January 29, 2023
Sermon Part 3A: "Don’t Let Attending Church Steal Your Confidence in Working Miracles!"
Introduction/Review:
Praise the Lord and Good Morning Saints.
For the last couple of Sundays, we have been talking about "Confidence" being the key ingredient needed to work miracles. Not self-confidence in your own abilities, but confidence in God’s ability to work miracles through you. Truly, at this very moment in America, so many people and families are living in crises, and desperately need a God-intervention. But, they have no real clue of how to involve God in their circumstances.
The Washington Post reported that in 2021, America had over 107,000 people who died of drug overdose. (Wash. Post, Dec. 13, 2022 edition) Nearly all of these precious souls were between the ages of 18 and 49-years old when they passed away. The vast majority of these deaths were due to Fentanyl overdoes. Even here, in Montgomery County Maryland, youth overdose deaths reportedly increased by 120 percent, from 2021 to 2022. Can you imagine the heartache and pain the parents, family members, and friends of those deceased persons have had to endure?
The wrongful lust and pursuit of the things of this world, like experimental drug use, only leads to the ways of death. (Prov.14:12) America needs to know there is only one path to life, peace, and contentment, and that is in Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) God is so good, and full of mercy and grace, that no matter who you are, or what you have done, all a person needs to do is make, “One” Prayer, “One Urgent Call-out, for Jesus Christ to help, and the Lord will come most hurriedly and save them out of their troubles. (Rom.10:13) Isn’t that wonderful? If a person, from the heart, will call on the name of the Lord, God will answer and deliver them out of all of their troubles—and then bestow honor upon them! (Psalm 91:15)
Moreover, God in Christ Jesus, has given to every born-again Christian, the name of Jesus Christ, to go forth in confidence and the love of God, and relieve the suffering of others in America and around the world. In Christ, we literally and figuratively speaking, have the power to place every person’s crisis between our two hands, crack and crush it, blow it’s residue out of our hands, and tell the suffering person to receive our Peace—Jesus’ Peace! (Matt.10:13) Never underestimate and/or undervalue the power of God in you! (Mark 9:23) God in Jesus Christ also has invested in the hearts of born-again Christians, the power to raise the dead to life. We are to call life back into precious people who are asleep in commas, city and county morgues, and graveyards, as God permits. (Matt.10:8 & Heb. 6:1-3)
We are God’s vessels chosen to do exceedingly great signs, wonders, and miracles never heard of nor seen before. (Eph. 2:10, II Tim. 2:19) All God requires is that we place total confidence in the name of Jesus Christ to do the work of miracles, and have patience, until we see the manifestation of the miracle in the earth.
For example, this is exactly what the Apostles Peter and John did as they were entering into the Temple at the hour of prayer, when they happened upon a lame man who was begging alms at the gate called, “Beautiful.” (Acts 3:1-9) The man asked for alms of Peter and John. Peter told the man to look on them and said, “silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give unto you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Peter then took the man by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. The man instantly leaped up, stood, and walked with the Apostles into the Temple—praising God along the way. The actions of Peter and John exuded complete confidence in God to work through them to accomplish the miracle.
How simple was it for the Apostles to work this miracle? All Peter did was give the man what he had—Jesus Christ and His name! Peter’s prayer—a bold commandment was, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk,” and then, Peter helped the man up, and he was healed whole!
Who was Peter’s confidence placed in to perform the miracle? Not in himself, but only in the name of Jesus Christ. Faith in the name of Jesus Christ made the man strong and perfectly sound, and afterwards many people in the Temple saw that the lame man had received a miracle and marveled at the Apostles. The Apostles took no credit, and instead, they pointed only to Jesus Christ as the author and finisher who brought complete restoration to the man.
Oh, and by the way, did you notice that the miracle healing of the lame man took place outside of the Temple, and not inside? Why is it that we rarely, if ever, see awesome miracles like this on the steps of our Churches, or on the streets in our communities today? The reason is the vast majority of Christians have “lost confidence” in God working miracles through them.
Yet, our New Covenant with God instructs us not to throw away our "confidence" for it contains an exceedingly great repayment of reward. (Please read Heb.10:35) Did you get it—where is the great recompense of reward? The reward (payback) is in your confidence in the name of Jesus Christ! Wow, God abundantly repays us for having the confidence to yield ourselves to Him, and allow His great power to flow through us to do miracles, in the name of Jesus Christ. This is so awesome!
Sadly, however, most Christians do not view performing miracles as a simple act of confidence. Rather, they view performing miracles as a great “weight,” “challenge,” or “burden” placed upon them too heavy to bear. For example, when most Christians see a person in a wheel chair, chronically disabled—though in their hearts Christians long to see the person healed—in their heads, however, they feel powerless to take any action to heal the person. But take a look at the admonishment of the writer of Hebrews concerning how we are to handle weights (encumbrances) that come our way. Examine Hebrews 12:1-2, it reads:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The race that is set before every born-again Christian is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ—to be fashioned after His character, personality, behavior, and performance. The writer of Hebrews tells us what holds us back from running our race, are weights and “the practiced sin,” which turns into iniquity, all of which are devices of the enemy, Satan.
As born-again Christians, we do not realize that doing the works of Jesus Christ can be perceived as among the heaviest “weights” we bear. If we try and live the Christian life in our own strength, as many Christians do, the commandments of God and work of the ministry will be perceived as daunting, pressure-some, and overwhelming. Jesus Christ stressed, that apart from Him we can do nothing. (John 15:5) On the other hand, the Apostle Paul wrote that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Php. 4:13)
This is why the Scripture so aptly says, “let us lay aside every weight… that so easily besets us.” This includes the weight we feel while attempting to do the Lord’s work. In the example I shared with you last week regarding my failure to obey God and raise Martin from the dead, I perceived the work as a “heavy weight,” and consequently, I lost my confidence in God to use me to raise Martin back to life. In hindsight, I should have done exactly what Hebrews 12:1-2 says…to lay aside the weight—strip off and throw aside, my feelings of fear of what Martin’s family would think if I attempted to raise him from the dead. And, more importantly, my own fear of potential failure, if I was unsuccessful in waking him up.
I should have continued to run my race, regardless of the consequences, looking only at Jesus Christ the author and finisher of my faith, and with steadfast confidence decreed in the name of Jesus Christ for Martin to be risen from the dead. And, then, I should have patiently waited to see if God permitted his recovery and restoration. (Heb.12:2)
As I also noted last week, I thank God for my experiences in raising the dead, and the things I have learned from them. I now fully understand the key to working miracles, and raising the dead. That is, as born-again Christians, we must never lose our confidence in God working through us to perform miracles—and I will add, we can offer no excuse for lacking such assurance.
Yes, I will say it again, we have absolutely no reason for losing and casting away our confidence in God working through us to do miracles. Follow me on this truth. As born-again Christians, we are citizens of the commonwealth of the Kingdom of God. (Php. 3:20-21) We have a unique and private password that grants us access, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, into the Kingdom of God, which abides in us through the Holy Ghost. (Rom. 14:17 & Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God is of power, and contains an enumerable number of miracles foreordained by God from the foundations of the world. God through Jesus Christ finished works on the cross has made miracles available to deliver suffering people out of their troubles, and to give them peace that surpasses all understanding.
The password that gives us unlimited access into the Kingdom of God and to receive miracles, is having “faith in the name (and blood) of Jesus Christ.” (Heb.10:19-21) Faith in the name of Jesus Christ, means to place all your confidence in Jesus’ finished works on the cross (His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the throne of God the Father) has purchased salvation for every person who would believe on Him.
The name of Jesus Christ is the only name under the heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) The name of Jesus Christ has been given to us to bring forth salvation, miracles, and all the precious promises of God from the realm of the spirit (Kingdom of God) into the natural realm (the people of the earth).
When the born-again Christian uses the name Jesus Christ in faith, the spiritual doors of their heart open, and enable them to see the eternal supply of God-good things that belong to the Kingdom of God. (II Cor. 4:18 & Php.4:19) Remember that Jesus told Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, who came by night, to ask and learn how Jesus did the mighty miracles He performed. In their conversation Jesus told Nicodemus these words as recorded at John 3:5.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus at verses 5-7:
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.
As born-again Christians, baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost and citizens of the Kingdom of God, we have been graced by God to see the eternal things of God. As an example, in your spirit, imagine a disabled person in a wheel-chair. In your spirit, you can see yourself standing in front of them commanding that they rise up and walk away from the wheel-chair with great joy and expression of happiness in them. This is far more than wishful imagination—this is the picture of a miracle God wants to perform through you when the opportunity arises. We pray (make our demand, plea, request) in the name of Jesus Christ and expect God to heal and raise the person up and out of the wheelchair. It’s that simple!
Jesus Christ assured us, that if we ask (demand, request, petition, and plea) anything in His name, He would do it. (John 14:14) Jesus said everyone who asks receives, who believes in Him! Thus, when working a miracle, we should always have full confidence to do the work because God is the one who told us to ask, and He is the one responsible for doing the work! Now, let’s move forward into today’s teaching.
“Weights” that Cause Christians to Cast Away Their Confidence in God Working Miracles Through Them.
For the next several weeks, I want to talk about three weights born-again Christians carry, that ultimately result in them casting away their confidence in God to work miracles through them. I believe these weights in particular have much to do with why we see so few miracles in our Churches and performed among Christians individually today.
Each of the weights must be stripped-off and thrown away, so we can run with patience the race that is set before us to be Christ-like. As we remove the weights, the power of God will freely flow through us to do great miracles, signs, and wonders in America and around the world. So here we go with the first of the three weights we will discuss. This first weight may come as a big surprise to you. I tell you of it, not to offend you, but to help you change and go in the direction that Jesus Christ says you are to go.
Weight #1: Born-again Christians “Go to Church” Too Much—Yes, far too much!”
Hear me clearly child of God, “Do Not Let Your Church Attendance Erode Your Confidence in God Working Miracles through You!” Yes, please pass this message along to your fellow brother and sister in Christ. I know this is a radical statement, but nevertheless it’s true. The vast majority of Holy Ghost-filled Christians spend their religious service time “going to” Church—to Bible Studies, Prayer Meetings, Youth Meetings, Sunday Services, and Church Conventions.
We are full of the power of God, with no works of God. (Acts 1:8 & James 2:14-26) Pardon me for saying this, and with all due respect, born-again Christians go to Churches all over America; and just “sit, sit, sit, sit and then sit some more!” Why are we sitting in Church forever gazing upwards? When Jesus returns to rapture the Church, He is not looking for people sitting in seats in Church waiting on Him. Rather, Jesus expects to find us in “faith”—doing the things He commanded. (Luke 18:8)
Most Christians today behave like the disciples, after Jesus Christ had given them the Great Commission and orders to go back to Jerusalem and tarry for the Holy Ghost. After the Lord had spoken and ascended into heaven, the 11 disciples just stood there gazing up into heaven. Two angels had to come from heaven and tell the disciples to get moving, as they announced that Jesus Christ would return in like manner, in which they saw Him ascend into heaven. (Acts 1:10-12) When will Christians stop sitting in Church, week after week, and go and do the work of the Great Commission? (Mark 16:15 & Acts 1:8)
Let me show you how poor an image and shadow today’s born-again Christian projects to the world, and even among our own selves in Christianity. Stop and think for a moment. When you think of a Christian—what comes to mind? What do you visualize them doing? The answer most likely is, you see them “going to Church on Sunday morning, with their best clothing on, and sitting in Church.”
Moreover, with respect to people who are Non-Christians, if they asked you what religion you are, and you said Christian—most often they would immediately assume you are a Church-goer. Why does this image come into their thinking? It’s because this is exactly what they see Christians do all the time—they go to Church!
Now, contrast this with Jehovah’s Witnesses. What comes to mind when you think of Jehovah’s Witnesses? As you envision them, what do you see them doing? The answer is, either you picture them going, door to door, or standing on street corners handing out materials. And, this is exactly what many of them do.
However, when was the last time you heard of, or saw a Christian ring a door-bell of a house or apartment with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ? For that matter, how often do you encounter Christians in the streets of America preaching and witnessing Jesus Christ? Of course, some Christians share their faith in public—but it’s not very often, you must admit.
My point here is that people remember, and it has a far greater impact on them, when they see you doing things—much more than just mere words spoken about who and what you say you are. As the saying goes, “action speaks louder than words.”
We identify ourselves as Christians, followers of Christ, but what are we found doing as a habit—sitting in Church services. As the followers of Christ, the Lord has commanded us to let our lights shine so brightly before all men that they may “see your good works” (miracles) and glorify our Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16) How can Non-Christians see our good works, if we are sitting in Church all the time? Sadly, in public circles, Christians are rarely, if ever, associated with miracles today!
Please let no one misunderstand me. Regular Church attendance is a very important responsibility we have in fulfilling our New Covenant with God, as we must never forsake coming together in Church to worship God, and encouraging one another in love. (Heb. 10:25).
However, we must also understand that God does not want us to just, "go to Church." We must come to the full knowledge that the “Church of Jesus Christ” is not just comprised of physical buildings, but more so it is the “Lord’s spiritual body,” in which He is the head of the Church. The Church must comprehend with all fullness that we are the “Bride of Christ” and Jesus is the husband. We are “One” in God in Christ. (I Cor.12:12, Eph.1:22, 5:22-33)
Thus, wherever the Husband and Head, Jesus Christ leads, the Church must follow. The Church, body of Christ is always to assume the mindset and posture of being forward looking and moving—outside of the four-walls of the Church building—and into the streets and communities where it serves. In so doing, the Church of Jesus Christ is ever in the business of expanding the Kingdom of God, with individuals who ultimately enjoin their families to God and His Kingdom.
We have far too many born-again Christians filled with the Holy Ghost and power fastened and strapped into pews and chairs gazing up at choirs, praise teams, musicians, and preachers. Forever sitting and leaving the Lord’s work undone in the community.
I’m not saying that our Churches are not doing good works like providing meals, shelter, and clothing and other works of necessity to improve the community. Numerous non-Christian charitable organizations do these same works. I’m talking about the good works that only the Church of Jesus Christ can perform. The supernatural works of God to deliver people out of crises mode is the work of the Ministry that we are to become “proficient” at doing.
Jesus proclaimed to Peter and the disciples that they would build His Church, upon the revelation that He is the Christ, and to take the gospel to the streets and highways, and tear down the gates of hell. (Matt. 16:18) The Church of Jesus Christ marches and prevails against the gates of hell.
Well Saints, if you haven’t noticed, the gates of hell are not located in the Church. Rather, the gates of hell are ruling over families, businesses, and governments in this wicked world. Our Ministry work of preaching the gospel of Christ and working miracles is most needed in the streets, and communities, just as they were in the Ministry of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Most of the miracles recorded in the Bible were not performed in synagogues, but in public venues, or in houses owned by believers in Jesus Christ.
Where did we come up with the idea of Church-sitting? Jesus Christ was sent by God into the world to preach the Kingdom of God. (John 3:16) Jesus sent His disciples, who later became Apostles into the world to preach the gospel. (Mark 16:15) And now, in these last days, the vast majority of Churches and Christians have determined that they have been sent by God to go and sit in Churches for a couple of hours and go home until next week.
It’s fascinating to me, as born-again Christians we all have promised the Lord in songs, praise, testimonies, and vows—that we belong to Jesus. We have said, “Here am I Lord, send me.” “Lord use me as you see fit.” “Where you lead, I will follow.” “Make me and mold me into what you want me to be.” On and on we go with our words of professed love and commitment to Jesus Christ.
But for so many Christians, “In-His-Service,” has meant they are willing to be lead to Churches to serve as choir members, musicians, deacons, ushers, dance ministry, parking lot security, armor-bearers for preachers, and kitchen and custodial workers. While these things serve useful purposes in our Churches, they have little or nothing to do the work of the Ministry that Church leaders are responsible for teaching and training the Saints to do, as pinned by the Apostle Paul at Ephesians 4:10-13.
God never changes and the mission has not changed. You and I have been sent to America, and the world, to bring the gospel of Christ, with miracles following, to bring folks out of sundry crises into the marvelous light of Christ.
The Church needs to see again the days of hungry and desperate people and families bringing their love ones; who are sick and terminally ill on their beds and laying them in the streets hoping for the shadows of born-again Christians to pass by and see them healed. This was the reputation that preceded Peter and the Apostles, because of the supernatural works God performed through them as they preached Jesus everywhere. (Acts 5:12-15)
But as long as Churches, and Christians individually, have determined to make the Christian experience encompass attending and sitting in Church, coupled with only humanitarian activities in the community, they cast away their confidence in God working miracles through them.
I assure you, if born-again Christians do not venture out to preach the gospel, and pray and believe God for miracles, they will lose confidence to do miracles, and few if any miracles will ever take place within the four-walls of the Church.
Let me use a sports analogy to bring home this point to you. Assume for a moment that a freshman student athlete in high school has been selected by the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach to play on the team. In tryouts for the team, the student athlete exhibited good basketball skills and potential to be a major contributor on the team.
However, for some strange reason thereafter, during basketball practices and in games during the season, the player decides not to participate at all. Instead, during his entire 4-year tenure at the school, he decides to just, “sit on the end of the bench.” Regardless of the urgings of his coaches, teammates, and family to participate in practices and games, he refuses and just sits on the bench.
What do you think will happen to the confidence of this player to play the game of basketball? Of course, his confidence in the ability to play basketball, certainly at the high school-level, will erode and eventually be totally lost. He will lose confidence in his ability to shoot three pointers, free-throws, dunk the basketball, play defense and work collaboratively with his teammates to win games, as well as how to suffer through losses with dignity and good sportsmanship. Everyone would even question, why is this guy on the team if he will not participate in the games or practice?
Moreover, the only thing that the player would ever be able to say truthfully about his entire experience as a varsity high school basketball player, was that he was a member on the team. He put on the uniform and sat on the bench. But the reality is, he contributed nothing to the team’s success, and poorly represented himself as a student athlete and sportsman at the school.
The vast majority of Christians, are just like the basketball player who refused to participate in the sport. Every born-again Christian has been chosen by God to do the works and greater works of Jesus Christ. (John 14:12 & Eph. 2:10) However, rather than obeying the Lord and going into the Lord’s vineyard to win souls and perform miracles with God, they remain seated every week in Church Services. To use basketball terminology, most Christians elect to “ride the pine” (bench).” Yep, they just keep on “warming-up the Church benches.”
Most Christians have no clue, nor have they ever attempted to preach and witness Christ to the lost and/or lay hands on the sick for recovery and restoration. Their skills have eroded and confidence in God working through them to do miracles, has vanished.
Sadly, even in many of our Churches today, when people come to the Church in wheel-chairs, and with other visible ailments and assisted devices, no special prayer time is allotted for believing God for miracle healing before the congregation—because many Church leaders and congregates have lost confidence in God working through them, due to their fascination with warming the benches.
Ask yourself, are you a bench-warmer? Is heaven wondering why you are on Team-God? How long have you been sitting strapped in your familiar Church-chair? On a scale of 1 to 10—what is your level of confidence that God will work miracles through you?
As I said earlier, I am not trying to offend anyone—but I am trying to help you locate yourself relative to where Jesus Christ wants you to be. Jesus Christ (the Husband and Head) is forever moving forward and out from the four-walls of the Church into the streets to visit people living in crises. Right now, Jesus is visiting and hanging out with the unsaved, unbelievers, false worshippers, thieves, murderers, and whoremongers—waiting for the body of Christ to show up and shine Christ’s light brightly before men with good works!
Closing Thoughts
I’m begging you dear Saint of God, don’t let Church attendance take away your confidence. God is faithful to work through you to do mighty miracles. Right now, all you need to do is commit to God as His living vessel to flow through—not to just say it in words only, but in deeds.
You have God living on the inside of you. God is love. (I John 4:7-21) Love cannot help itself, but go and love someone else! When you leave from Church Services, and start your work week, always remain open to God using you to talk to people about Jesus Christ. Remain open for people to tell you about their problems and crisis they face.
Then, let the compassion of Jesus Christ, led by the Holy Ghost, give you a powerful and bold unction on what to say and do for that person. (Rom. 8:14) In confidence—total trusting God, just allow God to use you in that moment, in whatever way He sees fit to express Himself. You will be in a God-ordained and inspired moment, in which God alone, is responsible for the supernatural power of God working through you to bring miracles about in the name of Jesus Christ.
Do not let what you see other Christians in Church do, influence, and stop you from doing what God desires to accomplish through you. Just because clergy, deacons, and other Saints have decided to remain behind Church doors fastened to their seats—doesn’t mean you should remain that way too! Take the screws out of your pew, the seat cushion out of your chair, and rubber nobs off of the legs of your chair, and go out and do the Work of the Lord!
You will never have an adventure with Jesus, until you are willing to venture out of the Church, and into the Lord’s vineyard to do the work of the Lord. Invite other born-again Christians, who are of like precious faith to go along with you. Right now, you ought to ask each other in this meeting: “Aren’t you tired of just sitting in here every Sunday? Shake yourself and ask why am I just sitting here?
Your confidence will be bolstered even more when there are two or more gathered with you in agreement—as the Bible says, two walking together are better than one. (Eccl. 4:9-12) But, if no one else will go with you from the sitting gallery, one faithful Christian in the streets is better than none!
There is no greater way to lose confidence than to never use the gifts and talents God has given to you. If you will not use what God has given—the miracle working power of God—He will take it away and give it to someone else to use. (Matt. 25:28) You cannot cast a wide net and expect a great catch of men in Church! (Matt. 4:19) We are made Fishermen at sea, not at Church. Strip-off and throw-away the Church-squatters’ mentality, pick up and hold on to your confidence in God, and go and do the work of the Ministry!
Let the Church say Amen! Praise Almighty God for the preaching of the Word of the Living God. Next week, in Part 3B of the Series, we will examine whether you are a “Church Goer or Church Grower!” You don’t want to miss it!
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See you next week should the Lord tarry.