* Which Side are You on?

 

He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. 

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.   
1 John 3:8

 

Rather you believe it or not, we are in a major spiritual battle.  Just like you have a choice of heaven and hell, we also have a choice of who’s side of this spiritual battle we will be on.  The bible makes it plain.

He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.   
1 John 3:8

It’s interesting, though we know that the devil is a defeated foe, he didn’t just toss in the towel, throw his hands up in surrender nor slink away with his tail between his legs.  No, no, no, he is fighting as if he doesn’t know the battle is already won. 

 So, what do we do?  We continue to contend in the spirit with the spiritual tools and strategies that God has given us.

The basic battle for spiritual warfare is a strategy resting upon understanding the purposes of our warfare and based upon communication with our Commander-in-Chief by prayer, fasting, and the written Word of God.

When we don’t understand God's purpose and plan, we may be tempted to become discouraged in the conflicts of life, tempted by the influences of life; the lust of flesh and the pride of life. This is why many believers fail in spiritual warfare: They do not understand the divine purpose behind the battle nor has their mind and heart been set to win.  Not only that, we don't know or believe that God is sovereign and in control of the battle.  But the bible says:

 

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.  Acts 5:39

 

This scripture is referring to those (the high priest and hierarchy) who wanted to halt the spreading of the gospel. . . .  Note in that account that Peter and the other apostles made a decisive choice when they stated that “they ought to obey God rather than man.”

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.  Acts 5:29

God is our commander-in-chief and as long as we are following Him; His strategic plan, we have no reason to be dismayed, discouraged or to quit because we are on His side.

From the beginning of time, every natural battle that has been fought always had a purpose for which it was waged. Before we examine God's battle plan, it is important to understand the purpose of spiritual warfare. This involves understanding the purposes of God the Father as well as God’s purpose in the son.

It is God's purpose - this long-range, long-reaching plan - . . .

 

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times [the end of history, the climax of the ages] he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  Ephesians 1:10

From the beginning of time, Satan has battled against the fulfillment of this purpose. Your own warfare in the spirit world is related to this purpose of God. Satan battles to bring your heart, mind, and spirit into allegiance to him instead of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

God works in us to accomplish His purpose:

 

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

God also works through our life to accomplish His purposes:

 

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  Romans 6:13

 

That tells me that a friend of God is an enemy of Satan.  Don’t let Satan play you by making you think that you can straddle the fence by doing a little bit of God and a little bit for him.

 

When you yield yourself to become "instruments of righteousness unto God," it means you bring your life and ministry in harmony with His purpose and plans. By doing this, you become a target for God's enemy, Satan.

Jesus said:

 

He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.   1 John 3:8

The reason Jesus came into the world was to destroy the works of Satan and to set us free from the bondage of sin. This immediately set Him in opposition to the enemy:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.              John 10:10

Jesus wasn’t trying to be friends with Satan, He wasn’t trying to play nice with him and we shouldn’t either.  Jesus came to fight for us!  From the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus set about destroying the works of Satan:

¨         He revealed the bondage of sin      (John 8:34).

¨         He forgave sins                                 (Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12,17; Luke 4:17-32).

¨         He stressed the heart condition rather than the deception of outward appearance

(Matthew 15:16-20; Mark 7:20-23; Luke 6:45; 11:39).

¨         He healed the sick                            (Matthew 11:5).

¨         He raised people from the dead     (Mark 5:35-43; Luke 8:49- 56; John 11).

¨         He released people from demonic powers           (Matthew 8:16).

In summary, He destroyed the works of Satan in the hearts, minds, and bodies of men and women:

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.  Matthew 11:5

Jesus not only destroyed the works of Satan; He also exposed the devious strategies of the enemy:
 
¨         He taught on the deception of Satan which would increase during the last days on earth (Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 17:22-37; 21:8-36; Matthew 24-25)
 
¨         He instructed us to not fear Satan because He’s not the one who is able to destroy the soul (Matthew 10:28)
 
¨         He spoke of the necessity of binding the strong man (Satan) before spoiling his goods (Matthew 12:26-30; Mark 3:23-27; Luke 11:17-24)
 
¨         He revealed how Satan tries to prevent the Word of God from being effective in the hearts of men and women (Matthew 13:38; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12)
 
¨         He exposed those who were not right with God as being of their "father, the devil"
(John 8:44-47)
 
¨        He revealed Satan as the "prince of the world" (John 14:30)

 Jesus did all these things and much more which caused a great division.  

Although Jesus came to bring the peace of God (John 14:27; Philippians 4:7), and peace with God (Romans 5:1), His coming also brought division:

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.       Matthew 10:34-36

Jesus divided all men into two battle camps. It is not possible to be neutral.  You can’t simultaneously be friends with God and friends with Satan; it won’t work!  Jesus said:

 

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

He that is not with me is against me . . .  Luke 11:23

Jesus also spoke of this great division in an account about two paths, one which was straight and narrow and one which was broad. He warned of the deception of Satan's broad path which many took.  He said,

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Matthew 7:13-14

Through the account of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), Jesus removed the veil between life and death. He let men see the end result of choosing the wrong way.

Because He destroyed and exposed the works of Satan, Jesus was under assault throughout His earthly life. The enemy constantly tried to destroy Him or prevent Him from fulfilling the mission for which He had come. The moment He was born, an attempt was made on His life. During His public ministry there were several plots on His life. He met the opposition of demonic powers, religious leaders, His own followers; yes attacks come from within, and Satan.

But, we have no reason to fear, Jesus lets us know that He conquered Satan:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

Sermonette

(03/10/22)

* Spiritual Maintenance

 

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling 

of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

 

As we are on this journey with Christ, we know that life will bring us many obstacles. As we go through these obstacles, we must stop and check ourselves to make sure none of these things has distracted us from our goal.   No different than the need to maintenance your car; rather it’s running good at the moment or not!

The Word of God gives us the best guidance on how to maintenance ourselves.  One of the first steps in this maintenance process is

The determined mindset –

What is a ‘mindset’? 

an established set of attitudes held by someone.

The question is how determined are we to hold onto and accomplish our desired outcome if we can’t follow any belief that we say we have to the end?  All we have is an idea or a desire; not a determined mindset.  In other words, if we abandon our thought process at the first sign of difficulty; that really was an idea; if we abandon it after some serious effort, it was a desire.  Example:  failure to see a diet through to accomplish the desired outcome of weight loss.  

Most believers have the world as their master. It tells them what to do, where to go, and how to do it. Do you know that we have or can have many, many mindsets about many, many things?  Such as:

v   I’m determined to be a millionaire by age 40
v   I’m  determined to be married with 2.5 kids by 35
v   I’m determined to write my first book
v   I’m determined to be CEO

Not saying that any of those aspirations are wrong, however, I want to talk to you about a necessary mindset that we should all have if we want to obtain that ultimate prize that Apostle Paul speaks of:

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:14

If we want to obtain the prize we have to have a determined mindset such as Apostle Paul that says:

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Philippians 4:13  

The mindset that we need to win this race, to obtain the prize is a heavenly mindset; all eyes on Jesus!  But, we as believers have to understand that we are no longer part of this world, and we must actively “seek” to think the way God has called us to think. We must seek things above.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Colossians 3:1

It takes discipline to get, maintain and keep a heavenly, God-centered, Jesus first attitudinal mindset

How do we practice and develop this discipline of thinking on things above when the world and enemy influences are constantly beseeching us?  How can we actively discipline our self to seek those things above?  I have some tips for you: 

®       Actively Seek Heavenly Things by Obtaining an intimate knowledge of                   God’s word on your Heart

It is through The word that we renew our minds and start to think on things that are noble, good, and righteous—we start to think more like God. How do we impress the word upon our hearts? Listen to what Moses said to Israel:

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates  Deuteronomy 6:6–9

God gives them several ways to put God’s Word on their hearts.

     v   They were to teach the Word of God to their children.

If you are going to think on heavenly things, you must be a teacher. You must teach it to your friends; teach it in small groups; teach it to strangers. When you have to teach something, you can’t help but think upon it all the time.

     v   They were to talk about the Word of God everywhere: at home, when walking, when lying down, when getting up.

This didn’t mean that they were to only have theological conversations. This meant that they needed to view everything from the mindset of God and what God thought about things.

We should automatically think about what the word says when we see movies, watch the news, or are asked a simple question. And yes, you will be considered narrow-mined when you do this, but this is the type of mind that pleases God—a mind that is set on God’s Word.

       v   They were to develop reminders to help them memorize it; they were to tie it on their hands, foreheads, door frames, and gates.

Certainly, this may be done very literally as Israel did, with memory flash cards, pictures, and paintings, but, even more so, you should set up places and times in your daily life where you will always encounter the Word of God. This includes things like daily meditation, small groups meetings.

By tying it on their hands, head, and doors, they constantly saw the Word of God. This is important because if we don’t do this, we may sometimes go a week and realize, “I haven’t read the Word of God.”

It sounds like a lot of work, but in order to “set”; to have a mind that is immovable from the things of God, it takes discipline. Many believers know nothing of a mind that has “set the Lord before them at all times and they will not be shaken”

I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.  Psalms 16:8

Many Believers are shaken by every little event. A mind that is “set” happens only by rigorous acts of discipline, and we must seek to develop this through study of the Word of God.

How else do we discipline our mind?

®      Actively Seek Heavenly Things by Rejecting Everything That Is Not From               God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  Colossians 3:2

Apostle Paul said we should not only seek things above but also turn away from earthly things. In order to think heavenly thoughts, we must get rid of or keep away from things that would draw us away from God.

For example, we are called to get rid of anxieties. The word says,

“Be anxious for nothing”   Philippians 4:6

While our mind and emotions are overcome with anxiety-ridden thoughts, there is no way that God can be the center of our thoughts.   That’s just one thing, we are also called to get rid of lust, anger, envy, jealousy, and anything else that is not of God:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; Colossians 3:5–9

A determined mindset will say, this may mean

ü    not watching certain TV shows, (anything that shifts my attention from God)
ü    reading certain magazines or books,
ü    listening to certain music,
ü    or hanging around certain people, especially when we find they contribute to drawing us away from God and godly thoughts.

We must always zealously protect our minds. Apostle Apostle Paul said,

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ   2 Corinthians 10:4–5

We must take captive every thought and bring it into submission to God. Make no mistake here, beloved, our thoughts are not neutral, innocent, or harmless. Our minds are either lorded by God or someone or something else. Is God lord of your thoughts?

®     The Believer Actively Seeks Heavenly Things by Developing A Consistent                Prayer Life.

Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  1 Thessalonians 5:16–17

It is through the discipline of prayer that we develop a heavenly mindset. We must learn how to pray at all times, bringing every thought before our Father.

®     The Believer Actively Seeks Heavenly Things by Fostering Healthy                            Fellowship.

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.  Proverbs 13:20

Our thinking is often affected by our friends. The fool, in the word of God, is a person who says there is no God or does not live for God

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. . .  Psalms 14:1

Therefore, the wise are people who fear and honor God

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10

We must develop friendships with wise, godly believers who help us seek spiritual things.

 

- stay tuned

Sermonette

03/08/22

* The Choice is Yours

 

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: 

for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18

There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

When we think of eternity, there is only one of two places in eternity that we can go: Heaven or Hell.  Each one of us will be placed in one of these two places to be there forever and ever.  Jesus, in speaking of eternity says, 

And these  [those who did not follow the way of Jesus] will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.  Matthew 25:46

Notice that the duration of the lost in Hell is exactly the same as the duration of the saved in Heaven, "forever and ever".  It is hard for us as mortals to grasp how long eternity will be, but, imagine if you can, after we have been there a billion years, eternity will have just begun.

I find it amazing that 65% of people with no religious affiliation, (according to a U. S. News & World Report), as of 2013, do not believe in Hell.  But Hell is a real place.  To say there is no Hell is to make God a liar.  

Let God be true and every man a liar.   Romans 3:4 

Satan does not want us to believe in Hell

Satan is accomplishing his purpose as we see there is very seldom any teaching on Heaven or Hell today.  It is not a “church growing” message.  A person who does not believe Hell is real will find their home there.  Ignoring or scoffing at Hell will not do away with it. 

Another reason we don’t want to believe in hell is because we do not like to think about eternal punishment.  But evidently it must be very important or God would not have told us about it.  First consider what God says about eternal punishment of Hell and then consider a more pleasant thought, Heaven.  Jesus spoke as much about the eternal punishment of Hell as He did any other subject in the bible.  Jesus took our punishment and gave His life to keep us out of Hell.  In His attempt to persuade us not to go there, He has given us numerous warnings in His word.

In describing how horrible Hell will be for the many who will end up going there, Jesus says,

And will cast them into the furnace of fire.  There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 13:42

This definitely will be a horrible and terrible place beyond description. Jesus says concerning those who are lost, that they will be:

cast into Hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.  Mark 9:43-48

The occupants of Hell will never know relief or rest from their torment.  Hell is such a horrible place that we cannot begin to contemplate the horror of it.  Hell is not a fictitious place, it is real.  

But we make the choice.  The choice is ours.

We will bear the responsibility and the consequences on that day of judgment.

Those who end up in hell will not be there alone.  They will have company.  

The devil, who deceived them, was  cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false  prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and  ever.   Revelation 20:10

Not very good company to be in.  Notice that the torment goes on "day and night forever and ever". 

Hell must be avoided at all costs.

No one can begin to exaggerate how horrible Hell is going to be.  Its misery and anguish is beyond description.  It will never, never, never, ever end.  

We are warned, 

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Hebrews 10:31

and 

Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord we persuade men.   2 Corinthians 5:11  

This is where the call of the remnant comes in.  We should not, cannot, will not, shall not be silenced!    We will let the world know of a place that Jesus has prepared for a prepared people. 

We must make sure that we ourselves don’t end up in Hell, and we must warn other people who will listen.   We

. . . must be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure  2 Peter 1:10  

 Jesus has promised, 

Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.  Revelation 2:10  

Anyone who ends up in Hell will only have himself to blame.

Now let’s turn our attention to something far more pleasant:

A prepared place for a prepared people - Heaven.  

Jesus says: 

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  John 14:2-3 

Heaven will be a very wonderful place.  For the few, the remnant, who go there, it will be beyond our wildest dreams and we will be totally surprised and amazed. 

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.  1 Corinthians 2:9

There is no way that the magnificence of Heaven can be adequately described to us mortal beings.  The only way will be to see it for yourself.

Talking about a contrast:

Heaven will be the very opposite of eternal punishment.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.   Revelation 21:4 

Unlike hell, there will be no weeping, and no wailing, and no gnashing of teeth as will be happening in eternal torment.  But there will forever and ever be nothing but joy, and peace, and happiness, beyond description.  What a wonderful place Heaven will be.  But again, the choice is ours.  We cannot escape the consequences if we make the wrong choice.  We will not accidentally end up in Heaven.  Remember, Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. 

But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.  Matthew 6:33

Going to Heaven has got to be our number one goal; our first priority in this life.  We must want to go to Heaven more than anything else.  It’s all about heaven and what it takes to get there.  God requires our all and if you can’t answer this question,

"Are you really sure of your eternal salvation?"

you still have some qualifying work to do.

Any person who is interested in thier soul’s salvation cannot afford to follow any of the many false doctrines that are being taught, but will have a genuine interest to know the truth which is found only in God’s word, the Bible.  Jesus has already made provision for the forgiveness of our sins by His suffering death on the cross, His burial and resurrection.  On Judgment Day we will not have to be lost in the eternal punishment of torment along with Satan. 

Are you sure of your eternal salvation?  This is a very important question, and one that will have lasting consequences.  If you were to die today, do you know for certain that you would go to heaven?  This is a question about which we cannot afford to be wrong, because eternity is permanent.  One day each of us will know the true answer to this question:

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ  Romans 14:10. 

Every one of us have two appointments that have already been made for us and that we will definitely keep, whether we want to or not. 

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment Hebrews 9:27

These two appointments, death and the judgment, can’t be cancelled. 

The tragedy of what happened in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001 for example and more currently the coronavirus pandemic that swept and continues to sweep across the world, along with all the other negative global events happening now such as what is going on with Russia and Ukraine, shows the uncertainty and brevity of life.  God tells us we don’t know what will happen tomorrow.  Our life is as a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.  James 4:14

We must not make the error concerning our salvation by following what "seems right" to us, or what we "feel in our heart that we are saved".  Particularly when the Bible says:  

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.   Proverbs 14:12 

Our feelings are not a safe guide, only the Bible

What prior assumptions have we already made about our salvation?  Many of the assumptions, that people make, contradict what God says in his word to us.  All we have to do is to look around at all of the many differing doctrines that are being taught, and then compare them to what God says in the Bible, and we can see a great difference. 

Jesus said: 

And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.  Mark 7:7 

Our worship is in vain if it comes from the doctrines of men and not from God.  Can we say that all these many differing doctrines have come from God?  I think not. 

God is not the author of confusion.  1 Corinthians 14:33

Or are these varying doctrines from men?  Where else could they have come from, if they did not come from God?  This becomes a very serious question.  Our worship becomes vain and useless, if our doctrines come from men when they meet in their conventions and conferences to decide what we are to believe and do.  Apostle Peter made it very plain when he said:  

We ought to obey God rather than men.  Acts 5:29

So, on the Day of Judgment we are going to be judged only by what Jesus says in the Bible.  That is going to be the only standard for judgment.  

The word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  John 12:48

Know that if I or any other person cannot point to it in the Word of God, then please do not believe it, because there is too much at stake – our soul!  Our soul is worth more than the whole world and everything in it.  Jesus says: 

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  Matthew 16:26   

                                 

Our soul is the part of us that is going to continue to live

on forever throughout all eternity.

We cannot afford to lose our soul and be eternally punished.

Christ, who is all knowing, tells us that many people are going to be lost, and only a few are going to be saved.  Ask yourself are you a part of the few; the remnant.  God says, 

Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.   Matthew 7:13-14 

According to the Bible, the majority of people will be lost.  Sadly, the majority of people still walk the wide path of sin into eternal damnation.  We must take this warning from God at face value.  The Lord says only a few people will be saved.  How few can a few be?   Think about it:

When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls were saved by water.      1 Peter 3:20

We, as believers and followers of Christ Jesus, have an obligation, a responsibility to point as many as possible in the right direction while there is still an opportunity to get right.    

Based on historical accounts, the conservative estimate of the number of people on the face of the earth in the days of Noah were two hundred million people.  But only 8 out of the estimated two hundred million were saved.  That’s a whole other lesson when you read or rather don’t read where Noah was to encourage or even ask the world; wicked beyond reproach, to come into the ark.   Even though the Bible says that God is 

. . . not willing that any should perish, . . .  2 Peter 3:9

Jesus says concerning eternal life in Heaven that 

there are few who find it.  Matthew 7:13-14

That’s not a contradiction.  God’s desire is that none of mankind perish yet knowing at the same time that many will.  The vast majority of people will spend forever and ever in the eternal fires of Hell that will never be extinguished.  Why?  The vast majority of people are not really interested in going to Heaven.       

There are only two roads to eternity and we are on either one or the other.  According to what the Lord says, only few will make it to Heaven, but the vast majority will be lost in eternal punishment.  This is both frightening and sad.  But it does not stop or deter our efforts to win souls to Christ.

_________________________________

This is a sermon given during the 2020 revival - The Remnant will not be Silenced.  If you would like to hear this sermon, please copy and paste the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOB9N-1llkk&t=794s

Sermonette

03/08/22