Living Fearlessly: Embracing Prophecy and God's Guidance
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In the New Testament, prophecy is only stating something that can happen in the future, like Agabus did twice in the Acts of the Apostles to prepare us. Agabus said there'll be a famine, but he never told anybody what to do. He told Paul if you go to Jerusalem you'll be caught by the people there and imprisoned, but he never told Paul whether to go or not to go. So prophecy in the New Testament is never to tell a person; it's never directed, but it prepares us for the future. [00:19:57]
The Bible says that in a real New Testament church there should always be a spirit of prophecy. If you read 1 Corinthians 14, it says there when there's prophecy, the secrets of a person's heart are made manifest and it prepares us for the days to come. You know, if you listen, if there is a church where there's a word from the Lord, a prophetic word, that word will prepare you for the immediate future, what you're going to face. [00:28:00]
The Bible says that when we listen, we must judge every prophecy to see whether it's really from the Lord or is really for us because there's a human element in immature people when they attempt to prophesy. It's very important for us to understand this in the last days because just like in the days of the Old Testament, there were true prophets and there were false prophets, and the proportion was about one to a hundred. [00:33:56]
Jesus said in the last days, men are going to faint from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then after that, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things, not after these take place, begin to take place, straighten up, lift up your heads. [00:39:51]
You place your confidence in money, in the stock market, in trading, in real estate, and land, and banks, and deposits, and whatever it is. If it's a created thing, I can tell you right now in Jesus' name, it's gonna be shaken. And if you're standing on that, you're gonna be shaken too. The things that cannot be shaken will remain. [00:52:00]
Those who have spent their life seeking the kingdom of God first, that doesn't mean full-time workers. Every child of God, and 99.9% of children of God are not full-time workers. Every child of God must seek God's kingdom first. In other words, the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17. [00:58:55]
Jesus often said, "Fear not" or "Don't be afraid." Even after his resurrection, turn to John's Gospel chapter 20. You read in John 20, it says here in verse 19, the disciples were inside a locked room, shut there for fear of the Jews, even though they had heard preaching from the greatest preacher that ever walked this world, Jesus Christ, for three and a half years. [01:06:39]
When did that fear disappear? When they were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. That is why I keep telling born-again Christians, you know what you need? You need the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. You don't need to be just immersed in water. You need to be immersed by Jesus in the Holy Spirit and fire. [01:21:53]
Be filled with the Holy Spirit, not once but continuously. Ephesians 5:18 says be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. That is the greatest need to be prepared for the last days because that's the only thing that helped those apostles to be free from fear. You can listen to a message like this right now. [01:26:55]
The same Lord Jesus who said "sin not" said "fear not." That means if he has made provision for us through the grace of God to be free from the power of sin in our life, he has also made provision by the grace of God to free us from fear totally. Let me ask you, think of these two things: sin and fear. [01:34:50]
We have to learn to free ourselves from putting our faith in our money or putting our faith in people and learn to put our faith in God. Even if you have plenty of money, even if you have very secure surroundings, even if you are living in a very safe country, we must discipline ourselves to say, "Lord, I will not put my trust in man. I will not put my trust in my earthly resources. I put my trust only in you." [01:51:40]
Live with eternity in view, make full use of the few days that are left before Christ comes again. Don't have any regret in that day that you didn't live for him, that after all the messages you heard was just information in your head, not a challenge in your heart to live for him. If Christ is God, live for him. [02:46:05]
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The Bible says that in a real New Testament church there should always be a spirit of prophecy. If you read 1 Corinthians 14, it says there when there's prophecy, the secrets of a person's heart are made manifest and it prepares us for the days to come. You know, if you listen, if there is a church where there's a word from the Lord, a prophetic word, that word will prepare you for the immediate future, what you're going to face. [00:28:00]
The Bible says that when we listen, we must judge every prophecy to see whether it's really from the Lord or is really for us because there's a human element in immature people when they attempt to prophesy. It's very important for us to understand this in the last days because just like in the days of the Old Testament, there were true prophets and there were false prophets, and the proportion was about one to a hundred. [00:33:56]
Jesus said in the last days, men are going to faint from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then after that, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things, not after these take place, begin to take place, straighten up, lift up your heads. [00:39:51]
You place your confidence in money, in the stock market, in trading, in real estate, and land, and banks, and deposits, and whatever it is. If it's a created thing, I can tell you right now in Jesus' name, it's gonna be shaken. And if you're standing on that, you're gonna be shaken too. The things that cannot be shaken will remain. [00:52:00]
Those who have spent their life seeking the kingdom of God first, that doesn't mean full-time workers. Every child of God, and 99.9% of children of God are not full-time workers. Every child of God must seek God's kingdom first. In other words, the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17. [00:58:55]
Jesus often said, "Fear not" or "Don't be afraid." Even after his resurrection, turn to John's Gospel chapter 20. You read in John 20, it says here in verse 19, the disciples were inside a locked room, shut there for fear of the Jews, even though they had heard preaching from the greatest preacher that ever walked this world, Jesus Christ, for three and a half years. [01:06:39]
When did that fear disappear? When they were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. That is why I keep telling born-again Christians, you know what you need? You need the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. You don't need to be just immersed in water. You need to be immersed by Jesus in the Holy Spirit and fire. [01:21:53]
Be filled with the Holy Spirit, not once but continuously. Ephesians 5:18 says be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. That is the greatest need to be prepared for the last days because that's the only thing that helped those apostles to be free from fear. You can listen to a message like this right now. [01:26:55]
The same Lord Jesus who said "sin not" said "fear not." That means if he has made provision for us through the grace of God to be free from the power of sin in our life, he has also made provision by the grace of God to free us from fear totally. Let me ask you, think of these two things: sin and fear. [01:34:50]
We have to learn to free ourselves from putting our faith in our money or putting our faith in people and learn to put our faith in God. Even if you have plenty of money, even if you have very secure surroundings, even if you are living in a very safe country, we must discipline ourselves to say, "Lord, I will not put my trust in man. I will not put my trust in my earthly resources. I put my trust only in you." [01:51:40]
Live with eternity in view, make full use of the few days that are left before Christ comes again. Don't have any regret in that day that you didn't live for him, that after all the messages you heard was just information in your head, not a challenge in your heart to live for him. If Christ is God, live for him. [02:46:05]
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