The Holy Spirit #5
By Pastor George Lehman
Many Christians estimate difficulty in the light of their own resources and thus attempt very little and they consistently fall. All giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His Power and presence to be with them. – Hudson Taylor.
Do you rely on His power to be with you?
The uncompromising, obedient church, filled with the Holy Spirit, is busy making a significant difference in this world right now
This is a Cinderella sermon – if the shoe fits, put it on. However, this is a ‘one size fits all’! Not just for a select few.
Jesus said it:
John 8:31-32 (NIV) – To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Paul wrote:
Galatians 5:7 (Amp) – You were running the race nobly. Who has interfered in (hindered and stopped you from) you’re heeding and following the Truth?
Notice: What hindered them? They mixed the truth with a lie (deception).
We clearly see two types of Christians.
One walking in truth, the other walking in confusion and division.
A mixture of good and evil yields two main results:
Confusion and Division. (You become double minded)
James 1:8 (NIV) – He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Mixed messages contain grains of truth and falsehood.
You can focus on the good or true component and still accept the bad along with it.
In either case, God’s truth and purposes are frustrated.
God warns against mixture.
Deuteronomy 22:9 (NIV) – Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.
Deuteronomy 22:10 (NIV) – Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.
Deuteronomy 22:11 (NIV) – Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
Notice, God prohibits[verbied] mixed livestock, sowing with mixed seed and wearing garments of mixed material.
The principal teaching is that when you serve the Lord you should not mix two different types of things… Single minded not double minded
Like a message being partly true and partly of error…there are 574 occurrences of the word “If” just in the gospel
John 8:31(NIV) – To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold tom y teaching, you are really my disciples.”
Like simultaneously living in accordance with scripture and with the pattern of this world…
Like as a Christian mixing with someone that is non-Christian.
(Note, when two different species are bred, the offspring is usually sterile).
Breeding a horse and a donkey you get a mule – an animal incapable of re-producing.
King Saul is a prime example despite his 40 years reign – his victories and successes as a military commander.
There was a time he prophesied in the Holy Spirit and another time in a demonic spirit.
(1 Samuel 28)
Just before a battle, he consulted the witch of Endor – the next day he committed suicide on the battlefield.
We must ask ourselves – are we sowing with mixed seeds?
Galatians 6:8 (Amp) – For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Question: Do I combine truth and falsehood?
Am I living partly the righteousness of Jesus and partly my own fleshly nature?
The blessings of God will not remain on that which is a mixture of purity and impurity.
We cannot be neutral or passive regarding what we accept in our lives.
Proverbs 8:13 (Amp) – The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.
Compromising with evil is wrong and sinful.
Evil = morally bad, to sin, not to please, wrong
The devil enters via the evil with a goal.
John 10:10a (Amp) – The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.
You cannot be a fence sitter when the Holy Spirit comes. He electrifies the fence. No more fence sitting.
Jesus said:
Matthew 12:30 (Msg) – “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.
Paul gives a very serious warning about the condition of the church in the end times.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (Amp) – But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane[no reverence]. 3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous[dikvellig] and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement[bring no peace; hold a grudge]); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate[excessive, like in the use of alcohol] and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4 [They will be] treacherous[faithlessness] [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit[always talking about yourself]. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. 5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies[false representation] the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].
Revelation 12:9a (NIV) – The great dragon was hurled down – the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who leads the while world astray.
The warning of the degeneration of human character and conduct – this behavior at which few people bat an eye today.
Even those who proclaim to be Christians are showing these behaviors. Having a form of Godliness but their conduct denies it.
Final judgment will separate mixtures.
The parable about the Kingdom of God in Matthew 13 speaks about the end of this age.
Matthew 13:24-30 (NIV) – Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
The field represents Christianity which includes:
People who bear appropriate fruit (the good wheat).
And others who bear no fruit (like the weeds).
Have you heard someone say the church is full of hypocrites? It’s true. It’s even biblical.
We must just be sure that we are not among them. Be wheat.
We cannot compromise on biblical principles – especially because judgment will begin in the house of God.
1 Peter 4:17 (Amp) – For the time [has arrived] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will [be] the end of those who do not respect or believe or obey the good news (the Gospel) of God?
Walking daily by the Holy Spirit is to be obedient.
Jesus said it:
John 14:15 (Amp) – If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
John confirms it:
1 John 5:3 (Amp) – For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).
The antidote to mixture is truth. The pure, undiluted truth of God’s word.
How much more should we as God’s children take a stand for the truth?
