Faith Isn’t Denial

Mark 10:46-52 (NASB) says, “46Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “ Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.”
 

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The Law of Liberty

THE LAW OF LIBERTY!

  1. We are not free to do whatever we want unless our desires reflect His commandments.

Psalm 119:45 says, “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts (mandates, commandments).” 

  • We are not free to disobey, but to obey. We are not free to sin, but to be holy. This is more than doing the right thing, but rather righteousness has become part of us because the Spirit of Christ rests within us! 
  • Many confuse freedoms we have as an American with that of a Christian. There are some you can do as an American that you cannot do as a Christian! Americanism can be selfish. It is about us fulfilling every dream we have, even if it means damaging others who come in our path. It is about doing what we want, regardless of how someone feels or things. Christian freedom is a freedom to love and obey God’s Word!
  • 1 John 3:4 says that sin is lawlessness. Freedom is not being lawless, living our own lives without rules, commitments or boundaries! When we become lawless, our life shows we are more connected to a spirit of Antichrist rather than the spirit of Christ!

2) It requires an anointing from the Spirit of the LORD to proclaim liberty and freedom!

Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners.” 

  • Only free people free people. The enemy would love nothing more than for us to not recognize who we are, become distracted and just speak death, bondage and defeat when we have what is necessary to set people free. However, speaking the truth can sound like death to some if it is issued with a warning or encourages you to die to your flesh, but it is the truth that makes people free (John 8:32)! Our actions demonstrate that we are free, but our words bring life and are key to setting others free!

3) Freedom is not an excuse to offend or cause someone else to stumble in their faith. 

1 Corinthians 8:9 says, “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”

1 Corinthians 10:33 says, “Even as I please (be agreeable with) all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” 

Galatians 1:10 says, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

  • Even though we may think that something is o.k. and it doesn’t condemn our conscience, if it puts a blemish on the church and refrains someone else from coming to Christ, then we have to consider not engaging in an action that causes them to lose faith. This does not mean that we are “people pleasers”. Paul almost paints a picture of being a people-pleaser, but his focus was he wanted to give God glory in everything that he did. He did not pervert or change the message of the gospel to make people comfortable in their sin, but if an action of his was considered a sin in someone’s culture, he refused to do it because the end game was to win as many people to Christ as possible. If the message was perverted, then he was leading people to a false Christ! That is why if he just tried to please people all of the time, he would not be a servant of Christ! Freedom causes us to serve other people, not to stumble!

4) Freedom is to love our neighbor as ourselves!

James 2:8-13 (NASB) says, “8If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” 

  • At the judgment seat of Christ, we are not judged by people’s opinions of us, and so we need to set a different and higher standard. The standard is Jesus! We will be judged by the law of liberty, how we used our freedom to our advantage in advancing the kingdom of God! 
  • If we show mercy, we will be judged by mercy. Therefore, we must be considerate of people who are struggling in their faith, seeing things from their perspective and helping them to be restored spiritually. It is not a time to publicly expose and humiliate people, but be there for them in their greatest time of need! 
  • Conviction leads to freedom, but condemnation leads to shame. People who are dealing with shame are beating themselves up in their own conscience, and it is a refusal to confess their sins, mistakes, issues and struggles when in reality confession paves the way for healing (James 5:16). 

5) Freedom is only where God’s presence is!

2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

  • If you take away the presence of God, the nature and character of the Holy Spirit, then you have removed freedom and have paved the way for manmade ideas, religion, division and disorder! It takes the Holy Spirit to bring about unity and for us to be led by Him!

6) Freedom will motivate jealousy and attacks, and we should recognize when freedom is in jeopardy!

Galatians 2:3-5 says, “3But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.” 

  • The purpose of recognizing “spies” who would seek to only tear apart the church is for the purpose of not sacrificing and giving up our freedom to worship and obey God to a culture that only wants to manipulate and control someone into bondage. 
  • We have a Biblical right to stand for our freedom in Christ! Don’t surrender your right to worship God and boldly declare His Word in faith to any idea or agenda that conflicts with who He is!

7) Freedom is searching for our imperfections before anyone else so that we can become a purer reflection of Christ! 

James 1:23-25 (NASB) says, “23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” 

  • When you are getting ready to go somewhere, you will look at yourself in the mirror “hopefully” to brush your hair, put makeup on, shave or whatever. It requires time, but you want to make sure to eliminate any imperfection so that you can look the best you can. Those reflect people who hear the Word and do the word. Others may be in a hurry and are just trying to get out the door, but when you are rushing things and not spending time in the presence of God, then you can miss what God is trying to cover! You hear the Word, but you ignore it being for you, and, as a result, do not apply it! You may think of it being for someone else when you should take every Word every preached, or any word spoken to you in prayer as something sent down from heaven to minister to wherever you are. Only humility allows you to see your imperfections and make changes in your life to reflect God’s image. Low self-esteem causes you to beat yourself up and look down on yourself over any imperfection without any hope of transformation instead of seeing where repentance, correction and discipline can lead you to! If we refuse to change or deal with the issue, what we eventually do is simply put on a mask! What God wants is our transparency, and then we can walk and live in freedom!


The Proper Response to Betrayal

Job 42:7-10 says, “7And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 10And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
 

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Get Back on Your Harp

Psalms 137:2 says, “We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.”


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Tongues on the Day of Pentecost

Acts 2:5-14 (NASB) says, “5Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8“And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9“Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” 14But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.” 


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Overcoming the Denial

John 18:15-27 (NASB) says, “15Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, 16but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. 17Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

19The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. 20Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. 21“Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.” 22When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” 23Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” 24So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

25Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.” 


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The Manifestation of the Sons of God!

Romans 8:17-19 (KJV) says, “17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

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A Limitless Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 

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More Than a Spirit of Excellence

Galatians 6:2-5 (TPT) says, “2 Love empowers us to fulfill the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles. 3 If you think you are too important to stoop down to help another, you are living in deception. 4 Let everyone be devoted to fulfill the work God has given them to do with excellence, and their joy will be in doing what’s right and being themselves, and not in being affirmed by others. 5 Every believer is ultimately responsible for his or her own conscience.” 


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Breaking Timidity

2 Chronicles 13:1-12 (NASB) says, “1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah began the battle with an army of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors. 4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5“Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 6“Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master, 7and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. 8“So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. 9“Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods. 10“But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the Levites attend to their work. 11“Every morning and evening they burn to the LORD burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. 12“Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

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