Walk in the fear of the Lord

Act 9:31 (ESV)

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

What does it mean to walk in fear of the Lord?

In reading the Bible you can see that the fear of the Lord is shown by awe and reverence for who He is.

Pro 1:7 (ESV)

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Awe and respect for God should guide and direct our every move!

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Read Act 9:32-35

Walk in the fear of the Lord

Everything you do and say should be motivated by awe and respect for God.

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Act 9:32 (ESV) Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

Peter was carrying out his responsibility as an apostle – founder, descent one. He was checking on and encouraging those who are walking with Christ.

Peter‘s motivation was to honor and glorify the creator God – his Lord and Savior.

Walk in the fear of the Lord

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Act 9:33 (ESV) There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed.

Aeneas is not called a “disciple”. Yet Peter “found” him which implies that Peter was seeking!

Walk in the fear of the Lord

God can work His miracles on a non-believer just as easily as on anyone.

Act 3:1-10 (ESV)

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.

4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”

5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

God can work His power on anyone He chooses. What is God‘s purpose in these miracles?

His purpose is to glorify and honor His name and in His perfect wisdom He does so in many different ways.

Don’t seek after things that benefit you…

Walk in the fear of the Lord

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…

Without reverence for God, you cannot be effective and, in the end, you WILL not be in heaven!

Walk in the fear of the Lord

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Act 9:34 (ESV) And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose.

Peter does not claim any power himself, nor does he hesitate.

Clearly Peter was communicating with God’s Spirit and knew the will of God to display His power at this instant and in this instance.

Peter was walking in the fear of the Lord NOT in pursuit of his own glory or honor!

Walk in the fear of the Lord

Herod and the people of Tyre and Sidon

Act 12:22-23 (ESV)

22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

Walk in the fear of the Lord

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Act 9:35 (ESV) And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Obedience to the Lord reveals and unleashes His power to transform.

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God has chosen to use us

2Co 4:5-7 (ESV)

Walk in the fear of the Lord

Job 28:28 (ESV)

Everything you do and say should be motivated by awe and respect for God.

Building with differences

Love is the Key!

Differences should build rather than divide

Eph 4:11-13 (ESV)

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

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Read Act 9:26-31

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Act 9:26 (ESV) And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.

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Act 9:27 (ESV) But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

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Act 9:28 (ESV) So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

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Act 9:29 (ESV) And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.

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Act 9:30 (ESV) And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Ecc 3:1 (ESV)

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

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Act 9:31 (ESV) So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

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Team work

1Co 12:28-31 (ESV)

28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

1Co 13:1-7 (ESV)

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

THE Son of God

Christ Jesus

Christ = anointed, that is, the Messiah

Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”

Higher higher higher!

We lift Jesus higher!

Col 2:8-9 (ESV)

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

We are adopted - Christ IS God

This is a key distinctive

Spiritual concepts in temporal terms

Family

Direct descent vs adoption

Php 2:5-11 (ESV)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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Act 9:19-22

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Act 9:19 (ESV) and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

Act 9:20 (ESV) And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

Rom 1:3-4 (ESV)

3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Heb 1:1-5 (ESV)

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

1Jn 4:1-3 (ESV)

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

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Act 9:21 (ESV) And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

Act 9:22 (ESV) But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

1Co 1:18-19 (ESV)

1Co 1:21-25 (ESV)

21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,

23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Pe 2:15 (ESV)

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Jesus is God in the Flesh

Anatomy of obedience:

Hearing

- Active listening

Honesty

- Be frank with God – he already knows your heart, you’re not fooling anyone but yourself.

Humility

- Surrender your will, and your fears to God

Heeding

- Act on what you know

God uses imperfect people to impact imperfect people

He could do all of this on His own yet he incorporates people in the process

Do you want to make a difference in eternity?

Work on real obedience!

Read Act 9:10-19 (start at vs 8)

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Act 9:10 (ESV) Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Are you listening for, and able to recognize, God’s voice in your life!

This is a proactive thing – be looking for, listening for God’s input into your life!

Hearing

- Active listening

Gen 22:1 (ESV)

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Gen 31:11 (ESV)

11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’

Exo 3:4 (ESV)

4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

1Sa 3:4 (ESV)

4 Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!”

Isa 6:8 (ESV)

8 And I (Isaiah) heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

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Act 9:11 (ESV) And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,

Act 9:12 (ESV) and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”

Why does God use this means?

And why does He foretell both to Ananias and Saul?

God knows how he created us – we need physical interaction, physical things.

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Act 9:13 (ESV) But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

Act 9:14 (ESV) And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

Honesty

- Be frank with God – he already knows your heart, you’re not fooling anyone but yourself.

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Act 9:15 (ESV) But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

Act 9:16 (ESV) For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

There are times when God accommodates men’s doubts and weaknesses – not this time.

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Act 9:17 (ESV) So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Be humble

Humility

- Surrender your will, and your fears to God

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Act 9:18 (ESV) And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

Act 9:19 (ESV) and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

Heeding

- Act on what you know

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Active obedience bears fruit in eternity.

Anatomy of obedience:

Hearing

- Active listening

Honesty

- Be frank with God – he already knows your heart, you’re not fooling anyone but yourself.

Humility

- Surrender your will, and your fears to God

Heeding

- Act on what you know

In practice: what I’m doing with Conner’s circumstance.

Hear AND Heed!

What could you do if you hear God‘s voice but do not heat it?

… Do not obey.

Direction change

Repentance

One of the most dramatic examples of God’s transforming power at work

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Act 9:1-9

Paul was strong willed - it took significant input to change his direction

Bottom line is he did change direction.

Hear AND Heed!

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Act 9:1 (ESV) But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Saul was powerfully motivated - he felt he was doing this to honor God!

Jer 17:9 (ESV)

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Hear AND Heed!

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Act 9:2 (ESV) and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Act 9:3 (ESV) Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

Act 9:4 (ESV) And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

Rom 14:4 (ESV)

4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

1Co 10:13 (ESV)

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Hear AND Heed!

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Act 9:5 (ESV) And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

God got Saul’s attention enough that Saul started asking questions…

1Jn 4:1-3 (ESV)

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

Hear AND Heed!

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Act 9:6 (ESV) But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

Act 9:7 (ESV) The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

Act 9:8 (ESV) Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

Hear AND Heed!

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Act 9:9 (ESV) And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

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Count the cost but heed the call!!

Mat 16:24-27 (ESV)

Hear AND Heed!

Php 3:1-15 (ESV)

Paul counted the cost! He willingly gave up all that he had gained in the world’s eyes in order to attain what was really valuable – those things in eternity!

Hear AND Heed!

In Pursuit of Knowing Him

CAMP in the Word

The Bible was given to us to change our lives not just to increase our knowledge…

Getting to know God thru studying His Word

How is God revealing himself to me through his word today?

Joh 17:3 (ESV)

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Capture a key thought or thoughts

Analyze it

Meditate on it

Pass it on

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Read Act 8:26-40

Capture a key thought or thoughts

Analyze it

Meditate on it

Pass it on

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Act 8:26 (ESV) Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.

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Act 8:27 (ESV) And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship

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Act 8:28 (ESV) and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

Act 8:29 (ESV) And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

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Act 8:30 (ESV) So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

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Act 8:31 (ESV) And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Act 8:32 (ESV) Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.

Act 8:33 (ESV) In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”

Act 8:34 (ESV) And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

Act 8:35 (ESV) Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

2Ti 4:2 (ESV)

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

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Act 8:36 (ESV) And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

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Act 8:38 (ESV) And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Act 8:39 (ESV) And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Act 8:40 (ESV) But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

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Capture Key Thought(s):

- God gave specific yet open-ended direction to Philip

- Philip obeyed

- Philip acted on what he knew with what he had

- God used Philip’s obedience to open the door for the eunuch

Analyze the Key

What eternal principles does this show me?

- Obedience isn’t knowing everything then acting

- God is looking for faith in action

- God can use our finite capabilities to accomplish His infinite and perfect plans

Meditate on the Key

What am I going to do about this?

Jas 1:22 (ESV)

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Act boldly in obedience

Walk confidently in faith

Ask “What would God have me do here and now?” Then do it!!

Pass it on

Heb 10:24-25 (ESV)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Share what you learn - in an encouraging way - with those God brings into your life

Receive His Power!

Receiving versus filled

God grants each one of us His spirit, fully indwelling in us at the point where He determines our hearts are fully His.

Eph 1:13-14 (ESV)

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Receive His Power!

From there filling is an ongoing process - maintenance is required because we live in a sin-filled world the world and where is this down and distracts us from the eternal truth of God.

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Read Act 8:14-25

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:14 (ESV) Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

Now the adventure begins…

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:15 (ESV) who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

They knees the process was not completed.

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:16 (ESV) for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

This is the start but God has more

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:17 (ESV) Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

God set this up at the outset to confirm his actions… From there we see that it’s without man intermediary.

Ethiopian eunuch

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Act 8:18 (ESV) Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

Men believe that there is power but are unwilling to submit to the source - they try to control it…

Joh 2:23-24 (ESV)

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.

24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people

Do what is necessary to

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:19 (ESV) saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Human nature desires power. Supernatural power is very tempting.

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:20 (ESV) But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

God grants His Spirit as a gift. Delivery mechanism varies.

Pray to Receive His Power!

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Act 8:21 (ESV) You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

God’s Spirit comes not by the will of man but by God’s will and discretion

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:22 (ESV) Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

God examines the heart

Our only hope is true repentance…

Receive His Power!

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Act 8:23 (ESV) For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Get your heart right Receive His Power!

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Act 8:24 (ESV) And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

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Act 8:25 (ESV) Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

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God has granted us the blessing of living with a direct connection to Him through his spirit indwelling in us!

Zec 4:6 (ESV)

Isa 30:21 (ESV)

Receive His Power!

1Co 12:11-13 (ESV)

His spirit is where we get the power to accomplish things have eternal consequence…

Receive His Power!

2Ti 1:7 (ESV)

Eph 6:12 (ESV)

Receive His Power!

Be Amazed By God!

Spiritual Inertia

Be amazed by God!

What amazes you?

1) to throw out of position, displace

1a) to amaze, to astonish, throw into wonderment

1b) to be amazed, astounded

1c) to be out of one’s mind, besides one’s self, insane

Part of Speech: verb

What breaks you out of your normal mode of thinking?

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Read Act 8:9-13

Inertia - A body at rest will stay at rest until acted upon by an outside force.

Physical and spiritual inertia

Friction and our external environment will suck energy out of us…

Spiritual inertia - sitting in one position, avoiding getting “rocked” or impacted by anything.

In order to make significant change I need to be seeking external input, external energy that will move me in the right direction.

Change requires and implies displacement, a change of position or perspective.

The enemy of transformed thinking is complacency…

Be amazed by God!

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Act 8:9 (ESV) But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.

Inputs in our lives can be good or bad. Those things that move us need to be monitored closely – make sure they are moving us in the right direction!

Be amazed by God!

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Act 8:10 (ESV) They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.”

The world will need us AWAY from God. It will either slowest down or change your direction. Don’t let it!

Be amazed by God!

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Act 8:11 (ESV) And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

Magic is a façade! It looks good but it has no substance. It’s just an illusion.

This is similar to the promises of the world end they look good but have no substance, they will never truly satisfy you just leave you hungering for more.

Work to be amazed by God!

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Act 8:12 (ESV) But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Bapti

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Act 8:13 (ESV) Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

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What can we do to be amazed by God?

Rom 10:17 (ESV)

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Heb 10:24-25 (ESV)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

God has put eternity in the hearts of men - don’t allow that desire for external input to be misapplied!

Seek His input, not the world’s!

What amazes you about God?

Joh 17:3 (ESV)

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

God has called us to continually pursue understanding and knowing him because that is how we change – we are amazed when we get to know him better.

Rom 12:2 (ESV)

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Don’t allow yourself to be complacent, to be “comfortable“

Constantly ask what you can learn about God.

Praising God it’s an act that exercises our amazement. As we look at the good that he does we begin to see that it is not normal. It displaces are thinking, shifts are minds, and energizes us to appreciate him more.

Be amazed by God!

Joy of our salvation

Our joy is proportional to our comprehension of what God has done

The Word

What is the Word?

What is the Gospel?

What is the Good News?

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Act 8:4 (ESV) Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

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Act 8:5 (ESV) Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

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Act 8:6 (ESV) And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.

Act 8:7 (ESV) For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

Act 8:8 (ESV) So there was much joy in that city.

What was the source of joy?

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The more we comprehend the truth of the Kingdom of God, the more we value it.

Our joy is proportional to our comprehension of what God has done

Mat 13:44-46 (ESV)

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

46 who, on finding one pearl out f great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Our joy is proportional to our comprehension of what God has done

Eph 2:1-10 (ESV)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Understanding the truth of the Gospel brings joy

Our joy is proportional to our comprehension of what God has done

Real Victory!

Total submission to God’s Spirit!

Death and imprisonment…

Where is the victory? It is in overcoming our flesh and it’s control of us. Sin destroys man which is why God is destroying sin.

Victory is in freedom from the control of the flesh and total submission to the control of the Spirit. This is what we were created for and this is where we will find true fulfillment.

Without a comprehension of God, this life quickly turns into an empty, meaningless exercise in self-fulfillment and empty desire appeasement.

Our victory is in breaking free from this temporal lie and captivity to self and soaring on into eternity with God!

Act 5:41 (ESV)

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

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Read Act 8:1-3

Victory is in freedom from the control of the flesh and total submission to the control of the Spirit.

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Act 8:1 (ESV) And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

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Act 8:2 (ESV) Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

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Act 8:3 (ESV) But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

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Eternal perspective!

Victory is in freedom from the control of the flesh and total submission to the control of the Spirit. This is what we were created for and this is where we will find true fulfillment.

From God‘s perspective, imprisonment is not a bad thing.

God is in TOTAL control! These circumstances are all part of his plan.

If you can comprehend and live with this truth in mind, life is an awesome adventure! If you cannot comprehend this truth then life is a terrible tragedy.

So it becomes a truism that the joy in your life is directly proportional to your faith in God!

Proportional…

Remember that God is meting out every circumstance with purpose.

1Co 10:13 (ESV)

This doesn’t mean that we will “escape“ every temptation… Look at Peter denial of Jesus.

Luk 22:31-32 (ESV)

Victory is in freedom from the control of the flesh and total submission to the control of the Spirit.

Rom 8:28 (ESV)

What are “all things“?

Things that make us uncomfortable, things that challenge us, things that force us to rely on God more…

Victory is in freedom from the control of the flesh and total submission to the control of the Spirit.

Php 4:6-8 (ESV)

“These things…” are the things that are from God, not from the world.

Rom 5:3-5 (ESV)

Victory is in freedom from the control of the flesh and total submission to the control of the Spirit.

Strive for THIS victory in your life today!