Sunday Message Summary, 11 June 2023
The sting of death is sin. The devil knows that all things are possible to him that believes, so he throws sin in the mix. He knows how dangerous one who is born again is to his kingdom, so he is always tempting us with sin. Sin separates us from GOD, and it is the only thing that is standing between us and God’s promises (Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT). Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4 NKJV) which can disqualify a child of GOD from walking in the blessing of GOD, from inheriting the Kingdom, and from entering Heaven (Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV). Our so-called “enjoyment” of sin therefore comes at a huge cost, because whatever we enjoy illicitly is Satan enjoying us. Satan knows how dangerous each and every child of GOD is to his purpose, but he can do nothing against us without sin. Without sin he cannot steal, kill, nor destroy.
Jesus was manifested to take away the works of the devil (1 John 3:5,8b NKJV). The purpose of Jesus is thus to destroy the effects of sin in the lives of people. However, the purpose of Jesus is also the purpose of the Church. We were born again for a purpose. We were born again to destroy the works of Satan and to establish the works of Jesus. Furthermore, our purpose is so bold and so clear that it should be seen by everyone (Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV). As a result of sinlessness, the effects of sin could not touch Jesus. We also need to go back to holiness and righteousness to fulfill the purpose and mandate for which we were born again. To rise in our power as the Church, we must practice righteousness. Just as we used to practice sin, we must now practice righteousness because GOD has given us the ability to have righteousness becoming our normal way of life. Righteousness is a gift from GOD, but we have to practice it (1 John 3:7 NKJV). The devil can only do as much as we allow him to do, and if we are burning and shining as light, we become his undoing. Our true victory is thus victory against sin which is victory against self.
The moment we become born again we are immediately enlisted in warfare, and we become enemies of the devil because the purpose for which we are born again is the purpose of Christ. Whatever we bind or loose on Earth is bound and loosed in Heaven, so the Church determines everything. What is needed is our right alignment with GOD. We must go back to God’s purpose. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil, so we also must continue (John 14:12 NKJV). Jesus did nothing but shine because this is what light knows to do. If we lose our purpose, we become useless and meaningless as children of GOD, and we are just fit for destruction (Matthew 5:13 NKJV).
Our so-called “enjoyment” of sin therefore comes at a huge cost, because whatever we enjoy illicitly is Satan enjoying us.
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