Who then are the forceful people Jesus wants in his Kingdom? Who are those he honors and empowers as his disciples?
A. Those with Robust Faith in Him Who know:
WHO KNOW... whoever we are, and whatever our condition: if we seek Jesus, we’ll find; if we call him, he’ll hear; if we need him, he’ll come; if we persevere in faith, he’ll always accompany us and never forsake us. And no earthly experience or satanic power will ever be able to separate us from God’s love in Christ Romans 8:37-39. B. Those Who Follow Jesus, Wherever and Whatever Jesus will never descend to what we want him to be in order to make us comfortable or tell us what we want to hear. But he WILL ALWAYS LIFT us to where and to whom he eternally IS—so FAITH in him is invincible! We know if he:
C. Those Who Personally Activate Faith God has done for us what we never could. He’s provided the means by which we can be forgiven and the means by which we can be triumphant Christians. All this is God’s WORK on our behalf. But all of it has value in us ONLY if we activate God’s potential spiritual energy into kinetic, spiritual energy—into ACTION. Johnny Cash said he wanted to be a LIVE WIRE so no one would step on him. Every Christian must want to be a LIVE WIRE, extending the spiritual power received from Christ to the one lacking it, charging with spiritual power those without it. Christians today can be and must be visibly forceful, influential servants of Jesus. Given the opposition faced in culture, we cannot be weak, insipid, uninspired, uninspiring go-along-to-get-along disciples—so concerned with what others think we don’t take time to develop a robust, no-nonsense faith in Jesus Christ. And having developed it, intend to use it as a witness for Jesus when the opportunity comes. The very trouble evident in culture demands Christians of strong lives empowered by the all-conquering Christ to be his all-overcoming servants. Whether we’re accepted or rejected, welcomed or hated, God won’t accommodate our desire to compromise when teaching his word; or to weaken his authority to accommodate humanity’s instinctive need of self-will; or to dismiss his holiness to accommodate our sinfulness. It’s HIS WAY, or NO WAY, to servanthood and eternal life. The forceful Christian always says, I want to keep my life in God’s will—that’s where I want to be. I want to keep it in God’s word—that’s where I want to live. I want to keep it in God’s work—that’s where I want to serve. Christians, claim the benefits the Holy Spirit grants you. Possess his gifts as freely as God has given them. Be bold, confident, assured and secure by being Christ-centered with all the power of Heaven at your disposal. Understand... those deprived of your spiritual vitality will protest yours. Never let it be a reason you deny your God-given Grace. A last exhortation and encouragement. Whenever we get frustrated enough to quit TRYING to be a forceful Christian, listen quietly. For you’ll hear the Holy Spirit whispering in your mind, “I’m not through empowering you to continue TRYING to be a forceful Christian. And until I am, you can’t be through TRYING. So continue!” God WILLS his Truth to triumph through us. He will never let us lose serving him unless we quit TRYING to be his forceful servants. Finale
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