The Main thing is to keep the Main Thing the Main Thing Part 8: Freedom to Worship God
The Main thing is to keep the Main Thing the Main Thing Part 8: Freedom to Worship God
My most favorite things to share with you are the fresh things God is doing in my life – one of those is the subject of freedom.
A frequent comment of visitors to our church is they have an incredible awareness of freedom to worship in Grace Tabernacle. For our church freedom is the main theme or reason we were birthed 16 years ago.
This freedom journey began with Pam and I and those with us when were back in the Baptist church. I remember many times back int the Baptist church crying out during the preaching time with frustration, “There’s got to be more than this!” People would shout amen at my zeal but none of us knew how to get there!
Then we experienced a revival that brought us to the place of boldness to dare to cross formerly forbidden territory and go on with HS and no longer be held back by the fear of man. Thus the title of our book.
Several times God would challenge me while I was preaching. I would come to a place in the message where God would say to my spirit “This is where you cross over – will you? Or will you stay here in this place and be ruled by the fear of what people are going to say ? Stay here or go for it? You know the answer, but He still challenges me beyond my understanding to step out of the boat and trust Him! It’s a spontaneous moment where you hope and pray you have really heard God and are not just being emotional!
You have those moments too. God challenges you to witness to a stranger. Are you going to obey the nudge of the HS are stay where you are? Fear swarms your mind like bees. It is this moment you find out if you are free or not.
It is truly liberating when you fear missing God’s will for your life more than your fear of what people are going to think or say about you.
Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jn 8:36
“free” Grk word E-lu-the-ra-O
“FREE”= TO DELIVER YOU FROM THE DOMINION OF ANOTHER SO YOU CAN BE WHAT YOU WERE INTENDED TO BE.
“indeed” – truly or completely or fully.
The day I asked Jesus into my heart – I was set free but I did not know how to walk that out. My spirit was free but not my soul, so I was not “free indeed”.
- Started going to various churches and learned they are not all alike. You can pick up a lot of bondage in churches, traditions of men that are not all bad - but it’s just not true freedom to the plan God has for your life.
Freedom will require a fight with your fear of man.
You will have to overcome you fear of what people will say about you.
We all have some get free from.
David is called a man after God’s own heart. He was so before his time. One thing he knew about God was, God loved freedom in worship and spontaneity.
- 2 Samuel 6:20,22 ill. On the day David brought the ark of God back to Jerusalem he had music and loud rejoicing going on. He even took off his kingly robes and celebrated with dance before the ark leading the way. This prompted the people to do the same! Never in history has a king acted like this!
- After this his wife scolded him saying, “Look at how undignified the king of Israel has made himself today. You are the king and you acted like a commoner.”
He said, “I was worshipping before the Lord. If think that was bad you ain’t seen anything yet. I will become more radical than this!”
When Jesus started preaching the gospel – it sounded so radical and different than anything they had ever heard. It was freedom.
- Jesus healed on the sabbath – “I thought we were not to do anything on the sabbath?” Religion had distorted the truth and brought bondage to man’s laws!
Ill. When Paul was dramatically saved – he had been steeped in religion. Yet he went alone into the Arabian desert (some say Mount Sinai – place of the Law) and meditated with Jesus for 3 years. “Lord, I need to start over with You teaching me and helping me unlearn all the things I believed but were wrong. He fasted church or being around any other religious person and started over with HS as teacher. This was necessary for him because he would later write 2/3rd NT!
- Apostle Paul too had more trouble with religious people than anyone. The book of Galatians is about freedom. Paul warned new believers -
“Stand fast in the liberty for which Christ has made us free.” Gal. 5:1
It’s true when you get to that place of freedom, you may no longer be welcome in a traditional church. You will be labeled as odd, weird. But people who know there is so much more – will envy you and watch and some will follow you.
Ill. At Bible College a student named Bruce was so free in chapel. I thought he was odd at first but then I began to admire his freedom and wanted what he had. I forgot about most of my classmates but I still have images of him worshipping boldly in chapel services like no one else.
GT was started 16 years ago for the purpose of freedom of worship of God. It is still part of our Main thing and purpose. We are not to trying and be like any other church or even do some of the things they do – not that they are wrong – but we are to be unique in especially how we operate and how we function as a church.
WE began and still are with the understanding from the Lord that GT is to be a pastor-led church, not a congregation led or elder-led, or board-led church. Not that those are wrong. Some places they work well. But our church began and still is unique in so many ways.
The reason we are pastor-led church is so the Lord can have the freedom to lead through the pastor – not for the pastor to be a dictator. If the pastor’s heart is right then God can flow through Him. If the pastor has his own personal agenda – this will not work.
- Your prayer for your pastor should be for freedom. Free from any fear – fear of man, what people think, freedom from tradition, etc. Freedom is an on-going part of our journey to get our heart to agree with God’s heart.
Don’t think I mean freedom as a license to do whatever you want.
Freedom is not the ability to do whatever you want. Freedom is the ability to do what you know that you should do!
For this to happen in a pastor led church – the Lord must have the pastor’s heart. God deals with my heart a lot. In the end I always have more questions than answers in my head. There is so much I do not understand.
God deals with the heart before He deals with the head.
When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment, listen to His answer and see what He listed first!
“To love the Lord with all your HEART, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37
This is how you first encountered God – with your heart.
“for the heart man believes” Romans 10:10
– something your mind could not understand!
Your mind often gets in the way of your heart believing!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. . .” Proverbs 3:5-6
In order to walk with God, you have to be out of your mind! Romans 12:1-2
The renewed mind is not a goal to reach. It is a daily process of a transformed life. It is impossible to walk with God and stay the same. Often there is a battle between the mind and the heart.
Ill. The other day I was planning on meeting someone and giving them 20 dollars. That day at the ATM instead of just getting out what I was expecting to give – I got out 40 dollars instead. When I met with the person I was to give 20 dollars – I was listening to them and how they were struggling and my heart was in a battle with my mind. “Right now I don’t have extra to give away. I need this 20 – it’s all I can spare, etc.” In the end my heart won and I gave it all. Praise God my mind did not win over my heart!
- I rather err on the side of my heart!
We cannot even think God’s thoughts unless He allows us!
God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts …” Isa.55:8
Wednesday night I taught about overcoming anxiety God’s way. When we do it His way, He promises us peace we cannot even understand!
“The peace that passes all understanding.” Phil. 4:7
Our minds, our reasoning, our trying to understand can get in God’s way! He is not against us using our minds – it’s just His ways are so far above, that our minds will never be able to understand.
So when the Lord called us out of the traditional church and into this new thing – GT, I could not rely on my understanding, experience or background. I still had so much hurt and fear of man and suspicion of people.
I was free from the rule of man type church.
Suddenly I am placed by God to start a new church.
I had so many questions ???
- This was uncharted territory for me. I now had decisions to make about the church that I never had to make before, because now this is a pastor led church not a congregational run church where the people rule or decide and you carry out whatever they vote.
With freedom comes greater responsibility!
The Lord has given me a big responsibility, but I cannot do it by myself. I need like-minded people.
16 years ago we were called out of the traditional church. But there is so much more than being called out of something.
God calls you out of something in order to bring you into something.
Ill. When God brought Israel out of the bondage of Egypt it was in order to bring them in to a new land and a new way of living, thinking primarily – freedom. This new freedom was not to do whatever you want – but the ability to do what you know you should do.
- Some of you should be dancing in aisle when worship is happening. Some should be waving the banners.
- Some of you may have skills that you should be on the worship team or start a ministry here that we do not have yet.
- I don’t know what freedom will look like on you – but in your heart you can see what you would be doing today if you were “free indeed.”
Freedom always involves the “God factor” and the “leader factor”.
The God factor is “we can’t do anything w/o God.
The “leader factor” is ‘ God doesn’t do anything without a leader!’
This means you must be willing to start doing your part and then God will always do His part. This is freedom! It’s the Main reason God brought you to this church.
Ill. This means we are going to have to let go of our insecurity, our pride, our excuses, our jealously of others, and be willing to try and do new things! If you are then this church will one day attract worshippers of God from all around the world. They will want what you have – freedom.
The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing! Part 7: The Blood
The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing! Part 7: The blood
Ill. Sunday, August 17 almost I month ago on Sunday morning pre service prayer time I was at this altar with eyes closed I saw a vision in my mind and wrote this down.
“As I see myself coming to God’s throne – I felt wetness on my feet. I look down and see blood. My feet are covered with the blood of Jesus.”
It was strange to me – but I kept it to myself and wrote it in my journal. Several days later I read in a book a prophetic word and recalled my vision. This is part of what it said:
“My child walk in My footsteps, live in My shoes. This is your place of safety because I am bigger than anything or anyone you will ever face. This is your place of provision, for you will work in My increase for your life. This is your place of expansion, for I am growing you to fit the anointing that I have set aside for you. You have power to stand in Me. My strength in yours as you walk in Me. Walking in bloody foot steps, your sins are forgiven and your weaknesses are covered. Enjoy this life. Be a child in Me. Speak to your enemy, your detractors, your problems with the same confident word. . . ‘My God is bigger than you.’ It will always and ever, be true.”
Life with God begins with a revelation from God about God.
This profound revelation of God is that He is Perfect love loving you not based on your performance or behavior. Even while you were sinning He loved you perfectly.
Ill. Jesus told Peter He would deny Him but Peter didn’t think that was possible until he did. Jesus knew Peter would fail but chose Him anyway. After this He still helped Peter fulfill his destiny. Why? Because God’s love is not based on our performance – it’s based on our relationship by our faith in His blood.
God’s mercies are always greater than our sins!
I read recently often where translators translate the word “mercy” for the Lord’s mercy it is often translated in English as singular or mercy. But in the original Hebrew God’s mercy is not a singular noun but rather mercies. It is actually mercies – plural. It means God’s mercy is more than mercy. It is so great, so strong and so deep it cannot be contained in a singular word. It means His mercy has no end.
However the word for sin in Hebrew is singular but the word for the Lord’s mercies is always plural. What this tell us is, no matter how great my sin is, the mercy of God is always greater. He will always have more mercies than you have sin.
It’s like this. When you get the revelation of God’s love for you it cause you to think differently about God (repentance) Then with FAITH you
“Come boldly to the throne of grace that you may receive MERCIES and FIND GRACE to help in time of need.” Heb. 4:16
You are now saved, born again and you know it. Life is great. Your conscience it clear – you know you are forgiven. For a while it seems like life could not be better. If you would look down you could see in the Spirit – your feet are covered in blood.
Then something happens and you find yourself back in sin doing the very thing you swore you would never do again! You beat yourself up.
How do you view God when you fall back into sin?
(Your answer reveals your theology.)
How quick do you bounce back? Most of us view ourselves like Peter did after He swore he would never deny Christ but he did.
Did Peter repent of his sin? Sure he did but it wasn’t enough!
He got depressed. He gave up trying anymore – He quit going to God – He was ready to quit fellowship with the other disciples. Least of all – He was too ashamed to see Jesus again. He repented – He was sorry – but that in itself was not enough. But he was still stuck!
True repentance will always bring you face to face with God.
– He was sorry but this is where he got stuck. Some of you are spiritually stuck too. There is nothing wrong with being sorry for our sin – just that is not enough! Move on to faith towards God.
Ill. If you stay depressed for a long time after you sinned and confessed your sin then you are trying to pay guilt payments. Your repentance it not enough to bring you face to face with God. If it did you would be rejoicing by now.
You trying to pay penance when your bill is already paid.
Today if you offer an animal sacrifice to atone for your sins – it would be a dead work. We don’t have to do this anymore. However many people who claim to be believers are still offering God dead works to atone for their sins.
Ill. Ill. Philipino Catholics flog themselves on Good Friday.
PIC: Flogging
- In Rome stairs crawl on knees until bloody. I don’t know Motives?
- In Mexico good Friday some flog their backs till blood pours – others walk on knees till bloody and even some nailed to a cross –
- You may not be this extreme but still some learned religious ritual that is nothing more than offering dead works!
“Let’s leave the elementary basic teachings like
“Repentance from dead works and of faith towards God.” Heb. 6:1
Repentance FROM then faith TOWARDS GOD
There is nothing wrong with you– there’s just something missing.
Now Jesus (1st NT prophet) preaches “repent for KOG is here right now without you doing anything to deserve it. ” His word for repentance was different from all OT people.
Repent = change your mind for something better is here.
So Jesus statement was radical and still is! Jesus hasn’t gone to the cross yet but He is preaching as if it is already done! It is.
What was missing? You don’t believe the good news is that good!
What difference does the Jesus make for you?
OT Law NT Grace
DO DONE
Repentance without Faith Towards God is a dead work.
Today if you offer an animal sacrifice to atone for your sins – it would be a dead work. We don’t have to do this anymore. However many people who claim to be believers are still offering God dead works to atone for their sins.
You may think this is not a big deal but it is much more serious than you are thinking. Listen to God in Hebrews:
“Think how much more severe the punishment on those, who have trampled upon the Son of God and regarded His blood as common and has insulted the Spirit of Grace?” Hebrews 10:29
The Main Thing Part 6: God’s Business First
The Main Thing Part 6: God’s Business First
Haggai is a 2-chapter book named after prophet that encouraged God’s people to rebuild the temple after returning from Babylonian exile.
The theme: God says to His people, “Consider your ways! You have sown much but reap little. You eat but you do not have enough. You earn wages to put them in a bag with holes.” Haggai 1:5-6
Why was this happening to God’s people who know God as their provider? God’s answer –
“You have looked for much and it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” Haggai 1:9
Have you ever tried to do something that you realized God caused it not to work, or to fail?
There is a reason! If God does not want you to succeed in a matter, He knows how to bring it to an end!
Back to Haggai – God tells His people why their plans were not coming to pass! God answers His own “why” question in the next verse.
“Because My house that lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth withheld the crops.” Verses 9-10
Their mission from God was to rebuild the temple, but over time, and it soon became a secondary goal and not the primary one.
They exchanged God’s plan for their own plan for their life, and they wonder why it’s not working ?
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it.” Psalm 121
Have you ever labored in vain because it was not God’s will for you to do it? A personal example of God redirecting our plans to His:
Ill. When I was 23 in USMC, Pam and I were married and one child. Time came I had to make a decision to either re-enlist or get out. The only direction I received from Lord was one word – ‘education’. I took that as a go ahead for my dream to get out and get my college and go back in as an officer in Marines. The only plan or dream I had at that time. “We may make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9
We got out of MC and moved to Daytona to start college but when time came to register I could not do it. It was a horrible feeling of not belonging there. Now totally confused I began questioning whether I really heard from God or not!
Several months later we learned about a Bible College that was fully accredited. Is this what God wants? The moment we visited the campus we both knew we were to be there. Still my plan was the same – go back to Marine Corps officer. Over next 4 years we saw our plan was not working out and I needed to surrender because He had another plan, but - we still were not sure what it was! But He was requiring we surrender ourselves to His will even w/o knowing what His will would look like!
As God redirected our life, He also was changing our hearts and to trust Him and let go of our plans. We are still learning today = to surrender God’s will even w/o knowing details. I don’t the know future.
But I believe there are ministries God wants by some of you – and for whatever reason; procrastination, desire for other things, personal dreams, - God’s ministries in GT are sitting in ruins.
Ill. During our time away I was working on My vision of GT short term – longer term and wish list. I will share with elders and have them help me shape this into a vision I can communicate to you soon.
I noticed in our church when you can see a goal you rise to the challenge! – i.e. Encounter church and Bahamas offerings back to back.
We have to remain flexible and let the Lord lead w/o knowing the details or what it will look like at completion!
Then the Lord spoke through Haggai saying, “I am with you says the Lord.” The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the governor of Judah, and Joshua the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of Hosts their God. Verses 13-15
But the rebuilding was not turning out as expected by some!
Ill. The older people remembered the former glory of the temple and complained the new was nothing like the former. God said don’t compare and get discouraged. This is a new work and move of God.
“Work for I am with you says the Lord of Hosts.” 2:4
Where are we going to get the money to do all this? We are a small group – limited?
So many times the money is not there before we begin a project. Notice what God says after the people began the work.
For thus says the Lord of Hosts: “Once more in a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations and they will come with the wealth of all the nations, and I will fill My house with glory. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of Hosts.” 2:6-8
“Once more?” Did this happen before?
When Moses led Israel out of Egypt, they had no money. They were slaves. They did not have money or resources to leave Egypt and start a new life!
“Israel acted on the word of the Lord. Then the Lord caused the Egyptians to be friendly towards the people of Israel and they gave them whatever they asked for. In this way they carried away the wealth of Egypt.” Exodus 12:35-36
- After this they were tested again with the need for water!
- There will be lean times where He does not provide at the time you expect – He is stretching you to trust Him.
We have to act on what we believe God is telling us to do! Once we do we will be challenged by the enemy, but watch how the Lord will provide and help you in spite of obstacles!
Ill. Vacation God provided!
Or
Ill. We believed God called us to become the senior pastor to a small church in Astor, Fl. The problem was they could not pay me what I was getting paid as a youth pastor. But we believed we heard from God and took the position with less pay. It was tight but okay.
Not long after this I got a letter from IRS saying I owed 2,500 dollars in SS taxes – 150 dollar payments. This was devasting to me. It might as well be 2 million dollars. I had to start making 150-dollar payments and it was very hard to get by. WE made payments for about a year and one morning I will never forget as I was crying out to God for help to pay this month’s IRS payment. HS spoke to my mind – quit complaining and start thanking me for the answer. That very day I went to the Post Office for mail and got saw a letter and check from IRS.
Why am I telling you this?
You will be challenged by the enemy to try to discourage or stop you. If you have heard from God – then start obeying what He told you and mark it down that day and remember so you can look back on it.
“‘Now think ahead from this day onward. Think ahead from when the Temple rebuilding was launched. Has anything in your fields—vine, fig tree, pomegranate, olive tree—failed to flourish? Now from this day onward I will bless you.’” 2:18-19
Concl: God has plans for your life but you get tired and discouraged and somehow exchanged your plans for His. I have done this. I repent.
On the day you decide to move forward and do what you believe God has revealed for you - mark it down – that day onward watch how God blesses and makes the way for you!
- But this will require you to surrender your dreams for His plans.
- w/o knowing what it looks like = trusting Him.
Part of keeping the Main thing the Main thing is – putting God’s business first, His plans over yours! His ministry over your dreams.
Ultimately surrender your life to Him THEN He will reveal His plans!
This is how He has dealt with us – I believe He will do the same for you.
We would like to pray over you about His plans for your future and prophesy as the Lord leads.
The Main Thing Part 5: Manifesting the Main Thing
The Main Thing Part 5: Manifesting the Main Thing
The Christian life is a supernatural life. The way we begin life in God is the same way life continues in God. God tells how it all happened.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” I John 4:19
God took the initial step. He loved us first. He came looking for us. He spoke to our heart through a variety of ways.
Ill. He sent what we thought were weird people to share the gospel to us, but there was something about them that drew us; it was God Himself.
Many people believe God must hate them, much less even like them. This is a perverted view of God that the enemy suggests to people through religion and man’s perverted view of what God is really like. For example look at what God Himself said about backslidden Jerusalem in the midst of their backsliding sin since His love never changes, He loves you the same way right now:
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a Mighty One, who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
If it is hard to believe it is because you have been messed with by the enemy planting wrong ideas of God into your mind. You need to meditate on this scripture until you see God doing this over you in your own mind.
Note who is active and who is passive. Who is singing, and who is resting? Who is rejoicing over his loved one, and who is being rejoiced over?
We tend to think we are the singers but not here. Apparently, there are times when God wishes we would just be still and (what a stunning thought!) let Him love and sing over us.
I can see you squirming. Your mind says you aren’t worthy of such affection? Neither was Judas, but Jesus washed his feet. Neither was Peter, but Jesus fixed him breakfast. Neither were the Emmaus-bound disciples, but Jesus took time to sit at their table.
Who told you that you were unworthy? Not God.
Besides, who are we to determine if we are worthy? Our job is simply to be still long enough to let Him have us and let Him love us.
Many of you need to come to this altar at the end of this service and just be still before Him and hear Him say to you, “Child I love you, how I love you.”
It will be a healing moment deep inside your heart!
Everything He wants from us He gives to us! We first must receive from Him what He wants us to give to Him.
Ill. When our children were growing up and our birthday was approaching, we gave them some money to buy us a present. God is the same way. He gives to us the very thing He wants from us.
We first receive love from God in order to give love to God. Everything He wants from us He give to us first.
“The tragedy of modern Christianity is much of it is performance oriented and driven.”
We think we have to do something to get something from God. “God can’t use me because my life is not right. I am so unworthy because I don’t pray enough, I don’t read enough!” But how much is enough?
Study is not enough – commitment is not enough - because study and commitment can be done without the heart being touched.
Ill. Present day Xns fall into the same trap as Martha in Luke 10, thinking we have to prove ourselves and work hard for Jesus. You can run on adrenaline for a while, but for every adrenaline high there is an adrenaline low.
Jesus said the one thing needful is first receiving from Jesus. Learning to cohabit with God, receiving love from Him takes time but it is vital as the main thing.
I personally discern today there are many of you who need to come and be still and let God sing over you and hear Him loving you. That’s it. There is a stronghold of feeling unworthy in you!
God never told you this!
Many of you are in a backslidden condition as a Xn and are stuck in addictions you can’t break and this one thing can heal your heart. It may take more than one time – it probably will take some time every day to bring yourself to His feet and let His words or some Xn music sing His love back into your heart again until the tears flow.
“I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely, for My anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:4
If you keep backsliding it is a sign you need healing on the inside!
You need the right mental picture of God loving you!
You need to be strengthened on the inside first!
Paul prayed a prayer that God recorded in the Bible. I have cut out some of the words just to simplify and get to the point.
“I bow my knees to the Father . . . that He would give you power to be
1. Strengthened in INNER MAN . . . How?
2. by ROOTED AND GROUNDED in His love . . . How?
3. by CHRIST DWELLING in heart by faith . . . How?
4. being Full of God. Eph. 3:14-18
The world is throwing a thousand pounds of pressure at you from the outside. WE must learn how to receive from God internally so that we have at least a thousand and one pounds of His peace inside to resist the pressure from the outside. As His peace increases in me then then anxiety decreases. We minister His Spirit from a place of great peace inside us.
Picture of a balloon: :
This is a picture of burn out – let go of balloon and it blows out air and drops. You have not kept the main thing the main thing.
I am under pressure all the time. I get tired. It’s okay to get tired from the work, but it’s not okay to get tired of the ministry God has called you to do.
When this happens it is a signal “doing” has become more important to you than “being”.
Don’t let “doing” become more important than “being”.
Yes, it is important to serve the Lord, but learning to live as a much-loved son and receive from God, is the most important thing you can do.
We grow stronger spiritually by receiving the ever-unfolding revelation of His love for us.
Ill. When first saved we believed His love for us say, 10% back then. The next year maybe we grew and believed 40% more of His perfect love for us. We grow in the revelation of God’s unfailing love for us. One day we will believe all of it and be so rooted and grounded in His love and are filled with the fullness of God (wall to wall HS) here on earth.
What does that look like to be: strengthened inner man, rooted and grounded in love, Christ dwelling in heart by faith, and filled with the fullness of God? It looks like this:
“There is no fear in love, but perfect (mature) love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. Whoever fears is not made perfect (mature) in love.” I John 4:18
You no longer fear feelings of unworthiness or punishment from God or hell or judgment because you received the revelation of God’s love for you in Jesus. Now you have boldness for the coming day of judgment.
This is why God tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). God tore the veil in the temple for your bold access to Him.
One of the signs you are maturing or being perfected by Love is manifesting an uncommon boldness in worship and witnessing.
Uncommon boldness in worship = Mary and alabaster box anointing Jesus. Your expression of worship will become freer! Lose your fear of man – audience of One. Criticism from others won’t bother you.
Uncommon boldness in witnessing =
Ill. Peter and John had been called in to the Sanhedrin, rulers, elders of Israel and high priests being questioned about the lame man healed at the gate.
Peter in the faces of the religious leaders boldly preached “Repent and be converted (faith towards God) that your sins may be wiped out, then the times of refreshing will come from the Presence of the Lord.”
Acts 3:19
“When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were ignorant and uneducated men, they marveled and then recognized they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
What creates this kind of boldness in the face of opposition?
Paul’s prayer in Eph. 3:
1. Strengthened inner man = receiving from God
2. Rooted/grounded in love = resting in God’s love.
3. Christ dwelling in heart = recognize God is in me.
4. Filled to Fullness of God = releasing God through me.
Concl: Now their lives were manifesting the Main thing.
Some you are stuck spiritually and need to get unstuck.
Some need to start just receiving from God – blockage unbelief
Some start resting love from God – blockage unworthiness
Some start recognizing God is in you – blockage doubt
Some start releasing God through you – surrender, let go and let Him have his way with you in worship – be free – in witnessing without fear.
I have not arrived but at least I have left 16 years ago the traditional church and am on my way to more and more freedom in Him. Manifesting the Main thing is letting Him be Lord and glorified in my life and no longer letting myself be dominated by fear of man.