The Power of God - Part One - The Word

The Power of God – The Word
Sermon Notes – Ps. Jim White
Sunday 3rd January 2010
• Last week we looked at Rom 12 where there is a section entitled “Behaving Like A Christian.” I thought that knowing how to behave like a Christian was a reasonable preparation for the New Year – and that rather than focussing on New Year resolutions, why not just become the best version of who God has called us to be? Behaving like a Christian – it begins with loving from the centre of who we are. You can pull up that message on the website if you would like to.

• But now we are officially launching into 2010. And I wanted to start the year with what will most likely be a series of messages about the supernatural power of God.

• We’ve talked about what a good Christian looks like – but let’s not keep the focus on us – let’s put the main focus on who God is. In the end, it’s the transforming power of God that will change us and empower us to be all that we are meant to be.

• There are dimensions of the character and nature and power of God that we haven’t even begun to enter in to. And even though we aren’t meant to understand it all – at the same time it is not just all mystical. God reveals enough of what His power is all about so that we can walk in it with confidence and faith. There are signs and wonders and miracles that are yet to be revealed and released upon the church, but our part involves positioning ourselves and making room for God to move.

• I started out in my preparations for these messages by focussing on sign and wonders – and how we should be seeing signs and wonders accompanying the preaching of the word. But I think my focus was way too narrow.

• God wants our attention to be on Him first of all. It’s a misdirected focus to simply seek the manifestation of His presence, without first of all seeking Him for who He is. Hopefully as we look at the many different expressions and manifestations of the power of God, we will also get our focus back on Him – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Out of the revelation of knowing Him, everything else will flow.

• We are going to look at a few scriptures that reveal God’s nature and character – and we will look at scriptures that will reposition us as faithful and effective sons and daughters of God.

• As we look at the power of God – I want us to allow His Word to refresh us and revitalise us in spirit and in truth. It’s not about tickling our ears with new revelations, as much as it is about repositioning ourselves in what we already know to be the truth. As it washes over us, let it renew you on the inside.

• Jesus had a woman shout out to Him once, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which nursed You. But He said [to her], “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:27,28).

• Other versions say – “..who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” That’s the real key for all of us – it’s the putting into practice part that we often come unstuck with. 2010 would be a great year for all of us to become doers of the word and not just hearers.

• So, as part of this journey, we are going to look at the power of the Word – the power of the Blood – the power of the Holy Spirit – the power of the Gospel... and then there’s our response which makes room for the power of God to be released – and that’s through the power of Prayer – the power of Faith – the power of Praise... We’ve already looked briefly last week at the power of Love...

• We are going to build our faith and expectation in the presence and the power of God in our lives and the life of Seacoast Church. Are you ready to take that journey?

• Before we start looking at the power of the Word – let me share a couple of scriptures as a way of introduction.

• John 15:5 & 7,8 – “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing...” Verse 7 – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

• We must make sure we understand that you cannot separate abiding in Christ from the manifestations of the fruit of discipleship – whatever that fruit might be – fruit of the Spirit – miracles, healing, salvation... This is not about us. But it is about our relationship with God – about abiding in Him – finding a place of intimacy – a perfect place of peace – in Him...

• And as we bear the fruit of that relationship as branches that are attached to the vine – and seeing the manifestations of God’s power and love in our lives – it’s for His glory – that the Father will be glorified.

• And without Him we can do nothing anyway.

• But we also need to be bold and passionate about entering into this lifestyle of fruitful discipleship, as were the people at the very beginnings of the birth of the church.

• One of the prayers of the disciples in Acts 4:29,30 was this: “...grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

• In verse 31 it says, “...when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

• It’s a good thing for the people of God and for the church to pray for signs and wonders. So as long as our desire and motivation is for the glory of God and we do it all in the name of Jesus Christ, He wants us to be bold and expectant.

• So let’s begin by looking at:

• No.1 – The Power of the Word.

• Heb 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

• The word of God is alive. It has been speaking clearly into the lives and circumstances of generation upon generation for thousands of years. It is always relevant. If you allow it to, it will speak something fresh and new every day for right where you are at.

• And it’s powerful and penetrating – piercing the heart – speaking into people’s lives and the hidden recesses of their hearts like a hot knife goes through butter. No heart is too hard or dark for the word of God.

• Charles Spurgeon, the famous preacher, told this story in one of his messages:

• “When God wills it, his word can pierce anyone as a certain Mr. Thorpe in the 18th century Bristol found out. Thorpe was a part of a band of men who called themselves, the ‘Hell Fire Club.’ Their reason for existence was to mock and ridicule the work of the famed evangelist, George Whitefield. On one occasion, the ‘Hell-Fire Club’ gathered at a pub for such mockery. Mr. Thorpe offered his brilliant imitation of Whitefield, whom he and his friends called, ‘Mr Squintum’ because of Whitefield’s eyes. He delivered his sermon with brilliant accuracy, perfectly imitating his tone and facial expressions as he quoted Scripture and Whitefield’s exposition. Suddenly – amidst the laughter – he had to sit down, for he was pierced through and was converted on the spot.
Mr. Thorpe was a thoroughly nasty man, engaged in a nasty action, yet the Word of God pierced his heart and changed him in an instant. Mr. Thorpe went on to be a prominent Christian leader in the city of Bristol”

• If we want to see the power of God at work in our lives and the life of the church, then the word of God will be a sword that not only pierces our hearts, but the heart of every person who hears it from our lips.

• It will transform the way we think, the way we respond – it will discern our attitudes and heart motivations – and sometimes it’s not easy to be confronted with these things. But it’s much better for us in the long run if the light of the Word is allowed to shine into all the deep places of our heart. That’s healing in itself.

• In Isa 55, God says His thoughts and His ways are not our ways – they are higher than ours. He says His words and thoughts are like rain and snow from heaven – watering the earth – bringing forth buds – giving seed to the sower and bread for the eater... Verse 11– “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” He goes on to talk about going out with joy and singing...

• God’s word is powerful in that it comes from heaven and from God with purpose – to bring refreshment – to bring forth new life – watering and raining on our lives – causing new buds to grow and seed to be scattered – to prosper and accomplish things in our lives. And it comes with a guarantee that it will do what it says – it will not return void. In other words it is impossible for it to be unfruitful to those who receive it. It will carry the power of God to those who read it – like a sharp two-edged sword.

• 1Thes 2:13 – says that the word of God “effectively works in you who believe.”

• It’s like all the different aspects of the power of God that we will be looking at over the next few weeks – they all fit together – you can’t really separate one from the other. There’s power in the word – but it’s when it is received with faith – when it is read under the guidance, inspiration and power of the Holy Spirit – that it truly comes to life.

• When Ps. 19 speaks about the law, the testimony, the statues and commandments of the Lord – it’s speaking of the Word of God. Verse 7-8 – “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

• In other words – the Word is perfect, sure, right and pure. And it carries the power to change lives – to give any of us wisdom for life – to cause us to rejoice in our heart – and to open our eyes to the light of Christ.

• Author, Charles Swindoll has said – “News articles may inform us. Novels may inspire us. Poetry may enrapture us. But only the living, active Word of God can transform us.”

• And we can take hold of the Word of God and not only let it pierce our own hearts – for good – but also take it up as a sword that we can use against the enemies plans.

• Jesus and the disciples would often answer challenges against them with the word of God. They would often say – “As it is written...” When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He came straight back at him with... “It is written...”

• We have that same authority in the name of Jesus – and with the power of the Word – because Jesus Christ is The Word.

• When life or the devil throws something at you, you can declare that it is written – I am healed by the stripes of Jesus – I am more than a conqueror – nothing is impossible for God – whatever your need is – you have the word.

• Jer 23:29 – “Is not My word like a fire? Says the Lord. And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

• The word of God burns like fire – it consumes. We’ve seen the devastation that fires can cause. We’ve seen it in a natural sense. But imagine the same thing happening against the devil and His plans in a spiritual sense. The word will cause absolute annihilation and devastation against sickness and disease, generational curses, poverty, rejection...

• And we can use it like a hammer, to drive home the truth in the face of opposition. If it doesn’t go all the way the first blow, you just keep on hammering. The truth of the word will smash lies and deception – blockages – walls – whatever stands between you and your victory and freedom.

• Jesus said in John 8:31,32 – “...If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

• This is where we began this morning. It’s all about abiding. Abiding is about continually being held and kept – about being as one. God wants us to continually be one with Him – but also one with His word. To know it – to live it – to allow it to change us and transform us. And that’s when true freedom comes – when we really know the truth of the word – and put it into practice.