Message 10: Joining Jesus in the Supernatural

INTRODUCTION: Turn to John 10:30
John’s Gospel presents a supernatural Jesus. There is no room in John’s writings for us to embrace Him simply as a good teacher – He is clearly supernatural in nature, power and purpose.

He has supernatural power over nature:
• Changing ordinary water into extraordinary wine! (John 2:1-11)
• Walking on Water and Calming the Storm! (John 6:16-21)

He has supernatural power over illness, disease and death:
• Healing the Noblemen’s Son! (John 4:46-54)
• Healing the Lame Man! (John 5:1-15)
• Healing the Blind Man! (John 9:1-12)
• Raising the Dead! (John 11:1-45)

He has supernatural power to create:
• Feeding the Multitude! (John 6:1-15)

Now the question that remains is this: Do you believe? Do you believe in the Supernatural Jesus?

Don’t answer too quickly. Because your answer has consequences.

If you say you believe in the Supernatural Jesus – then He deserves to be followed and for you to do His will.

If you say that Christ couldn’t do what John’s Gospel says He did, then He also couldn’t rise from the dead and you are still lost in your sin and separated from God.

Now – look at this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees in John 10:30…

30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,
32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?
35 If he called them ‘gods’, to whom the word of God came-- and the Scripture cannot be broken--
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.
38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” John 10:30-28

There is a great deal in this text, but I want to focus in on one line in verse 35

Jesus says: “the Scripture cannot be broken…”

Do you see that? Do you get it? God’s Word cannot be broken; it can only be fulfilled.

What God has promised through His Son, will be done. Every promise that God has made concerning His glory in the church, His wrath against unrighteousness, His purposes with Israel, the coming Harvest of the nations, our victory over sin and death, His unending presence with you as we follow Him – each and every promise of God will be fulfilled.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

• In Christ, God’s promises are YES!
• In Christ, God’s promises will be fulfilled.

We yearn for this to be realized. I long for the promises of God to be actualized in my life. Don’t you?

We are the people of the promise – and what has been spoken, will be fulfilled. Rest assured.

Now – turn to John 14:11 – to see a promise that will be fulfilled. Here we see Jesus in the midst of another conversation. This time with Philip, and again, we see Jesus appeal to the testimony of the miracles as evidence of His true identity – look at verse 11:

“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:11-14, NIV.

Rigght there in verse 12 is a significant promise from God’s Word – Jesus Christ: “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Jesus invites us to do what He has been doing. He invites us to join Him in His supernatural activity. This is an undeniable promise of God’s Word: “By faith – we can do what Christ has been doing, an more amazingly even greater things!”

What does this mean? Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, fed thousands. Can we do this? Now, again, don’t answer too quickly. We don’t know enough yet to fully answer that question. Our 20th century Western world-view says: “NO, of course not.” But what if we are wrong? What if there is more power available to us than any of us can imagine? What if our world-view has stopped us from moving forward into the ‘greater things’ of Christ?

And whether we can do these things are not really isn’t the issue. The real issue is that Christ is expecting us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit at a far greater level than we currently are! The real issue is the God’s power is available and we are sitting around defeated, impotent and in big trouble!

You see, God’s Word cannot be broken. It’s undeniable what Christ promised. So, instead of trying to figure out the exact meaning of this promise, why not passionately pursue the fulfillment of it instead.

I’d rather make a million mistakes passionately pursuing Christ and His promises that to sit back in fear of making any!

• What if – in your pursuit of the promises of God – what if – something happens?
• What if people get healed?
• What if when you pray for 10 people – one gets healed?
• What if Christ isn’t kidding when He invites you to join with Him in the supernatural?

• What if your greater thing is to love someone who seems to be unloveable?
• What if your greater thing is to be an intercessor for your adult children – for five – ten – twenty years – until such time that through your faithful prayers – they repent and return to Christ?
• What if your greater thing is to stay, when everyone else has left?

The Scripture cannot be broken, only fulfilled.

Christ says: You will do greater things than I’ve done.
This cannot be broken or nullified – it can only be fulfilled.

Now, get this: When God is in the equation, it doesn’t matter one bit where we come from or where we begin. God is able to fulfill His promises and change us into the kind of person who is able to do ‘greater things’ in Christ!

I’m claiming this promise. How about you? I’m claiming this promise. It is what the rest of my life is about. I want to be involved with Christ in the supernatural. I want to see His glorious power revealed! I absolutely refuse to believe that what I’ve experienced thus far is all that there is! There is more – and I’m created to live in it!

So, what are we to do with this unbreakable promise?

Again – turn to another place in John – John 15

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” John 15:1-9

Verse four tells us what to do in expectation of being involved with Christ in the supernatural:

Remain in me.

The King James Version puts it this way: Abide in me.

The Message Translation puts it this way: "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you.”

Christ calls us to simply remain in Him. To live in Him. To find ourselves in Him. Another way of thinking about this is to allow Christ to define you. This is the goal: To be in Christ. Day in and day out – to be in Christ.

To remain in Christ is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to live not according to the power of the flesh, but according to the power of God within us.

What happens when we abide in Christ?

First of all – You get pruned!

Verse 2 tells us: “…every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

If you abide in Christ, Christ will prune you. He will cut off the unfruitful parts of your life. He’ll take your selfishness and cut it off and throw it on the fire. He’ll take your stubbornness and trim it off. It is of no use to you. He’ll take your anger and eliminate it. He’ll take your wandering eye and refocus it towards purity. You cannot stay the same and go with God.

Embrace change. For when Christ changes you, it is a sign that He loves you. And when Christ prunes your life, He is preparing you to be even more fruitful. There has never been a person who became effective in ministry or for the Kingdom who hasn’t been severely tested and tried by God.

Zechariah 13 tells us:
“I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’” Zechariah 13:9

Do not curse God’s refining process. He is treating you as a son or daughter and preparing you for greater glory! You cannot shortcut or circumvent God’s preparation process.

The second thing that happens when you abide in Christ is found in verse 5 – “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit…”

You will produce more fruit!

After being pruned of the unnecessary, God will produce a great harvest in your life. Your life will matter. Your life will make a difference. Your life will have a positive payoff! Things start happening that you never dreamed were possible!

Look at how Jesus describes these things in verse 7
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

You see, after being pruned of fleshly desire and soulish fears – you are now able to pray properly! You know what to pray! You know how to pray God’s will! You know how to pray the promises of God – and as you do so – ‘it will be given you!’

God says: “I’ve pruned you of the what has stopped you from becoming fully alive in me, I’ve dealt with your petty jealousies, your selfish ambitions, your ego and conceit – and now you are able to pray prayers that I can answer affirmatively!”

You have been matured past selfish praying. You have been transformed from ego-centered living to Christ-centered living. You’ve discovered that there is nothing more important than the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven!

And as He transforms you this way – whatever you pray for will happen!

This is the fulfillment of Jesus’ ‘greater things’ promise!

CONCLUSION:
Christ invites us to join Him in the supernatural.
He is pouring out gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to do in Him what we could never even imagine doing in the flesh!

Believe Him at His word!
Repent of fleshly living.
Repent of soulish living!
Remain in Him!
Receive the fulfillment of His promises!

The Scripture cannot be broken, it can only be fulfilled.

Jesus – we are crying out for your Word to be fulfilled in our lives.
We are sorry for being so stubborn, so unyielding. Forgive us.
Prune away the unfruitful.
Produce in our lives a harvest that lasts and brings glory to Your Name
We accept your offer to join you in the Supernatural!

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Supernatural Jesus & Me 08: Moving into the Glory of the Supernatural Jesus

Turn to John 11
John 11 contains the story of Jesus’ ultimate miracle: That of raising the dead!

If anyone had any doubts about the genuine identity of Jesus of Nazareth, this should have settled it. He spoke life to a dead man, and life was the result. Let that sink in.

You’ve been to the graveside. Milling about with family, friends and strangers as the minister says a few words and that’s that. It’s time for cold cuts and potato salad.

As we read in verse 39, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. It wasn’t like he swooned, or was in a coma, he was dead. So dead, that when Jesus tells them to open up the tomb, Lazarus’ sister Martha warns against such a move:

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” V. 39

But that doesn’t stop Jesus – He orders the stone removed from the door of the tomb and in verse 40…
“Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”” John 11:40-44

Where there was death, there is now life. IN CHRIST THE IMPOSSIBLE IS MADE POSSIBLE.

Which is why we read in verse 45:
“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.” John 11:45

Wouldn’t you? You’ve stood there in wonder and seen with your own eyes the power of God to resurrect. How could you not place your faith in Him?

Do you know why Jesus resurrected His friend? Look at verse 40 again…
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Read it again – slowly - “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?””
John 11:40

In this one sentence, Jesus lays out the very key to your life:
FAITH BRINGS ME INTO THE GLORY OF GOD!

I can only experience the realities of the Kingdom of God as I live in faith. Jesus says that as I choose to believe, I will see His glory! Jesus says that as I choose to believe, I will see life from a whole new perspective. Jesus says that as I choose to believe, I will life in an entirely different realm – the realm of glory!

• How does one enter into salvation? By faith.
• How does one move in the power of the Holy Spirit? By faith.
• How does one hear the voice of God? By faith.

Faith is the critical element for a Christian. Hebrews 11:1 says…
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

What do you hope for?
• You hope that you can be authentically connected to your Creator.
• You hope that when you die, you’ll live forever with Christ!
• You hope that even now, in this temporary physical life, you can have a touch of the eternal!

How does that hope turn to certainty?
By faith. As I live in faith, I am able to experience the reality of relationship with my Creator. And the more of Him I experience, the more confident that my faith becomes!

The Apostle Paul wrote…
“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

In this world, God is not seen as clearly as He will be. We are still in bodies corrupted by sin – we still have to deal with our physical limitations – we are still in a battle against the enemy - but there will be a day when battle is over and we will see Him face-to-face!

What a promise. And the key to the promise is faith. But Jesus makes it easier to believe when He pulls over miracles like this one. Where there was death – there is now life!

Christ tells us in verse 40 that faith opens the door to the glory of God!
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40

What is the glory of God?
The Bible uses two words that we translate as ‘glory’ – in the OT, it is the word KAWBODE and in the NT it is the word DOXA. Let me combine the two words to give us an idea of what the Bible means by the glory of God.

Glory is honor, abundance, majesty, beauty, brightness, and an exalted state of being, excellence, significance and weight.

To move into the glory of God is to move into an awareness of Who He Really Is. It is to see Him in majesty and excellence. To move into the glory of God is to experience His significance – His weight.

Far too many of us have a two-dimensional Jesus. We have bad paintings of Him that we bought at the Christian bookstore. Even the best paintings – you know – the Leonardo DaVinci type of paintings – are at best only a hint of who He really is.

To move into the glory of God is to move into a present awareness of the three-dimensional Christ! It is to feel Him, to touch Him, to be touched by Him, to hear His voice of challenge in our spirits. Christ still moves. He breathes, He lives. To move into the glory of God is to be somehow lifted up out of our circumstance and into His presence, all the while remaining in the moment and interacting with those around us in the ‘stuff of life’ – but realizing that the ‘stuff’ isn’t all that there is, and that He is wanting us to experience Him in the midst of the ‘stuff’.

When Christ called Lazarus out of the tomb – He was calling all those present to experience His glory. Do you think that you could have been unchanged by what happened in that cemetery that day?

When you choose to live by faith, growing in expectations that what Christ has promised will become your reality – you are moving into glory. On the other hand, when I choose to live by fear, cynical and doubt-filled, I am moving into despair.

When I choose to live by faith, growing in my experience with the Living Christ, I am becoming more alive than ever before! Surely in our lives there are places in need of resurrection. Surely in our lives there are dead zones. And the only hope is that we’d allow Christ to call us out of death and into the glory of His life!

Someone has said: “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

God showed His glory when Lazarus walked out of the tomb. And God shows His glory when you overcome fear, doubt, addictions, insecurities, anger, rage, bitterness and other lesser gods – by faith in Him.

When you become fully alive – you demonstrate the glory of God!

Glory can mean two things – either it means “FAME” or it means ‘LUMINOSITY’. The glory of God is all about luminosity. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

Of course that makes sense – when you’ve been touched with the resurrection power of Christ, your life takes on a luminosity that positively glows!

Moses met with God on the mountain, and the glory of God was so strong that Moses had to cover his face – He was literally glowing in the dark!

When I move into the glory of God by faith, the quality of my life is changed:
• Where others have anxiety, my faith moves me into peace.
• Where others strive and sweat, my faith gives me rest.
• Where others hold on to control and power, my faith allows me to stay surrendered.
• Where others are confused and aimless, my faith steers my life into safe harbor!

Christ said – Here’s the offer: “You can have death, or you can have life! Choose life!”

No one would consciously choose death – but every time we life ‘as if’ we were alone, ‘as if’ we were in charge, ‘as if’ Christ were not present – we choose death.

And every time that we live in faith, we choose life.

Turn to 2 Samuel 6
• King David is on a mission to return the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.
• The Ark of the Covenant represents the Presence and the Glory of God
• But it has been misplaced for some sixty years.
• While they were bringing it back to Jerusalem something really bad happened.

Verse 6
“When they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:6, 7

You weren’t supposed to touch the ark. The penalty for doing so was death, and Uzzah died that day.

Look at verse 8:
“Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.” 2 Samuel 6:8-10

David ‘wasn’t willing’ to go any further, so he asks his friend Obed-Edom to take care of the Ark of the Covenant until they figured out what to do.

Now, look at verse 11:
“The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.” 2 Samuel 6:11

I want you to see something. For 90 days, Obed-Edom has the Ark of the Covenant in his living room. For 90 days, Oded-Edom has the Glory of God in his home. For 90 days. Three months.

Can you imagine what would happen in your life if for the next three months you openly pursued the glory of God? Can you imagine the changes? Can you imagine the insights? Can you imagine the power?

Look what happens to Obed-Edom: “and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.”

I can only imagine what this blessing looked like. But, imagine with me:
• His marriage took on a beauty and intimacy like never before.
• His children saw the change and were changed themselves.
• His crops grew without weeds, without bugs and were larger and sweeter than ever!
• Whatever Obed-Edom touched turned into blessing!

I want some of the blessing of Obed-Edom.

And the blessing comes not by my efforts – but by moving into the glory of God through faith.

Lazarus lived again, but eventually died again. But, don’t you agree that this second lease on life had a dimension of glory to it that the first did not? Don’t you think that like the man healed of blindness, Lazarus spent the rest of His life giving glory to Christ!? Don’t you think that Lazarus lived very differently this time?

What about you? Have you been touched by the glory of God?

God has spoken to me and told me that through the cancer in my body – He would be glorified. I’m counting on it. And I’m beginning to figure out that glory spreads to those around Him. So, if I stay in close with Him by faith, I believe that His glory will touch my life as well.

It’s time to move out of our ordinary life and into His life-giving glory!

How? Through faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says…
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

I want the reward.
I want to be fully alive.
I want the glory of God to be revealed in me.

And the good news is that this desire within me aligns with God’s will. My hunger for life and for glory lines up perfectly with His plans.

CONCLUSION:
What Christ did for Lazarus – He’ll do for you!
He is the Supernatural Jesus calling you to His places of glory!
Christ is calling to you in your tombs – “Lazarus come forth!
Christ is calling to you in your places of deadness – “Come forth!”

Can you imagine Lazarus standing inside the tomb stubbornly holding on to the stone?

It’s time to let go of that that masquerades as life but in actuality is death. It’s time to fall to your knees and to pursue the life that Christ offers!

Let’s move into the Glory of the Supernatural Jesus!

Supernatural Jesus & Me 07: The Danger of Spiritual Blindness

Turn to John 9

Do you know what a “Paradigm Shift” is? Think of a Paradigm Shift as a change from one way of thinking to another. It's a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change.

When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, they undergo a paradigm shift – they move from unfaith to faith, from not believing to believing, from living as if the natural world is all there is to living in the realm of the Holy Spirit of God!

Paradigm shifts take time. But, in order to grow in Christ, you cannot stay the way you are – you’ve got to move forward.

We’ve spent a great deal of time in the last two years making a paradigm shift – from a naturalistic principle driven form of Christianity into a more spiritually aware, supernatural faith.

Graham Cooke, a prophet out of England says that on average it takes three years to make this shift. We are in the second year of the shift. And God is moving.

Today, I want to focus in on the danger of being blind to the Supernatural Jesus. This is a message of warning – that none of us would miss out on the reality of the Supernatural Jesus!

PRAYER

Last week, we studied the healing of the man who had been born blind. Today, we are going to see the response to the healing.

Look at verse 13…
“They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.” V. 13-16

The Pharisees, as the reigning religious powers in first century Israel, were brought into the picture. Somehow, in order for this miracle to be REAL, they had to give their stamp of approval. So, the man tells them what happened. But look at the divided response:

“This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.”

For the Pharisees it was vital that the Law of Moses be kept perfectly – according to their understanding of it. We’ve seen this before from these characters – they were more interested in the letter of the law than the spirit of the law. And because, in their opinion, Jesus did not keep the Sabbath, He couldn’t be from God. Yet, some of them realized that a sinner couldn’t possibly do such miraculous signs. So they were divided.


Many times people miss out on the Supernatural Jesus because He doesn’t fit into their preconceived notions of what they think He should be.

There is the first danger: 1. Preconceived notions.

We can easily become blind to what God is doing, because God doesn’t fit into our preconceived expectations. We get our expectations from a great many sources:
• Family
• Culture
• Education
• Church experience

One of the things that happens to us through these sources is that we are in danger of saying: “God can’t…” because we’ve never seen Him do it!

When the Charismatic movement of the late 60’s and early 70’s began to spread across California, my church said: “God can’t!” and guess what – God didn’t! God doesn’t work in environments who allow their preconceived notions to rule!

One of the best things you can do is to ask the Holy Spirit to help you become aware of your preconceived expectations – and then ask Him to help you see Jesus as He really is!

Now, look at verse 17…
“Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.””
V. 17-23

So, the Pharisees are unhappy with the man’s response, so they pull in the parents. The parents – who had the miracle right in their own family – refused to deal with the Pharisees because – vs. 22 tells us that ‘they were afraid of the Jews…’

This is the second danger sign that we are becoming blind to the Supernatural Jesus – 2. Fearing man more than God!

The Pharisees had the power to make life pretty miserable for people who went against them, and that is exactly what the parents were afraid of.

In our lives, we can be tempted to fear men for what they can do to us, but to do so, hardens your heart and causes you to miss out on what the Supernatural Jesus is doing! For many years, because I was afraid, I kept my ‘prayer language’ in the closet, and that is to my shame.

Isaiah 51:7 warns us… “Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.” Isaiah 51:7
And again - “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Isaiah 35:4

We’ve learned early in life to fear each other – but ultimately, we must put our trust and hope in the One who is above all others – in might, power and glory!

Now, look at verse 24…
“A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”” v. 24-27

These Pharisees are becoming quite a pain. They are relentless in their pursuit, but unfortunately, they aren’t pursuing truth – they are looking for ways to discredit the formerly blind man.

This is the third warning sign that you are becoming blind to the Supernatural Jesus: 3. Rejecting the Truth that is right in front of you!

They just weren’t satisfied with the answers they were getting. Why? Because it didn’t fit their paradigm. They had decided that Jesus was a sinner. Therefore, He could not doing anything good. Yet, they were standing face-to-face with something Jesus did - but, instead of changing their paradigm, they were rejecting the truth!

Why doesn’t the national news media tell the stories of the miracles happening across the world through the power of the Holy Spirit? Because it doesn’t fit their paradigm. So they reject the truth!

What about us? Are we open to the truth – even when the truth requires us to change? Are we willing to submit ourselves to Him, regardless of the requirements? Are we willing to accept that our way of thinking – just might be wrong?

People who are going to move into the power of the Supernatural Jesus must be willing to embrace the truth.

Unfortunately, the Pharisees were not willing – look at verse 28:
“Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” V. 28-29

Do you know what their problem was? Here it is – and it’s the fourth warning sign against spiritual blindness: 4. Expecting God to Fully Explain Himself!

These guys wanted to know everything – they couldn’t handle the fact that Jesus didn’t come up the ranks through their system! They couldn’t handle that Jesus didn’t look for their approval. And they couldn’t handle that they weren’t ‘in the know’.

Many times, we want God to tell us the full story – before it unfolds. We expect God to fully explain Himself to us!

I don’t mean to be offensive, but how arrogant of us!

There are plenty of times in our journey into faith, that God asks us to do things that do not make sense to us. He asked Abraham to kill his son Isaac. That doesn’t make sense. He asked Noah to build a boat and start a zoo – that doesn’t make sense. Jesus told His disciples not to take extra clothes or money went they went out into the villages ministering, but to trust Him to meet the needs – that doesn’t make sense.

A life of faith in the Supernatural Jesus requires that we are willing to let God not fully explain Himself.

One more blindness warning – verse 30…
“The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.
Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.” V. 30-34

Do you see what they say in verse 34? They go right back to the Conventional Wisdom of the day: “You were steeped in sin at birth!” – Remember last week how the disciples asked Jesus who had sinned – the man or the parents – because he was blind. And remember last week how Jesus said: “No, this isn’t because of sin, it’s because God’s Work is going to be shown!”

The Pharisees refused to be changed. They stubbornly dug in. They held their original position, regardless of what they saw right before their faces.

How tragic. And that is the next warning sign: 5. Refusing to be changed, regardless of the evidence!

I could put it another way: Being hard-hearted.

The Bible warns us numerous times against hard-heartedness. Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words:

“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” Ephesians 4:18

Tragic. And all too common.

To reject the works of the Supernatural Jesus is to harden your heart and to move towards spiritual blindness.

Now, look at verse 35… and see the remedy:
“Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him.” V. 35-38

Do you see the remedy? It’s found three times in these verses. It’s the word: BELIEVE.

Jesus says: Do you believe?
The man says: Who is he? Tell me so that I may believe!
Jesus says: You have seen him, I am Him!
The man says: Lord, I believe!
And the man acts: and he worshipped him!

This is the Remedy to spiritual blindness – to BELIEVE and to WORSHIP!

Oh, how simple. Oh, how beautiful. Oh, how available. We can see the Supernatural Jesus – by believing! Put aside doubt, put aside fear, put aside preconceived notions, put aside expectation – and see Him for Who He really is – BELIEVE!

Are you struggling with believing in the Supernatural Jesus?

• Is it because He doesn’t fit into your previous experience and expectations?
• Is it because you fear the opinions of man more than God?
• Is it because you are rejecting the Truth that is right before you?
• Is it because you want Him to fully explain Himself?
• Is it because you are refusing to be changed, regardless of the evidence?

God is calling us to one simple thing: BELIEVE.

• Believe that because He can heal the blind, He can give me eyes to see Him!
• Believe that because He can walk on the water and calm the storms, He can be the Solution to my problems too!
• Believe that because He can provide food for thousands, He can meet my needs for provision!
• Believe that because He can heal the lame, He can set me free to walk in Him!
• Believe that because His Words have power to heal, He can speak life to me!
• Believe that because He can take ordinary water and make it into extraordinary wine, He can take ordinary me and make me into something extraordinary too!

Do you believe in the Supernatural Jesus?

Supernatural Jesus & Me 06: The Glory is in Your Story!

Turn to John 9

One of the oldest questions that people struggle with is: Why does bad stuff happen?
One of the most personal questions that people struggle with is this: Why does bad stuff happen to ME?

Jesus addresses this issue in our text today.


“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no-one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said this, he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.” John 9:1-12

The story of the blind man healed by Jesus continues through the entire 9th chapter of John. And we will tackle verses 13-40 next week. But for today, we’ll focus in on the first 12 verses.

Look at verse 1 again:
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.” V. 1

Jesus is walking through the streets and sees this man – born blind. This poor man has never seen for even a moment of his life. He doesn’t know the glory of a sunset or the face of his own mother. He wasn’t blind by disease or accident, he was blind from birth.

Blindness in the Bible can be physical – like this man – or spiritual. All of us in this room have physical eyesight, and we should praise the Lord that we do. How different our lives would be to lose our eyesight. But, the danger for us is to be spiritually blind. You see, I found over 140 instances in the Bible where people are described as being spiritually blind.

Spiritual blindness: Being so preoccupied with the natural world, that you miss out on the activity of God!

Well, you say: “I am a believer. I’m saved. I’m not spiritually blind.” And praise God if that is the case, but let me warn you – spiritual blindness can affect Christians too!

Moses gathered the people of Israel as they were traveling towards the Promised Land and he said: “With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.” Deuteronomy 29:3, 4

Did you get that? We can miss what God is doing!

Elisha’s servant went out early one morning and saw that the enemies had surrounded them. He grew terrified – and we read in 2 Kings…
“And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17

We need spiritual eyesight to see the activity of God!

The problem is that we can easily become arrogant and complacent. Jesus warns us against this in his letter to the Church at Laodicea:
“You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Revelation 3:17

We need to see what is really happening.

Now look at verse 2:
“His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” v. 2

Apparently, the conventional wisdom of the day was that if a person was suffering from some physical malady it was the direct result of sin. So, the disciples pose this question: “Who is the guilty party?

Can you imagine telling the parent’s of a child born with Down’s Syndrome that it’s there fault?
Can you imagine a religious leader saying: “Too bad about your blindness, what did you do wrong?”

That’s not God. That’s not Who God is.

The interesting thing is that illnesses, diseases and physical maladies ARE the result of sin. We live in a broken world. Sin has really messed things up. God didn’t design the human body to be blind, lame, or disease filled. But when Adam and Eve sinned, things changed. Death and disease entered into the world.

But who is the Author of death and disease? Is God? If He is, I don’t want to know Him. If God is responsible, He isn’t good. We must give credit where credit is due – death and disease come from the enemy. Jesus said: “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”

God doesn’t send disease. God doesn’t cause babies to be born blind.

But God is amazing. He is far bigger than the enemy. And He is able to do something very special through our heartbreak… look at verse 3:

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” V. 3

His blindness isn’t the result of his or his parents sin! And his blindness doesn’t define him – for God is going to display His glory in his life through the blindness.

The Message Translation puts this verse like this:
“Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.”

Look instead for what God can do. Take your focus off the problem and look to the One who is the Solution! Do not look to assign blame – instead look for the Glory of God to be revealed! God will be glorified – in the midst of the problem – when we look to Him to be glorified!

We all have problems. We all are candidates for miracles. We all need Christ’s intervention in our lives. Right now – we could go around the room, and if we’d be honest with each other, there wouldn’t be one person in this room who doesn’t have need for a miracle.

Oh, God, be glorified in our problems! We are crying out for Your Glory to be manifest in the midst of our struggles. Open our eyes to see You in the midst of our pain! Let Your Name be lifted up – far above all of our problems! Take our fingers of blame and guilt and turn them into uplifted hands of praise and worship. For, You, and You alone are able to heal us. And we fall before You in worship and praise.

Now, Jesus goes on in verse 4:
“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no-one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” V. 4-5

The very reason that Christ came into the world, was to destroy the works of the enemy. He comes with light, with life, with hope, with joy, with redemption and with power – to overcome the impact the enemy has had in our lives. When we encounter the ‘light of the world’ – our darkness is removed.

There isn’t one thing any of us are facing right now – that He cannot overcome on our behalf.

And in verse 6 and 7 we see the miracle:
“Having said this, he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” V. 6-7

Do you see what matters in this verse? The man ‘came home seeing…’

There is the miracle. Later the man will say: “I once was blind, but now I see…”

The spit and the mud, the washing in the Pool of Siloam – they aren’t what matters here. How God does the healing isn’t important. It wasn’t magic mud! It wasn’t holy water. God can use anyone or anything to do His will.

Some people say: “I’m not going to go the Doctors, I’m just going to trust Christ to heal me.” That’s nonsense. Christ can use Doctors. And He can use mud. Either way, it is His will to heal. The means simply do not matter – Christ is what matters.

And the question that is put before us this morning is this:
• Am I trusting Christ to heal me?
• Am I trusting Christ to meet me at my point of need?
• Am I believing Christ for the blessing?

I had a funny thought. Can you imagine if another blind man had heard about this healing and what Jesus did to heal, and so, he comes to the exact same spot, bends down, spits in the dirt, makes mud, rubs it on his eyelids, and goes to the Pool of Siloam – would he have been healed? Don’t be too quick to answer. The obvious answer is “no”. But that may not be the right answer. I think the best answer is ‘maybe’ – and I’ll tell you why: A woman who had bled for 14 years, in faith touched the hem of Jesus’ robe and was instantaneously healed. Why? Because she believed. So, if the second blind man was putting his faith in Christ’s power – not the mud and water – than the answer is ‘maybe.’

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20

Christ is able to do far more than we ask or imagine. Trust Him.

Now, Jesus said that this blindness was to be for the glory of God. Look at verse 8 to see the glory beginning to be revealed.

“His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” V. 8-9

The stir in the community must have been amazing. They could tell that he wasn’t the same. They could tell that he could see. Some thought: “It can’t be the same guy, he must just look like him…” Other’s said: “No, that’s him, I’m sure of it….”

And the formerly blind man sets them straight when he says: “I am the man.”

Here’s the glory: “I am the man. Yes, I used to be blind, but I’m not anymore. I can see! For the first time in my life – I can see! I can SEE!”

When we are touched by Jesus – we are changed. Forever. Where we once were blind, we can see. Where we once were confused, we have clarity. Where once we looked to sex, money, possessions, power for our meaning, we find in Christ the peace that passes understanding.

Christ wants you to give Him glory through your story. The glory comes through the story! Write that down: The glory is in your story!”

When you are met in your need, when you place your trust in Christ to meet that need – Christ changes you. For the first time in your life, you’ve got something to say that really matters!

When you open your mouth – and tell of the glories of God – people’s faith is built. Look at verses 10-12

“How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.” V. 10-12

How could they not want to know how and who did this miracle? The change was right in their face. It was undeniable. Some in the crowd of people probably were thinking: “If he can heal blindness, maybe he could do something for me…” So, the man tells the story again. He gives testimony. For the rest of this man’s life he’ll have one story to tell: “I was blind, but Jesus gave me sight.” That’s a pretty good story. Who knows how many hundreds – or even thousands of people that’d he tell this story to in the coming years – who knows how many people would come to believe in Jesus as a result of the story.

And do you see their response: “Where is this man?” They want to know where Jesus is. Why? Because where Jesus is is where they want to be.

CONCLUSION:

Friends: The GLORY is in your STORY!

Do you know why Pentecostal and Charismatic – Spirit-filled churches are by far the fastest growing part of Christianity today? Because Christ is moving in power – healing people – and where there is the power of God, there will be people in pursuit of Him!

What do you say that we become a Spirit-filled community of people who are moving in the POWER of the Holy Spirit?

HOW?
• Are you a Christian?
• Are you baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit?
• Are you believing that the same Jesus who healed the blind man can still heal today?

JESUS – I want ALL that you have for me.
JESUS – I don’t UNDERSTAND all of this – but I WANT it.
JESUS – You said that you reward those who earnestly seek you – and I’M SEEKING YOU now!
JESUS – I want to MOVE IN THE POWER of the Holy Spirit!
JESUS – You said that the Holy Spirit is a GIFT – and I RECEIVE YOUR GIFT right now!
JESUS – COME HOLY SPIRIT – FILL ME! BAPTIZE ME! USE ME!
JESUS – Glorify Yourself in my life!

Now – begin to open your mouths and speak praises! Speak faith! Speak confidence!

Message 05: The Solution to My Problems

TURN TO JOHN 6:16
The events of the day had been utterly mind-blowing. Right before their very eyes, Jesus has miraculously fed thousands and thousands of people! And a result, when Jesus opened His mouth to speak, the people’s hearts were responsive like never before. The buzz in the crowd was electric! The people were ‘getting it’, so much so that they tried to take matters into their own hands and make Christ King by force.

Jesus, of course would have nothing to do with this, and verse 15 tells us that he ‘withdrew’. At some point in the afternoon, Jesus must have leaned over to one of His disciples and said, “I’m going off to be with my Father, gather the disciples, and get in the boat to go to Capernaum. I’ll catch up later.”

And so we read in verse 16:
“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.” V. 16-17

Can you imagine what the topic of conversation must have been like in the boat?
• Andrew might have said: “When I brought the little boys lunch to Jesus I was just being funny! Never would I have dreamed that He’d take it and do what He did!”
• Philip might have said: “I knew that we didn’t have the money to buy the food, but I never imagined that Jesus could create food!”
• Peter might have said: “Did you see the eyes on the big fat guy under the tree when I told him he could have as much as he wanted! He couldn’t believe it!”
• And John might have said: “Yes! And did you hear the crowd get quieter and quieter in amazement as they realized exactly what Jesus was doing! Awesome!”

Verse 17 tells us that “Jesus had not yet joined them…” Where was He? He was off in some quiet place in the mountains overlooking the Sea of Galilee spending time before His Father in Heaven!

Mark’s account of this event says:
“After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.” Mark 6:46

The disciple’s weren’t particularly surprised by this, it apparently was common practice for Jesus to break away from the crowds and get alone with His Father. Why did Jesus do this?

Jesus said in John 5:
“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” John 5:19

Only as Christ spent intimate time in fellowship with His Father, was He empowered to do His Father’s will! Look back at John 6:5
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.” John 6:5, 6

How did Jesus know what to do? The Father had already revealed it to Him in a previous time of fellowship!

Remember last week, when Jesus was about to do the miracle – He instructs His disciples to have the crowd “sit down” – and how we talked about how we need to ‘sit down’ before the Lord and cease the constant running, striving, effort and stress that so often controls our lives? Jesus spoke this from personal experience. He came and sat before His Father frequently because in doing so, He found what he needed.

Do you have responsibilities? Do you have things to do? Goals? You need to pull away from task-oriented living and move into the quiet places of communion with God. For it is there, and there alone, that He can speak most clearly to your soul. You won’t enter into the supernatural dimension of Christianity, until you move into the inner places with God.

Now, let’s read on. Verse 18…
“A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.” V. 18

The disciples are on the boat, in the middle of the sea, when suddenly a large, powerful storm comes up on the lake. The lake is fairly large – some 13 miles by 8 miles. And these men are in the dark and in the midst of a major storm. This encourages me: Even the disciples of Jesus are susceptible to storms. Problems happen even to people who love Jesus, serve Him and worship Him!

Jesus said in Matthew 5:45 that… “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45

One of satan’s tools is to get Christians to believe that just because they’ve embraced Christ, that their lives will be problem free. I want you to understand that I believe that the more dedicated you are to living for the glory of God, the more likely you’ll encounter troubles!

You see, if you are sitting back, living for self and not involved in advancing the Kingdom of God, you don’t need to be attacked by the enemy – your lifestyle of compromise doesn’t make you a threat to satan at all. But, when you rise up, discover who you really are in Christ, and begin to live authentically as a powerhouse of God in the Holy Spirit – you can bet you are going to be attacked!

Some of you are thinking: “Well, when you put it that way, I think I’ll stay compromised and complacent, because I don’t want to be attacked!” But, if you adopt that attitude a number of things will be the result:
1. You’ll miss out on Christ’s remedies to your problems!
2. You’ll miss out on Christ’s calling in your life!

“Playing it safe” is always the wrong response to the call of God! Christ calls us to Himself and He says: “Die to self, and I will give you abundant life!” And that’s what He is doing in millions of people right now. Why not join Him in what He is doing and let’s give the devil what he deserves!

So the storm rages, and we read verse 19:
“When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.” V. 19

The rowing is important. These guys were trying desperately to solve their problem. This isn’t ‘row, row, row your boat…’ This is the perfect storm. This is an epic battle for survival. This is a fight for life!
Everyone knows that you can’t walk on water. It’s a matter of physics. Heavy things sink. You’ll never see a rock float. It just doesn’t work that way.

But Christ’s authority is greater than physics. His power supercedes natural law. So, He walks across the stormy sea to meet His friends in their moment of trouble.

Walking on water means more than simply walking across the top of the water – it also means that Christ can overcome your problems! Your storms must bow to the Lord of Creation!

Some of you are in this storm right now. And you are rowing. You are doing everything you can to stay afloat. Yet, at the same time, you are growing weary, tired. You are at the edge of desperation, and you don’t know what to do except row.

And Jesus comes and He offers the Solution. He is the Solution. How do I know this? Because Jesus is walking on the problem. He is walking across the storm tossed sea. And He is more than able to walk on your problem. He doesn’t answer to your problem, your problem answers to Him.

There is no problem that Christ cannot overcome.
• Your marriage is a mess – Christ can straighten it out!
• Your kids are off track – Christ can get them headed the right way!
• Your finances are a lacking – Christ can feed 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish – He’ll meet your needs!

I absolutely love the response of the disciples: “They were terrified!” Think about this: Were they terrified because of the storm or because of the person they saw walking towards them? Remember, it’s dark. Remember, the wind is blowing. Remember, the waves are coming up over the side of the boat – and in this scene – they look out across the bow and there is someone walking towards them. FREAKY!

• “Peter – what is that?”
• “John – do you see what I see?”
• “It’s a ghost! No, it’s a demon!”

But, of course we know that in fact, it is Jesus – the Solution to their Problems. Even though they don’t yet recognize Him, He is the Solution.

Many times, we are more afraid of the Solution than we are of the Problem. Christ calls us to Himself, and we are afraid of what He might want, so we keep Him at a comfortable distance. We accept Him for “Fire Insurance” but we don’t move in close for “Friendship”. We want a little bit of Jesus. But, we don’t want to go overboard with Him!

And the results – we are afraid on all fronts. Afraid of our problems and afraid of His Solution.

Now, look at verse 20:
“But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” V. 20

He sees their terror. And He speaks directly to it.

You and I cannot hide anything from Him. You may say “I’m fine”, but He knows you. He knows how many hairs are on your head, and He knows your heart. You really cannot pull the wool over the eyes of the Son of God. And the great news, you don’t need to.

He says to His followers: “It is I.” He says to you this morning: “It is I.”

No words can bring more instantaneous comfort than these. “I AM with you. I AM here.” There is nothing more important in all of our lives than to be in His Presence. His Presence overcomes all. His Presence brings us to places that are filled with His glory. His Presence changes things. Jesus says: “I’m here now, and everything is about to change!”

The Lord has impressed upon me that I need to do a series of teachings on moving into the Presence of God. That will be coming soon.

Here’s the Miracle: Christ is with you.

And what is the appropriate response to His Presence? “Don’t be afraid.”

His Presence banishes fear. When He is here, there is simply no need for it.

David put it this way:
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Psalms 73:25-28

One of the reasons that we fear, is that we often think: “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” We grow up believing that if anything good is going to happen, it will be because we make it happen. But nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is this: “If it is to be, it’s up to HIM!”

Jesus says to you in the midst of your storms – “It is I, don’t be afraid.”

Now, look what happens next:
“Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” V. 21

Here’s what happens: Faith happens. The disciples heard His voice, and faith in the midst of the storm arose.

They were willing to take into the boat. Very funny! The boat represents their security and their life. In the midst of the Stormy Sea, it’s all they had. And upon hearing Christ’s voice, they willingly give Him access to their security. They say: “Yes! Yes! Come quickly!” The solution had arrived. The Presence of Christ is far more important than anything else – even than the storms of your life!

What would have happened if they’d of refused Him access to the boat? They would have drowned. Some of you are drowning today because you refuse to let Him into your boat. You reject His Presence, and you just keep rowing – fruitlessly!

Lifeguards teach that if you are swimming in the ocean, and get stuck in a riptide that you are to swim parallel to the shore, until you are out of the riptide. But, the sometimes fatal mistake that people make is to do what seems obvious: To swim directly towards shore! When you are facing storms, you try to swim – or – row – directly towards shore, the obvious thing, but what will save you is you swim towards Christ instead!

It must break the heart of God to stand by and watch as people stubbornly and fearfully seek to maintain control and reject His voice – “It is I; don’t be afraid.”

But, He is still walking on the waters. He is still calling out to with the same message: “It is I, don’t be afraid.” And He still waits for the invitation to come aboard.

The invitation looks like this: “Lord, in the midst of this storm, I will trust You. I will not look left or right, up or down for the Solution to my Problem – YOU are the SOLUTION to my problem! I am counting on YOU to lead me to safe harbor!”

Look what happened when Jesus came aboard. V. 21
“Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” V. 21

When did they reach shore? IMMEDIATELY. These guys had been rowing hard – without much success – but as soon as they embrace Christ – their storm is calmed and safety is restored.

CONCLUSION:
The solution is right before you. He is Christ, the Son of the Living God.

The question is also before you: Will you keep rowing seeking to solve your own problems – or – will you be willing to accept Christ’s offer: “It is I, do not be afraid.”

Message 04: Miracles for the Multitude

John’s Gospel is built around seven key miracles of Jesus – of which we are in the fourth one today. Thus far we’ve seen the Supernatural Jesus…
• Change water into wine
• Use the power of His Words to heal across a great distance!
• Heal a man who was lame for 38 years

• Because Jesus can change water into wine – You can be changed as well! Come to Him in faith and He will transform your life!
• Because Jesus’ Word has power – believe Him at His Word and receive what He speaks!
• Because Jesus can heal even someone who has been sick for decades, begin to receive a new anointing and authority – even in your old age!

Today, we look at a different kind of miracle. John 6:1
“Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),
and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.” v. 1-2

By this time, Jesus wasn’t welcome in the Synagogues of Galilee. He was too much of a threat to the Establishment. So, he goes out to the Sea of Galilee, and a ‘great crowd’ of people follow him.

Why are they following Him? – “because they saw the miraculous signs…” What he had done with the changing of water into wine, the healing of the nobleman’s son and healing of the man at the pool of Bethseda had spread like wildfire throughout Galilee.

That isn’t to say that they had come to fully believe in Him as the Messiah, but one thing was for sure He had a lot more to offer than the Pharisee’s and religious leaders that the people had known all of their lives.

Doesn’t that make sense to you? All of us have a yearning for a connection with God, and this young man comes along and starts doing ‘God-like’ things.

Jesus had foretold that His ministry was going to always be characterized by miraculous works that help people. As we’ve looked at numerous times before – He said in Luke 4:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”” Luke 4:18, 19

He is all about bringing people like us into true freedom.

Is it any wonder that in the 20th Century, the fastest growing segment of Christianity around the world has been Spirit-filled Pentecostal and Charismatic churches who not only BELIEVE in a Supernatural Jesus, but they DO WHAT Jesus did!

One of my favorite people is Reinhold Bonnke – an evangelist who spends most of his time ministering in Africa. His ministry is accompanied by great waves of healing – literally thousands of people are healed at his crusades, and people are getting saved by tremendous numbers! Listen to what he writes in a letter I received this month: “During one five day crusade, one million, four hundred and sixteen thousand, six hundred and eighty-four souls surrendered their hearts and completed decisions cards.”

Five Days: 1,416,684 human beings embraced Christ!

Why this amazing harvest? Because they are seeing the undeniable power of the Supernatural Jesus to heal!

Will Summit Church grow numerically? YES!
How? As we act in faith in this same Supernatural Jesus and move in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Now, look at verse 3:
“Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” v. 3-5

Whenever you have a crowd, you have special issues to consider. And a compassionate host does whatever they can do to make sure those needs are met. With this many people, meeting in a remote location (no fast food restaurants or Starbucks!), they are going to need to eat. So Jesus poses the question: “Where shall we buy bread…”

Now look at verse 6:
“He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.” v. 6

Christ knows the solutions to our problems, before we know that we have problems! He knew what He was going to do. He’s God. He’s Supernatural. He’s got it covered.

So, he tests his disciples. He wants to help them to see this problem through His eyes. He’s looking for faith. He is looking for confidence.

I have cancer. If’d you would have asked me in January – “Hey, Doug, are you going to have cancer this year!?” I’d have said: “Are you nuts!” But even the first time that I noticed the growth in my neck, Christ already knew that I had cancer – and He already knew the solution. So, when I cried out to Him early on about this, He continually reassured me and reminded me that this is to His Glory! He spoke to me and said: “This is not unto death, this is to my glory!”

Now, what would satan have me do in this midst of this problem? How about worry? Fret? Stress out? Be filled with insecurity, doubts and fears! – But those things aren’t to the glory of God!

In fact, this week, the Spirit of God spoke to me and said: “Discipline your mind to think my thoughts. Discipline your emotions to feel my feelings. Discipline your tongue to speak my words!”

Christ comes to me and says: “This is to my glory.” And I respond in faith, in confidence, in boldness, in joy, in peace. And as I do so, this response is to His glory!

I believe that the Spirit of God is saying to us right now:
“You have focused on your problems for far too long. Your lives have become filled with fear, doubts, depression and anxiety. You are being called into Christ-like maturity and confidence. Draw near to me and I will draw near to you. Fear not. I love you. Nothing will happen to you that is a surprise to me. I already know what I am going to do about your problem. Stop worrying, instead speak faith.”

Now, in response to Jesus’ testing question, we are about to see a very ADULT-LIKE response and a CHILD-LIKE one.

“Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”” v. 7-9

Philip is definitely the adult in the group. He’s the realist. He’s the pragmatist. He has already had his calculator out and has figured out the cost per person and he knows that there simply aren’t the resources to feed these folks.

Andrew, on the other hand, has been out amongst the people. He found a young boy who is willing to share his brown bag lunch, but even still, there isn’t enough.

That’s because these people aren’t seeing that Christ is the solution. They don’t need money – they need Christ. They don’t need to share their lunches, they need Christ. Christ is the solution to the problem. He is the Supernatural Jesus, after all.

So, we see in verse 10 what happens next:
“Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.” v. 10-11

First thing that Jesus says: “Sit down.” – Many of you need to heed this word of Christ! Sit down! Stop striving, stop trying harder! Stop freaking out, running around like chicken’s with your heads cut off. Have you forgotten that you belong to God!

One of my favorite Christians is this guy I know that has a standard response to the question: “How are you doing?” – You know what he says – every time: “I’m stressed…” let me tell you, if your life is characterized by stress and anxiety, you need to sit down.

Psalms 46:10 reminds us to “Be still and know that I am God.”

I guarantee that half of your problems would be resolved in the next two weeks, if you’d just take one hour a day and enter into the stillness of God. Quiet your soul, stop letting your anxieties rule the house, and instead simply come into a place of stillness, calling upon the Lord to replace your worries with His peace.

It’s time for Christians to sit down.

Then Jesus takes what is before Him – five loaves, two fish. And he does some amazing. In the face of this extraordinary crowd, He gives His Father thanks for what is before Him. Jesus knows that this amount of food will not feed all in the crowd, but He has gratitude because someone will eat! God has demonstrated His provision in a small way and deserves to be thanked! In effect He says, “Father, you have been good to us, you have provided this food. What a wonder you are!”

It’s time for Christians to be grateful. We gripe, we complain, we moan. We say: “why me” – when what we need to be doing is saying: “Oh, how great you are! You provide for all of my needs! You are my strength, You are my hope, You are my provision. How I thank You that my sins have been forgiven, How I thank you that my name is in the book of life! How I thank you that You’ve put Your Holy Spirit within me! Oh, God, how I worship you! How I stand in awe of you!”

It’s time for Christians to be grateful for all that God has done for us, even if we somehow think we are lacking. You see, that isn’t for you to determine. God knows what you need, and He knows when to provide it. Your task is to sit down, be still and be thankful.

Now, here’s the miracle – verse 11: Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”

Notice how the distribution took place: The disciples didn’t say: “Okay big guy, you can only have a little…” No – They gave them as ‘much as they wanted’. This was like the first ‘all you can eat buffet’.
Have you noticed that when food is free, you tend to take more than you might if you had to pay for it? These Galilean people took as MUCH as they wanted. There weren’t any limits placed upon them!

God has ALL that you need. The Bible says: “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalms 34:10

The problem with us is that we get mixed up as to what we are to seek after. We think that we are to seek after ‘good things’ – money, possessions, security – when what God’s Word tells us to do is to “seek the Lord”.

Don’t seek provision – seek the Presence of the Lord!
Don’t seek miracles – seek the Presence of the Lord!

My brother is going through a major season of spiritual growth and change. He is an old dog learning new tricks. Like me, he spent most of his life being taught and believing that God doesn’t still speak, doesn’t do miracles, and doesn’t work in power like He did during Jesus’ day. But, God is changing the Love boys. This week, I received an email from Jeff that says:

This morning I spent a great deal of time seeking our Lord's face. In my meditation He once again revealed a word of knowledge concerning you and your current situation. You have sought after God in His secret place and He has blessed you with with His mighty Spirit, not because of anything you have done except to seek Him. God wants all of His sons and daughters to cross the threshold of a new door and enter into a new room, of seeing the return of the glory of the Lord. It is a new season, a new cycle, a fresh place with the Lord, where the body of Christ is beginning to move past its present experience and self-induced limitations, into new streams of the glory presence of God. Finding yourself in this new room can give you the confidence of the Spirits' great work. There are astounding signs, wonders, miracles, and powerful displays of the supernatural beginning to take place in the lives of those who seek God in a relational way. God has put His stamp of approval on them, as a fresh sign to the body of Christ of seed promised by His Holy Spirit. They will reveal realms of the glory, yet to be seen.
And you my brother are one of those who are in a new season of life, you will witness personally the wonders of God in a miraculous way. There is much work for those who have seen God face to face, for those who God has placed in position of relevance with others, you time of leading by example and experience has yet to come in fullness. Your role has yet to be completed in your journey, there are still many people who have yet to cross the threshold because you have yet to directed them.

When Beth read this, she stopped midway and said to me: “This is from YOUR brother?”

Spiritual growth and revelation happens out of our times of seeking the face of God. Provision happens from seeking the Lord. Miracles happen from seeking the Lord. We will lack no good thing!

Now, look at verse 12 – here’s the test of the miracle:
“When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.” V. 12-13

Christ tells the disciples to gather up the leftovers. Why? To give testimony of the true nature of the miracle! “Let nothing be wasted.” Because the leftovers far outweighs what he began with! This miracle fed 5000 men, who were now sitting back in the afternoon sun, with the great feeling of a full belly! And the proof was in the 12 baskets of leftovers! This was a major miracle.

When Christ does a miracle in your life – when He has come up against your problem with a divine solution – “Let nothing be wasted.” Gather up the story – tell the story! Give God the glory! Let all around you know that you’ve been touched by the Supernatural Jesus! Open wide your mouth and tell all who will listen! Give testimony!

I received notification today of a conference being held next month in Korea. Listen to this:
More than 500 physicians from 20 countries are expected to gather to discuss how spirituality and medicine go together and to present medical data about the works of divine healing at the Third International Christian Medical Conference on June 1-2 at Grand Convention Center in Cebu City, the Philippines. The conference will seek to enhance believers' faith while emphasizing the fact that God is indeed the Healer. International delegates and some of the best in their medical fields will exchange notes on divine healing and present more than ten cases backed by medical data in which patients received healing by prayer.

This is the gathering of baskets. Let the Doctor’s come together and give evidence of the miracles God is doing around the world!

Why? So that more and more people can come to believe in this Supernatural Jesus. Look at verse 14:
“After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” V. 14-15

The eyes are beginning to open. The people are coming to see that Jesus is indeed the Promised Messiah! They are so excited that they are about to stage a revolution and install Christ as King ‘by force’ – and while I’m sure that Jesus appreciated their faith and zeal, it wasn’t the time or the place for such a thing to occur.

Are your eyes beginning to open?

I want to make some affirmations of faith this morning:

Jesus, we believe that…
You have supernatural power over illness and disease!
You have supernatural power over creation!
You have supernatural power over sin and death!

Who needs the healing of the Lord today?

Message 03: Alive and Free!

He has a problem. For 38 years he’s been held captive by a body that just won’t do what it is supposed to do. And it just won’t go away, regardless of what he does about it. The RELIGIOUS SPIRITS of the day tells him what to do – stay at the Bethseda pool and when the waters stir – jump in and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be healed. But even though he does what he is told, the RELIGIOUS SPIRITS aren’t working.

Maybe you’ve felt that way in your life. You’ve faced problems and tried to apply certain principles to overcome them, but without success.

You’ve gone to workshops, conferences, bought the tapes and the t-shirt – but it doesn’t seem to apply when you get home.

You’ve gone to church in hopes of finding the solutions. But all they gave you were rules and regulations, and then the Rule Givers – the RELIGIOUS SPIRITS - made you feel guilty for not being able to uphold them perfectly.

Today, I want you to see that there is another way to experience the miracle that you need.

I want you to see how the Supernatural Jesus can make you alive and free!

LOOK AT JOHN 5:1-5
“Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed – and they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up that waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.”

RELIGIOUS SPIRITS had convinced the hurting and lame that if the waters of the Bethesda pool were stirred that they could be healed – if and only if – they were the first one in the water! So, it makes sense that the blind, lame and paralyzed would flock to such a place.

Everyone needs hope. We all do. We all hope that this next thing will be the thing that makes the difference. Tragically, the enemy of your soul loves to play upon your hopes and he brings forth all kinds of false hopes. Why else would people follow the David Koresh’s, Jim Jones or L. Ron Hubbard? Why would people fall prey to religious spirits that place them in bondage?

Satan knows that he cannot stop people from being religious, so he seeks to pervert truth with deceptive spirits – religious spirits!

But Jesus isn’t like the religious spirits. Just the opposite. He made you to love you and to set you free.
Jesus has only one offer to make: LIFE ABUNDANT!

Now, the people at the pool are a desperate bunch. Blind, lame, paralyzed. Broken. Wounded. Hurting. These are Christ’s kind of folks. Why? Because they are His very reason for being here!

Remember what He said in Luke 4:18-19…
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18, 19

Religious spirits don’t have anything to do with these types of people. They run. They shame them – they make them yell out in the streets: “UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!” – Religious spirits push these people to the back of the bus, or the furthest pews from the pulpit!

But Jesus runs to these folks. Read the Gospels. Who did Jesus spend His time with? Tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes were his frequent companions. And Jesus spent His time with them for one reason: To restore them!

Jesus steps up to this one man and says the most outlandish thing: “Do you want to get well?” The Greek word for ‘get well’ means to be made whole, sound and healthy. Jesus isn’t just offering to heal his body; He is offering to restore him to full working order – body, soul and spirit!

And verse 7 contains his response:
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no-one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Remember what the religious spirits have done – they’ve said: “When the water stirs, first one in gets healed!” But, how can this lame man possibly get in the water? How frustrating it must have been for him – “Hey, I’m here! I’m trying to do the right thing! But I need some help!”

That’s how I’ve felt. I have good motives. I want what is best. I’m sure you feel the same way. You are trying hard. Working hard. Doing your very best. But “it” isn’t working.

That’s because “IT” never works. God didn’t make us to follow “IT” – He made us to follow HIM!

Here’s a great test to see if something is a religious spirit: Am I being pointed to JESUS CHRIST or to SELF-EFFORT? Religious spirits are always about self-effort. I call it the “Try-Harder” gospel.

But Christ calls me to Himself and He says:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

So, Jesus responds to this poor man and he says in verse 8…
“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” 8-9a

I want you to see the Supernatural Jesus in this story.

Jesus is Supernatural in His AUTHORITY!

He says: “Get up!” – That’s authority! Not over the man, but over the disease!

The religious spirits said ‘Try harder!’ – Jesus says: “Get up!” – all that is required of the man is to stand.

The Bible tells us that Jesus has authority over disease and sickness! In an account very similar to this in Matthew 9, we read this:
“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”” Matthew 9:6

His authority over disease helps us believe His authority to forgive sin!

And, here’s a thought for you to consider – this same authority over disease has been granted to us – His followers…
“He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Matthew 10:1

It’s time for us to rise up in His authority and take this supernatural authority and walk in it! Your spiritual authority is in direct proportion to your spiritual intimacy with Christ!

But I also want you to see another aspect of Jesus:
Jesus is Supernatural in His POWER!

“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” 8-9a

The healing in this case wasn’t progressive, it was immediate! He miraculously healed what was wrong with the man, but He also restored the atrophied muscles to fullness!

The authority and power of the Supernatural Jesus is seen clearly here. But, there is something that could have stopped it from happening.

What would have happened if the man had said: “Yeah, right. Whatever.” And continue to lay there on his mat? Would he have been healed? NO!

Christ called the man to respond in faith to His authority and power. Christ called the man to DO SOMETHING to demonstrate the reality of the miracle. Christ called the man to get up, pick up and walk!

Too many of us are missing out on the miracle of the Supernatural Jesus because we will not get up, pick up and walk. Instead we are stuck in our cynical, unbelief!

The problem is that we believe the religious spirits more than we believe Jesus. We are so tied to a performance-oriented religion that we simply cannot believe that Jesus would do for us what He promises.

Even this morning as I teach about the Supernatural Jesus some of you are being assaulted by religious spirits. And, it’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility to do what it takes to get free from them. We are going to do a deliverance ministry in a few minutes so that you can be set free from these lying religious spirits that are holding you back.

But first – I want you to see how the religious spirits attack. Look at verse 9-13
“The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.” V. 9b-13

An amazing miracle had occurred. But the religious spirits are more interested in what day it was. You see, God established the Sabbath day as a day of rest from labor and focused attention upon the Lord. But, religious spirits always miss the purpose of something, and get excited about the rules. So, what do they do? They critizise the man for carrying his bed. You see, that’s a form of labor. Strictly forbidden.

But that’s what religious spirits do. They ignore the meaning and focus on the rules, regulations and the letter of the law. And they are always looking for someone to blame.

“Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” is a question designed to point fingers of accusation and blame, not to lift up hands in praise!

And the funny thing is this: The man doesn’t know!

But Christ desires to be known by this man – so we read of another encounter in vs. 14:
“Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.” v. 14-15

Jesus says: “You are well.” – Literally – “You are whole physically!” And then he challenges him to become whole spiritually! “Stop sinning!” – this isn’t a condemnation, it’s a calling to rise up to become who he can really be through Christ! Jesus is saying: “You’ve been restored physically, now be restored spiritually!”

Sin isn’t our friend. Sin ruins our lives. When I walk in sin – it is as if I am paralyzed. Sin holds me back from experiencing who I really am. Christ has set me free from sin in order that I can walk with Him into the supernatural realms of His Holy Spirit.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, there is a scene with Edmund and the White Witch. He asks for the candy “Turkish Delight” and she provides it for him. And it is the best “Turkish Delight” he’s ever eaten. She promises Edmund that at her castle she has ‘rooms full of Turkish Delight’ – but she is a liar. She uses Turkish Delight to suck Edmund into her deadly scheme. And it nearly works.

Satan does the same thing – he tantalizes us with sin. And maybe, just maybe, the first time we taste that particular sin, it is awesome, a delight. Something to enjoy. We get a rush from it, our endorphins flow – but then it turns into what it really is: Death. And by then, without God’s intervention, we are hooked and we are dead.

Jesus says: “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” He’s not threatening the man – He’s warning him. “I’ve healed your body, let me heal your spirit!”

Christ offers the same deal today. He wants you to be FREE. He wants you to be ALIVE. He doesn’t want you to listen to religious spirits. He doesn’t want you to be captive to sin.

And He has the AUTHORITY and the POWER to do what is needed in your life.

Now, look at verse 15-16
“The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him.” V. 15-16

• Religious spirits don’t like freedom.
• They don’t like life.
• Wherever life is beginning to emerge – religious spirits go on a hunt and destroy mission.
• Wherever freedom is being experienced – religious spirits come up with a 1001 rules to ruin it!

And they went after Jesus.
And they are going after you.
And today is the day to break off their claims to your life.

How do you know if you’ve been infected by religious spirits?
Here’s some questions to ask yourself - in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit:
1. Am I afraid of not being good enough?
2. Am I afraid of the opinions of others?
3. Am I performance based – instead of grace based?
4. Do I do good works to atone for my guilt?
5. Do I place a large emphasis on external things?
6. Is tradition more important to me than what the Holy Spirit is doing?
7. Am I focused on rituals, rules and regulations?
8. Am I proud of what I’ve done for God?
9. Do I lack mercy?
10. Am I different on Sunday mornings than on the others days of the week?
11. Do I reject the power of the Holy Spirit?
12. Am I envious of other ministers of God?
13. Do I think I’m better than others?
14. Am I blind to what God is doing?
15. Do I find fault in others easily?

Now, let’s be honest, most of us need deliverance from religious spirits. So, let’s get free. Stand up. Pray the prayer that is on the back of your bulletin:

• Personally affirm your faith in Christ:
“Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You are the son of God and the only way to God – that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again so that I would be forgiven and receive eternal life!”

• Humble yourself before Him:
“I renounce all pride and religious self-righteousness and any dignity that does not come from You. I have no claim on Your mercy, except that You died in my place.”

• Confess any known sin:
“I confess all my sins before You and hold nothing back. Holy Spirit reveal the darkest places. I confess to You Lord…”

• Repent of all sins:
“I repent of all my sins. I turn away from them and I turn to You, Lord, for mercy and forgiveness.”

• Forgive all other people.
“By a decision of the will, I freely forgive all who have ever harmed me or wronged me. I lay down all bitterness, all resentment and all hatred. Especially, I forgive…”

• Sever your relationship with religious spirits:
“I sever all contact I’ve had with religious spirits, past and present.”

• Praise Christ for releasing you from every curse over your life:
“Lord Jesus, I thank You that on the cross You were made a curse, that I might be redeemed from every curse and inherit God’s blessing. On that basis I ask You to release me and set me free to receive the deliverance I need.”

• Take your stand with Christ:
“I take my stand with You, Lord, against all satan’s demons. I submit to You, Lord, and I resist the devil. Amen!”

• Expel the demons:
“Now, I speak to any demons or religious spirits that have any level of control over me. I command you to go from me now! In the Name of Jesus, I expel You!”

• Be Filled with the Holy Spirit:
“And now, Lord Jesus Christ, in confidence, I ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life! I receive the Holy Spirit in my spirit, in my mind, in my emotions, in my will and in my body! Praise the Lord, I am free!”


SKIP DOWN TO VERSE 24:
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” V. 24

HAVE YOU HEARD THE WORD OF Christ TODAY?
HAVE YOU BELIEVED IN Christ TODAY?
Then – I have good news for you: YOU have crossed over from death to life! You possess eternal life!
Now live like it!