Sermon 112397

1Co. 4:20                             The Kingdom of God Consist in Power                            11/23/97

                                                                                                                            ABCC

I.     Introduction                                                                                                                      599

q      Are you satisfied with the present evidence of God’s presence in your life?

q      Are you satisfied just to go through life with the assurance of God’s salvation; normal lifestyle – pay your bills, reasonably good health, good church family?

q      Are you satisfied because your plans seem to be working – not much risk, nothing extraordinary or supernatural = EVERYTHING FAIRLY NORMAL?

q      Do you expect to see the clear evidence of God’s power in your life regularly?

II.    Jesus’ Ministry was Characterized by Power (Ac. 10:37-38; Mt. 13:53-54)

III.   The Apostles’ Ministry was Characterized by Power (Ac. 4:33)

IV.  The Christian’s Ministry is to be Characterized by Power

·        Preaching (1Co. 2:4-5; Rom. 1:16), Teaching, Diaconate (Ac. 6:8), Prayer (Ac. 4:31), Singing (Eph. 5:18-19), Witnessing (Ac. 1:8; 4:31)

V.   The Christian’s Life is to be Characterized by Power (1Co. 4:19-20)

·        The power of the Holy Spirit brings hope, joy & peace (Rom. 15:13)

·        God’s divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life & godliness (2Pe. 1:3)

·        We are PROTECTED in this life by the power of God (1Pe. 1:5)

·        We are AT WAR with a powerful enemy – Satan & sin have power (Eph. 2:1-2; 2Th. 2:8-10; 1Jn. 5:19)

·        God has given the Christian power to win in this warfare (2Co. 10:4-5; 2Tim. 1:7-8)

·        We must strive & labor diligently in God’s power (Col. 1:28-29)

The Kingdom of God Consist in Power, pg. 2

VI.  The Danger & Risk of Living Life Without the Power of God

·        The possibility of discrediting the ministry & bringing shame to name of Christ (2Co. 6:1-10)

·        The possibility of displaying the characteristics of gross ungodliness (2Tim. 3:1-5)

VII. What Then Shall We Do?

·        We must pray for God to truly reveal our weakness & then reveal His power (Eph. 1:15-19a; 3:14-21; Col. 1:9-12)

So what do you think about this matter my brother/sister?  Is your life predictable & normal?  Have you become too predictable, even with bad habits & sin?  Are you relying too much on the form & patterns of godliness & not seeking God for power?  Are you satisfied to make excuses for your compromises in sin – lack of devotion to Christ, lack of interest in prayer, no longer giving financial to God in faith, lack of self-control in things you see, hear, diet, sex, time, etc.?  Are you concerned about becoming like Samson – though he had enjoyed the power of God in his life for year, he became so comfortable with compromise that he was unaware when the power of God left?  Are you unaware that you’re slipping from your first love?  Are you unaware of the wicked power working against you?  May God make us alert today – Christ charged the disciples to “Keep watching & praying, that you may not enter into temptation, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”.