Sermon Tone Analysis

*Let Faith Arise*              2nd March

*2 Co 4:6  *For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to /give/ the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

\\ There was a time when we walked in darkness – lost in the sea of iniquity.

Sinners.

No different to all those around us – and even if we were not “bad” people and didn’t do “evil” things we were just as lost and just as depraved as every other person without light.

We didn’t even perceive the darkness we lived in – we thought we could see clearly and the plans we had for our lives were never questioned.

Being of “The World” was simply life.

Even though it was really death!

Like millions of others around us death, hell, judgment, eternity - rarely, if ever entered our minds – and if someone mentioned God or Jesus Christ to us there was not even a flicker of illumination.

The veil over our hearts was so dense and so tightly drawn no light penetrated within it, our hearts were devoid of the possibility of some spiritual consequence for the way we lived our lives.

We may have been “good” people and even obedient children – but we were blind and lost none the less.

*Jn 1:10  *He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

\\ But Jesus was already in the world – Jesus was right there as it were, walking among us.

He could see us and knew us – when He went to the Cross it was for us – the lost and dying and broken.

He Himself said /I didn’t come to seek and find the saved but the lost/!

We walked in darkness and He walked alongside us and we didn’t even know He was there!

But we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, we didn’t know at that time the calling – but it was true and it was sure!

Though we were in darkness many of us believed we were doing okay, some of us were prosperous, successful and happy without any cause for concern or doubt.

Like the thousands around us we had holidays, brought houses and sought careers – Then for some, suddenly and without warning, and for others over a period of time – God *commanded* Light to shine into the darkness of our hearts and lives – God spoke and His own glory began to penetrate – to pierce our resistance.

*Jn 6:44 *No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

\\ God the Creator and Father of Jesus – *commanded!*

The light of the knowledge of the glory of God that is in the face of Jesus Christ lit up our hearts.

God drew us to Jesus by His own glory.

At the exact moment that was best for His Glory and purpose – the best time for His honour and for His church, though He had been waiting from before the foundation of the world – at the best possible time for His own Glory – God revealed Christ to us!!

The glory of God flooded into our hearts – we did not choose to believe in Jesus He chose us to become believers in Him!

There was a Divine exchange – a Divine intervention – JOY filled us, a new type of joy to anything we had ever known – it was not the joy of the world that is based in pride and possessions – it was a deep, glorious heart thing!

It washed in and swept over our souls – though we heard about Jesus – this was entirely spiritual and beyond us.

Love was awakened – Christ came in!

*1 Pe 1:8-9  *whom having not seen you love.

Though now you do not see /Him,/ yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of /your/ souls.

* *

*Lk 15:10  *Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

\\ The glory of God – holiness, majesty, awe – even a little fear came washing in – the moment we believed – and that was of God Himself, not us – *it was His belief in us!* What a glorious thought that is – not anything to do with me but because it was God Himself who chose us in Christ and gave us, in our heart, everything that is necessary to become a child of God – right then the Spirit of adoption flooded our hearts with the love of God – God put His life in us!! Eternal Life!!

*2 Co 1:21-22 *Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us /is/ God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

\\ In the twinkling of an eye, in a moment we were changed, we were washed we were redeemed from destruction – things we didn’t even know about were appropriated because Jesus had already done all that was necessary for us to begin a life of faith.

There was joy unspeakable – you know that truth!!

We just wanted to tell everyone – the greatest evangelists are always the new born in Christ.! But that joy is unspeakable and full of glory – we cannot explain it to a non-believer no matter how hard we try.

But that joy is full of the glory of God – it penetrates, uncovers and stirs - it reveals – it gives revelation and illumination – it is the light of God’s glory in the Face of Jesus Christ – there is no more profound experience possible for mankind.

The glory of God touches our hearts and it produces a joy in us and in all heaven – *there is nothing more important than God’s glory* and when that glory touches man, when it brings men and women who have been kept from before the world was, into the K.O.G.

I think there is a special joy that fills the heavens.

Wonderful celebration!

The angels dance!!

*Ps 85:10  *Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.

\\ Listen Christians we were born for a time like this, we were lost and now we are swept up into His Church, His glorious Kingdom and reign – *this is our time and our age* – God has chosen us in Christ and shone His glory into our hearts.

*It is there in us*, it is established it cannot be denied – God has shone the light of His glory into our hearts in the reality of Christ Jesus our Lord!!

We believe because He has put that belief into our hearts – it is not of us!! *It is God’s belief in us*!!

*Eph 2:8-10 *For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; /it is/ the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

\\ We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus – like, re-created by Christ when we are born again of the Spirit.

It is not us, it is not by anything we have done or could do – it is entirely by God and by His Grace.

This is a most wonderful and powerful thing to consider, and Church we must consider these things afresh – *we are Christians, children of God, Saints*!! – Not because we have chosen to be so – but because we have been called by God, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world –

And created again as it were, by God’s sovereign and Divine choice to be imitators of Him, what a glorious thing it is to be a Christian because it declares, it states, it is proof that God Himself, the Creator and Majesty of heaven and earth has personally touched our lives!!

We cannot believe without God’s grace and the faith that He gives us!

No one can believe unless God first draws Him.

\\ Being a Christian, believing in Jesus Christ the Son of God come in the flesh and risen from the dead

is all we need for assurance of salvation!

What an honour it is to be a Christian!

What a privilege!

Now here is another glorious truth – Oh church that we might just hear this ( PRAY) – hear this in the Holy Spirit – Because God has shown us His Divine favour by giving us His Grace and the Faith we need to believe – absolutely a GIFT from God that we have not earned nor deserve – born again in Christ Jesus – His workmanship – His building, His accomplishment for the glory of His Father – we cannot boast – we cannot add to this glory of God – *it is His glory not ours* –

Oh how we want to take ownership of everything – but it is *His glory* in the face of Jesus Christ we can never own it, it is Gods glory and He will not share it with another!

– But because He has given as all these things in Jesus – then we must also accept and acknowledge that He has created us for good works – that God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

--- When we were called by God to come to Christ – just like Esther – it was the perfect time to fulfil what God had beforehand

prepared for us to walk into! -- Now we have been taught to seek for gifts, power and anointing – we have a mindset even, as we hope and pray for revival that there is still much more to come – that there is a greater anointing – in fact I have received so many prophetic words in the email – /just like the beginning of every year saying God is about to pour out a new anointing for this and a fresh anointing for that /– and you know I believe for Revival, I hope for it, and cry out for it and am more desperate

now than I have ever been!

– I just look at the state of the church and what is happening in society and I weep – literally – But we must not forget or be distracted from embracing this present truth – this present life and the outworking of that which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us for!

– You know one day we are going to stand before Jesus Christ our Lord in all His glory and He is going to judge us – every single one of us who has ever had life will stand before the judgment seat –

Oh I cannot imagine what it will be like for those who have never known the Mercy Seat as we have – that precious blood covered seat of His cross’ glory – but you know when we stand there before Him and see Him as He is, trembling because we have never seen anything so Beautiful, so Terribly Majestic and Holy --  I don’t think He is going to ask us anything about our success, our ministry, our power or how many people we have healed or prophesied over –

He is not going to question how much we have studied or learned or taught or preached – Jesus is not going to question what we have achieved – *He will examine our obedience and faithfulness* – He will examine our hearts, whether there is unforgiveness or judgment – You know He warns us so clearly if you do not forgive, My heavenly Father will not forgive you -- judge and you shall be judged in the same manner – hold bitterness in your heart and you will be defiled ---

And there will be no anger in those eyes – though they may pierce to the depths of our souls – I think those who have walked in obedience have clean hands and a pure heart will just see the smile of God in the Face of Christ and be drawn into eternity bathed in a glory we cannot imagine.

Yes, there are rewards in heaven – but they are not the rewards of greatness and success as the world we copy from sees it – they are the rewards of obedience and faithfulness.

As I was writing this I received an urgent email from India asking that I would pray for a group of Christians who have been kidnapped in Himachal Pradesh, India – I wasn’t asked to pray for their release or ministries or witness not even for their lives – I was asked to pray that their faith would not fail and they would not deny Christ!

As they stand in His Name – as they hold fast to Christ, God will be glorified – even if they were to die for their faith – God will be glorified – not by their success but because of their obedience to the faith they have been given!

When God called you – when He touched your life with His glory and grace – when He chose to reveal Christ to you, in the time predetermined from before the world was – do you not think, according to the very Promise of God, that as He has called you and created you by His Workmanship in Christ for good works prepared beforehand, that He is not able to accomplish those works through you in order to display His own great glory!

Remember Abraham – and how God teaches us through him.

*Ro 4:20-25*  He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us.

It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

\\ God is able, *more than able!,*

It is His express will that He might perform in us all that He has promised for His own glory and Names sake!

It is not about our success or performance or recognition it is about His Own Glory that is in Jesus Christ.

All we have to do is allow Him to perform in us what He has beforehand prepared.

But you see we are still looking for something else, for more anointing, more of the Spirit, more gifts and power ---

But nothing is impossible to God, *not one thing* – He is able to make these chairs stand up and Praise Jesus – all He is looking for is obedience to what we have been called to, and faithfulness to His Glory.

\\ *See first of all He has given us the most wonderful story* – the most wonderful testimony of who He is.

He has called us in Christ and revealed Himself in us!

Christ in us the hope of glory – *that is first of all our message – or His message in us*!!

Christians we should be bouncing off the walls in joy unspeakable and full of glory – we should be declaring from the rooftops – Jesus Christ is Lord – we should be telling all who will listen that God is real, that God is Holy and that He can be found by as many as will set their hearts to seek Him.

Who knows that that good work He has called you to, from before the world was, is not simply to share your testimony with someone He might bring to you!

*Ro 10:14-15* How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: /“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”/

\\ We have already the most wonderful and precious message of hope and glory – we must begin to preach it boldly church, and then – God is able to perform His will in you for His glory – put Him to the test and see if there is anything lacking in Christ Jesus !!!

Oh church it is time to change our mindset – time to stop looking for why not this and why not that and begin to live in the fullness of the Promises of God – I don’t mean hype it up and play a pretend game of Holy Spirit power that glorifies everyone and everything except God – but time to believe – Oh Church all things are possible to those who believe – not to seek for our own glory – but that His glory in us might be seen!

*Ro 12:1-2* I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.