Good Morning Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I hear people running around talking about the fearful times we live in today. Granted, the world is becoming more and more evil today. But this should be no surprise to Believers who study God’s Word. As Believers we should certainly prepare ourselves daily whether there is evil or there is not evil. However, in the body of Christ, we have many Believers running around crying, “the sky is falling.”
Our duty as Believers is to live a testimony of consistency in the promises of God through Jesus Christ to the world. We cannot be a good representative of Jesus Christ if we’re on the mountain top today, in the valley tomorrow, back on the mountain top, back in the valley. This is not consistency. And this is not faith.
Zechariah 4;7
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
The “mountain” in Zechariah 4:7 is ANYTHING that opposes The Word of God in your life. Notice, Zerubbabel brings down the mountain to a level plain by shouting The Word of God to it: Grace, Grace. Who is Grace? Jesus Christ. What is Grace? The Word. Where is Grace? Within you. When do you have Grace? All the time. Speak The Word in faith to the ANYTHING that opposes God’s Word in your life and experience victory. God expects us, commands us, to walk on a level plain of consistent hearing and doing of His Word.
Our duty as Believers is to be hearers and doers of The Word of God in the good times and in the bad times. When I say, “good times and bad times,” I’m speaking of the world – not us as Believers. Our destiny is set by our mouth. If we are believing and decreeing God’s Word over ourselves and our family, there are no bad times. I know, I just stepped on a bunch of toes. Jesus said, “but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Why did He say this? Because He prefaced the statement by saying “in the world you shall have tribulation.” Ok, so why are we to be of good cheer if we’re going to have tribulation? Because God, through Jesus Christ, has given us victory. Not sometimes but all the time.
II Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, Which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour [sweet smell] of His knowledge by us in every place.
There it is in black and white from The Mouth of God. “Which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” Is God a liar? Titus 1:2 makes it plain, “God cannot lie.” We’ve talked about God’s immutability, His inability to change. “I am the Lord your God, I change not.” If God says we always triumph IN CHRIST, then we have the ability to always triumph. Tribulation may come, but we don’t have to participate. But Larry, you just don’t know all we’ve gone through. No, I don’t. But I do know what God’s Word has to say about tribulation. He’s overcome it. Who is “He?” The Word. So, if The Word has overcome all tribulation in the world, both present and future, it stands to reason we can also overcome it by speaking The Word in faith. The adversary has been overcome by The Word. If we use The Word in faith against the adversary, he is reminded of his eternal defeat, the loss of his power over hell and death, and his coming eternal sentence in the lake of fire. His tribulation is then powerless. The adversary only has power when we give it to him by our words.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.
Faith anchors one’s house (soul) to the Rock [Jesus Christ, the Word]. Fear sets one’s house (soul) adrift on the sands [world’s wisdom, Satan’s economy] of time [God doesn’t operate in time]. The Rock is infinite and eternal. The sand is finite and ephemeral (momentary, limited). The Rock remains; the sand is washed away. Praise God!
Luke 6:46-49
46 And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom He is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
In the earth, today, and in the future, there is pressure, and in some cases, great pressure on the world brought about by the adversary. Death, poverty, loss, ruin, fear, storms, hopelessness, sickness, famine, etc. We can see how the world is handling the pressure: panic, hysteria, fear, anxiety, anxiousness, anger, hate, self-centeredness, hoarding, etc. How are we, as Believers, handling the pressure? How we handle it is our testimony to the world of God’s greatness and of our faith. Faith produces fruit. People are searching today like never before for an answer to the madness. How is our light? How is our fruit? Can they see Jesus in our consistent, peaceful, joyful, and loving life?
Matthew 12:35-37
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
What is our mouth saying during this time? Are we speaking “idle words,” words that don’t line up with God’s Word – God’s Truth – Jesus Christ? We will say what’s in our heart. What’s in our heart is what we believe. What we believe is what we read, listen to, and meditate the most.
What is God’s spiritual law concerning the curse, concerning the evil days we are in and the devastation it’s bringing to the world?
Romans 8:1-2
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
“Condemnation” is “a sentence to death and all its effects.” God’s Word tells us that if we’ve made Jesus Christ the King and Lord of our life, we’ve passed from the sentence of death, or condemnation, to the sentence of life, or righteousness and all it’s effects (right standing before God in Christ; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13-14).
Because of Jesus Christ, we’ve received 100% mercy, and we’ve received 100% justice. Mercy in that we didn’t receive what we deserved – death. Jesus received it for us. Justice in that we received what we didn’t deserve – salvation. Jesus purchased it for us. Because God is 100% merciful and 100% just, both infinite attributes of His character, we stand in Christ today a lamb in heart, a lion in action. “Because as Christ is, so are we in this world (I John 4:17).”
If we don’t believe God’s Word, even though it is 100% done and in effect in all creation, we’re under bondage to Satan. It’s simply the case. There’s no if’s, and’s, or but’s. We’re in bondage. Why? Why would we put ourselves in bondage, again?
Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
How are we to act in this time of great pressure brought about by satan as he increasingly brings pressure against us through tribulation?
Joshua 1:8-9
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
What does God say about His Children in the time of pressure, famine, calamity, chaos?
Psalm 35:27
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.
Psalm 37:18-19
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine [economic downturn] they shall be satisfied.
Psalm 37:25
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in His [God’s] way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Job 5:20-22
20 In famine He shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts [demons] of the earth.
Next week we’ll continue this message by looking at what God commands us to do for our families, ourselves, and our engagements in life. What we’re asked to do works for us in the good and the bad times in this earth. We’ll learn that bad times create greater opportunities for us as Believers in every area of our lives.
Hearing The Word of God only comes when we meditate God’s Word and speak it from our mouths to our ears. You listen to a preacher, an evangelist, a teacher. You hear by meditating God’s Word. Listening is not the same as hearing.
In Christ,
Larry