When Voices of Hope Evangelistic Team is ministering in Word and Song their Fire Choir will sing several songs and then lead the Congregation in singing. Since that isn't possible on-line, please click here and may you be blessed by the song, "The Solid Rock. "
Effective and Dangerous Christians Pt. 2
1 John 5:4-5
This is our second message in our series entitled "Effective and Dangerous Christians." We’re looking on a spiritual plane of our position in Christ, and the authority through that relationship, to disrupt, confuse and dismantle the kingdom of darkness.
I also want to remind you that everything God gives me to proclaim from this pulpit I’m not just preaching to you but also to myself.
1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. [5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Let me start by stating, there are two things that make a Christian effective and dangerous. Number one is what they know. And number two is what they have.
Remember Hosea 4:6 Says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
An effective and dangerous Christian is an informed Christian. You might even say a spiritually intelligent Christian.
Sadly, within the church, especially the Pentecostal ranks, it has long been believed that being spiritual meant that everything was spontaneous and happened without any forethought.
Just shout, breathe hard, spit a little and preach from Genesis through maps every Sunday and folks would say, “boy wasn’t that spiritual.
It was as though thinking and studying disqualified you from being spiritual. That produced an attitude that says... All that matters is just being moved by the Spirit. This began to open the door to what I'll call sloppy spirituality.
In other words, anything I do is acceptable because I'm being spiritual; I'm being led by the spirit.
I don’t need to study, all I need is to be spiritual... and if you disagree with me, then it's because you're too carnal, and you're not being Spirit led, so you’re in the flesh, but I’m in the Spirit.
But then when those same people are asked to do something that requires some forethought and preparation, you hear... I don't feel led that way.
I'm taking some time to dig into this because... sad to say, it was this very thing that left the church wide open to every kind of crazy off the wall thing that was blowing through the country at the time.
And it allowed stuff to get into the fabric of the church, and began to dilute and pollute the purity
of the gospel and the doctrines of the church.
But it was permitted and embraced, if whoever was saying or doing it sounded and acted spiritual.
If they shouted and danced and spoke in tongues, we embraced them.
Don’t get mad at me if I'm telling the truth.
But I believe something is happening in the body of Christ. I know it isn't the whole church I'm talking about, but the remnant church. The ones that are humbling themselves before God and repenting and seeking His face.
God is waking up the remnant church and God is restoring purity, and holiness, and righteousness, in His church. We are getting ready to see the effective and dangerous Christians wake up in a very powerful way.
I don't care how perfect and beautiful your form, your ceremonies, and your religion may be, without the Holy Spirit, and without the anointing, it's dead.
It may be pretty, but it's dead. It may impress some people but it's dead.
You can dress the dry bones up, and march them into church every Sunday, but if the breath of God, the wind of God, the Holy Spirit doesn't blow on them they're dead.
The bottom line is the devil has been dreading this day, because a learned, man or woman, filled with the Spirit and power of God, is the devil's worse nightmare.
When I speak of learned, I am not saying you have to have a degree in theology to be used of God.
It simply means that we are a thinking person, who studies and reasons and processes information, and reaches a conclusion based upon true trustworthy information, specifically the Word of God.
When you walk through these doors, it is in my mind that I am mostly speaking to not only spiritual people, but also intellectual people, who are not just hearing what is being said, but are thinking about it and comparing it with scripture.
You are reaching your own conclusions, based upon your own study and knowledge of the Word.
This is how the Word becomes real to us, and it becomes a part of us, and this is what makes us a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
Now back to... My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge. That scripture is stating two facts; knowledge can save us from destruction.
That's why I don't preach just for an emotional reaction or response. We are preaching for a result, and that result is to give us practical workable knowledge, to make us an effective and dangerous
Christian.
What makes a Christian dangerous to the devil is what you know...
The devil is not defeated by spirituality alone. In other words, shouting and hollering and talking in tongues, doesn't bother the devil.
It’s what you know that causes him to shake in his boots.
I want to give you five foundational truths from the Bible, these five things will make the devil wish he never saw you.
Five things the devil never wanted you to know.
#1- You have to know that you are called by God. This fact is huge because it means you are wanted, you're important, you are valuable, and you are needed. Your salvation is by design.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are completely committed to and intricately involved in your coming to Christ.
No man can come to the Father except the Spirit draw him. And no one can know the Father except through the Son...
Luke 10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
This is so powerful because anytime the devil tries to make you feel unworthy, undeserving, and not good enough, you just remind him, hey devil, I was called.
2 Timothy 1:8-9 says, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; [9] Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Say this... I didn't just come, I was called.
I didn't crash the party, I was invited. In fact, I was invited to be a part of this family.
# 2- I was chosen.
Say, I was chosen... That's a big deal, because to be chosen implies that there was a selection process that you and I made it through.
I have to say, personally I don't know what God saw in me, but He chose me. And I'm so glad He did.
That means that whoever chose me, saw something in me that they wanted. They saw something in me that they could use.
Maybe it was just raw material but I’m glad he saw something in me He could use.
Now, hidden in that word "chosen" is the word "purpose!" Being chosen presupposes that there was something already in the mind of God, and that when He looked at you, He said, there it is.
The Bible says, many are called but few are chosen.
#1. You're called. I'm called to this ministry; it's not a job it's a calling. I don't preach by profession; I preach by calling. I was called to preach.
#2. You're chosen. Jesus said, you didn't choose me, I chose you.
#3. You're anointed. This is no small thing, to be anointed is to be set apart.
Not just chosen, but beyond chosen, set apart. The Old Testament word is sanctified, it means to be set apart from the secular and set apart for the Holy purposes of God.
When God's anointing is on you, you are set apart. You don't fit in with the world anymore, because you have been separated to God. You're in the world but not of the world.
The anointing is not just a setting apart for God's service; the anointing is also the equipping for God's service. It is the supernatural power of God.
Acts 10:38 says, How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.
When you receive the Holy Ghost, you are anointed. The anointing is not just for Prophets and Apostles. The anointing is for every member of the body of Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.
Isaiah 10:27 says, And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and "the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."
The yoke represents anything that is damaging, hindering, binding, or oppressive. That can be sickness, disease, fear, depression, habits, addictions, poverty and lack.
Secondly the yoke is a reference to not only the heaviness of the burden, but also of the spirit that holds people in bondage.
It is that spiritual yoke that connects and holds two things together, like oxen that are yoked together. They can't get away from each other.
That's what the devil tells people, you can never be free, you're my slave and I have you bound. But Jesus came to set the captives free.
Luke 4:18 says, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to "set at liberty them that are bruised,"
Then Isaiah 58:6 says, is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and "that ye break every yoke?"
Did you see that? It didn't say pray for God to destroy the yoke, it said... that ye break every yoke. What is it that destroys the yoke? The anointing.
So, we are not anointed just for the sake of how good it feels. We are anointed for service.
We are anointed for the same purpose that Jesus was anointed... To destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8 For this purpose the son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Romans 8:19 The Bible says, The earnest expectation of the creature, waiteth for the manifestation of "the sons of God."
In other words, the whole of humanity waits in need, and hopeful expectation, for those who are called, chosen, and anointed by God to recognize who they are in Christ, and begin to do the works of Jesus.
Say... I'm anointed.
-Do you know it?
-Do you believe that?
-Do you walk in it?
-Does the devil know it?
#4 Is the revelation that you are appointed.
Say: I am Appointed.
The word appointed means to lay hand upon, to lay charge upon, to commission, to ordain, and give an assignment.
In Acts 22:10, Paul talks about being appointed. And I said, what shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are "appointed" for thee to do.
One of the single most powerful characteristics of Jesus' life was His recognition of the life, and the work that He was assigned to. He knew that He was appointed by God the Father.
No less than 40 times from Matthew to John, Jesus uses these exact words, the Father "sent me," these words were spoken in direct reference to His appointment and His assignment by God.
The great thing about knowing that you are appointed by God is that no one can dis-appoint you. In other words, no one can un-assign you. No one can un-appoint you.
There is something very powerful about knowing that you're appointed, and that you are not here accidentally, and that God has you here on assignment, and His hand is on your life.
It gives you a rare kind of boldness, and authority, much greater than yourself. Some people will even mistake your boldness for arrogance.
But it's not arrogance, it's just a confidence that if God appointed me to the work, then He knows that with His help I can do it.
The Holy Spirit wants this to get into our spirit. We are not just a lowly pilgrim stumbling through this life, waiting for Jesus to come and get us.
We’re here by Divine Design; we are appointed and are here on this planet on assignment.
We are an ambassador of the kingdom of God, a representative of the king. You speak on His behalf. You act on His behalf.
• You didn't appoint yourself, God did it.
• You didn't seat yourself in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... God did it.
• You didn't raise yourself up from being dead in sins and trespasses... God did it.
• You didn't give yourself power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and power to cast out devils, and destroy yokes, and set captives free... God did it. It comes with your appointment.
There are some people that don't like the fact that God called you, chose you, anointed you, and appointed you, but it doesn't matter.
I'm not man called, I'm God called, anointed, and appointed.
God knows what He is doing. You don't have to worry about trying to please everybody, all you really need to worry about is pleasing God.
When Paul was approaching the chopping block, he said, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, and I have finished my course.
Paul was saying... I completed my assignment. I finished the work you gave me to do. I carried out my charge, and I fulfilled my appointment.
Knowledge is not only going to make you dangerous to hell, but it is also going to make you
a target.
You are becoming a threat to the devil’s agenda and that will make you a target, you need to know that.
The Holy Spirit wants you to know...
• You are somebody.
• You are going somewhere.
• You have a job to do.
• You have been chosen by God for the job.
• You are anointed, and you are appointed.
• Your life is filled with purpose.
• You don't live an accidental life, just stumbling around hoping something good will happen to you.
No...
• You live the intentional life.
• You walk with intention.
• You talk with intention.
• You pray with intention.
• You give with intention.
You don't run from the devil, you run at the devil...You are on assignment. God is in you, and He is with you, and for you.
#5. You are authorized.
Tell your neighbor, I'm authorized.
Authorized for what? You are authorized to carry on the family business. Jesus said to His parents, don't you know that I must be about my Father’s business.
We are authorized to use the name of Jesus to carry out kingdom business.
The kingdom business we are authorized to carry out is to continue to dismantle and destroy the devil’s kingdom.
Jesus said, in my name you shall cast out devils. Mark 16:17
* In His name we cast out sickness.
* In His name we destroy yokes of bondages and habits and addictions and set captives free. In His name we pray.
Jesus said, whatever you ask in My name the Father will do it.
We are not only authorized to ask in His name, but we are also authorized to command in His name.
Jesus didn't say pray to the Father in My name to cast out the devil... No, Jesus said, in My name cast out the devil... That is commanding power.
When Peter and John raised up the lame man, they didn't pray about it... They commanded him to get up in Jesus’ name. "They were acting on the authority invested in them."
In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus is speaking about exercising authority and commanding the mountain to be removed.
Authority is given, but authority must be exercised. You may have the power of attorney to manage someone's resources for them, but you have to exercise that authority by putting a demand on those resources.
The same is true for us. We have authority by right of inheritance. And because we are sons of God, we are authorized to do kingdom business in the name of Jesus. But nothing will happen if you and I don't exercise our authority.
Listen to this powerful scripture... Ecclesiastes 8:4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, what doest thou?
That's talking about us, we are kings and priests unto God. But where is the power? It’s in your mouth. Kings rule by decree. In other words, they speak what they want to come to pass.
Power is released through the word, more specifically, through the command.
This is not to say that anyone can just go around commanding anything they want, and God will back it up.
Here is the revelation of being authorized. Authority comes through abiding; authorization comes through a relationship.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
If you will take these five smooth stones, these revelations that we have shared today, and you will get them down in your spirit, you will be an effective and dangerous Christian, you will bring down the Goliaths in your life.
You won't just survive, you will thrive. You'll begin to move in an arena of power greater than you've ever seen.
And when the devil sticks up his ugly head, and says to you, who do you think you are? You say, wow, I'm glad you asked. I don't just think, I know who I am...
I am redeemed, righteous, sanctified, and justified.
I am blood washed, and fire baptized. I am seated with Christ in heavenly places. I am an heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ. I am a Son of God.
I am called. I am chosen. I am anointed I am appointed. I am authorized. I am armed and dangerous.
In Jesus’ Name Amen!