I’m going to introduce you to the Gospel right now: You are a rebel! Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, I’ll tell you straight up, you are a rebel against the Living God. This is your natural disposition because you were born in sin. We are in a prison cell and it takes the waking and the grace of God called the provident grace of God to awaken us to the fact that we are lost and we can’t get out! We are heading for destruction fast! The enemy, because our rebellion against God has legal rights to harm us and harass our lives. There you are behind a prison cell screaming: “HELP! I NEED HELP!” So you can’t get out! Those prison bars are stronger than any adamant… there is no way you can cut them because they are stronger than diamonds. It’s impenetrable! You cannot escape. You are DOOMED! In view of, when the enemy comes in the very end –he is going to finish you off because he’s got legal rights to do it. He is going to relish every minute of it! In strolls … your Intercessor, your Mighty Man; and He stands between you and that accuser and He takes the hit that was rightfully yours. He takes the blow that was intended for you! That is an extraordinary reality, that He was turn to a pulp and He actually died-God died for you! Over your prison cell it had always said: CONMDEMNED, SEPARATED ETERNALLY FROM GOD, GUILTY! And suddenly it switches, when you realize what Jesus Christ has done! Now it says: JUSTIFIED, FORGIVEN,REEDEMED.! Here is the problem: Most of us have stopped with the good news right there. The blood of Jesus Christ has been shed and He was killed, I want you know that’s unbelievable news but we are still in a prison cell; and so we are praising God from within a prison cell saying: “THANK YOU FOR FORGIVING ME, THANK YOU FOR CHANGING THE SIGN ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PRISON” And God’s word says: “COULD YOU CHECK THE DOOR TO THE PRISON CELL? BECAUSE MY BLOOD WAS SHED FOR MORE THAN JUST FORGIVENESS.” Forgiveness was the avenue through which He could make the escape for us. He isn’t just interested in dealing with the consequences or the penalty of sin, He has also dealt with the problem of sin. TEST THE DOOR! IT’S UNLOCKED! THE DOOR OF THE PRISON CELL IS UNLOCKED! WALK OUT, SMELL THE OPEN AIR OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST! When you get out the prison cell there are like these chariots waiting…Emissaries for the kingdom, they will hand you and invitation issuing you to the King’s presence! Do you know how bizarre this is? When you realize that you were a rebel. That you are undeserving completely. The living God has literally given His life up for you and now He has set you free! And now the King is beckoning you onto His presence. It’s like: “ARE YOU SURE YOU GOT THE RIGHT PERSON HERE? I AM A REBEL! I STOOD AGAINST MY GOD.I SPAT ON HIS FACE! HOW COULD HE WANT ME?” The King beckons you! You get in the chariot and as your pulling into the kingdom, you are looking to where they might drop you off… you’re looking for that “poor” district and you say: “WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?” Well, into the very near presence of The King! He wants you to live right where He lives! -NOT JUST THE PENALTY -NOT JUST THE PROBLEM But…… An invitation to His very near presence! But as you’re coming in the emissaries tell you He wants to adopt you as His child! “ME AS HIS CHILD?” We are brought in and invited near to share His heart. You come into His presence totally broken before the reality of what He’s done for you. “I DON’T DESERVE THIS, WHY ME?WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS FOR ME? And God says: “I LOVE YOU! I HAVE A COMMISSION FOR YOU!” “FOR ME? YOU WANT TO HAVE ME WORK FOR YOU?” “I WANT YOU TO WORK FOR ME… I WANT YOU TO REPRESENT ME!” “ABSOLUTLEY! ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU, JUST TELL ME!” “I NEED YOU TO GO BACK TO THAT PRISON CELL THAT I TOOK YOU OUT OFF, BECAUSE THERE IS A WHOLE BUNCH MORE THAT NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ME; THAT I LOVE MY CHILDREN-WILL YOU GO FOR ME?” “ABSOLUTLEY, I WILL GLADLY SERVE YOU ANYWAY YOU WANT, ANYWAY YOU ASK!” “I NEED TO FORWARN YOU, IM GOING TO SEND YOU OUT AND YOU WILL BE AS SHEEP AMONG WOLVES?THEY WILL KILL YOU.THEY’LL DESTROY YOU. THEY’LL HATE YOU.THEY’LL PERSECUTE YOU.THEY WILL DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO HARM YOU.” “I AM IN! I’LL DO IT, GOD! I DON’T CARE! YOU SHED YOUR BLOOD FOR ME, I WILL GLADLY SHED MY BLOOD FOR YOU.TAKE MY BODY, TAKE MY BLOOD, SPEND IT ANYWAY YOU WANT .I BELONG TO YOU AND IN COVENANT! TAKE ME,LORD JESUS,SEND ME!” THE COMMISSION! -NOT JUST THE PROBLEM -NOT JUST THE INVITATION TO HIS NEAR PRESENCE. -NOT JUST THE ADOPTION AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE KING OF KINGS. But… We are commission to represent Him, and I want you to realize that is a privilege beyond all other privileges! To bear the very Name, the very image, the very reputation of God all Mighty! And He says: “I ASKED YOU TO GO…GO AND MAKE DICIPLES OF ALL MAN, GO! AND BE UNASHAMED OF MY GOSPEL-PREACH IT, GO RESCUE THE LOST IN THE POWER OF MY NAME, FOR IS NOT THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN WORTHY TO RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING?” “I’LL GO!” And as you began to head out with His blessings-He says: “HOLD IT! WAIT! THERE IS ONE MORE THING…” -NOT JUST THE PENALTY -NOT JUST THE PROBLEM. -NOT JUST THE INVITATION TO HIS VERY NEAR PRESENCE -NOT JUST THE ADOPTIONS AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE KING AND… -NOT JUST THE COMMISION. This is the capstone: If you think that is all good; you can wrap that all up into one ball and it will still fall short of the final one, because this final one is so condescending on the part of peers, it’s so bewildering. This final one is so extraordinary, so amazing, and this is the truth that turns the world upside down: “BEFORE YOU GO…WHAT I AM SENDING YOU OUT TO DO IS IMPOSSIBLE AND IF YOU DO IT ON YOUR OWN STRENGHT YOU WILL FAIL!” “I DON’T CARE! I AM WILLING TO DO WHATEVER YOU ASK OF ME. IF YOU WANT ME TO GO THERE AND JUST DIE IM WILLING!” “I AM SENDING YOU OUT TO BE A VICTOR! MY CHILDREN WILL NOT LOOSE! WILL YOU GIVE ME YOUR BODY? AND I WILL COME IN AND MAKE IT MY HOME.I WILL TAKE THOSE HANDS OF YOURS AND MAKE THEM MY HANDS. AND I WILL TAKE THOSE FEET OF YOURS AND MAKE THEM MY FEET.I WILL TAKE YOUR MOUTH AND SPEAK MY WORDS. I WILL TAKE THOSE EYES OF YOURS AND MAKE THEM NOW SEE WHAT I NEED YOU TO SEE IN THIS WORLD, AND I WILL TAKE YOUR HEART OF STONE AND MAKE IT A HEART OF FLESH SO IT WILL BEAT WITH MY BURDENS AND YOU WILL CARE FOR THE VERY THINGS THAT I CARE ABOUT.YOUR PRAYERS WILL BECOME MY PRAYERS.YOUR LIFE, YOUR ATTITUDE, YOUR BEHAVIOUR, EVERY MINUTE OF EVERYDAY WILL BE THE VERY BEHAVIOUR OF GOD! WILL YOU ALLOW ME TO OVER TAKE YOUR LIFE? CAUSE THEN YOU WILL GO INTO THIS WORLD AS LAMBS WITH THE FACES OF LIONS, BECAUSE THE LIVING GOD ALL MIGHTY GOD DWELL WITHIN HIS CHILDREN!” As we stand and the world axes around us, we stand in the authority of the name of Jesus and we will not back down; because we don’t head out to war to loose, we head off to war to win! Our God mocks all the powers of Earth and hell with His “floppy” little lambs because His lambs beat the wolf pack! This is the Gospel! The gospel pounces upon all the power of Earth and hell and demonstrates to the universe the manifold wisdom of God! That He is in control and even though we look weak and even though physically and naturally we are weak-Spiritually greater is He that’s in us than he that’s in the world! That is good news and it’s a lot better than dealt out today in the churches. We need to rise up and proclaim the Gospel and say “I’m unashamed of it!” Dear Lord Jesus, take what is rightfully yours. Don’t just send us, send us with yourself firmly planted within our souls. We cannot do your work, we cannot bring you glory even though we are willing to do it without you. Please, if you would want to come with us, why in the world would we ever try on our own? “YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO ON YOUR OWN.YOU DON’T HAVE TO PULL OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE ON YOUR OWN. YOU DON’T HAVE TO FAIL ANY LONGER. YOUR GOD IS READY TO DO IT THROUGH YOU. YOU CAN’T DO IT. YOU CAN’T MUSTER UP THE DICIPLINE, YOU CAN’T MUSTER UP THE INTELLECT, YOU CAN’T MUSTER UP THE STRENGHTH, YOU CAN’T MUSTER UP THE PERSEVERANCE AND FORTITUDE.BUT I CAN! YOU CAN’T LOVE THE LOST. YOU CANT LOVE THOSE THAT SPIT UPON YOUR FACE, I CAN!” Don’t pray that God will teach you how to love like He does but pray that He will fill you with Himself-and He will love through you! Don’t pray that He will teach you to have joy-Pray that the living God full of joy will enter you! Don’t pray that He will teach you how to be peaceful, but ask the God of peace, the Prince of Peace to fill you. Because….. If you try to imitate in your own strength…you will be a miserable replica but if you allow the impartation of Jesus Christ to overtake you, suddenly it all works because it is Him imitating Himself-and He is very good at being God!
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 08:29:34 +0000
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