From The Problem to the Solution
THE POWER TO BECOME
This morning, I want to continue our sermon series entitled FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION
And I trust that this has been an immense help in your spiritual lives, because the truth of the matter is that you're either having problems, have had some problems, or you're going to have some problems
I thought about the dog I saw one time chasing his tail. Somebody asked, "Why is the dog chasing his tail? Somebody answered, "He must be trying to make both ends meet!"
How many of you know that when you're trying to make both ends meet sometimes you have problems!
And by way of reminder, during this series, we have isolated the square root of all of life's problems and discovered the 6 reasons for all of life's problems
And then, we told you, that in order to go from the PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION, you would have to…
--1. Acknowledge The Problem (Don't live in denial)
--2. Make a "Word" Decision (Not based on feelings)
--3. Find Your Evidence
--4. Learn to Listen
--5. Patience Works
--6. Giving Thanks in All Things
--7. Tapping Into the Anointing (The Anointing Is the Difference)
And last week, we talked about CONFLICT RESOLUTION because if you're going to go FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION, you would have to learn not only to BE right with God, but you would have to KEEP right with others
And if you weren't here, you need that tape
And so, continuing on, this morning, I want to talk to you about another powerful principle that will greatly assist you in going from the PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION
And that is understanding the power of SANCTIFICATION
Everyone say SANCTIFICATION
Now, don't let that word scare you – I know it's a big word
But it's a powerful word and this morning, we're going to define it for you, although it's not that easy to define
It's like what Jazz great Duke Elligton's said about rhythm. Somebody asked him to define rhythm. He said, "If you got it, you don't need no definition. And if you don't have it, ain't no definition gonna help!"
And so this morning, I don't really care if you can pronounce it or if you can define it, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT IT because it's so vitally important
So, this morning, let's read…
John 1:12-13 (KJV) "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
INTRODUCTION
The passage that we read this morning primarily deals with the GRAND SUBJECT of salvation
Because it says TO AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM
And what we discover here is the sweet simplicity of Salvation
For you see, there are a lot of people who think – I'll…
--try harder
--do better
--turn over a new leaf
When what you need is not a new leaf, but a whole new tree!
And the truth of the matter is that to be saved, you don't stop this and that, you just simply RECEIVE HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR
You do not do good to get God, you get God to get good
And what a wonderful truth this is – that I don't have to…
--do this or do that
It's not DO, DO, DO – It's DONE, DONE, DONE
And really and truly, the only thing that I have to do is simply RECEIVE HIM
And I want to ask you today…
--have you received Christ?
--have you asked Him into your heart?
--have you surrendered to Him as Lord?
And the glorious simplicity of this truth is that He will take you – In fact, He's more willing to take you, than you are to receive Him
And I guarantee you that if you'll receive Him, He'll not cast you out
For Jesus said…
John 6:37 (KJV) "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Isn't this thing wonderful called salvation!
But, there's another truth, here, I believe, tucked away in this passage, that at first glance, you might not catch it
Listen again…
John 1:12 (KJV) "But as many as received him, TO THEM gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
And I believe what you find in this passage, so plainly and clearly, is not only this wonderful thing called SALVATION, but when you take a closer look at this passage, and hold it in light to the rest of the entirety of the Word of God
I believe that what you find here is the second aspect of our great salvation, and that's this thing called SANCTIFICATION
Notice it again – to them that received Him – that's salvation
But then it's TO THEM that receive Him, there is a power to become the Sons of God
The power to…
--do what He requires
--live in victory as His child
--not just continually struggle and struggle and be half hearted and half defeated
NO! I believe that this passage is clearly teaching us that if you received Him, there is a power yet beyond initial conversion that enables you to FULLY BECOME all that God wants you to be
The FIRST is *****SALVATION*****, the latter is *****SANCTIFICATION*****
And I believe in this day and hour, that what is so desperately needed is this thing called sanctification
And what baffles my mind, is how little preaching you hear on this subject
Because when you think about it – never in the history of mankind, have we seen such a need for sanctification
Because what is happening, is that before people are getting saved, they are…
--hooked on drugs
--hooked on internet pornography
Children are being molested like never before
And in the midst of all of this, Satan is getting people so bound, and lives are so twisted like never before, than when they get saved, as wonderful as that is – there are those old bondages that still need to be worked out
And I can hardly believe that in a day and hour when it is so greatly needed, that there is so little preaching on this subject
And this morning, I'm going to preach on this subject, because the good news is that you don’t have to…
--live in guilt
--live in fear
--be defeated by sin over and over again
There is liberty and there is victory and there is power
To as many as received Him – TO THEM He gives the power to become the Sons of God
And that power is SANCTIFICATION
Now, in order for you to understand this – let me give you 4 things this morning so that you will HAVE IT
I want to break it down and talk to you about – what, why, who, how
First of all, let's consider…
1. WHAT – WHAT IS SANCTIFICATION?
When we talk about sanctification, what are we meaning? What are we talking about? What is the definition of sanctification?
Well, our English word comes from the Latin: sanctus and facio. Sanctus means holy or consecrated. Facio means to accomplish or to cause something to happen. So sanctification simply means that we are caused to be holy, or THE POWER TO BECOME
Let me give you some more definitions…
•We believe in sanctification. While sanctification is initiated in regeneration and consummated in glorification, we believe that it includes a definite, instantaneous work of grace achieved by faith subsequent to regeneration (Acts 26:18; 1 John 1:9). Sanctification delivers from the power and dominion of sin. It is followed by life-long growth in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:16; 2 Peter 3:18). --Articles of Faith, IPHC Manual
•"…Sanctification is for the born again believer, offering cleansing from the very bent and power of sin and freeing him from that bent so that he can grow naturally in the will and the love of God." --Evangelist Jim Forehand, N.C. Conference
•Sanctification is an experience whereby the sin nature is rendered powerless in the life of a born again believer – Pastor Ricky Nelms
Donald Grey Barnhouse in his great work on the Book of Romans said of sanctification
"Now the Lord brought us to the next step upward. If we are to step up and stand upon the next thread of spiritual progress we must realize that we cannot do it by our own powers: we must be lifted again to the point where we shall go forward on the upward path of moment-by-moment triumph in the sanctification which God has provided…"
In other words, Donald Grey Barnhouse was saying that sanctification is the next step upward in our spiritual life!
And if any of this doesn't make any sense: Let me describe to you what sanctification is – IT IS THE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD
What is sanctification? IT IS THE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD
And then, secondly, let's talk about…
2. WHY – WHY BE SANCTIFIED?
You see, what happens when we receive Him and when we are saved, is that in a moment, God gloriously and wonderfully forgives us of all of our sins
But the underlying reason that we have committed sins, is because beneath the surface, we have a nature to sin – called the sin nature
Do you remember what happened to the Titanic?
It hit an ice burg and it was not what was on the top that was the problem and did the damage – it was what was beneath the surface
And that's the way it is in our lives – we commit SINS because *****beneath***** the *****surface******, there is a *****SIN NATURE*****
And that's not hard to understand because just look at BABIES
You don't have to teach them to…
--be mean
--bite
--be selfish
--be a bully
--steal
Why? Because there's something beneath the surface called the SIN NATURE
And why is this? Because we inherited from Adam
You hear people all the time say that "WE'RE ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD"
That's not right – you don't become a child of God until you become born again – until you receive Him
NO – we're not all children of *****God*****, we're children of *****Adam***** and we have a sin nature
And when we get saved, that *****INHERITED***** SIN REMAINS
Even though our SINS are forgiven – and thank God they are, there remains that sin nature
And what happens is that when we become a Christian, God forgives us of all of our sins
Isn't that wonderful
It doesn't matter how much you've done or how bad you've been!
But not long after you're saved, there's a problem – WHAT IS IT? SIN!!!
And I've seen this so many times in others and in my own life
And two things will happen, we they begin to feel the pull of that sinful nature
A. A person will GIVE UP, or….
B. A person will GIVE IN
And I want you to know that a lot of people have given in to SIN
And there are some of you who have settled for a low life and just put up with things
And worse yet, there are some of you who think everything is OK – the preacher is talking to someone else
NO – the closer you get to God, the more conscious of sin you become
1 John 1:8 (KJV) "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
And some of you, instead of getting sanctified, have given in
And my message to you this morning is you can be free
TO THEM WHO HAVE RECEIVED HIM, HE GIVES A POWER TO BECOME THE SON OF GOD!!!
Paul mentions this struggle
There was no doubt that Paul was converted
Romans 7:22 (KJV) "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:"
In Acts 22:16, it was said of Paul…
Acts 22:16 (KJV) "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
In other words, at the moment of conversion, all his SINS were gone
But a problem arose
Romans 7:21-24 (KJV) "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
He said I RECEIVED CHRIST – But not only do I need my sins forgiven, I need power to become the person He wants me to be
And that happens only through the power of sanctification!
Why do we need sanctification?
This is a true story that a missionary heard overseas in the country of Haiti. He heard a pastor tell this true story…
He told of a certain man who wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man badly wanted it, but couldn’t afford the full price. After much haggling, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the asking price with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.
After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became uninhabitable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.
The Haitian pastor’s conclusion: “If we leave the devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation.”
My friend, why do we need sanctification? IT PULLS OUT THE NAIL OF THE SIN NATURE
And I'm here to tell you, you talk about a church that will…
--reach this world
--take back the devil's territory
--recover stolen property
It will be a church that has THE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD
And a church that offers complete and total deliverance from the power and bondage of sin
What is sanctification? Why be sanctified? Now, let's look…
3. WHO PROVIDES SANCTIFICATION
Jesus provides it!!!
Hebrews 13:12 (KJV) "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate."
He suffered for it
He prayed for it
John 17:17 (KJV) "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
He provided it!!
D.L. Moody one time saw a man beat his dog at a zoo one time because he was made at him. He had made a bet and boasted about him being so obedient and when he tried to get the dog to so something he wanted, it wouldn't do it and he lost his bet. He got so mad at that dog and just beat him and beat him and beat him mercilessly and finally, after he was wounded and bleeding and whimpering, he threw him in the lion's cage so that the lion would eat him. And that poor whimpering, beaten, pitiful dog, standing shaking on his legs was in the presence of that great lion. And that lion came over to that dog and sniffed him and then he begin to lick that little dog and the dog laid down and the lion laid down there just keeping him warm and licking his wounds. And the man, after a little while felt sorry for the dog and told the man to let him have his dog back. And the person in charge of the lion cage who had seen him beat that dog said, "Fine, you can have your dog back. But you're going to have to go in there and get him yourself!"
And that's the way it is with me and you – we were…
--beaten
--bruised
--battered
By sins and sin, and not the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus, has taken us in and has healed our wounds and now protects us from the enemy that once enslaved us!
That's the power of sanctification
He provided it!
I've talked to you about…
--what sanctification is
--why you need to be sanctified
--who provided sanctification for you
And now, let me close, by telling you…
4. HOW TO BECOME SANCTIFIED
It's simple! You came to Him and He received you
To as many as received Him!
Thank God!
To them – he will give you the power
What do you do? You go back to Jesus. You go back to Calvary
You go back to the cross and there by faith – the same faith you used to get saved, will be the same faith to keep you saved
The Bible says we're sanctified…
A. By the blood
Hebrews 13:12 (KJV) "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate."
B. By the Word
John 17:17 (KJV) "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
When all else fails FIND THE BLUEPRINTS
C. By faith
Acts 15:9 (KJV) "And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."
This ties it all together – you go to the Word and you apply the blood and you do all this for me
You prayer a prayer – FATHER, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING FOR MY SANCTIFICATION. THANK YOU FOR RECEIVING ME. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE POWER TO BECOME A SON/DAUGHTER OF GOD. THANK YOU BY FAITH I RECEIVE THIS POWER CALLED SANCTIFICATION.
IN CLOSING
Have you received Him?
Have you given up?
Have you given in?
Let me tell you that you need to take it to the next level – be sanctified today
Have you heard the story about an old westerner called Desert Pete? Living where water is so very precious, Desert Pete wrote a note and wired it to an old pump. Here is what it said: “Under the white rock I buried a bottle of water. Thar’s just enough in it to prime this here pump . . . but not if you drink any. Pour the whole bottle in and pump the handle. It won’t be easy not to take a sip first, ‘specially when yo’re thirsty. But have faith. You’ll git water. When you do, fill the bottle and put it back for the next feller.”
Don't give UP
Don't give IN – It works!
