GOD FAILETH NOT - (Zephaniah 3:5)

 

GOD  FAILETH  NOT - (Zephaniah 3:5)

“The Lord within her is righteous; He does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.”

1. WHEN THE MONEY FAILS

Times of Financial Stringency  -  Genesis 47:14,15

14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”

A)   Pharaoh’s Prosperity and Egypt’s Poverty  (Gen. 47:13-26)

Now there was no food in all the land, because the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food, for why should we die in your presence? For our money is gone. 

Then Joseph said, “Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, since your money is gone.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses and the flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he fed them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year. And when that year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent, and the cattle are my lord’s. There is nothing left for my lord except our bodies and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate” (Genesis 47:13-19).

Israel’s Prosperity and Egypt’s Poverty (47:27)

 While the Egyptians were fainting under the famine, the Israelites were flourishing. Egypt’s loss, to some degree, was their gain:

Now Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in Goshen, and they acquired property in it and were fruitful and became very numerous (Genesis 47:27).

Israel prospered in spite of the famine and the poverty which Egypt experienced.  It teaches us to save up during good times to prepare for hard times like now when Covid 19 hits.

The bees gather nectar all summer because they know winter is approaching. The butterfly dance from flower to flower in summer and dies at the first frost of winter.

Now in the Book of Revelation (due to climate change in the end time) the Bible mentioned a time of great hyper inflation

See Revelation 6:6

“And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”

IN FUTURE A PERSON'S ONE DAY WAGE COULD ONLY BUY ONE DAY FOOD FOR HIMSELF.

IF HE HAS A FAMILY TO FEED THEN HE MUST BUY MORE INFERIOR FOOD (BARLEY IS 3 TIMES CHEAPER THAN WHEAT. SO POOR PEOPLE CAN ONLY AFFORD MAGGIE MEE) THAT IS WHY WE MUST NOT NEGLECT TO SAVE UP.

2. WHEN MY STRENGTH FAILS

Times of Poor Health  - Psalms 71:9

“Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.”

Caleb’s Strength

“The LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years… and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in.” - Joshua 14:10-12 NASB

Is this verse talking about you?  How old are you?   50 years – 60 yrs and towards 80 yrs – your strength is gone.  Yet God will not forsake us when we can still breathe our way to praise and worship Him.  The Joy of the Lord is your strength.  This verse in Psa. 71:9 is a prayer for us to favor us in times of old age.

  Caleb is considered to have been extraordinarily favored by God because "his strength continued even to his old age, so that he went up to the high places of the land and his children obtained it for an inheritance: that fill the children of Israel might see that it is good to obey the Lord.  

3. WHEN MY SPIRIT FAILS

Times of Nervous Strain  - Psalms 143:7

6  I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. 7 Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. 8  Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 73:26 "I may be weak, but Your spirit's strong in me. My flesh may fail, but my God You never will.“

 Elijah Ministry  -  Against the backdrop of Elijah’s failure, this little demonstrative particle highlights God’s gracious work to restore the prophet back to his ministry regardless of what he had done. Let’s look at how the Lord worked to restore the prophet.

God’s Provision for Elijah -  1 Kings 19: 5-18)   Note that five times the word “behold” is used to highlight Elijah

 1. The Provision of Sleep (vs. 5a)

     Elijah had a good rest and an angel came and refreshed his spirit. 

2. The Provision of Angel vs 5b encourages him.

3. The Provision of Food vs. 6

The Trip to Horeb, The Mountain of God (vs. 8)

Verse 8 tells us “he arose and ate and drank, and went . . . to Horeb, the mountain of God.  Strength for the Mountain of God. The glory of God is waiting for Elijah now.  God is preparing for the Glorious Glory when our spirit and strength fails.  We emptying ourselves so that we can filled all His glory and power for His Work. Amen.

4. WHEN MY KINSFOLK HAVE FAILED

Times of Social Estrangement –  - Job 19:13-15

“He has alienated my family from me; my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.14 My relatives have gone away; my closest friends have forgotten me. 15 My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner; they look on me as on a stranger.”

When your family n friends have failed you when do you do.  Turn to God for help in times of trouble.

When everything fails you – look up for your rescue is here.  Jesus Saves! Jesus Delivers!  Jesus Heals! Jesus is your Friend!   Jesus is your Strength!

5. WHEN MEN’S HEART ARE FAILING THEM FOR FEAR

Times of International Crisis - Luke 21:26; Deut. 4:29, 31

“29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant …”

In these last days men’s hearts are failing – everywhere you go there is fear here and there. Jesus will rise up in you giving you a stronger heart than the people of the world. A stronger faith to believe Him and persistent to endure all hard times with God’s blessings.

Look Up For Your Redemption - The Return of the Son of Man. 

Luke 21:27  At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  28 When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 

GOD WILL NOT FAIL YOU!  HE HAS KEPT THE BEST FOR THE LAST! YOU WILL BE SURPRISE FOR HE SEES YOU BETTER AND BETTER EVEN TEN TIMES BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD!  SO LOOK TO HIM THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH.

 

DANIEL & FRIENDS GIVE THEIR TESTIMONY

Daniel 3:16-17 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (NKJV)

The Beast System in End times.

Daniel 7:25; 11:32 - Anti-Christ system shall wear out the saints. The system or atmosphere will wear out the saints. It can be money system, stocks and shares system, worldly system, political or water problems – they are fighting over. It shall wear out the saints – but the people that do “know their God” shall be strong and do exploits.

There are two kinds of Christian in the end of this age:-

1) Those who would be ‘worn out’ by the beast system - Daniel 7:25

2) Those who would be strong and do exploit (pull down stronghold)

They are the Christians who know their God is great. - Daniel 11:25

The three Hebrew children and Daniel would not bow down to the Anti-god Nebuchanezzar system – bowing down too his image. They were not ‘worn out”! They do exploit and brave. They knew their God. They confess their God.

Daniel & Friends give their Testimony:

The 3 Hebrew children said “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us. He will deliver us from your hand. We do not serve your gods nor worship the golden image whom you set up.”

DO NOT USE YOUR WORDS TO DISCRIBE YOUR SITUATION BUT USE YOUR WORDS TO CHANGE YOUR SITUATION.  DON’T TALK TO GOD HOW BIG YOUR MOUNTAINS ARE BUT TALK TO THE MOUNTAINS HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS. DON’T TALK FAILURE BUT KEEP TALKING ABOUT YOUR VICTORY IN CHRIST. DON’T DWELL ON THE YOUR FAILURES.  START TALKING ABOUT YOUR DREAMS AND YOUR GOD IS ABLE.  (My God is so big, so strong and so mighty that’s nothing my God cannot do.) 

GOD PROTECTS DANIEL’S FRIEND WHO IS WITH THE SON OF GOD.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O King” (NKJV)

Daniel 3:25-27 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like  the Son of God.” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” 27 And they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them..

In the last days there will be a Bigger and Divine Fire covering us – glory of God leading us through the fire of trials. Like Moses and children of Israel times. Say with me, “The Fire of God is Coming!” to YOUR FELLOWSHIP OR CHURCH!

THE FIRE IS COMING! As you come to the altar - Come and be burnt by the Holy Spirit fire.

The Father wrote the Word with one finger.

The Son wrote the Word with two hands.

The Holy Spirit writes the Word with Fire.

 When the Holy Spirit writes upon your life, He writes with fire because Fire burns, Fire penetrates. Fire in indiscernible.

The Holy Spirit it is a heavenly language, It is a divine language.  It is a powerful language.

 Fire also symbolizes zeal, purifying, moulding and cleansing.  We have the nature of the sun above us and spiritually divine fire blazes above us, beneath us and all around us. In Hebrews 12:29 tells us that God is a consuming fire.

FIRE IS MENTIONED OVER 500 TIMES IN THE WORD OF GOD

Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Difference: Offering that have been burnt with fire and died down and one which is on fire almost daily.  One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit is fire.

You are saying “Spirit come and burn me with your fire to my whole being – have your own way.   Go on burning until there’s nothing left to consume”.

Let me tell you IF WE ARE TO SEE A MIGHTY MOVE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES TODAY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOW THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DO A WORK IN US.

A WORK OF PURIFYING, A WORK OF SEPARATION, A WORK OF PURGING, A WORK OF CLEANSING. A WORK READY FOR REVIVAL NOT SURVIVAL.

 

A) GRACE IS LIFE

Galatians 2:21 Amplified Bible (AMP)

I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”

"The substance and essence of the true Gospel is the doctrine of God's grace. If you take away the grace of God from the Gospel you have extracted its very life blood from it. And there is nothing left worth preaching, worth believing or worth contending for.  Grace is the soul of the Gospel. Without it the Gospel is dead.“  Charles Spurgeon

Grace is not a doctrine or teaching but is in a Person Jesus. Grace is a lifestyle, grace itself is LIFE whereas the law is dead. Grace is something for us to LIVE in and MANIFEST through us. Paul says, "I am what I am by the Grace of God".

In Galatians 2:21 Paul says, "The grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain." Paul actually says, I do not want to frustrate and nullify (makes it nothing) the Grace of God in my life. In other words, "No grace, no life." God does not want to pour out His grace for us for no reason. There must be a reason he died for us and gave us His grace. His grace is power - power to perfect us, power to establish us; strengthen us and even settle us for eternity.

B) GRACE KEEPS US IN THE RACE

  The wisest, most honest, most helpful words ever spoken to me came many years ago from my friend Oyvind, when he said, “Sunny, you will never make it without grace. (Jesus)"

C) GRACE OFFERS EVERYONE A FRESH START

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him."
(Luke 15:18-20)

D) GRACE IS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT

 EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANT GRACE
"And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant..."   (1 Timothy 1:14)

After studying the Bible for 40 years I am glad to make the following statement:
The only God I can find in there is the God of
 Exceedingly abundant grace
 Exceedingly abundant mercy
 Exceedingly abundant love
 Exceedingly abundant goodness

5. LIFE ESTABLISHED BY GRACE

Hebrews 13:9 says,  "Let your heart be established by grace".

God does not want our hearts to be full of cares and questionings, worries and fears tossed and turned by every challenge that comes our ways. He wants our hearts at rest and established by His grace.

We no longer have to worry about whether we are good enough. Our dependence is upon God's goodness for us now. Our part is to believe and receive. God part is to give and give graciously and generously.

God does not want our hearts to be full of cares and questionings, worries and fears tossed and turned by every challenge that comes our ways. He wants our hearts at rest and established by His grace. We no longer have to worry about whether we are good enough. Our dependence is upon God's goodness for us now. Our part is to believe and receive. God part is to give and give graciously and generously.

6. CONCLUSION

Ø  Grace is all about looking at Jesus. Not at ourselves, not as our sins, not at our weaknesses, not at our failures, but at Him.

Ø  Grace is all about receiving from Jesus. Receiving strength from him, Receiving forgiveness from Him, receiving mercy from Him.

Ø  Grace is all about knowing Jesus. Knowing how faithful He is. Knowing how friendly He is.

Ø  Grace is all about abiding in Jesus. Abiding means resting, not striving.  Abiding means resting, not working.  Abiding means resting, not struggling.

Ø  Grace is all about the finished work of Jesus.  His work that brings us into God's Kingdom.  Work that keep us in God's Kingdom.  Work that makes us righteous in God's Kingdom.

     

GRACE IS LIFE IN JESUS

Without grace Christianity is just another religion in which people spend their lives wondering if they measure up and fearful that they don't.
Attempting to follow Jesus without first being rooted and grounded in grace is sure to produce more failure than success.
~Gary Marchinke

Quotation: When religion and church fail, there is grace
When relationships and careers fail, there is grace
When all human effort fails, there is grace.
In a world full of failure there exists a God full of grace. ~ Gary Marchinke

1. The Power of Grace

WE ARE ALWAYS UNDER GRACE

"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.“ - (Romans 6:14)

What is Paul saying here:

   Believers cannot be joined to Christ as long as they are “under the law” bound to a legal system.    Paul says, to be under the law is to be under sin’s dominion. (Rom. 6:14-15)   If we are under the law we will fail under the law and under sin bondage.  (Galatians 3:10-12)  The law will hold us captive to sin – but we have died to sin and therefore cannot be held by the law to it any more. (Rom. 6:11)

 The “old way of the written letter” under the law was characterized by “the flesh”, “sinful passions,” “law” and “death”.  The “new way of the Spirit”  is made possible by “dying to that which bound us” and being “released from the law”  The Greek “katargeo” for “released” means “To make ineffective, powerless, idle.”

2. The Purpose of the Law

Galatians 3:21-24   - New International Version (NIV)

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!  For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.  ²² But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

²³ Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. ²⁴ So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.

The law was not perfect and cannot saved a person. The law is like a mirror and it cannot wash your face. But Christ came to end or replace the law.

1. Christ is the End of the Law  Romans 10:3-5  

“For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.   For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.…”

3. Living in the Spirit

Romans 8:3-5 - "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law

might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."

                                            The Comparison

UNDER THE LAW                                                           UNDER GRACE

(Husband-Wife)                                                            (Husband-Wife)

Adam’s sin – sinner                                       Christ – Believers righteousness

Flesh – becoming servants of sin                  Spirit – servants of righteousness

“We were”                                                                  “But now”

Married to sin                                                             Married to righteousness

Bound by law                                                              Released from the law

Wife to Adam (fallen)                                                Wife to Christ (Risen)

Bringing forth fruit that resulted                       Bringing forth fruit that resulted

In death.                                                                holiness, power, grace,

                                                                              liberty &  eternal life.

4. Receive the Abundance of Grace

New Living Translation  Romans 5:17
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

English Standard Version – Romans 5:17
For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

I found one interesting phrase that worth mentioning it. It is the phrase "much more". In Roman 5:15, 17 and 20 it speaks of the words "much more" grace of God. Grace is much more than love, blessings, wisdom, knowledge, power, peace, joy - you can name and make a list of it. God grace is able to do exceedingly abundantly and above all what we ask or think!

As I said before, grace is like an ocean and we have just gone for a swim here and there only. God's thought are higher than our thoughts. We could never exhaust or deplete God's grace. There are much, much more than we imagine. I like the different translations below.

The New English Bible says, "Where sin was thus multiplied, grace immeasurably exceeded it." J.B. Phillips paraphrases it, "Through sin is shown to be wide and deep, thank God his grace is wider and deeper still." Donald Grey Barnhouse quoted, "Where sin reached a high-water mark, grace completely flooded the world." D. Martin Lloyd Jones used the word "engulfed" for "flooded" here. God will not withhold gracious grace because of sin. This gift of grace is unspeakable and indescribable.

(To be continued)

 

HINDRANCES TO THE GRACE OF GOD   

You can stop the Grace of God.  We’ve already seen in God’s Word, the grace of God is received by faith. (Rom. 5:2)  Therefore, if you’re trying to receive grace by anything other than faith, it can have a hindering effect.  Anything you do to receive the grace of God can prevent God’s grace from flowing in your life.  Let’s look at some things that may stop the grace of God from coming to you.

1)   THROUGH WORKS OF THE FLESH – Gal. 3:1,2  

When we trust in our flesh and our own resources, we short-circuit our blessing, rendering His grace meaningless in our lives.  Striving in our fleshly strength to receive God’s grace will not work.

Rom. 11:5,6 AMP “So too at the present time there is a remnant (a small believing minority), selected (chosen) by grace. But if it is by grace (His unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on works or anything men have done.  Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace (it would be meaningless)”.

Gal. 2:20,21 – "Yet not I, but Christ (grace) liveth in me, now I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me.  I do not frustrate the grace of God". Focus on Grace and it will produce good works. But good works cannot produce grace.  Faith without good works is dead. Faith in His grace works.

Col. 1:29 – Paul said I also labour, striving according to his workings which worketh in me mightily.  Paul said, “I work hard by the grace of God.” Paul wasn’t working in the flesh, by his own strength and ability.  He is taping into God’s ability and strength.

Taping into the Limitless Grace of God.

  2 Cor. 6:1 “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.” Work through His Grace.

2)   THROUGH THE LAW

God’s grace is amazing, abundance. God grace is abounding towards us. God’s grace is unstoppable towards us who believe. God is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond what we think or pray. (We can limit God in prayer)

Through the Law we fall away from grace.

FALL AWAY FROM GRACE  - Galatians 5:4; 6-9

  What is “fallen away from grace” means?  Today, we say “fallen from grace” is sin. Brother So and so has fallen from grace (sin).  The bible says fallen from grace is connected to “self-righteousness. Those self-righteous have “fallen from grace”  J.B. Williams – trying to justify from the law and put yourself or cut yourself off from Christ.

Goodspeed translations: Are you walking in God’s favor or your own effort?  How do we know we are under grace or under law?  Whenever you look to yourself to solve your sin, habits you’re under law.

What is law?  God’s Law is this “if you do this I will do this”; If you don’t do that I wouldn’t do that! If you do that is right I bless you.  If you do wrong I blow you apart.

It is different than Christianity.  Law is conditional; but grace is unconditional.    Law always contrast with faith. You can’t mix them. Just as oil and water.  Faith and Law never mixed. Spirit against the Flesh, grace against works.  The negative group: Law activates flesh and manifest works.  But the positive group: is faith activate the Spirit and manifest the Grace of God in our lives and works gracefully in the Spirit.

3)   Thirdly, We fall away THROUGH PERVERSION SPIRIT. - Jude 4

v.8 “filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. (any authorities)

  v. 9  “ railing accusations” - which Michael the archangel dare not do it.

  v.11  “ the way of Cain and the error of Balaam

  v.12  “fruitlessness”

  v.13  “shameless and wandering stars reserved for darkness”

  v.14  “ungodly sinners have spoken against God”

 v.16  “murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lust, pride

  v.18   “mockers in the last time, ungodly lust”

  v.19  “they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit” but have another spirit. 

I Tim. 4:1 – “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, (no faith no grace) giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

Conclusion: Grace is not a doctrine to study it is a gospel of good news.  Grace is about the person of Jesus Christ. Without grace you can’t be a Christian and walk to please God daily.  Without faith it is impossible to please God. With faith then grace will manifest through his Holy Spirit in us to become more like Jesus. Grace will change us not bless us only. Grace will transformed us and our churches will be transformed and our cities too.  Jesus is full of GRACE IN YOU!

 

THE GRACE IN SERVANTHOOD

 

THE GRACE OF SERVANTHOOD

How is grace a servant to you and me?  

Yes, in Matthew 20:26-28 the translation in the New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:26-28

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁶ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. ²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  

When the disciples asked who among them is the greatest? Every one of them wanted to be great and aspires to be one. The 12 disciples were in contention as to who is the greatest among them, what did Jesus tell them? The greatest of you shall be your servant. (Matt 20:26) 

He who was the greatest became our servant, for the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus said to them, the greatest of all shall become your servant! Who is the greatest of all? It’s Jesus Himself.  He is the one by whom all things were created. He was the Word who was from the beginning now became in the flesh. He came to his own and his own could not recognize him but rejected him, nevertheless he is the greatest of all and he became the servant of all.

Jesus came to show us the Grace of Servant-hood. Grace came and served us that we do not deserve it. This is how grace becomes our servant. By cleansing us and washing us. Jesus was so full of grace and truth. He knew he had the possession of the fullness of heaven and yet he girded up his towel and washed the disciple’s feet.  Just imagine a Servant of all servants came from heaven to serve us and gave His life for us.  Just imagine what a privilege of grace we received from God above.  This grace is so gracious and great that it humbles himself and serves the lowly nature of humanity.

Let me share with you this, GRACE WILL HUMBLE YOU AS YOU SERVE OTHERS IN LOVE!

When you are dealing with difficult people it provides fresh opportunities to display humility.  When John Calvin was asked to define the Christian life he said three times that the Christian life was humility, humility, humility.

The Bible teaches that God exalts the humble.  

Proverbs 3:34, “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.”

James 4:6, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,” When you love someone who annoys you, you are lowering your own estimation of yourself and exalting a brother or sister in the Lord.

The Grace of God serves you by cleansing you from all your sins. The Grace of God loves you by blessing you daily.  The greatest of all has become the servant of all. All are invited to come to the PERSON of grace to buy wine and milk without a price. Grace is your servant. Grace is Jesus personified. If you have seen him, you have seen God, the Father.

Such was the persuasion of Apostle Paul’s heart that wherever he went to share the good great gracious grace of God he proclaimed the grace of servant hood that is from God towards men. The gospel of Grace serves you with the life of God.  His gracious life is now your life!

Grace as a servant; a true servant hood, the greatest of all shall become the servant of all!

May the Lord bless you all graciously so that you will be able to humble yourself to let this Grace serve you greatly and abundantly!

 

 

The Spirit of Dominion

A)   Spiritual Dominion

Ps. 72:8:  “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

The Hebrew word for dominion is ‘redah’.  It means to ‘tread down, to subjugate, to subdue, to rule, to prevail against, to reign, and to take possession’.  

The spirit of dominion is the most powerful anointing to operate through a servant of God.  It is the manifestation of the authority and power to rule in the spirit realm.  It is an anointing that prevails. 

When Jesus (the Greater David, the King of kings) comes, He will manifest HIs power and dominion over everything.  

1.  His dominion over demons.  (Lk. 4:36; Col. 2:15)

2.  His dominion over the devil. (Phil. 2: 10-11).

3.  His dominion over death. (John 11:25; Luke 7: 14-15; Rom 6:9)

4.  His dominion over diseases. (Mt. 14: 35-36)

5.  His dominion over time and space.  (John 11:39; 11: 43-44;  Matt. 8: 5-13)

6.  His dominion over the elements. (John 2:9; Matt. 14: 19-20)

7.  His dominion over the forces of nature.  (Lk. 8: 24-25)

8.  His dominion over laws of nature. (Mark 6:49)

9.  His dominion over all.  (Mt. 28:18; Eph. 1:21)

10. His dominion is everlasting. (Dan. 7:14; Rev. 11:15)

B) God Gave Dominion to Adam  -  Genesis 1:26-28

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [g]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Dominion Over Five Areas

Man’s God given dominion was to rule over five realms:

1.    Sea

2.    Air

3.    All the earth

4.    Every creeping thing

5.    Every living thing that move upon the Earth 

     C) When Jesus Spoke He speaks with Authority

Matthew 7:29 (Different translations)

29 “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.”

D)   All Dominion Restored by Jesus - Daniel 7:14

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Revelation 11:15

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

E)   Paul in Dealing with Elymas the Sorcerer.

6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

⁹ Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

¹⁰ And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Paul words operated with the Spirit of Discernment and with the authority of his words he spoke and judgment came upon the sorcerer. 

Paul filled with the Holy Spirit and spirit of dominion authority.  We see here power and authority can either be beneficial or destructive.

You can open the blind eyes and even make them blind with our words.  It’s in the bible.

F)   The End Time Power and Authority

In these end-times, we will see the power of God manifested in greater dimension through the believers.  God will entrust His dominion and power to those:

1. Who are blameless and upright
2. Who fear God and shun evil
3. Who will draw deep into His Presence
4. Whose heart is governed with love and compassion.

     5. Who will give Him all the glory

     6. Who will walk humbly before Him.

     7. Who will obey and believe.

“… that I  may not  abuse my authority in the gospel.” - 1 Cor. 9:18

G)   Heaven Power and Authority

Matt. 28:18 – Niv.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Luke 10:19 – Esv.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

We know when Jesus paid the price on the Cross to purchase man’s redemption He also regained man’s rightful place of dominion which He termed “authority.” Upon His Resurrection He declared, “ALL power (authority) is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth,” Matthew 28:18.

We have authority over whatever Jesus redeemed us from and whatever is under the authority of the devil (Luke. 10:19), darkness (Colossians 1:12) and death (Hebrews 2:14, 15; Romans 8:2). That certainly includes authority over: 

Luke 9:1, 2 ‑ all devils and sin.  (sin shall not have dominion over you)  – Romans 6:14

Acts 10:38 ‑ sickness/oppression

Galatians 3:13, 14 ‑ the curse

Ephesians1:21,22 ‑ spirit realm

2 Corinthians10:3‑5; Phil. 4:8 ‑ our minds/thoughts.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – Our physical body

There will be a future redemption over the whole Earth Revelation 21:1.