pilgrimages, repeating set prayers and doing other things, like getting merits in school. If you got enough merits, you got to heaven. God brought the Reformation to the church. Luther and others taught 'sola gratia': "by grace alone". It's not by following rules. Today too we need to know it's not by keeping rules. Going to all the right meetings doesn't make someone a Christian, or more of a Christian. Repeating all the right prayers doesn't make God accept you. If we try to do and say all the right things, if we try to be good enough, we will fail. God accepts you not because of your efforts but just because of your faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:1-3). We must not just start, but also stay walking in faith. It's not by observing rules. Know that you don't have to do things to win God's approval. God accepts you: just as you are.
3. Keep your focus on Jesus. Examine ourselves: am I living by grace? It's faith in Jesus that counts: putting our trust in Him. Paul was shocked because the Galatians had changed. We should examine ourselves and make sure we haven't changed or drifted away from grace and aren't imposing rules on ourselves or others. If we're helping other Christians, we want them to do all the right things so it's easy to get legalistic: laying requirements on them: do this, do that, you must read this, pray that. It's easy for rules to creep in about what clothes are acceptable, what music you should listen to, what you should watch. There is wisdom to be had in all these things: but no rules. If you walk by the Spirit, you will have wisdom. But there should be no laying down rules. Even Peter had to be rebuked by Paul for following rules. It's the same rebuke Jesus gave the religious leaders of his day, saying they'd got it wrong by putting heavy burdens on the people (Matthew 23:4) and that “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30) So, we must resist legalism, not lay a burden on ourselves or others - the expectation that you have to do this list of things - because that is to change the Gospel.
If we are trying to please people that can be a pressure. Paul makes it clear (Galatians 1:10): stop trying to please people. Just serve God. Paul wasn't trying to please people when he wrote this letter, he was writing to them because he loved them and wanted them to get back to the heart of the Gospel. Let's keep our focus on Jesus and his grace: not on keeping rules. It's about having a relationship with God who loves and accepts you (Galatians 5:1). Freedom is God's plan for you. Freedom has always been God's plan for His people. The Israelites were set free from slavery in Egypt, the great exodus when oppression ended. Today can be your exodus from an old world of religion into a new life of freedom in Jesus.
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In the midst of so much upheaval in the world, negative news, so much noise and fear, it is easy to lose your peace and focus all that is going wrong around you. There are noises that begin to reach our heart, noises that take away our peace: the noise of illness, the noise of anxiety, of separation, bankruptcy, a family member who has died, the noise of fear of death and the future, of a diagnosis and the noise of the news. Those noises lead us to not listen to what God has told us.
But, as we see from the story of Jesus calming a very big and dangerous storm that He and His disciples were facing in Mark 4:35-41, Jesus has already given you great promises and assures you that He is with you no matter what storms you personally are facing. Jesus had told the disciples they would cross over in a boat to the other side, but He hadn’t told them there would be storms along the way. Yes Jesus’s promises were still true, regardless of the storm facing them. We can learn, just as Jesus’s first disciples had to, how to block out the noises that stop us always focussing on Jesus and living for Him and in His perfect peace.
1. Remember who Jesus is: The Son of God
2. Remember all that Jesus has done: He has healed you
3. Remember what Jesus can do: all that He promises He will do in your life
Apply
Jeus spoke to the storm the disciples were facing and brought a peace that totally surpassed all understanding. You can understand that in spite of the storms, Jesus is with you. Tell the Lord about the storms you are experiencing, but understand that in the midst of that storm Jesus is there. Understand that what Jesus did in the past, He will do again in this present storm. He has the power to speak to sickness and transform it into healing. He has the power to speak to the curse and transform it into blessing. Jesus has the power to speak to death and transform it into life. But you have to remember and declare that, despite the great storm you are facing, that Jesus has promised you will make it through. Believe that this storm is forming your character and taking you to a greater level of faith. Remember that you are not alone, you have the Lord, you have the church, you have the pastors, and you are going to get through to the other side. There is going to come a calm where you are going to experience miracles.
Tell Jesus the storms that you are experiencing, e.g. family, personal, financial, emotional, sickness, pain, a child who has relapsed, etc. But understand that in spite of that storm, you are not alone. You have not been abandoned. Jesus the Son of God, the One who shed His blood seven times for you at the Cross of Calvary, is right there with you. From today, ask the Lord that you will no longer hear those noises, and that from today you will understand that Jesus is saying ‘I am with you and we will pass over to the other side’. Jesus has the power to calm and remove your storm and to silence all the noise. Declare that you will make it through the other side of your storm and that Jesus is with you and you will see a miracle. Thank the Lord that you will see His promises become a reality in your life.
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Do you want to experience new beginnings and new blessings? Do you want to know how to succeed in your life and ministry? If so, you must learn how to prepare for great conquest.
In the first days of June 1967 Israel faced the prospect of another holocaust. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nassar, leader of the Arab world, mobilised vast armies for war, declaring ‘our basic objective will be to destroy Israel.’ Only 19 years after the state of Israel was established, the Jewish population of less than three million people prepared for the worst. Rabbis across the country cordoned off areas for mass graves. Hotels were cleared in readiness for use as emergency hospitals and schools were converted into bomb shelters. At the same time the Israeli military was also busy preparing.
Early on June 5, 200 low flying Israeli jet fighters launched a surprise attack on the Egyptian air force with such precision and power that it ceased to exist within 3 hours. From that moment, the six-day war was effectively won and Israel, instead of being wiped from the map, more than trebled in size. It captured the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank of the Jordan River (or the biblical Judea and Samaria) and the strategic Golan Heights. What’s more, after 2000 years, it was back in control of Jerusalem, the Western wall and the Temple Mount.
Just six years later however, in 1973 Israel’s military were nowhere near as prepared for a full-scale enemy attack. Having become overconfident, they were caught off guard when Arab fighter planes and armies attacked Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, when so many Jews were in their synagogues. Israel’s army was outnumbered six to one. 1,400 Syrian tanks made their way down the Golan Heights towards Galilee ready to slice into Israel’s heartland. For five days Israel fought a desperate defensive war before recovering to massively defeat Arab armies in a costly 16-day conflict. In both wars preparation, or lack of preparation, played a crucial role.
Preparation in any area of life is one of the great keys to success, whether in business, finances, sport or education. The best preparation will also bring significant blessing in your personal life, family life and in church life.
As we start a new season of church and school life, we continue our focus on how God told Joshua and the people of God to prepare to conquer the Promised Land, after more than four centuries of slavery in Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the desert. First, God spoke to Joshua saying, ‘Now then YOU get ready’ (Joshua 1:2-3). Last week we looked at how Joshua personally had to step up to a new level of leadership. Moses, to whom he had been such a faithful assistant, was now dead and gone. Now was the time for Joshua to accept the baton of leadership and rise up with vision and faith. This was time for him now to look forwards, not backwards, and to be strong and courageous in his leadership. And today it is also time for each one of us individually to do the same.
But there was something else that God said here. It was not just Joshua who had to prepare for new challenges and conquest. All the people of God had to move to a new level. Joshua 1:2 says: ‘Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.’ The ways they got ready to inherit the Promised Land shows us how we too as church communities need to prepare for a new move of God and victories that we have not seen before.
1. Get your own house in order (Joshua 1:10-11)
2. Decide to obey God given leadership (Joshua 1:16-18; Hebrews 13:17)
3. Focus on following the presence of God (Joshua 3:2-4; Exodus 13:21-22)
4. Cross over from the old to the new (Joshua 3:16-17)
5. Separate yourself fully to God (Joshua 3:5; Joshua 5:2-7)
6. Receive healing before you minister (Joshua 5:8)
7. Celebrate the conquest of the Cross (Joshua 5:10-12)
Apply
1. Get your own house in order (Joshua 1:10-11). Joshua couldn’t sort out everyone’s supplies; the people themselves had to do that. They had to pay attention to the basics to move on to bigger things (see Admiral William McRaven’s book ‘Make your Bed’). For sure as Christians and churches we need to have an increasing influence in the public world, but first we must put our private world in order. It’s great you want to clean up the world with preaching, teaching and outreach, but first clean up your own home, kitchen and office. Pay attention to getting your finances structured. Deal with your bills. Put things in files that you can easily access. You will be amazed how much this decluttering will also clear your head and free you up to serve the Lord. So get your supplies ready and do it all in three days!
2. Decide to obey God given leadership (Joshua 1:16-18). ‘Just as we fully obeyed Moses’: maybe they were just speaking for their generation because their parents rarely if ever obeyed. Moses faced constant, vicious and unfounded criticism and it was one of the key reasons a whole negative and rebellious generation died out in the desert. But now a new generation decided to change to a culture of faithful support for their spiritual leader. Any church will be blessed where there is a culture of honour and obedience towards God-given faithful leaders (Hebrews 13:17). If you want to see the church of Jesus, locally and globally, stand with authority in the world, be sure to honour authority within the church, whether from the pastors or team of 12. Be positive not negative towards spiritual leaders and pray always for them. If you want to conquer rebellion in society, first conquer it in the church.
3. Focus on following the presence of God (Joshua 3:2-4). The Ark of the Covenant was Israel’s most sacred treasure and a symbol of God’s presence and power. The people of God needed to stay close to God and value His presence. This was a lesson that they had learned through their escape from Egypt (Exodus 13:21-22). Just as the Israelites needed to stay very close to the Ark, so we need to stay close to the Lord and be sensitive to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, especially when ‘you have never been this way before.’
4. Cross over from the old to the new. To get into the Promised Land the Israelites had to cross the Jordan river (Joshua 3:16-17). The people had excellent leadership, but they needed to all take steps of faith to cross the Jordan at a time it was in full flood. And that’s what a whole nation did. As churches we need to cross over from old patterns of unbelief and step into new realms of faith, from limited blessing to believing for limitless blessing, and from survival mode to conquering new land and multitudes of people for Christ.
5. Separate yourself fully to God (Joshua 3:5). To consecrate means to set apart from sin and to give yourself to wholeheartedly following a holy God. Joshua, like Moses, insisted to the Israelites that if they wanted to conquer the land, they had to live in a radically different way from the people of the land who followed other gods and had corrupt moral and sexual standards. Joshua took particular action to literally mark a new generation for God (Joshua 5:2-7). This rite of circumcision marked Israel’s identity as a people wholly committed to God. When God first made a covenant with Abraham, He required that each male be circumcised as a sign of cutting off the old life and beginning a new life. Now Joshua made the decision to circumcise a whole generation who had not previously been marked out as belonging to God. Today, while circumcision is not necessary to becoming a Christian, we must nonetheless separate ourselves from sin and the world, however painful that may be and clearly identify ourselves as belonging to God.
6. Receive healing before you minister (Joshua 5:8). Clearly this mass circumcision was a painful event and people needed time to heal. Today many Christians want to minister to others but first they must receive healing in their hearts and minds and know for sure that all shame and captivity of the past has been rolled off them. This is why it is so important to spend time at encounter weekends that we run. When you have an encounter with God, often deep hurts of the past come to the surface and you can feel very vulnerable. But if you will let the Holy Spirit come close to you, He will comfort you and heal every wound. So you must stay in protective environment of the church with loving leaders to help you, while God is taking you through this process of restoration and reconstruction.
7. Celebrate the conquest of the Cross (Joshua 5:10-12). Passover represented the saving from death and judgement through the blood of lambs that were applied to the doorframes of Israelite homes in Egypt. Today as Christians we celebrate deliverance from sin and death because Jesus, the Lamb of God, took away the sin of the world when He shed His blood at the Cross. And now, because of this we are no longer slaves or desert wanderers. Instead, we have entered God’s new kingdom and can enjoy His blessings every day. These seven keys will get us ready for great conquest, both individually and as the chosen people of God. Those who want to move to a new level of conquest, write down and apply each of these teachings starting with putting your own heart and house in order.
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This is a new season as we come into Autumn, but also spiritually where God is at work amongst us in new ways. So we are going to start a two-part preparation based on Joshua chapter 1. This story is very relevant to us. It came at a time when a whole generation who left Egypt with great promise for the promised land - but they never made it.
A whole generation fell by the wayside because of unbelief, because they had a culture of constant criticism against Moses and their leaders, and because of their immoral behaviour. Even Moses himself didn’t make it into the promised land, but Joshua and Caleb did. Joshua became the leader who succeeded Moses, and as he stepped out into this new time, God gave him this word: “you and all these people get ready". The word says ‘get ready’ but first it was ‘get ready Joshua’, then it was ‘get ready people’.
You personally can get ready for a new time for God to work in your life. Joshua himself had to be ready to lead the people and go to a new level. And if you want to go to a new level, if you want to lead others, first it begins with your personal preparation and your heart. Ask yourself, are you prepared for what is coming and for new challenges? Are you prepared to move to a new level of faith? To prepare for a new level of conquest, you have to:
1. Accept the baton of leadership (Joshua 1:2; John 15:16)
2. Visualise what you can conquer (Joshua 1:4; Proverbs 29:18)
3. Be ready to take steps of faith (Joshua 1:3; Judges 6-7gi)
4. Recognise the authority that God has given you (Joshua 1:5; Acts 1:8)
5. Know that your commitment to the word of God is key to your success (Joshua 1:8; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Isaiah 61:1)
Apply
1. Accept the baton of leadership. Moses had led things for a long time, but his time had gone, and the baton now passed to Joshua (Joshua 1:2). Joshua had always looked up to Moses and supported him as his aide, but God had now called him to lead. He had to think of himself differently and personally accept the baton of leadership. There comes a time when those we have previously looked to for direction or seen as leaders may now have gotten older or gone to heaven, and it’s now your time to step up. To move to another level of leadership, whether you’re younger or older, you must prepare yourself (John 15:16). God chose Joshua and used him to transform a generation. And God has chosen us. Young people, God is with you and will help you in this next stage of your life as you go back to school or college or move to university, but you cannot see yourselves like your friends. He has called you and has set you apart so that you can lead them to Him. Today is a new day and we are not part of the Moses generation. We are to see the promises of God in our lives as we vow to go deeper and accept His call. So shake off negativity, shake off the past, get ready for God to do a new thing.
2. Visualise what you can conquer (Joshua 1:4). God gave Joshua a clear vision of where he was going. We must be able to see what we can conquer in order to make it happen. When we visualise what can be conquered, we can see incredible results (Proverbs 29:18). Vision brings direction and faith. Moses’ generation cried out for their basic needs to be met and God provided bread and water, but they didn’t have faith and vision of where God could take them. Focus on where you’re going, where God can take you. Visualise what God wants to do in your life, how you can make a difference in your community. Visualise your family being saved and praying together. Visualise yourself leading people to Jesus in this new season, your towns looking to Jesus for hope as you grasp hold of God’s vision. When we seek God’s vision and follow His direction He will guide us to save many from perishing.
3. Be ready to take steps of faith (Joshua 1:3). The Lord didn’t tell Joshua to sit down and the conquest would come to him; God said He would give him every place that he set his foot. Up to this point, the Israelites had been roaming for decades and had yet to arrive to where they expected. Joshua had been along in this journey, but he took heart not to stagnate or let up. This was a new time to go forth in full confidence. When you take action with direction from the Lord, things that felt impossible before, things that haven’t worked, and strategies that failed can be conquered. Because it is not you that is working, it is God working through you (see Gideon in Judges 6-7). To get ready for new conquest you must have faith, but remember faith without works is dead, so you also need to get moving. Ask God today in prayer for new strategies and declare that every place you go He will equip you, use you and be glorified.
4. Recognise the authority that God has given you (Joshua 1:5). God gives you authority when you walk in His purposes. He told Joshua although there had been battles before and ahead, Joshua had His authority, and nothing would overcome him. God didn’t say there would be no opposition, but He said to be bold and strong to go forward because God would never leave him. You may be facing challenges at this moment, but you can know the Lord’s presence with you. We need to ask for the authority of Holy Spirit, the presence of God upon us as we go out into the culture of the world. It was this authority that brought rapid growth for the disciples and the early church after Pentecost (Acts 1:8). To get ready for new conquest we need more of the Holy Spirit, and to desire the presence of God every day. His Spirit gives us the authority to stand strong and take new ground.
5. Know that your commitment to the word of God is key to your success (Joshua 1:8). Joshua needed to understand that God's words were what would give him the strength to go on and the courage to lead the people. If we want to see this generation saved we must come to a new level in our devotional time. Become resilient in your knowledge of the Bible. It will protect you and bless you. We must be bold to declare the word of God. We must meditate on it, pursue it, and live by it. The Bible teaches that the power of the tongue brings life and death. What you speak out is important. Keep words of faith and life on your lips at all times. Look at situations through the living word of God. When you are declaring the promises of God, you are speaking faith into action (2 Corinthians 9:8; Isaiah 61:1). You can see a great move of God in your life. Maybe you have allowed thoughts to come in and tell you that your dreams will always only be a dream, other people in your family have tried to make things happen but never succeeded. But you are of the Joshua generation. We can see a great move of God in this nation with many people saved and families restored. It is time to throw off negativity and failures of the past. Rise up to the position that God has for you, visualise what you can conquer, take steps of faith and stand upon the word, for as we read in Joshua 1, the Lord is going to help take possession of the land He has for us.
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Do you know that your tongue holds the power to destroy or to give life? If you are longing for a breakthrough in your health, or in any other area, you must learn how to speak words of life and avoid declarations of self-defeat.
We live in an increasingly voice-activated universe. Phones and tablets, cars and gadgets are increasingly being programmed to recognise and respond to what we say. But voice-activation is not so original and innovative as you might think. This was the same means God used to create the physical universe and the laws that govern it, as well as inputting the same operating system into His most precious creations – human beings (Genesis 1:3,9,26-28; Hebrews 4:12 ESV). Your words have power and influence in the spiritual realm (Proverbs 18:21; Job 22:27-28 NKJV).
When it comes to the spiritual realm, the reality is that the enemy can use anything you say against you, to oppose your prayers. So we have to be so careful with our words. We were created to rule and reign with our voices. The problem is, many of us have learned how to use our tongues more from the world than the Word.
We see three core principles from a story recorded in Mark 5:22-42 that will help you to see healing miracles in your life and the lives of those around you. These lessons come from a man who knew that Jesus was the only hope for a precious member of his family, and was able to take great care in the words he spoke and the words he left unspoken.
1. Speak words of life over your circumstances (Mark 5:23 NKJV; 2 Corinthians 4:13; 1 John 5:14; Mark 9:22; Isaiah 53:5)
2. Refuse to utter a declaration of despair (Mark 5:35-40; Mark 11:24; Proverbs 18:7 NKJV)
3. Keep hope alive in your heart (Proverbs 17:22; Proverbs 18:14; Isaiah 61:3; Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV)
Apply
1. Speak words of life over your circumstances (Mark 5:23 NKJV). Speak with faith: Jairus’ daughter was in a critical condition, but he knew Jesus had power to heal her. He spoke out his faith clearly. As a synagogue leader he would have known that bowing down and declaring trust in Jesus publicly could put his job at risk, but he was more concerned about his daughter’s life than the opinions of his peers or the potential consequences, so he spoke up. Speaking aloud with faith is the first step to the miracle. You may feel intimidated but remember that you have been created in the image of God to rule with your voice in the same way He does (2 Corinthians 4:13). Whatever miracle you think you need, one important step that needs to precede declaring things with faith is to ask God what His will is (1 John 5:14). Jairus pleaded with Jesus to heal his daughter. Once Jesus had agreed, he had all the reason in the world to stand in faith. When you know Jesus is saying ‘yes’ to your miracle, then you need to pray with authority, not like the man who Jesus had to correct for saying “…if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). You must also speak the truth. Sometimes Christians get confused about this. Having faith does not mean denying the existence of a real problem, but it does mean being careful with what you declare. Jairus was explicit about what the problem was, and Jesus didn’t have any problem with that. But Jairus was also careful not to make a negative declaration about her future. The only thing he said about her future was that Jesus’ ministry would heal her. Then you must speak in line with the Word of God. You can declare the Word of God over your situation, or you can declare in line with it – the key thing is to know the Bible promise you need and speak it out. Regarding healing, the clearest promise in the Word is written in Isaiah 53:5. Forgiveness and healing are part of the same promise.
2. Refuse to utter a declaration of despair. Jairus faced a delay in Jesus coming to heal his daughter. Then came a spiritual attack of intimidation (Mark 5:35). He was confronted not just by one messenger but several, and told his daughter was already dead. They advised him not to bother Jesus any more, even referring to Jesus as just a ‘teacher’. How do you react when faced with bad news? Jairus must have been tempted to vent his grief and frustration, to abandon or contradict his faith declaration, or just hang his head and walk away. But in the moment of temptation Jesus was right there (Mark 5:36). Jesus didn’t need Jairus to say anything more, only to hold onto his faith. Like Jairus, sometimes we’ve prayed and received a healing touch, but the problem has not disappeared. The trouble may even intensify. How do we respond? David Yonggi Cho in ‘The Holy Spirit, my Senior Partner’ explains that healings can come via two routes: “When the gift of the working of miracles works, the disease departs in a moment and the person immediately begins to recover health. When the gift of healing works, the cause of the disease is removed slowly and the effect of treatment starts to work, leading to recovery.” If it’s a ‘miracle’ you tend to notice straight away, but if it’s a ‘healing’ you receive that you are healed in your spirit by faith, but you must keep persevering in faith until the completion (Mark 11:24). Derek Prince talks about this in his book ‘Secrets of a Prayer Warrior’, explaining that if you’ve asked for and ‘received’ healing in prayer, then you stop asking for it and move to thanking God for it. He writes “Now you’re plugged into God’s supernatural power. Keep the plug in.” Any time you feel a twinge of pain or see a symptom, don’t fear, just believe, and declare “Thank you Lord. Your supernatural power is at work in my body.” It’s not just a matter of speaking words of faith in the high moments but holding your tongue from venting negative declarations in our lowest moments (Proverbs 18:7 NKJV). The final lesson from Jairus came as he reached the threshold of his home where his daughter lay dead (Mark 5:38-40). Jesus was determined to get rid of the professional mourners because He recognised the effect it was having on the family’s home. They needed an atmosphere of faith, not sadness.
3. Keep hope alive in your heart. It would be difficult for Jairus to hold onto his faith in an atmosphere of loud grieving and wailing. This is a major factor in every battle of faith. It is vital to keep hope alive in your heart through the time of testing (Proverbs 17:22). The joy of the Lord is not only your strength but like medicine for your body (Proverbs 18:14).There are some practical things you can do to nurture hope and joy through a time of trial, including: not keeping company with people who drag your spirit down; being sensitive to what music you are listening to and what you are watching and how these influence your heart and mind (Isaiah 61:3); raising your voice in praise, thanks and worship to find the presence of God (Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV). If you have been facing a battle of faith for your miracle, be it health, family, financial or ministry, just like Jairus who faced waves of opposition and intimidation, choose to speak words of life and not death. We need to develop a culture of positive speaking and declaring the promises of God in every area of life. Our words bring life or death, and that applies in relationships, emotions, and in supernatural healing. This is a moment to decide to change the way that we speak and to speak words of life and faith.
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We can play our part in seeing God do amazing things in our lives and the lives of others, by activating our faith. By definition, a miracle is a divine operation that happens outside of the laws of nature; it cannot be explained upon any natural basis. Amazingly, Jesus taught His disciples that God would do whatever we ask if we have faith, so faith is key to seeing miracles (Matthew 21:22). Even a little faith is powerful (Matthew 17:20).
In our convenience culture, there is a danger that we try to reduce the miraculous to a convenient formula. Faith is not an impersonal force, not a principle or a method. As we see from examples in the Bible, faith rests on the person of Jesus Christ. Our faith needs to be activated. Different times in the gospel we read Jesus saying ‘your faith has healed you’ (Matthew 9:22 ESV; Mark 5:34 ESV; Luke 17:19; Luke 18:42).
The word used in the original language of the New Testament to describe healing is ‘Sozo’. It means “to preserve, rescue, save from death, or keep alive.” Sometimes, ‘Sozo’ refers to spiritual salvation, resulting from a person’s faith. For example, when a repentant prostitute washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, He told her: “Your faith has saved you” (Luke 7:50). When Jesus said to certain people, “Your faith has made you well,” He was saying that their faith (their confidence in Him) caused God to bring their restoration. The power of Christ brought about the cure, but His power was applied in connection with their faith.
So, the value of one’s faith does not come from the one who expresses it but from the one on whom it depends (Mark 10:52, Mark 11:22). In the case of a paralysed man at the pool of Bethesda where multitudes gathered to be healed (John 5:1-11). Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be made well. But he really didn’t really understand the question. He thought the only way to be healed was to get into the pool at the right moment, but he couldn’t do that. Jesus healed him anyway! This confused and needy man was healed by God’s grace. He had no faith in Jesus at the time; he didn’t even know it was Jesus who had healed him until later (John 5:12–13).
That is how Jesus dealt with the sick in many cases. He separated their physical problems from their spiritual needs. Everyone whom Jesus willed to be healed was healed. Sometimes Jesus emphasised the faith they had, other times, in His great mercy, He healed those who had no faith and later drew them to Himself. So, what did Jesus mean when He told people, “Your faith has made you well”?
1. Faith in the authority of Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13)
2. Have faith to call on the name of Jesus (Mark 10:46-52; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53:4-5; Mark 10:48; Exodus 15:26)
3. Faith to reach out to Jesus (Mark 5:24-34)
Apply
1. Faith in the authority of Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13). The story of the centurion whose servant was healed by Jesus appears both in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. This centurion recognised that Jesus had authority and power in an area that he himself did not, that is physical healing. His own power and authority, great as it was, could not make his servant well again. His great faith on its own could not change the situation either. He needed the person and authority of Jesus. He activated his faith by finding Jesus and submitting to His authority. He had no doubt that sickness itself is under the authority of Jesus to command. Amazingly, Jesus would have willingly gone to the centurion’s house out of compassion but responded according to his great faith instead. If you think of faith as a currency, it can only make a difference when you take it out of your purse or wallet! Similarly, when you activate your faith in God and allow yourself to believe in Him, the possibilities are endless. This means you act and talk like you have faith, you make decisions based on it, and you’re not ashamed of it just like this centurion. The lesson here is that God alone is the miracle worker. So, come to Him, submitting to His authority in every area, just like this centurion. If you ask Him to work out His plans in your life as He sees fit, without pre-conditions, you will see miracles. Ask yourself: is it possible that you are limiting the size of your miracle because you have not put your faith in the authority of Jesus in your life? Make that decision, give Him first place to work as He sees fit without fear.
2. Have faith to call on the name of Jesus. In the story of Jesus’s encounter with blind Bartimaeus, Jesus was leaving the city of Jerico with a large crowd following Him (Mark 10:46-52). Bartimaeus activated his faith by calling on the name of Jesus. He most likely knew who Jesus was through the scriptures that were read publicly, and by the many miraculous things Jesus was doing all around him. He called Jesus ‘Son of David’, which showed that he believed Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah, the King sent as the Saviour of the world, starting with Israel (Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53:4-5). Knowing who Jesus was and hearing about the miracles He was doing, Bartimaeus could hardly contain himself! Even in the face of discouragement Bartimaeus would not be silenced (Mark 10:48). This kind of faith caused Jesus to stop. He Jesus responded to the faith Bartimaeus had in His name, His reputation and person. Being blind, he had never seen Jesus, but that did not stop him believing Jesus. The same is true today. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. One of the names of God is ‘Jehovah Rapha’ which means ‘The Lord who heals’. There’s healing in His name (Exodus 15:26). Cry out to Jesus for mercy in your need and like Bartimaeus you will be saved, healed and delivered.
3. Faith to reach out to Jesus (Mark 5:24-34). In this final example, a woman’s faith moved her to reach out and touch the garment of Jesus so she could be healed. This example illustrates powerfully that genuine faith relies on the person of Jesus. There were many who touched Jesus in that crowd, but only one had reached out to touch Him because of her faith in Him. Having to explain her bleeding in a crowded place would have been a great embarrassment to her, but she had faith in the divinity of Jesus, and in the compassion of Jesus. For her, Jesus was not just a good man, He is ‘Emmanuel’, God with us in our pain, in our suffering. Her faith led her to believe that just taking hold of His garment would be sufficient for her healing. It is not the healing ministers that heal, it is not the longest, loudest prayer, it is Jesus and only Jesus who heals. If you reach out to Him now, He will answer you as He has promised. It is time like never before to activate our faith in the authority of Jesus, in the name Jesus, and to reach out to touch Jesus in our lives. Refuse to be held back by limitations and the discouragement of others. Go after God! If you draw near to God, He promises that He will draw near to you.
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Do you feel trapped in any area of your life? Do you know that you can be set free by God’s power? Both Christians and non-Christians need to understand that the God of the Bible is a God of miracles. He can do supernaturally what is not possibly naturally. Nothing is impossible for God.
Miracles come in many forms. There may be miracles of financial provision or miracles of children being born, without medical help, despite previous infertility. There may be miracles of reconciliation between enemies of many years. And of course, there can be miracles of healing.
Such miracles happened many times in the ministry of Jesus and are recorded in the gospels. The blind regained their sight. The lame were able to walk. The lepers were made clean. But for all the miracles recorded in the gospel, this list is not complete. For John 21:25 said that ‘Jesus did many other things as well’ ….in fact way too many to be recorded.
But Jesus not only healed people’s bodies, but he also delivered them from evil power (Acts 10:38). Deliverance from demons is one of the key features of the ministry of Jesus and later the early church. And it is a subject many either don’t want to face up to or, on the other hand, may get wrongly focussed on. So, we need to get a true Bible view of demons and deliverance. For the Bible shows us that the world is not just a logical, rational world. Our world is a battle ground between the kingdoms of light and the kingdom of darkness, between good and evil, between God and the Devil (Ephesians 6:12).
Demonic activity is real in the world which is why there is so much trouble in the world. Sometimes it is obvious when you see evils such as genocide or people who are devil worshippers. Other times the Bible says that the Devil hides himself as ‘an angel of light.’
Well Jesus came to destroy all the works of the Devil which he did through the cross and in delivering people in His ministry. He cast demons out of a man in a synagogue. He delivered Mary called Magdalene, ‘out of whom went seven devils” (Luke 8:2). He set free a wild man living in a graveyard who had many demons. And you too can see miracles of deliverance.
We read a story in Mark 9:14-29 (KJV) that shows us the miraculous power of Jesus against evil spirits that were attacking the life of a boy.
1. People are in great need (Mark 9:17-24)
2. Jesus is the miracle worker (Mark 9:25-27)
3. The disciples of Jesus needed to learn to move to a new level of supernatural ministry (Mark 9:28-29; Luke 9:1-2; Mark 6:13; Joel 2:12-13)
Apply
1. People are in great need (Mark 9:17-24). Here we see a desperate father who knew that there was something very wrong with his son. His son would suddenly be thrown to the ground and start foaming at the mouth. He would grind his teeth and go rigid. These distressing experiences had been going on since childhood. Sometimes things got so bad his life was at risk when it seemed like he was being thrown into a fire or water. He could die if he continued like this. The father reached his conclusion that the reason for all this was that his son had an evil spirit that was controlling his son and causing great worry for him. He knew that he needed a miracle to deliver his son. Today many people need deliverance: they may be oppressed by the devil, by fears, or invisible limitations, or they in more extreme cases being possessed by the devil. Either way they need to be freed from the power of the enemy. How many of you are in a desperate situation? Maybe you have been involved with the occult. Maybe you have experienced evil power, maybe you feel there are evil spirits that rise up in you to pull you down. Maybe you feel that you or your family is living under a curse. Are you in anyway are not free in your life because of drugs, or alcohol or pornography or depression? Well, this story tells us that there is hope for you.
2. Jesus is the miracle worker (Mark 9:25-27). Jesus had so much authority that even the demons submitted to Him as soon as they heard Him. Although this demon had ruined the life of this boy for so long, in one encounter with Jesus he was completely freed. At first there was a spiritual struggle and there was shouting and shaking in the boy’s body. Then it looked as if he was dead. But then Jesus took hold of him and lifted him up. He was now full of life and free from the tormenting demon. Sometimes deliverances can seem scary but when Jesus is on the scene you don’t have to worry because that person is being delivered out of bondage into freedom. And this is why Jesus the son of God came to this earth: to save us, to free us from all the power of evil. Today in the name of Jesus you too can be set free from every evil spirit that has troubled you. And when we have Jesus in us as His disciples, we also can work miracles.
3. The disciples of Jesus needed to learn to move to a new level of supernatural ministry (Mark 9:28-29). Now the disciples already had experience of delivering people from demons (Luke 9:1-2), and they had been able to cast out demons (Mark 6:13). But here they were at a stage in their development where they needed to have a greater authority. So, Jesus told them how they could be more effective when faced with bigger challenges. First, by prayer. There is no substitute for prayer. Deliverance is not a formula. Jesus was not just talking about just praying now and again but living a life of prayer that He Himself lived. It’s when you are constantly so close to God that His authority is always on you. We must learn to live a life of prayer, a life of intimacy with our Heavenly Father and a life of knowing Him more and experiencing His power. Intense demonic opposition is only overcome when you know what it is to struggle and overcome in prayer with your intercession and fellowship with God. For us to see greater conquest in spiritual warfare prayer must be at the very heart of our lives and families and in this church. As Oswald Smith, a great evangelist said simply ‘when we work, we work. When we pray, God works.’ But prayer can and should be accompanied by fasting. Some manuscripts add ‘this kind goes out by prayer and fasting’. Fasting brings us to new levels of spiritual focus and authority. We may be weak physically, but the Holy Spirit gives us new spiritual strength. Throughout the Bible and church history we see that miracles and moves of God can be traced back to people who prayed and fasted. So, let’s see fasting not as a duty or a struggle but as a blessing and a delight (Joel 2:12-13). Today can be a new day of freedom when you experience the Lord’s deliverance. Today you can see breakthrough in every area of your life when you have an encounter with God. You can go direct to the Lord. But if you need prayer, please ask for it. And if you are a Christian leader who needs to minister in the authority of the spirit, know that you have authority when you are under authority. Give yourselves to prayer and fasting and you and all of us will move to new levels of miracles of deliverance.
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Are you desperate to see changes in your life? Do you need to see urgent answers in your family or your health, finances or ministry? You may very well have a desperate need right now. There are so many battles that come up in life, so many challenges. Whether this is in family life or your finances or even in your health. But there is hope for you. There is hope for you even if you’ve actually had a lot of pain in your life.
We see in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 a well-known prayer from someone whose very life was marked by pain. This was Jabez, his mother had named him saying “I gave birth to him in pain” so all his life was associated with pain. But he came to the point where he’d had enough, and he prayed in desperation to the Lord.
Perhaps you can’t see how your life can change. But today God wants to show you that no matter your past, your future can be one of blessing, healing, protection, provision and free from pain. We can learn a lot from how Jabez prayed to the Lord despite his painful past and present circumstances.
1. He prayed for God’s blessing (1 Chronicles 4:10)
2. He prayed for increase (1 Chronicles 4:10; Ephesians 3:20)
3. He prayed for the presence and favour of God (1 Chronicles 4:10; Exodus 33:14; Joshua 1:5; Nehemiah 9:19-20; John 14:26)
4. He prayed he would be kept free from pain (1 Chronicles 4:10; Luke 8; Isaiah 53:5; Psalm 37:4)
Apply
1. He prayed for God’s blessing (1 Chronicles 4:10). He took his desperation for a different life to God. He cried out to God for his breakthrough. Jabez was desperate. When you are desperate, you know that it’s not your own abilities, strength or power that can change the situation. When you are desperate, you know that you are all out of options other than to go to someone who has the power bring change. Jabez cried out to God and believed that it was God who had the power to bless him. He believed that God could do the changes needed to bring blessing in his life and that God is the source where all blessing comes from. There is nothing wrong with asking for personal blessing! Today you can call out to God in desperation like Jabez did, assured He wants to bless you.
2. He prayed for increase (1 Chronicles 4:10). Jabez wasn’t content with the limited prosperity and small portion of blessing he had experienced in his life so far - he knew God had more to give him and he cried out for it. It’s time to stop small living and small thinking. Now is the time to start praying bigger prayers. You may be feeling stuck in a small, overcrowded house, thinking how can I possibly move into a bigger house? You may be feeling powerless by thinking about mortgage rates increasing, living costs rising and lots of other limits in your thinking. There may be a problem in having children and you want to see increase in your family. You might have only a small salary and limited responsibility at work. There is hope! It’s time to pray that God will increase the size your living accommodation. It’s time to pray that God will increase your salary. It’s time to pray that God will increase the size of your family and it’s time to pray that God will increase the size of your ministry. Do you believe God for miracles and to prosper you in every area of your life? God has BIG things in store for you (Ephesians 3:20).
3. He prayed for the presence and favour of God (1 Chronicles 4:10). Jabez was desperate for the presence of God to be with him. He knew that it was essential to do life with God if he wanted to see his personal circumstances change. The Israelites experienced guidance and favour when they sought and followed the Presence of God (Exodus 33:14; Joshua 1:5). Do you take time every morning to welcome the presence of the living God, your Heavenly Father, as it says in the Hebrew El Shaddai - God Almighty, and seek His hand to be with you? Just as the Israelites were clearly guided by God’s presence in the wilderness, so we can be guided by the hand of God in every part of our everyday lives (Nehemiah 9:19-20). God wants you to be guided by His Holy Spirit in everything you do, every day (John 14:26). There is hope! We have not been left alone to struggle in a desperate state, or to try and figure everything out on our own: God’s presence can be with us if we cry out to Him for it. As we have more of the Presence of God in our personal lives, we will see how God guides us into the right places at the right time, with the right people and with His ease and blessing. This ushers us into His favour in every other area of our lives.
4. He prayed he would be kept free from pain (1 Chronicles 4:10). Pain is such a familiar reality to many people. And many are very good at hiding it. Maybe you’ve been harmed by a toxic relationship. Maybe you have pain from repeated disappointments, or experienced pain from bad financial deals and debt. Possibly even in pain over losing a loved one. And of course, there are so many who live with very real physical pain on a daily basis. Maybe you are one of them. Well, many people in the Bible also lived with great pain as the norm in their life. In the New Testament we see the woman with the issue of blood who, as Luke 8 tells us, had lived with this painful and socially crippling condition for 12 years, spending all she had on doctors who couldn’t cure her. Yet when she cried out to Jesus, she received her miracle and was instantly healed. Despite his tough start in life, where pain and suffering had been his norm, Jabez knew that the Lord alone could keep him from harm and give him a life that was free from pain. It was God who could change Jabez’s very nature and remove pain from his identity. And God can and wants to do it for you too. Perhaps suffering physical and emotional pain has been normal in your life up to now, but through Jesus being wounded at the cross in our place, we can be healed (Isaiah 53:5). There is hope! It is only with God that we can experience freedom from harm and pain. God’s love is greater than any love you might have experienced in your life, and He promises you a different future as you depend on Him. Like Jabez, it’s time to cry out and to step out in faith that God is doing a new thing in your life, and that the old experiences of pain, harm and suffering and sorrow are in your past - not your future. God granted Jabez’s request (1 Chronicles 4:10), and He is ready to grant yours too (Psalm 37:4). Today, whatever your situation, whatever your need, however much pain you’re in, you can cry out to the Lord.
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