Title: “My Best Friend, the only one that I can trust”
Text: (Prov 18:24 KJV) …there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Introduction: After reading the story of Cain and Able in the 4th chapter of the Book of Genesis, you can see the utter helplessness of mankind. After Cain sinned, he said, “All men will want to kill me now, my punishment is greater than I can bear.”
Cain felt alone. He had sinned, and now, he was alone to face the consequences.
In the Old Testament, we have a prescription for failure.
The law was unable to justify anyone.
(Rom 8:3 KJV) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
The priesthood ministry was inadequate to recover a man from the remorse of his sin:
The Priests: They, too, were sinners.
(Heb 7:27 KJV) Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
The Priests: They could not be there all the time.
(Heb 7:27 KJV) Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
The Priests: They did not have the perfect gift or sacrifice.
(Heb 8:3 KJV) For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
The Priests: They might not understand.
(Heb 4:15 KJV) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
The hope of the New Testament:
(Rom 8:4 KJV) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(Rom 8:5 KJV) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, we now have a “friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” That friend is the Holy Spirit!
(Rom 8:16 KJV) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Not only can we obtain forgiveness through the blood of Christ, we also have been promised the supportive work of the Holy Spirit.
Note the question that God asked of Cain before his fall. “Why is thy countenance fallen?”
Are you sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s work in your life?
The born again Christian has the Holy Spirit within him to keep his life in balance. If you find yourself out of harmony with God, please know this, your countenance will be fallen. You are about to embark on a path that leads to destruction.
If you find yourself insensitive to your wife, your children, and to those about you, you have become insensitive to the Holy Spirit within you. When that happens, it is a time for us to head for the prayer closet and to renew your love affair with your best friend, the Holy Spirit!
But you say, “What if I already sinned? What if I have already made a mess of my life? What then?”
God has given us this promise:
(Heb 13:5 KJV) ….I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Here is my concern:
There is a movement in Christianity to take us backward, backwards, into the failures of the Old Testament.
Let me explain.
Although I know that we are to confess our faults one to another, we need to be careful as to the New Testament application of this truth. If I have sinned against you, then I need to confess that fault to you. The person who has been offended needs an opportunity to release that forgiveness.
But we need to be careful that we do not return to the format of broadcasting our sins to an unforgiving world! Satan can work that to his advantage.
I believe that only God can handle to full nature of my sin. That is the purpose of the cross. That is also the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit of God within my life. He is my best friend. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. God has given me the Holy Spirit for the purpose of reconciliation and for the work of sanctification in my life.
It is the purpose of God to reconcile and to restore a sinner. It is the purpose of Satan to accuse, destroy, and dismantle the life of the saint.
The challenge of this message is simply this: Let me encourage you to get to know the Holy Spirit. He is your best friend. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is the friend mentioned in Proverbs 18:24, who sticks closer than a brother.
Because of Cain’s sin, he had lost his first brother. Because of the grace of God, we have been given a new one, the Holy Spirit! Learn to love him. Learn to trust him. He loves you. He will never leave you!
