Presenter: Rev. Dr. JoAnne P. King
Date: December 15, 2024
Praise the Lord and Good Morning Saints. Last week, we learned that when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior that the Trinity came and indwells us in our heart (Spirit) filling it with love.
Remember God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Fear’s primary objective in our lives is to create unbelief, which is believing something other than what God has said about any situation. So, watch for a spirit of deception when you are praying and asking for whatever it is that you are believing God for. Once you hear something negative coming against what you are believing; you know this is from the devil and throw it out of your mind. The enemy (devil) is trying to contaminate your faith.
How do we defeat fear? We defeat fear by walking the opposite of fear and that is walking in love. Because faith works by love, love never fails therefore, love overcomes fear!
God is Love and He expects us to walk in faith, to walk by faith, and to deal with what life throws our way with faith.
Our job is to develop the love walk that He has planted in us so that we can defeat any and all attacks of the enemy. When love becomes perfected in a Saint, then Love can and will abolish fear.
There are many other things accomplished when we walk in God’s Love. Today, we are going to cover: “Loving God’s Way Brings the Blessing.” In (Matthew 22:37-39), we are commanded to: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
When we made Jesus the Lord of our lives, the Trinity indwells us meaning that all the things that Jesus fulfilled in the Old Testament now resides in us! Remember, Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. Christians do not understand this and we must grow and mature in our understanding that this is what has been accomplished. As you love God and others, the Love of God is being perfected in you. When you believe in the love of God, you will believe in God. (1 John 4:8) “He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.” The God kind of Love is different than the world’s love.
There’s a big difference between God’s Blessings and “the “love for the things of the world” and the “love of money.” Let’s get an understanding about the differences. First, we will examine “love for the things of the world,” then “the love of money” and last but certainly not least, “Loving God’s Way Brings the Blessing.”
Love For The Things Of The World.
We are warned not to love the things of the world, (1 John 2:15-17 Amp.) “Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts] nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Then, He tells us why? “For all that is in the world–the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthy things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world. The world is passing away, and with it, its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.”
When one loves the lusts of the flesh of the world, the Bible is saying that one loves the following 17 works of the flesh:
- Adultery – Unlawful sexual relations between men and women, single or married.
- Fornication – Same as adultery above besides all manner of other unlawful relations.
- Uncleanness – Whatever is opposite of purity; including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, and all other forms of sexual perversion.
- Lasciviousness – Licentiousness, lustfulness, unchastity, wantonness, filthy. Lasciviousness is the promoting or partaking of that which tends to produce lewd emotions, anything tending to foster sex, sin and lust. That is why many worldly pleasures have to be avoided by the Christian – so that lasciviousness may not be committed.
- Idolatry – Idolatry includes anything on which affections are passionately set; extravagant admiration of the heart.
- Witchcraft – Pharmakeia, sorcery, practice of dealing with evil spirits; magical incantations and casting spells and charms upon one by means of drugs and potions of various kinds. Enchantments were used to inflict evil, pains, hatred, sufferings and death, or to bring good, health, love, and other blessings.
- Hatred – Enmity, bitter dislike, abhorrence, malice, and ill-will against anyone: tendency to hold grudges against or be angry at someone.
- Variance – Dissensions, discord, quarreling, debating, and disputes.
- Emulations – Envies, jealousies, striving to excel at the expense of another; seeking to surpass and outdo others; uncurbed rivalry spirit in religion, business, society, and other fields of endeavor.
- Wrath – Indignation; and fierceness. Turbulent passions; domestic and civil turmoil; rage; determined and lasting anger.
- Strife – Disputations; jangling; strife about words; angry contentions; contest for superiority or advantage; strenuous endeavor to equal or pay back in kind the wrongs done to one.
- Seditions – Divisions, parties and factions, popular disorder; stirring up strife in religion, government, home, or any other place.
- Heresies – The word itself has no evil meaning. It simply refers to a doctrinal view or belief at variance with the recognized church, or party. The word heretic is used once in Scripture (Tit. 3:10), and means one who holds a heresy; a dissenter, nonconformist. It only takes on an evil meaning when sound doctrine is rejected and fallacy is accepted and taught in preference to truth. If the doctrine is unsound and one dissents from the main body who holds the fallacy, then he is a heretic in a good sense.
- Envying – Pain, ill-will, and jealousy at the good fortune or blessing of another; the most-base of all degrading and disgraceful passions.
- Murders – To kill; to spoil or mar the happiness of another; hatred.
- Drunkenness – Living intoxicated; a slave to drink; drinking bouts.
- Revelings – Lascivious and boisterous feastings, with obscene music, and other sinful activities; pleasures; carousings.
Now do you understand why God says: “Love not the things of the world?”
Now, let’s go over “The Love of Money.”
In (1 Timothy 6:10 Amp.), “we are warned about the love of money: “For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows.” Here are ten dangers of coveting riches: 1) Many temptations of the devil. 2) Many snares of the devil. 3) Many foolish lusts. 4) Many hurtful lusts. 5) Destruction and perdition. 6) The root of evil to grow. 7) One to err from the faith. 8) Many sorrows. 9) High-mindedness and, 10) Wrong trust.
[Riches, in Scripture, are considered the cause of much sin and rebellion against God and, for this cause, there are many warnings to men, especially converted men, to shun all covetousness. This is an area where the devil tempts many Christians and it’s tithing. If you love God (Love), you will tithe because you love God and recognize that He (Love) is your source and not yourself.]
In (1 Timothy 6:17-19 Amp.), “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. That, they may lay hold on eternal life.” Eternal life doesn’t start after we die. We are living “eternal life” now and continues after we die. God wants us to enjoy all the blessings (grace) He has promised us in His Word.
However, God wants us to be mindful that we have an enemy out there whose job is to kill, steal and destroy. His mission is to steal the Word of God’s pronounced (Blessings) over your life any way that he can. Satan wants you to be responsible for cancelling the promises (Blessings) of God in your life.
How does Satan plan to do this? Satan’s job is to get you just to tolerate fear. When your faith (Love) tolerates fear, your faith (Love) becomes contaminated and turns into fear. All of God’s promises (Blessings) and gifts operate by love and faith. In order to receive the promises (Blessings) promised by God, your faith and love cannot tolerate the presence of fear. Fear must go!
Walking in God’s Love brings The Blessings into your life and this is what Satan is after. This is why it is imperative that you become perfected in the Love of God. Just look at the Blessings God has prepared for those walking in God’s Love.
- Those who are born again can overcome the world (1 John 5:4 Amp.). “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world, and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]. For whatsoever is born of God over-cometh the world: and this is the victory that over-cometh the world, even our faith.]
There are eight blessings of the new birth: - Power to do righteousness.
- Actual sonship.
- Freedom from sin.
- Love for the brethren.
- Love for God.
- Power to keep the N. T. Commandments.
- Power to overcome the world.
- Freedom from Satan.
There are 28 blessings of faith. All we have to do is use our faith and believe them (by speaking them) and they are ours.
- Bodily Healing (Mt. 8:10); Acts 3:16 Amp. = “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health and complete wholeness in your presence.”
- Protection (Mt. 14:31); Mt. 8:26 Amp. = “He said to them, Why are you afraid, you men of little faith? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was [at once] a great and wonderful calm [a perfect peacefulness].”
- Daily Food Mt. 16:8-10 Amp. = “But Jesus, aware of this, said, You men of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you have no bread? Do you still not understand or remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you picked up? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many large baskets you picked up?”
- Forgiveness (Rom 3:25); Luke 7:50 Amp. = “Jesus said to the woman, Your faith in Me has saved you; go in peace [free from the distress experienced because of sin].”
- Miracles (Acts 6:8); Gal. 3:5 Amp. = “So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?
- Heart Purity- Acts 15:9 Amp. = “and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith [in Jesus].
- Sanctification- Acts 26:18 Amp. = “To open their [spiritual] eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness and release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.”
Justification (Rom. 5:1); Rom. 3:28-31 Amp. = “For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles [who were not given the Law]? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed it is one [and the same] God who will justify the circumcised by faith [which began with Abraham] and the uncircumcised through [their newly acquired] faith. Do we then nullify the Law by this faith [making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law [since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation]. - Righteousness (Rom. 9:30); Rom. 3:22 Amp. = “This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jews or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction.”
- Renewal of Youth Rom 4:17-20 Amp. = “(As it is written, [in Scripture], I HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS) in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]: So [numberless] SHALL YOUR DESCENDENTS BE. Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah’s womb. But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God.”
Stability (2 Cor. 1:24); 1 Cor. 16:13 Amp. = “Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong.
Christian Living (Heb. 10); 2 Cor. 5:7 Amp. = “For we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises].” - Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:2); Gal. 3:14 Amp. = “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might also come to the Gentiles, so that we would all receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit through faith.”
- Sonship Gal. 3:26 Amp. = “For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart] for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation (Acts. 4:12;); Eph. 2:8-9 Amp. = “For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved] actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God.”
Christ Indwelling Eph. 3:17 Amp. = “So, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love …”
Baptism into Christ Col. 2:12 Amp. = “having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead.” - Works of Power (I Th. 1:3); 2 Th. 1:11 Amp. = “With this in view, we constantly pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of your calling [to faith] and with [His] power fulfill every desire for goodness, and complete [your] every work of faith.”
Godly Edifying 1 Tim. 1:4 Amp. = “not to pay attention to legends (fables, myths) and endless genealogies, which give rise to useless speculation and meaningless arguments rather than advancing God’s program of instruction which is grounded in faith [and requires surrendering the entire self to God in absolute trust and confidence].” - Boldness 1 Tim. 3:13 Amp. = “For those who have served well as deacons gain a high standing [having a good reputation among the congregation], and great confidence in the faith which is [founded on and centered] in Christ Jesus.”
- Assurance Heb. 10:22 Amp. = “Let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
The above verse tells us to draw near to God. You need to know how to draw near to God? Here are four ways, we draw near to God: 1) By boldness -Heb.4:14-16 Amp. = “Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Therefore, let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].
2) By the blood of Jesus – Heb. 10:19 Amp. = “Therefore, believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus.”
3) By a new and living way – Heb. 10:20 = “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”
4) By high priesthood of Christ – Heb. 10:21= “And having an high priest over the house of God;”
- Good Profession Heb. 10:23 Amp. = “Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering; for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His Word].”
- Patience (1 Pet. 1:7); Jas. 1:3 Amp. = “Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produce endurance [leading to spiritual maturity and inner peace]. How?
[Trials test religion and faith and the man who stands true in them proves his religion sound and his faith genuine. Tests work patience and patience works perfection.]
- Inheritance Jas. 2:5 Amp. = “Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?”
- Power to resist Satan 1 Pet. 5:9= “But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]”
- [This method of satanic defeat is open to every child of God. Notice in James 4:7 it says: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.]”
- Victory over the world 1 John 5:4 Amp. = “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world–our [continuing persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].”
- Edification Jude 20 Amp. = “But you, beloved, build up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit.”
Here are 7 final commands to Christians related to edification:
1)Build up yourself on your most holy faith. 2) Pray in the Holy Ghost. 3) Keep yourselves in the love of God. 4) Look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5) Have compassion on some, making a difference between those who are weak and ignorant and those who are proud and arrogant of heart and unwilling to obey truth. 6) Save the willing with fear, pulling them out of the fate of eternal hell. And 7) Hate even the garment spotted by the flesh.
- Many faith exploits (Heb. 11) -=-Without faith we know that it is impossible to please God. We know that faith and love work hand in hand and together all kinds of miracles and works of God are accomplished. All of the faith exploits are listed in Hebrews 11 chapter. These faith exploits will be gone over in another sermon.
Since God is Love and all of God’s promises and blessings are based on faith and love, Christians are warned in the Bible not to do as the Israelites did in not believing God loved them as represented in Numbers 14:1-3:
“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?”
Let’s observe the effects of the above evil report. 1) All the congregation cried and wept all night. 2) All Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. 3) It caused them to wish they were dead, that they had died in Egypt or even in the wilderness, in preference to facing the giants and possible death by their hands. 4) Isreal accused God of deceiving them. 5) They arose in open rebellion to make a captain and return to Egypt. 6) It produced fear and cowardice. 7) It caused mob violence against their hitherto respected and trusted leaders.
Additionally, we are warned in the Bible about speaking idle words. In Mt. 12:36, it speaks about idle words being judged, therefore, idle prayers will be doubly judged for they enter the realm of the supernatural and sacredness, calling upon God to share in their excesses. Solomon calls the prayers of the wicked an abomination to the Lord (Pr. 15:8). Israel certainly had the above prayer answered, for the whole of the old generation, except Joshua and Caleb, died throughout a period of 40 years, beginning at once (Num. 2; 14:23-37).
In conclusion, do not follow the example of the Israelites who doubted God’s love for them in the above example and therefore died in the wilderness. God is Love and God loves you!
Saints, we must learn to walk in perfected love as our Lord and Savior requires. We are to be examples of Jesus’ love, walking and living among the people of the world. Fully demonstrating the Blessings that have been bestowed upon us. So, that your friends, associates, people you work with know that you are a Christian because they witness your perfected love on a daily basis. God wants them to know that they can come to you and ask you to pray for them, knowing that miracles of healing, deliverance, reconciliation or whatever you pray for will come to pass. He wants you to motivate them to want to become a Christian because you are willing to forgive and have a heart full of compassion for those who are unlovable and/or have mistreated you. Since you are part of Christ’s body, He wants His light and love to shine through you as His representative on earth.
Saints, each of us have received the 28 blessings of God, planted in our born-again Spirit. Have you used all 28 of them? If not, you need to check to see if you have been “Loving God’s Way.”
If you have not been “Loving God’s Way” or “Walking the Love Walk,” you must turn your thinking to believe God’s Word above all else. I believe that God loves me. I have faith in God’s Love. Love never works ill to his neighbor; so how could God work ill to me? He is Love. He cannot hate for He is Love.
May the Lord add a blessing to the hearers of today’s message and may they become doers of this Word, Amen and Amen.