Victory Life KY by Pastor Gary Toney

January 11, 2021 Willing and Faithful III

Revelation 22:12,NKJV- “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

Matthew 16, Jesus says He going to return in the glory of the Father and He will reward each one according to His works.

1 Corinthians 3, paraphrase, The work of each one will be shown for what it is, for the day of Christ will reveal it, and if his efforts survive, he will get his reward.

Here’s the wake up call, our willingness and faithfulness here and now, not only effect our reward from Jesus, but it has significant influence in our life in the next dispensation.

This means as a new creation in Christ, we’ve got to be open to a completely new way of living that is not limited to just the here and now.

Philippians 3, Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine. For I have told you often before, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
And they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.

So while we’re here let’s remember Jesus’ instructions occupy. And even though we’re talking about being rewarded for our work we do for the kingdom, and make no mistake our Father wants to reward us, He wants to distinguish you! (Gideon) Our motives should never be the reward.

Think about this, which way of life is more of a reality to you right now? Natural or spiritual? Here’s the deal, living a spiritual life only happens one way.

Colossians 2:6,AMP- “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him.”

And a person only receives Christ one way, by faith. And living a life of faith doesn’t automatically happen anymore than our natural living happens.

Hebrews 10:35-38, 11:1,NKJV- Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Living spiritual, living a life of faith is very intentional. Remember Paul’s words, “The same way you received Christ, walk in Him.” And that way is faith.

Faith- Strong’s concordance, persuasion, confident, belief, trust, reliance.

Hebrews 11:1,NLT- Faith is the reality of what we can’t see.

MSG, The fundamental fact of our existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.

And I get it, just listening to a statement like this sounds crazy, right... Faith is the reality, our handle on what we can’t see.

Basically, according to Dr. Strong, living by faith is living by this divinely inspired belief, this trust, it’s a confident reliance on everything God says.

Keep in mind, we’re designed to live by faith, and it won’t happen on accident.

You see, vision drift is real thing, and I honestly believe this is the primary reason Jesus asked, when I return, will I really find faith on the earth?

Hebrews 2:1,MSG- It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off.

Listen to Isaiah instructions, “Keep your mind stayed in Him.” To the degree that what God says becomes more of a reality than anything in this natural world.

Romans 8:6,NLT- So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.

Seriously, we’re going to be thinking about something; why not think on the things God says about us? Remember, “I’m coming quickly”

A real life of faith isn’t trying to get God to do something, but actually discovering and enforcing a reality God has already created.

This is why Ephesians teaches us to pray, Lord, open the eyes of my soul so I can comprehend what you’ve already done for us.

The challenge is growing to the place where our soul no longer relies on this physical realm to confirm spiritual realities.

Truth is, the biggest thing standing between an obstacle and an opportunity is an attitude.

The right attitude keeps things in the right perspective. It's all in how you see something. Think about it, it’s our attitude that determines our approach to any situation.

Let’s take on the attitude that we're just one step of faith away from victory, promotion, breakthrough. Let’s keep a faith attitude.

The prophet Isaiah said, Wrap your mind around this. I am GOD, and from the very beginning telling you what the ending will be. Assuring you, I’m with you. Assuring you I’ll do exactly what I set out to do. I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it.

Real faith simply chooses to accept that when God tells us something, we accept Him at His word.

Our biggest battle isn’t really the devil, it’s our refusal to embrace a life beyond our humanity.

How often do you think about actually living your life by faith? Living like what you believe really is the fundamental foundation of our existence?

What if the reason the Bible teaches us that we’re to live by faith is because God designed our born-again lives to function a different way?

Galatians 2:20,NKJV- “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Make no mistake, our enemy is counting on our ignorance concerning the realities around the Kingdom of God, especially how God’s people are to function in the here and now as a new creation.

Keep this in mind, Jesus talked about the Kingdom more than any other subject, how much do we talk about it?

John 17:15-18,NKJV- “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”

Being sent like Jesus, starts with a willing and faithful heart.

Isaiah 1:19,NKJV- “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;”
MSG, This is GOD’s Message: If you’ll willingly obey, you’ll feast like kings.

Hebrews 6 reminds us that we receive God’s promises through faith and patience.

Romans says the same about Abraham, For the promise to Abraham was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Hebrews 11 tells us that all those that are in the hall of fame of faith obtained their promises through faith.

And this is why Paul repeatedly reminds us about living by faith.

2 Corinthians 5:1-7,NLT- For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
v.2, We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.
v.3, For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.
v.4, While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.
v.5, God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
v.6, So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord.
v.7, For we live by believing and not by seeing.

And in the world we live in today, much of society considers this way of living a little unrealistic, imaginary, according to Paul, foolish.

But according to Jesus, the world has eyes but can’t see, ears but can’t hear, because their hearts are hard. The god of this world has blinded them. But God reveals His truth to our spirit.

This means we have to stop letting the clutter of everything going on around us distract us. Remember, a faith life is very intentional.

I believe God wants to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we imagination, so that people will see us and say, “that had to be God working in their life.”

But we’ve got to get this one issue settled, for all of us that are born again, according to Jesus we’re no longer of this world. We’re built to live a different way, the faith way.

Paul says, “It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.”

2 Corinthians 5:7,AMP- We walk by faith, not by sight, living our lives in a manner consistent with our CONFIDENT BELIEF IN GOD’S PROMISES.

NLT- We life by believing, not by seeing.

So, be willing, be faithful. Be on purpose with your life of faith.

Remember, Jesus told us, “I’m coming quickly and my reward is with Me. He also made this statement, “When I return will I find faith in the earth.”

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite John Wooden quotes is, “When opportunity shows up, its to late to get ready.”

And one of my favorite qualities of faith is that faith gets ready! So be willing and faithful!

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