Alcohol Intake, A Hindrance To Anointing

Introduction:

We bring you greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”. (Psalm 118:24) Let us rejoice and thank the Lord for His abundant blessings and for His constant revelations to remind us to be ready as the end of the age approaches. The whole world has taken notice of the floods and destructions caused by hurricanes in the Caribbean, Mexico and the United States of America. They have taken notice of the destruction caused by earthquakes in Mexico. They have taken notice of the extensive flooding caused in many parts of the world especially those caused by the monsoon rains in Bangladesh. They have notice of earthquakes in other parts of the world, drought and famine the senseless loss of innocent lives. These destructions are not new but are becoming more intense and more frequent and, according to Scripture, are the signs of the end of the age. Jesus Christ refers to these signs as birth pains. Every mother knows that just before the birth of the child the pains become more frequent and more intense and the signs of the end of the age are becoming more frequent and more intense. This is the time for believers to see the urgency to reach the world with the good news of the gospel of Christ to save the lost.

Step One: God does not want anyone to perish

a) Man was created in the image of God

God does not want anyone to perish. He created man in His image and likeness to rule with Him on earth. When Adam yielded to sin he died and lost God’s image and likeness. All of us have inherited Adams sinful nature for in Adam “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

b) Christ restored God’s image and likeness

“God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16) Christ came to restore our godly image and dominion and paid the price for our salvation with His blood. Our salvation does not depend on anything we have done but on what Christ has done for “By grace are we saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God”. (Eph. 2:8)

c) Christ died in our place to give us eternal life

Christ died in our place to give us eternal life “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (Rom 6:23) “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. For whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God”. (John 3:17-18)

Illustration:

The sacrifice of Christ has made godly living possible for those who believe in Christ for “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive”. (1Co 15:22) Godly living is to live the life of Christ and share the good news of the grace of Christ. Every believer receives the Holy Spirit and is anointed to bring the lost into the kingdom of God. We cannot achieve anything in our own strength and must not do anything to hinder God’s power in our lives. This power is freely available to every believer because Jesus Christ has fully paid the price for it. It does not cost us anything but it cost God all He had, His only Son. Jesus Christ took our place and bore the full judgement of God on sin so that we could take His place.

Application:

If, as believers, we have taken His place, then we also need to do the will of God by living righteous, godly lives. We have received the Holy Spirit to anoint and empower us share the good news to save those who are perishing.

Step Two: The hindrance to the spread of the gospel

a) Misapplication of God’s Word

God’s work must be done God’s way, in God’s time and in God’s power. A major hindrance to the spread of the gospel is ignorance and the misapplication of God’s Word. God’s Word teaches us to renew our minds and live by faith but we neglect the Word of God and try to lead godly lives in our own strength.

b) Dependence on self

The moment we depend on self we begin to find substitutes to replace the realities that are found in God’s Word. Many believers have sought to find solutions to their problems in what the world has to offer instead of what Christ has already made available to us. Instead of being filled with the spirit they rather turn to being filled with alcohol.