Sermon Series: What’s Love Got To Do With It? Everything! Loving God Brings Covenant Power

Presenter: Rev. Dr. JoAnne P. King
Date: December 29, 2024

Good Morning Saints, Happy New Year and welcome to Exousia Ministries. Sunday before last, the message covered extensively the topic of “Loving God’s Way Brings the Blessings.” You know, we always want to do things God’s way because that way, we know that we will always be successful.

Toward the end of that sermon, we covered what happened to Israel because of their belief that God didn’t love them and how that belief caused all of them to die in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb. I believe that every Christian wants everything that God has for them. So, here at Exousia, we are going to do whatever is necessary to achieve and receive what God has for us! Amen!

The next thing that our love for God will bring is Covenant Power. Saints, God has a love-Covenant with you that He takes very seriously! He wants to meet your needs and give you the desires of your heart but you must learn to trust His Love. It was Love (God) who created the heavens and the earth, and it was Love (God) who made a way for you to be forgiven from your sins. Everything God says and does is from a place of Love, because He is Love.
Because God loves you, He wants to meet your needs and give you the desires of your heart.

God will meet your needs and your wants. If you seek the Lord, you will not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:7-10). In this Psalm there are 10 promises, they are:
- The angel of the Lord encampeth around about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
  There is no want to them that fear Him (Lk. 11:9-11).
- They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing (Matt. 7:11).
  The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open unto their cry (Jn. 15:7).
  The face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
- The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their trouble. [To get men out of trouble is God’s work.]
  The Lord is nigh unto them with a broken heart and saveth them that be of a contrite spirit.
- Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
  Evil shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
- The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants and none of them that trusteth in Him shall be desolate.

The doctrine of no want to believers is one of the clearest and most comprehensive declarations of Scripture. In view of the simple and complete promises, the only excuse for not having every need and want met within the bounds of Scripture is unbelief (Mt. 17:20-21; Jas. 1:5-8) and ignorance of truth (Jn. 15:7).

Let’s delve deeper into unbelief: Heb. 11:6 – “But without faith, it is impossible to [walk with God and] please him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek him.” [Here we see the absolute necessity of faith and the secret of pleasing God. In Mt. 17:20-21, Jesus tells his disciples that the reason they couldn’t cast out the lunatic spirit was because of their unbelief. This was a simple and a complete answer. This is still the reason for failure to cast out demons and for unanswered prayers of every kind. God promises answers to all alike on condition, one is in Christ and doubts not. In Jas. 1:5-8: we are given two different examples of unbelief; a wavering or doubtful faith and a double minded person. For the wavering or doubtful person = it is as certain that a doubtful man will not get an answer as it is that the man of faith will get an answer. A double minded person is a term used by the Jews of a man who attempted to worship God and still loved the creature who wishes to secure both worlds. He would not give up on the world here and yet was loathe to give up heaven – one torn between carnal and spiritual things.]
Ignorance of truth Jn. 15:7 Amp. = “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” [The promise if “ask what ye will,” plainly teaching that answered prayer is up to the child of God as to what he wants. This is in perfect harmony with promises of both testaments. A true Christian can get what he wants (Ps. 23:1, Mt. 7:7-11, Jn. 14:12-15, Eph. 3:20; 1 Jn 3:21-22). A prayer saying, “If it be Thy will” concerning anything God has already promised, and therefore has already made it clear that it is His will, providing we ask in faith nothing wavering, is really a pray of unbelief. It is like saying “I know You have already promised and You have made it very clear by Your Word that it is Your will but do You really mean what You say? Are You a truthful God or not? Can we depend upon what You say?” We insult God by constantly questioning his will that is already revealed by His Word. It is no less insulting to Him than it would be to a human friend who had promised something and we continued to question him about his will in the matter. He would finally say to us, “What is the matter with you? Have I not told you repeatedly that I would do it? Can you not take me at my word? Are you going to make me a liar?” We would not dare do this to any earthly friend. Then why do it to our heavenly Father who promises that He will do more for His Children than any earthly parent.]

Here are 4 secrets to answered prayers:

Please God (1 Jn. 5:14-15) – 1 Jn. 3:21-22 Amp. “Beloved, if our heart does not convict us [of guilt], we have confidence] complete assurance and boldness] before God; and we receive of him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].”
Come to God in the right attitude and with the right motives (Mt. 6:5-15; 7:7-11) Phil. 4:5-6 Amp. “Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.”
Believe that He is Jn. 16:23 Amp. – “In that day you shall not [need to] ask Me about anything. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name [as my representative], He will give you.”
Believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. If one can believe this as much as he believes in the existence of God, prayer will be granted. If one believes firmly in His existence and doubts His Word, he makes Him a liar and God is under no obligation to answer prayer. Jas. 1:4-8 Amp. – “And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. [He who doubts is like a wave that is rising one moment, sinking the next. One minute he believes; another he does not. He says yes and then no to what God has promised, never making up his mind which way he believes. He staggers, helpless in prayer like a drunken man.] For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].”

The doctrine of no want is further exemplified in the Old Testament in the 23rd Psalm.

Here are 14 blessings of sheep: They have:

1) The Lord as their Shepherd. 2) No want. 3) Rest in choice green pastures [Pastor Joyce has taught us houses]. 4) Guidance to still, deep waters of rest and refreshing. 5) Restoration of soul. 6) Guidance in paths of right for His name’s sake, which gives no cause for stumbling, falling or going astray. 7) Safe passage through the valley of the shadow of death – the deep, waterless, gloomy, wild, beast-infested, rocky, dangerous, death-lurking ravine so common in Palestine. 8) No fear of evil because of the Shepherd’s constant companionship, watch, and protection. 9) The comfort of the Shepherd’s rod and staff [club and crook, the only two things carried by shepherds for defense and help – the club for the sheep’s enemies and the crook for the sheep’s protection.] 10) Prepared and full tables of food to feast on in the presence of enemies. [They feast in safety while the Shepherd watches, fights, and protects.]

In the first sermon of this series, I went over 1 Timothy 6:9-10 where we are admonished not to covet riches and gave 10 dangers from coveting riches.

Today, I want to point out 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Amp. which says: “As for the rich in this present world, instruct them not to be conceited and arrogant, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Instruct them to do good to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share [with others]. In this way storing up for themselves the enduring riches of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

Because your love of God has brought you money from the covenant power bestowed on you, God charges you to:

Be not high-minded.
Do not trust in riches.
Trust in the living God.
Do good.
Be rich in good works.
Be ready to distribute goods to help others.
Be willing to communicate or have fellowship with all men, even the poor.
Lay-up treasures in heaven.
Lay hold on eternal life.

In Psalm 118, we are told that God will do good things for anyone who will believe. Here are 10 reasons why we should give thanks to God according to this Psalm:

Because He is good. (v 1, 29)
His mercy endures forever. (v 1-4)
The Lord answered me. (v 5)
He set me in a large place. (v 5)
He is on my side. (v 6)
He takes my part. (v 7, 13)
He is my strength. (v 14)
He is my song. (v 14)
He is my salvation. (v 14, 21)
He has heard me. (v 21)

You know to have the Lord on your side and take your part is better than all men and their riches! Here are 7 other better things that are given in Psalms:

A little with righteousness better than the riches of many wicked (37:16).
God’s loving kindness better than life itself (63:3).
Praise better than sacrifices (69:31).
One day in God’s house better than 1,000 other days (84:10).
Trust in God is better than confidence in man (118:8).
Trust in God is better than confidence in princes (118:9).
Truth better than gold and silver (119:72).

Saints, we must learn to trust God and the power of His love. He has told us repeatedly in His Word that He is Love and given us many examples of His love for us. As well as, examples of what happened to the Israelites when they didn’t believe that He loved them.

We must take steps to believe that God loves us by trusting God, trusting His Word, trusting God’s name and the integrity of His character, trusting Jesus’ blood that ratified God’s Covenant, and trusting God’s Love and mercy.

Just think, God loves you so much that He made a way for you to be forgiven from sins, just so He could bless you. God forgave your sins for His sake and yours: (Isaiah 43:25 Amp.) = “I, only I, am He who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.”

[The idea of blotting out sins is taken from the custom of keeping accounts and cancelling or blotting out the charge when the debt is paid. Thus, God promised to cancel the sins of Israel and blot them all out. When this is done, no punishment can be exacted for sins, and the people forgiven must be treated as pardoned friends.] [Sinners do not deserve forgiveness or any claim to such blessing. They deserve full punishment, but God undertakes, by free grace, the pardon of all sin (which is repented of), and the cancellation of punishment for rebellion. He can thus declare that “besides Me there is no Savior.” If it is for God’s sake that men are forgiven and they escape hell thereby, they owe their lives to Him to live for His glory, and not to live unto themselves. If men are to be pardoned on these grounds, then they must come to God and to Him alone. They must come, not to justify themselves, but to confess their sins so that He can be glorified. Unless they come on His terms they can never be forgiven.]
You may be still asking: Why did God forgive me of my sins?

The Scripture said that He did it for Himself as well as you. Remember, God is a Holy God! So, 1) He didn’t want to remember the sins of His children. 2) If He remembered your sins, then He couldn’t bless you. 3) God is able to treat you as if sin never happened.

Once Adam and Eve failed by not trusting God. God set in motion His plan of Redemption. He gave His Son to get man back, and get The Blessing back to man.

In closing, everything God says and does is from a place of Love, because God is Love. He has a love-covenant relationship with His people that He takes very seriously.
Under this love-covenant relationship, We:

Depend on and believe the Love of God.
We obey God, and that obedience puts us in a position to receive The Blessing that His Love provides.
Just like a parent loves his children and wouldn’t do them harm, God loves us, and He will not do us any harm.
You can’t do anything to cause God to stop loving you.
Everything God does and says is Love because He is Love.

It takes faith to please God, and faith works by Love (Gal. 5:6). We forgive by faith, so it is given through the gift of grace. [Unconditional, undeserved Love (that is grace) assures us that we don’t get the punishment we deserve.]
The New Covenant is the climax of all of God’s Covenants. The New Covenant represents the culmination of God’s saving work among his people by His Spirit and renews their hearts so that they obey Him. The basis for such renewal is the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for by His atoning death and resurrection complete forgiveness of sins is achieved. Jesus told us in the book of Acts, “But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” Hence, a new and bold access to God that wasn’t available in the Old Covenant is obtained. As we go forth as His loving faithful witnesses; we will be able to perform miracles, signs and wonders, just as the Old Testament prophets, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus’ Disciples did.
The covenant with Israel has passed away, and now the promise is fulfilled in the restored Israel, which consists of both Jews and Gentiles. This was accomplished in Ephes. 2:11-15 Amp. = “Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, who are called “Uncircumcision” by those who called themselves “Circumcision,” [itself a mere mark] which is made in the flesh by human hands– remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from any relationship with Him], alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise [with no share in the sacred Messianic [promise and without knowledge of God’s agreements], having no hope [in His promise] and [living] in the world without God. But now [at this very moment] in Christ Jesus you who once were [so very] far away [from God] have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace and our bond of unity. He who made both groups–[Jews and Gentiles]—into one body and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall [of spiritual antagonism between us], by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the hostility caused by the Law with its commandments contained in ordinances [which He satisfied]; so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thereby establishing peace.”

Remember, Jesus said that “He didn’t come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.” All the promises made to Abraham and David are fulfilled in the New Covenant and are passed on to the heirs of salvation who through Loving God Brings Covenant Power.

Hallelujah, the God we serve is a mighty God who loves us so much and is ready, willing and able to do more than we can think or ask for those who love, trust and serve Him. And, we thank Him for His Covenant Power, Amen and Amen.