DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH WORLDWIDE.
TUESDAY'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SERVICE MESSAGE.
MESSAGE ANCHORED BY THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT.
TOPIC: THE CALLING AND COST OF PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
TEXT: LUKE 10:1-3,9; 9:1-2; MARK 1:14-15
The disciples of Christ and the seventy were appointed to preach the gospel, as it was stated in the book of Luke 10:1 After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest
10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Jesus knew seventy others that the disciples did not know. They saw only one, and they forbade him. What the twelve could not do because they couldn't cover the whole land, then Christ looking forward saw seventy and He chose and empowered the seventy and sent them forth, to see one of them and to forbid him is disadvantageous, and Jesus turned disadvantage into advantage. In our lives, as we confront situation in ministry, there will be disadvantage, we are not to concentrate on the disadvantage, turn disadvantage to advantage in your life, in your family and in your ministry. Delegation is not abdication. Jesus sent them forth to preach the gospel. That we have workers does not mean the coordinators will abdicate and never do anything. Delegation doesn't interpret to Abdication, and so Jesus sent them out two by two into every place. There are souls everywhere to be saved, and so Jesus sent forth labourers into harvest. This is supernatural work, and so as you go, you find them as woes outside, don't say because they are violent and murderous and abandon them, this is spiritual, you go without fear and panicking. We, as preachers, as evangelist, the people we see outside shouldn't make us afraid to confront them with the gospel of salvation. If the lambs are not to fear the wolves, how much more ourselves we fear, no wolves. When you're afraid, you will even forget the message that the Lord has sent you to give unto them. When you are afraid, you will forget the message you're to give to them, you will forget the power and the anointing you have. Fear brings forgetfulness, you will forget who sent you, you will forget who you are, you will forget what to deliver, those wolves will not do anything negative to you. They will be subject unto us IN Jesus Name. If the lambs are not to fear the wolves outside, obviously, we are not to fear sheep like ourselves inside the fold. We are like a shepherd within the fold. It's abnormal and something contradicting when the shepherd who feeds the sheep becomes afraid of the sheep. We are not to fear the wolves outside. We are not to fear the sheep inside the fold. Jesus gave them power, and they came back with testimony. You will come back with testimony.
POINT 1. THE MANDATE AND PRIORITY OF PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
It's a mandate, and Christ has given us the mandate. It's a priority, and we are to leave everything and concentrate on preaching the Kingdom of God.
I. The priority of the Kingdom in Christ's preaching.
Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:42-43; 9:59-62; John 3:1-5.
Preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God is a gracious message, and that was what Jesus Christ focused on, He wasn't diverted to the tradition of the Jews, and He wasn't a kind of turn away to the ideology of the time, His focus, His concentration, His priority was the preaching of the Kingdom of God. They have been waiting for decade that Messiah will come, and now the time is fulfilled that the One that will bring us out of the wilderness of sin and bring us into the fruitful Kingdom of God, He has now come. The important thing to do is to enter into the Kingdom of God. What would they do to enter? Is to repent and believe the gospel. Turn away from your tradition and from the dead work that will not save, turn away from the works of the flesh because they will damn your soul. Also, I believe the great tiding coming from heaven, and that was Christ's priority. Many people have heard the gracious word coming out of Christ's mouth and they forgot that that word is good for other people too, but they wanted Him to stay with them, and Jesus said, He must preach the Kingdom of God. The number one thing never to forget is to preach the Kingdom of God. The mistake the apostles made after they received the Holy Ghost was that they remained in only Jerusalem, but JESUS told them they would go places to preach the gospel, but they stayed in Jerusalem If Paul the apostle had not gone to Antioch when he was called with Barnabas, the gospel would have been restricted. But God called Paul the apostle and Barnabas, and they went to the gentile world, and they went everywhere. What a lesson for us? Maybe you're not able to go everywhere, but at least have the priority of the preaching the gospel. You have to take action on what you agree for. Really, seriously, we have to go to other cities also like JESUS Christ did. We will do IN Jesus' Name.
II. The proclamation of the Kingdom in Christlike preaching.
Acts 1:1-3; 8:5,12; 20:25-28; 28:30-31.
What Christ has done exactly we don't modify, we don't mutilate, we don't dilute. Exactly the gospel of the Kingdom that He has peached, we are going to preach the same. Jesus began preaching, teaching, healing, delivering, calling the lost into Kingdom, there were still many people unsaved in Jerusalem, in Judea, in the uttermost part of the earth after He has finished His part and He has gone to heaven, what He began is what the apostles were to continue and they were now to continue to preach and to teach. After the death of Christ, His focus, His priority, was still on the Kingdom of God. Whatever scatters us and removes us from our local church, maybe it's education, the priority as we are there is to keep on preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Our priority should be the Kingdom of God.
III. The perception of the Kingdom in clear preaching.
Romans 14:17-19; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-24; Matthew 6:33.
The Kingdom of God is not feast and festival, but its righteousness. When we preach the Kingdom of God, we show the people how to come out of unrighteousness and come into righteousness and peace. Before we have the preaching and the penetration of the gospel, there is no peace anywhere. On the street, in the community, even in the religious assemblies no peace, they are always fighting for one thing and another, they fight on position and money sharing, there's conflict everywhere before we hear the Kingdom, if they don't have the establishment of the Kingdom of God in them, they don't have Peace. Peace eludes them because all they can think about is what they want to grab, they are not thinking of the future Kingdom of God, and because they do not have peace, they are tored apart on the inside, and they want to tear other people too apart, but when we come and we hear the word of salvation, it brings us to righteousness, peace and joy. Some people only have the joy of the hypocrite that does not last, but when we hear the gospel of the Kingdom and the grace of God comes to our lives, it brings us righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. The teaching of the goodnews of the Kingdom comes to us so that we turn away and repent and then the Spirit enters into us and bring us His own fruit, when He abides in us after we turn away from sin, He announces His presence in our lives by witnessing that now we are the children of God, and then fruits will come forth out of our lives. Those who are not saved, they don't have long-suffering, some of them who try had short suffering, some of them who are not even try at all, they have zero tolerance, zero suffering, whatever does not please them, they don't have grace, they don't have Salvation and renewal in their lives, they don't have the possession of the Gospel of the Kingdom, they have zero tolerance for everybody that will not go their way and do what they want. Some of them, by trying they will have short suffering, but when grace comes to our lives, we are not bothered because of the fruit of the Spirit abides in us. The suffering, persecution does not take away gentleness from us, the result of the gospel of the Kingdom entering into us and doing the work of the Spirit in our heart is that we possess the fruits of the Spirit.
POINT 2. THE MISERY FOR PREVENTING THE PREACHERS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
LUKE 10:10-16.
Those who stand in the way and they will not accept the preachers of the gospel, and they will not open the door to the preachers of the gospel, there is going to be judgment upon them. We see how JESUS sent the seventy two by two to go and proclaim the gospel, and to heal the sick in those places and whatever they do, they should do thoroughly because Christ will still come to those cities they had gone. Now, we are looking at the misery for preventing the preachers of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is come now unto you, you can receive, you can reject but be sure of this that the preachers who came, they came to present to you the glorious of the Kingdom, the grace in the Kingdom and the power of the Kingdom and the possibilities in the Kingdom when you repent and believe and you enter in. When we hear the gospel, there's responsibility. If we accept, the fullness of the Kingdom will be ours. But if we reject and neglect, it will be terrible. There are people that have never mentioned hell in their preaching, they think they are very much civilized, Jesus spoke about judgement, He spoke about hell, in fact no other preacher in the whole of the Bible spoke about hell fire like the Lord Jesus Christ, He didn't hide the truth from the people, He gave them the whole truth, salvation- damnation, healing-suffering, deliverance-being tormented with the devil and his angels. He preached the whole truth, and He spoke about hell. Christ gave the message to Peter, not just John, he that heareth them heareth Jesus. When the servants of God are sent with the message of the, although those servants are nothing unto themselves, but they become the very representatives of Christ, and Christ says those who hear them hear Him, he that belittle them and silences them belittle Christ and silences Him.
I. The danger of rejecting His messengers' warnings.
Jude 1:7,13; Luke 10:6,10-12; Lamentation 4:6: Hebrews 2:1-3.
Those who reject the gospel, those who heard the gospel but they hold it with insincerity and hypocrisy, and they do not give themselves to acting on the gospel they have received, no repentance, no faith in Christ, darkness, suffering, torment, torturing reserve for them forever.
II. The damnation for not repenting after mighty works.
Luke 10:13-14; Matthew 11:20-22; Romans 2:4-5; Matthew 12:41.
Think of Christ, healing, delivering, working miracles, greater than Jonah. Think of Peter, preaching on the day of Pentecost and three thousand repenting and believing, think of the miracles God wrought through him, his shadow healed everyone, Peter, the greater than Jonah is here. Think of Phillip, as he preached the gospel in Samaria, demons were cast out and he healed the sick, Jonah never did anything like that, look at Paul and he preached the gospel, and there was an impotent man, paralyzed and as Paul looked at him steadfastly, he knew that he had faith, and without even touching him, he stood up. Many were healed through him, and Paul is greater than Jonah.
III. The destiny for resisting despite miraculous wonders.
Luke 10:15-16; 13:23-28; 2 Peter 2:4,6,9,17; Revelation 21:8,27.
Some of the people rejected the gospel because they feared the Pharisees and their leaders. They supposed if they accept Christ and His message of Salvation, they will throw them out of their synagogue, that's why those people didn't accept the gospel. Many of the children of Israel drank miracle water, they ate the manna and they saw mighty manifestation of the Power of God, but because of unbelief they were not allowed to get to the land of Canaan. Those who still continue in their abomination practices and lifestyles, they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Anyone who defile other people by their fleshly practices, those who defile other people to lure them into sensual, fleshly work, all those that defile shall have their part in the lake of fire Only those who are saved will get into the Kingdom. Adamant sinners, incorrigible sinners, untransformed, unchanged sinners, the nominal Christians, they are liars, they are abominable, they will not get to that glorious city that is called heaven.
POINT 3. THE MINISTRY OF POWER AND PRAISE THROUGH THE KING OF GLORY.
LUKE 10:17-24.
The seventy had gone out two by two, and they went to every city where Christ Himself would come. They returned, and they gave testimony of the ministry of power and praise through the King of Glory. The seventy returned with the joy of success and triumph in the ministry. It will happen to you. You will not just be calling Christ, Lord. You must do what He commanded you to do. The seventy don't have to go for training somewhere so they will know how to cast out devil, Christ gave them power and authority over devil, no other special training, they have the Name of Jesus. It's the Name of Jesus. It's not what we digged up somewhere. It's not methodology. It's the Name of Jesus. Even the devil is subjected unto the seventy through the Name of Jesus. You will have power, not by feeling. It's by faith. Not by trying, but it's by trusting, you will have it IN Jesus' Name. Serpent and scorpions will not tread over you. You will tread over them and over the power of the enemies, Amen. If we knew the promise of God, associated with the power of God, linked up with the performance of God, you will never fear any enemy because no enemy can stop a centimeter of the length of your journey. No devil, no disease will stop you IN Jesus' Name. You may see them, you may not see them, whether you see them or you don't see them, you will match over them. Your enemies know the promise the Lord had given you, and they are afraid, you, you don't know the promise the Lord has given you and you're afraid of them. Even little children can tell when an adult is afraid and trembling, it shows on the face, it reflect in your voice, even though you're standing, is like you're empty on the inside, don't allow the enemy, whatever their stature, whatever their size, wherever they are coming from, don't let them see or sense any fear in you anymore. They are afraid of you as they are afraid of Christ, because Christ has said He give unto us Power, you will receive. When you're afraid, what you ought to do, what you ought to say, you don't do, you don't say, but thank God for His grace. Your time has come. Nothing shall by any means hurt you IN Jesus' Name.
I. The power for recovery through Kingdom citizens.
Luke 10:17-19; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8-10; Matthew 18:18-19.
You will see the Glory of God in your your ministry. New joy will fill your heart. Seventy people, not one failure among them, you will not be the exceptional failure, all of us, even the devils, even the diseases, even the demons they will be subject unto us through the Name of the Lord IN Jesus Name. Satan will lose his power and position when we go out. Nothing shall by any means hurt you, you will believe that and claim that, it'll be fulfilled in your life IN Jesus Name.
II. The purpose of rejoicing by Kingdom citizens.
Luke 10:20; Revelation 3:4-5; Exodus 32:32-33; Revelation 20:15.
Heaven knows your name, your name is written in heaven, the angels know your name, there's a registrar in heaven, and your name is written there. What joy we have, our names in heaven, the power of heaven in us, and we go out and nothing shall by any means hurt us, and we just wake up to realize we are the citizens of the Kingdom. Heaven recognizes us, even Satan knows you, when you appear, when you stand, he will bow, with the Name of Jesus in your mouth, with the confidence of faith in your life, they will bow in Jesus Name. Rejoice because your name is written in heaven. If you're born again, and you have the Name of Jesus and the testimony of the Holy Spirit, you will be victorious now and forever IN JESUS Name.
III. The praise for revelation to Kingdom citizens.
Luke 10:21-24; Matthew 13:16-17; 1 Peter 1:10-11; Luke 10:20.
The Lord had given the revelation to Kingdom citizens, and the Lord praised the Father because of that. The Pharisees thought they were wise, but the Father hid all these good good things away from the self righteous and the worldly wise, and He has revealed them unto babes. Blessed are your eyes. Blessed is your mind. Blessed are your ears IN Jesus' Name. If you see what the prophets of old didn't see, you must do more than what they did. Blessed are your eyes because you have been privileged to see, to know and to understand what the old prophets testament has not seen and heard, our faith should be greater than their own, we have seen something greater, we have seen something deeper and higher, our lives will outshine their lives by far in Jesus Name. You must live up to your privilege and provision that Christ has made for you. You will rise up now and go higher than those old testament prophets, and you will do higher than them. Blessed are your ears, blessed is your ministry, you have heard, you have seen, you have believed, you will do more than they have done IN Jesus Name.
