Our Sermons
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.
Psalm 111:10
Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). That is a high calling. That is a great responsibility. God calls us to a higher standard because He calls us to be like Christ and to put Him first in our lives. Our Lord is counting on us to be His worthy ambassadors: sharing the light of Christ to the dark world (Matthew 5:14); living out the life of Christ on a daily basis (Galatians 2:20); and sharing the love of Christ (Romans 5:5). God expects us to walk in the Spirit and to not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Let us shun the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and embrace the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Worthy ambassadors of Christ, I want to encourage you today to put off the old man and put on the new man (Ephesians 4:22-25). Let people of the world see the resurrected Christ in us. You are a vessel of honor (2 Timothy 2:20). Act like one!
LUKE 10:19 NKJ “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Jesus defeated the devil for you (Colossians 2:15). According to Matthew 28:18, all authority on Earth now belongs to Jesus. As His earthly representatives, Jesus has delegated His authority to us. All believers have authority to use the Name of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, or authority, we can cast out the devil and all his forces (Mark 16:17). After Jesus’ resurrection, Scripture clearly puts responsibility on the believer to exercise the delegated authority of Jesus to resist the devil, and all his works (Philippians 2:10; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9). The devil’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a). Our mandate, through the delegated authority of Jesus Christ, is to stop the devil from carrying out his plan. In Christ, you have authority over the devil, all his forces, all his agents, and all his works. You can resist the devil and not allow him any place in your life, because you have authority over him, in Christ! As believers we should not be afraid of the devil, although we should be aware and on guard against his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). The way to exercise your authority is through words – speaking the words of God with faith in the Name of Jesus Christ!
Notes
I want to let you know that you have every reason to rejoice and be glad everyday because you in Christ Jesus (in Him).
Scriptures
Colossians 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”
Philippians 2:10 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”
Ephesians 4:27 “Neither give place to the devil.”
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
2 Corinthians 2:11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
Job 42:10 NLT “When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!”
In a short period of time, and due to circumstances beyond their control (like the COVID-19 Pandemic), life has changed dramatically for a lot of people. So much so, that they do not have enough resources to sustain even their basics. We have a lesson to learn from the story of Job in the Bible, about the God who can restore lost fortunes. In one day, Job lost his 10 children (seven sons and three daughters) along with all his possessions and wealth. Shortly after, he was afflicted with a horrible skin disease. (Job chapters 1 and 2). The first forty-one chapters in the book of Job describe all that he had lost: his health, his wealth, and his family. Then, in Job chapter 42, we read, “The Lord restored his fortunes…The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning” (vv. 10, 12 NLT). What a remarkable comeback story. And what God did for Job, He can do for you when you put your life in His hands. He will restore your health, your business, your job, your finances, your marriage, and your relationships. But you must walk in the TRUTH: God ‘s word.
JOSHUA 1:8 KJV “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.”
God wants His children to be successful in life, and for everyone who desires success, He has given instructions to succeed. You may follow other plans and advice that promise success, but you have no guarantee they will work long-term. With God’s Word you have an eternal guarantee: His Word will never fail. Heaven and earth will disappear, but God’s Word is eternal (Matthew 24:35). Look at God’s success instructions again. First, speak in line with God’s Word. What you say matters. Second, meditate on what God said. This is the opposite of worry. This is more than just reading the Bible. This is thinking about what God says and how it is applicable to your life. When are we to think about God and His Word? When it is day, and when it is night. We should never shut God out of our thoughts at any time. Third, be a doer of the Word (James 1:22). Look at what God promises will be yours if you follow these instructions: prosperity and good success. What everyone wants, but few are willing to do what it takes to achieve!
1 Peter 5:7 AMP “ casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].
As you journey through life, it is easy for you to get so focused on your dreams, goals, and what you want that it consumes you. You can get to the point where you are not going to be happy until you get what you want. But the truth is that if you must have something in order to be happy, it is an indication that your life is out of balance. When your goals and dreams start to frustrate you, when you lose your peace, and you are not enjoying life; that is a sure sign that you are holding on too tightly, and the way out is to release your hold. Freedom comes when you say, “God, I’m turning it all over to You. You know my desires, and You know what is best for me. I’m choosing to trust You and trust Your timing.” When you cast your cares on the Lord, you free yourself from the power of the devil to frustrate you. You stop worrying (Philippians 4:6-7), because you are persuaded that God can take care of you and He will take care of you. When you choose to trust in His timing, you can live in peace, you can live in joy, you can live in contentment, and you can rest in Him knowing that He is faithful and He has good things in store for your future. I encourage you today to choose to trust in God’s word and throw all your cares on Him, even in this period of pandemic induced uncertainty. God cares about you!
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness ….”
This season of isolation, social distancing, and uncertainty due to COVID-19 pandemic should be an opportunity for all believers in Jesus Christ to reevaluate not only our walk with God but the entire trajectory of our individual life. The one question each induvial must answer sincerely is: what is my topmost priority in life? I believe our topmost priority should be to seek God and Him alone, so that we can fulfill our destiny in Him and finish our Christian race well. That will require: (i) a change of values – Philippians 1:21 “for me to live is Christ” (ii) a change of ambition – Philippians 3:7 “whatever was to my profit I now count as loss” (iii) a change of mind – Philippians 2:5 “think like Christ” (iv) freedom from distractions, not entangling yourself with civilian affairs – 2 Timothy 2:4. Let us spend our valuable time on things that are of eternal value!