GOD IS IN YOU

I’ve had the opportunity over the past few weeks to watch part of a series on Netflix called “The Bible”. The series is very exciting as it highlights the Old Testament heroes of the Faith. Last night I also had the opportunity to watch another Christian movie, which will remain un-named. The movie was horrible, not in terms of acting or producing, but in terms of content. What struck me was the stark contrast between the lifestyles of those Old Testament heroes and our modern day ideas of the Christian walk.

Let me summarize the movie plot. Our leading lady is a young woman about to attend a secular college for the first time. She is immediately confronted by a professor of Biology who believes in Evolution over Creationism. Her father recognizes that she is bending under pressure and departing from her beliefs.  To rescue her, he goes to the college, confronts the professor, and is ultimately challenged to a debate -- a debate which he quickly loses. Saved by a former professor who believes in creationism, the movie ends with a somewhat weak call to the lost, and all ends in “good”. Albeit one thing, the debate of Evolution verses Creationism was never won or lost. Both sides conceded that anything that could not be observed could only be received by faith and no one is offended.

Now let me summarize the first portion of Episode 6 of The Bible. The Babylonian (Baghdad, Iraq) King, Nebuchadnezzar, conquerors Israel and sacks Jerusalem, because Israel refused to walk in obedience to the Word, Israeli King Zedekiah and his family are captured. King Nebuchadnezzar slaughters the King Zedekiah’s sons in front of his eyes. That was the last thing he would see before they removed his eyes. This same King Nebuchadnezzar also took captive Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He forced them into slavery and slaughtered every Israelite that refused to bow the knee. And yet, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow their knee. Willing to die in the furnace rather than bend to pressure, they walked into the fire knowing God would meet them there. In the end was a clear victor. When men and women choose to walk according to their beliefs, faith in action, leads to a manifestation of God’s power and glory.

This is a stark comparison of modern beliefs to them of the Old Testament. I am often left disappointed by the way modern Christians view their position in the kingdom, place in the world, and how they respond under pressure compared to those God has given as examples to us.

Hebrews 11:33-34 says,

“Who through faith subdued kingdoms,

wrought righteousness,

obtained promises,

stopped the mouth of lions,

Quenched the violence of fire,

escaped the edge of the sword,

out of weakness were made strong,

waxed valiant in fight,

turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

For so long, the church, as a whole, has taught a gospel of compromise and complacency.   We've conceded our spiritual position to worldly reason, and we've been beaten by the Prince of the World. Assuming we could outsmart him, we’ve let them drag us down and accepted our defeat. When we should have been walking by faith, we've walked by feelings and human reason. We have failed to demonstrate (rather them expound upon) our faith in the Spirit of power which God intended. We have forgotten the central message of the Gospel, which is, Christ living in you.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2

:1-7 (emphasis mine)

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory…”

Read it again, Believer! Our message should not be with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your belief should not stand in man’s wisdom, but in the Power of God.

I saw a meme some time ago which read, “Never argue with an idiot. He will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience!” How true it is. Satan is an idiot. Having heaven as his home, and eternity in the presence of God, favored of the Most High, he chose to ascend to the throne of God, and willingly gave up his place. The arrogance and the stupidity of that decision is baffling!  (If you just read that and got worried because I called out the devil, thinking I should be afraid of him, my message today is directed at you!) What’s more, so-called scholars who choose to believe (by worldly faith) that life does not come from life, that biology comes from chemistry rather than biology, and demand that the world receives these lies, are also baffling! Why would we, the Chosen of God, the Elect, the adopted sons and daughters of the Most High, stoop to the level of these and debate using their worldly wisdom?

Matthew 11:2-6

“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them,

Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

The blind receive their sight,

and the lame walk,

the lepers are cleansed,

and the deaf hear,

the dead are raised up,

and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

When John the Baptist asked for an answer, Jesus didn’t answer with a “yes” or a “no”, he answered with a demonstration of power. Paraphrasing, Jesus said, “John wants an answer? Tell him about the miracles and see if that answers his question.” 

And here is our answer to science. We are not subject to your theories and ideas. We are all subject to the Word of God. We are not subject to the laws of mathematics. Five loaves and two fish will, indeed, feed five thousand. We are not subject to death, the grave, nor biology. The dead will raise. Seas will split, blind will see, the skies will fall, donkeys will speak, and the rocks will cry out. We are not going to tell you about it, we are going to demonstrate it to you!

Jesus said, in John 10:37-38

“If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”

And

Luke 5:22-24

“But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them,

What reason ye in your hearts?

Whether is easier, to say,

Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,

(he said unto the sick of the palsy,)

I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch,

and go into thine house.”

Which is easier? To tell men that their sins are forgive or to heal the sick? This still rings true today. The world is not listening to our message because they have not seen it in demonstration.

When Jesus spoke to his disciples about the great commission, he gave them power, and commanded them to walk in the miraculous. Contrary to modern popular opinions, Jesus did not tell them to merely go and be a “witness” of their faith. He told them go out and woe the world with the power of God.

Matthew 10:1, 7-8

“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples,

he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out,

and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. . .

. . . And as ye go, preach, saying,

The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick,

cleanse the lepers,

raise the dead,

cast out devils:

freely ye have received, freely give.”

The Old Testament saints walked by faith. They believed and confessed, “God is with us!”  Now we, living in a better dispensation, live by the belief that “God is in us!” How much better! How much more powerful. The times we live in are perilous times. The world is changing.  Mankind is turning to lies and falling victim to the spirit of the world. We should be excited to send our children into the secular world to make a difference, to change the world, to demonstrate the Gospel.

When I first began in the ministry back in the 1990’s, several ministers told me that this message was too bold, demonstrative, and unyielding to be affective in ministry. Little did they realize what the state of the world would be in 2019: Muslims in political offices denouncing the principals our nation was built upon, a movement of socialism, sedition, rebellion, monuments to Satan erected in state capitols, abortion on demand, prayer made illegal in school, evolution in our schools, the threat of Jihad within our own nation committed by our own people, mass shootings, and the list goes on. Now, more than ever, we need unconventional ministers, stepping outside the church walls, willing to face fire and the lion’s den. Men and women of faith should be excited about the possibilities rather than afraid of the world. Please join with me and this ministry as we demonstrate the mystery of the Gospel, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

#notofthisworld #christinyou #ChristLife