Fortifying Power
Notes
Transcript
Handout
What’s the greatest sermon you have ever heard? One Pastor thought he’d done a really good job of preaching, and so afterwards he said to his wife, “There are only a few great preachers in today’s world.” And she responded, “Yes, and there’s one less than you think there is.
Let me say this. The best sermon ever preached was the Sermon on the Mount preached by Jesus in Matthew 5-7.
Ghandi said
No higher literature has even been penned than the Sermon On The Mount.”
For the next several weeks, we ill look at some of this famous sermon Jesus preached we call the Beatitudes.
1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them. 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
How many want to be blessed by God? Look at the first verse in Matt 5:3
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
We use the phrase, “God Bless You” in many ways. Have you ever wondered what that means? What’s a blessing?
Blessed is the Greek word “makarios” which means to be very happy.
Blessed is the Greek word “makarios” which means to be very happy.
What Jesus is saying is that you will be happy if you do this…
As Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us 8 principles for finding happiness in our lives.
As Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us 8 principles for finding happiness in our lives.
How many of you want to be happy? Hopefully we all do. I know I want God to bless each one of you in your life… your relationships… your studies… your marriages… your families… your finances… your health… your talent and your future.
Today, I want help you learn how to receive the blessings of God in your lives. As I look at Scripture, we can find that the problem isn’t with God, it’s with us. God wants to bless you. but we have to put ourselves into a place where we are bless-able. Unfortunately, too many of us do not live our lives in ways that God can bless. God doesn’t bless sinful attitudes, ambitions, or actions. There are a lot of things that the Lord will not bless, but listen to me…
The Lord wants to bless every area of our lives and will do that when we become bless-able.
The Lord wants to bless every area of our lives and will do that when we become bless-able.
Look at what Jesus said,
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Jesus wasn’t commending people for being economically, emotionally or physically poor. Jesus was talking about Spiritual Poverty… IOW people who realize their need for him in their lives.
here is that verse in several translations…
3 “Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
3 God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!
3 “They are blessed who realize their spiritual poverty, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
As you can see, Jesus is saying that God blesses those who realize they cannot live without God in their life.
To be poor in spirit means that we humbly depend on God instead of ourselves.
To be poor in spirit means that we humbly depend on God instead of ourselves.
Basically, we have to say, I realize that I am inadequate without the Lord in my life.
So if you want God’s blessing in your relationship with your girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, boss… then you have to be dependent on the Lord.
If you want God to bless your finances, your work, your health, you have to depend on God in those areas.
So,
How do we depend on God?
How do we depend on God?
I am going to give you 5 practical things you can practice that will help you to become poor in spirit or to realize your spiritual need for Jesus in your life. If we will practice these we will be someone who is poor in spirit and that’s the kind of person Jesus wants to bless.
What steps can we take to humbly depend on the Lord so that we can experience God’s greatest Blessings in our lives?
What steps can we take to humbly depend on the Lord so that we can experience God’s greatest Blessings in our lives?
1. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s wisdom.
1. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s wisdom.
IOW, we follow God’s will instead of our own will or someone else's will. Check this out in Pro 14:12
12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
There are a lot of things that make sense to us (humans) that are dead ends. OUR ideas will often lead to a dead end or even death. Have you ever in your life had this feeling that something was so very right, you just knew it was the right thing to do, and then you did it and it ended up being very wrong, a total fiasco and a failure?
How many of you, besides me, have ever made any really bad decisions in your life because of your feelings? (Someone here is thinking, “I have, and he’s sitting right here beside me.”). That’s what this verse is all about. There’s a way that seems right to us but it often ends in a dead end.
And every one of us could give a testimony on this.
Where you’ve had the feeling that this is the perfect job and it ends up being a dead end.
This is the perfect relationship, the one I’ve always wanted, and that relationship ends up a dead end.
This is the perfect person that I should marry. And that marriage wound up being “hell on earth.”
A man asked his friend, “Why do you have your wedding ring on the wrong finger.” His friend responded, “Because I married the wrong woman.”
A lot of men have married the wrong woman and a lot of women have married the wrong man because of their feelings.
It can happen in investments– “I know this is where I should put my money. I know if I invest in this I’m going to clean house. It’s going to be great.” Then it totally flops.
Just because you want it doesn’t make it right. You need to listen to God, not to your gut. God is filled with truth and your gut is filled with pizza. Listen
Our decisions should be based on faith, not our feelings.
Our decisions should be based on faith, not our feelings.
Feelings lie. The Bible says the heart is wicked. You cannot trust your heart / feelings. How many remember that old country song, if it feels so right, how could it possibly be so wrong? Give me a break. There are many things that feel right at the moment that are completely wrong. Maybe it feels right for a few days, weeks or even months, but down the road and now it feels so bad. Remember, there is a way that seems right to a person that ends in death.
The first way to get God’s blessing in your life is to depend on God’s wisdom and not your own. If you want to run into fewer dead ends in life… into fewer defeats… or into fewer failures in your life, take a look at this verse.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
If you really want God’s Blessings in your life, the first thing you have to do is to depend on God’s wisdom … not your gut or your feelings. But you place your trust in the Lord.
How can we get wisdom from the Lord? Two ways…
We can obtain God’s wisdom by prayer.
We can obtain God’s wisdom by prayer.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
God offers wisdom to everyone. all you have to do is ask him for it. God doesn’t want you to make bad decisions and dumb mistakes. He doesn’t want you to go through failure after failure.
God wants you to succeed in your life. He wants you to be wise… to make smart decisions with your time, your relationships, your family and in every area of your life.
How do you know if you are living by God’s wisdom? You know that you are living with God’s wisdom when you pray about everything throughout the day.
The second way
We obtain God’s wisdom by studying His Word.
We obtain God’s wisdom by studying His Word.
104 Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. 105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
God’s wisdom and will are found in His Word.
If you are not in God’s Word, you will not have God’s wisdom. And if you don’t know God’s wisdom, you will not find your self blessed. You have to be reading His Word and talking to him throughout the day it have His wisdom and blessings.
If you have a meeting, talk to the Lord before it.
If you have a decision to make, talk to the Lord
When we talk to the Lord, we experience His Wisdom and blessings. When we don’t, we end up in a lot of pain.
If you wonder why it’s so hard, it may be that you are not spending enough time in prayer and in the WOG.
2. To humbly depend on the Lord requires Depending on God’s strength.
2. To humbly depend on the Lord requires Depending on God’s strength.
We all get tired because our strength is limited. God’s strength is unlimited. Your strength is finite. God’s infinite; your strength is exhaustible, God’s strength is in-exhaustible. God never gets tired.
We need to come to the understanding that our strength is limited, while God’s strength is infinite and inexhaustible.
We need to depend on God’s strength, not our own. Look,
5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
You want the blessing of God in your life? You need to depend on God’s strength. When you are exhausted… at the end of your strength, here is a promise from the Lord…
31 But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.
In the darkest moments of your life when you cannot see your way forward it doesn’t matter what they are or where they it came from, in the darkest moments of your life you need God’s strength to get you through. The reason why most people never get through it is because they don’t access God’s strength for their lives. I’ve seen people go through a divorce, and they never recover. I’ve seen people go through a breakup and they never recover. I’ve seen people go through a major illness. I’ve seen them go through a bankruptcy or getting fired or getting laid off or getting arrested. I’ve seen people go through all kinds of different things – abuse – and they never recover.
Why didn’t they make it? Because they were depending on their own strength. You won’t get through it in your own strength. You will become stuck and be miserable the rest of your life. The only way to get through the darkest days of your life is to depend on God’s strength.
When we get weak we can become overwhelmed or overcome by the trials and temptations of life, but God’s strength will enable us to overcome them.
When we get weak we can become overwhelmed or overcome by the trials and temptations of life, but God’s strength will enable us to overcome them.
16 I walk in the strength of the Lord God. …
Let’s say that together. Memorize that.
When you get up and wish that you could go right back to bed, speak that verse. When you have a meeting or an interview, speak that verse. When you are exhausted and feel like you cannot go on, speak that verse. Speak it through out the day.
We must depend on God’s wisdom, to know the right thing and on God’s power to do the right thing.
We must depend on God’s wisdom, to know the right thing and on God’s power to do the right thing.
No matter what is happening in your life, rough situations, had health, or old age, here is a vese for you.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
No matter what is going on in our lives, God will remain the strength of our lives.
Hudson Taylor. He was a very famous missionary to China and he was a spiritual giant, a brilliant man. Later though in age, he lived to be an old man and in his old age he lost his health and became very, very weak. He wrote this letter to a friend. It said this: “I am so weak I can no longer work. I am so weak I can no longer study. I am so weak I can no longer read my Bible. I cannot even pray. I can only lie still in the arms of God like a little child in trust.”
That’s enough! Just walk in the strength of the Lord.
Weakness in our lives can be a good thing if it causes us to depend on the Lord.
Weakness in our lives can be a good thing if it causes us to depend on the Lord.
Paul said in 2 CO 12:8-10
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The weaker we are the more we depend on the Lord, and the more we depend on the Lord, the stronger we become.
That’s the paradox of depending on the Lord.
3. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s timing.
3. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s timing.
Timing is crucial for every part of life. You can see the importance of timing in many areas, especially sports. Great teams have quarterbacks that complete timing routes.
God’s timing is the right timing in our lives.
God’s timing is the right timing in our lives.
The bible speaks over and over about the seasons of life and one season we will all go through is the season of waiting.
God often works through seasons of waiting in our lives. Rick Warren said,
While we’re waiting, God is working.
Don’t ever think that during your season of waiting that nothing is happening. God is always at work. He is taking us through a season of waiting because of what he is doing in our lives and circumstances. That’s why the Bible says,
14 But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” 15 My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
We will all spend a lot of time waiting so if you don’’t figure out how to trust the Lord while you are waiting, you will spend a lot of your life not trusting God. Stop being in a hurry all the time. Enjoy your daily walk.
We are often times in a hurry, but God is never in a hurry.
We are often times in a hurry, but God is never in a hurry.
The problem with waiting is that it is opposite of our culture. We are in a hurry to get to our destinations… to marry someone… Everything is fast… we have drive through fast food and we want fast answers.
Someone said that
God is always on time, but he sure misses a lot of opportunities to be early.
Listen, God is not in a hurry. His blessings will come in his timing and usually after we have been through a time of waiting. Look at Eccl 3:11
11 He has set the right time for everything.
I know some of you are in a time of waiting. Maybe it’s for the right person to come into your life… a baby to be born… the right job to come… If that’s you, you are probably frustrated right now with how slow it’s going. We have all felt this way.
There is a promise in the bible that tells you not only that God is working i but also how God is working. It’s an important for us to understand how God works in our lives during these times of waiting. Look at Isa 60:22
22 … At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”
Here is how god works. You may be waiting and waiting and them all of a sudden, God gives it to you all at once. It can be overwhelming. You might even say, Lord slow down.
People who have adopted kids know this. You wait and wait and then…boom it all happens fast.
That’s how god often works.
That’s how God worked in sending Jesus into this world. The Bible tells us that the world waited thousands of years for Jesus to come the first time. But at the right time Jesus came into the world.
We’ve been waiting two thousand years now for Jesus to come again. When is He going to come again? At God’s right time. That’s when He’s going to come. Underline this next statement…
God’s delays are not His denials.
God’s delays are not His denials.
That’s something you can put on X.
7 But I will watch for the Lord; I will wait confidently for God, who will save me. My God will hear me.
Remember, God is always working behind the scenes. It may not seem like it, but he is. You have been waiting and God will give you His answer in ways you never imagined.
We have to learn to wait on god’s timing. God always gives his best to those who wait. If you get in a hurry, you will settle for second or third best in your life.
Before God brings the best man or the best woman… the best job… the best opportunity into your life, Satan is going to try and get you to take the detours he is offering so that you will settle for 2nd or 3rd best. He will make you think that this is the best there is and you will settle for…
When we get ahead of God, we settle for less than the best for our lives.
When we get ahead of God, we settle for less than the best for our lives.
If you gt in a big hurry, and try to answer your own prayers, you will make a terrible mistake in your life.
Abraham – God promised him a son. When it didn’t happen immediately, he tried his own plan of taking his wife’s hand maid and had a child from her – Ishmael. God said that’s not the plan, I have a miracle son for you and Isaac was born to Sara. Arab – Israeli conflict…
If you want God’s blessing in your life, understand spiritual power does not mean you do it yourself. It means that you depend on God’s timing. Loot at this promise from the Lord. Isa 30:18
18 …For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.
4. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s defense.
4. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s defense.
There will be times when we are attacked, and as much as we want to hit back, we need to let God handle it.
Paul wrote, Rom 12:18
18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
We always need to ahead in ways that honor God and blesses those around us.
There will always be people around who misunderstand, criticize, judge and attack us in some way. Many of you may feel like if you were just a little better… nicer… more skilled, that person would like you and accept you. WRONG Jesus was perfect and they killed him and even to day, there are people who do not like him. So even if you are perfect, there will be people who will not like you or accept you.
People are going to criticize you and even attack you. Sometimes it may be your closest relationships. You’re going to be misunderstood by others because we live in a broken world.
12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
We can expect to be misunderstood and criticized when we’re living for the Lord and serving the Lord.
We can expect to be misunderstood and criticized when we’re living for the Lord and serving the Lord.
Let me ask, How do we normally respond when people criticize me or attack me? When we are misunderstood, we have a tendency to want to get in there and defend ourselves. When we are attacked, we want to attack back. When we are insulted, we want insult them back.
time on Lapalco when a guy whipped around me to pass and took off while giving me the international sign of displeasure… I thought about blowing my horn and giving him the look… But a few blocks up the road, JPSO had him pulled over… Let God take care of them.
God says every time you get under attack, get criticized, get put down, misunderstood you have two choices. You can defend yourself or you can let Me defend you. Which will it be?
Who do you think can do a better job defending you? God can! Listen to me very closely. You’re most like Christ, you’re most like Jesus, when you say nothing in the face of attack.
In the face of unjust, unfair criticism. In the face of lies about you. You’re most like Jesus when you say nothing and you remain silent and you just say I’m going to put this in the hands of God and let him be my defender and I’m not going to try to defend myself back.
We need to allow the Lord to be our defender, and we are most like Jesus when we do that.
We need to allow the Lord to be our defender, and we are most like Jesus when we do that.
23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
We are most like Jesus when we respond like Jesus did… without retaliation. We need to decide that we are not going to waste our time answering every lie someone says about us. Listen, the more influence you have, the more you’re going to be criticized. In the middle of it all, we just need to be fearless.
The Lord wants us to be faithful & fearless Christians who endure the criticisms and rejection of others in godly ways.
The Lord wants us to be faithful & fearless Christians who endure the criticisms and rejection of others in godly ways.
12 …But he blesses and protects everyone who runs to him.
Psalm 62 gives you a metaphor for God’s protection. By the way, David, who wrote this was criticized his whole life. Many people wanted to kill him out of jealousy. Look at Psa 62:5-7
5 I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. 6 He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. 7 My salvation and honour depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter.
Notice the metaphors. Protector, Savior, Defender, Victor and shelter… IOW, let God handle it. When we let God handle it we are being poor in spirit.
Basically we need to say, God, I am not depending on myself, I am depending on you. I depend on your wisdom, I depend on your strength, I depend on your timing and your plan, and I depend on your defense not mine. When God sees that, He sees you are the person He wants to bless.
5. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s resources.
5. To humbly depend on the Lord requires depending on God’s resources.
One of the greatest sources of stress you’re going to have in your life is anxiety about money. Studies show that the #1 cause of divorce is financial pressure. It’s the #1 anxiety producing issue. Am I gong to have enough to survive? Am I going to make it? Financial worries. It keeps people awake at night and it causes people to do all kinds of stupid things because they are worrying about money. Listen,
When our security is based on what we have financially or vocationally we are in a very insecure position in our lives.
When our security is based on what we have financially or vocationally we are in a very insecure position in our lives.
We have to put our security into something that cannot be taken away from us. And that’s God. Here is what the bible says about God’s wealth … Phil 4:19
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
We have to learn to depend on how much God has and not on what I have… Write this down.
My job is a channel but God is my source.
My job is a channel but God is my source.
It’s like a water faucet. The water comes out of the faucet but the faucet is not the source.
The problem is not the source, but the channel. If God is your source, it’s doesn’t matter what the channel is. God will open another channel.
God, not our job or other resources, is our source of supply and He is not limited by our ability or capacity.
God, not our job or other resources, is our source of supply and He is not limited by our ability or capacity.
God is our supply. If you think that your job is what keeps you secure, you’re going to be insecure your entire life. Living poor in spirit means that we realize that God is the source of my supply and I depend on Gods wealth, not mine. Bank accounts come and go. Economies go up and down. Stock markets can crash… When our supply is God, it doesn’t matter because He will take care of us.
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Rate yourself on how you are doing with being poor in spirit.
Am I depending on God’s wisdom. Do I talk to God about everything at all times and am I reading His word? If not, I am depending on my wisdom.
Am I depending on God’s strength?
Am I depending on God’s timing? How impatient are you? Am I alway saying, God hurry up…
Am I depending on God’s defense? when people say something on Social media, what do you do?
Am I depending on God to meet my needs?
5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
The Lord wants to bless people who are spiritually poor who recognize their need for him in their lives.
Close
Realize that we are not good in enough in our own flesh and strength, but God is. That’s being poor in spirit. If we will practice this in our lives, they we will see the Lord bless our lives in unusual ways in the coming days.
Salvation…
Needs…
commitments
