Suva
Sun am
20/05/01
“An invitation from the throne”
Intro: T/m I want to minister on something that we seldom think of but none the less has critical impact on our lives.
In the book of Revelations we read more about the throne of God than any other book of the Bible.
Out of 188 references to the throne / thrones 42 are found in Revelations!
Probably has something to do w/ the fact that Revelations is all about God establishing his throne both in heaven & in earth.
BUT UNTIL THIS IS DONE GOD PROMISES THE POWER OF HIS THROWN TO EVERY BELIEVER WHO COMES TO IT!
God’s throne is a place where we can both discover & obtain everything we need to live a victorious Christian life.
T/m I want to minister a message I’ve called ‘An invitation from the throne’.
Text: (Heb 4:16 NKJV) "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
# 1. What the throne represents.
A. Where there is a throne there is a king – where there is a king there is a kingdom.
1. When we talk about a throne we are talking about far more than a fancy seat a king sits on.
a.) A throne represents the power of an entire kingdom!
b.) That’s what makes the throne so impt ……… it represents the power / authority / dominion / might of a kingdom.
c.) It is the place from which the king sits & issues decrees / speaks words of life / blessing of words of judgment & death.
B. Every kingdom is directed by the power of the throne – it is the centre of power!
1. When God had called Moses to be a deliverer to his people in Egypt he sent him to the throne of Pharaoh.
a.) He didn’t go to the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce / The Egyptian City Council – he approached the throne.
b.) The reason that he did this was b/c the power he was coming against was the power of the throne.
c.) By confronting the throne of Pharaoh Moses was coming against the power of the entire kingdom that was opposing God!
2. About 400 years b/4 this we read about one of the ancestors of Moses.
a.) The name of this man was Joseph & God had caused him to come into a place of favour b/4 the king.
b.) The king has elevated him out of prison & exalted him in the entire land of Egypt & we read these words about him…….
(Gen 41:40 NKJV) ""You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.""
c.) Pharaoh saying here ……… I recognise the hand of God upon your life – only thing I’m not going to give over to your control is the throne i/s!
d.) That’s b/c the throne is the seat of power / authority / dominion.
3. Much of our u/s of the throne has been lost today.
a.) But not true in the days these words were written …people lived & died by the power of the throne!
b.) Paul lost his own life at the throne of Caesar ………. People realised that this was the power behind the throne – LIFE & DEATH!
c.) But more imptly we need to realise that the power of life & death is still linked to the throne!
d.) When we come to the throne God has the power to bring ‘LIFE’ into every situation / circ we face.
e.) When we fail to access this great power ……. It results in death – life & death in the power of the throne!
4. This is also the reason why the Christian warfare is so great.
a.) We need to realise that we’re not just fighting a demon / host from hell but a throne that organises those powers!
Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of £the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
b.) The power of hell we fight against is the power of demonically / devilishly inspired throne from hell.
c.) We are doing more than battling individual demons ……. we fighting the power of a throne!
d.) When the antichrist comes his purpose is going to be to establish an earthly throne from which he will exercise his power.
Revelation 13:2 (NKJV) 2Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
C. We u/s this is true about demonic powers / godless kings – but much more so w/ God’s throne!
1. God’s throne is a place / source of great power / dominion / authority.
a.) Isaiah gives us a glimpse of the throne of God.
(Isa 6:1-4 NKJV) "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. {2} Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. {3} And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" {4} And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke."
b.) Isaiah has a fearful vision of God sitting on his throne ……… This is a place of great power – a throne that dominates every other!
c.) Has a revelation that this is the source of God’s mighty power both on heaven & in earth!
2. This is the same revelation God is giving us in our text.
a.) God’s throne is the source of unlimited power ……. Power to defeat demonic strategies / strengthen the feeble / weak – need to come to His throne!
Paul says ……..
(2 Cor 12:10 NKJV) …….. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
b.) Left to our/s we are an easy target for all our enemies to devour.
c.) Unless we have the power / dominion / authority of God & his throne behind us we are defeated / taken captive by the devil at his will.
TEXT: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, ……. and find grace to help in time of need."
d.) Critical truth here if we are going to survive ………. We need to come to the throne!
# 2. Accessing the throne.
A. Every citizen of heaven has access to the throne of God!
1. The throne of a king was not always easiest thing to gain access to.
a.) Often a long process ……. Bringing partitions & in the end there were no guarantees!
b.) To come b/4 the throne of the king uninvited was to flirt w/ death.
c.) Even those closest to the king would risk their lives if they came uninvited b/4 the throne …….
(Est 4:11 NKJV) ""All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live……….
2. But …… we need to u/s here that every citizen of heaven has access to the throne of God!
*** Most famous throne in existence today is that of Britain. In the British Empire every citizen had rightful access to the throne. If you were being treated unfairly – unjust judgment was given against you …….. final avenue of appeal was the throne! Still true today of citizens of the British Empire. As citizens of Great Britain this was a right every citizen enjoyed.
a.) As citizens of heaven we also have a right to have access to the throne of God …….. which is the throne of grace / mercy / help.
b.) God says ……… this is the only place where you can receive the help you need for the many difficult circ / battles / problems you face.
c.) And so what God does is …….. He gives us free access to His throne!
(Eph 2:18 NKJV) "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."
B. Not only does he give us free access but he gives us an open invitation.
1. Our text t/m is an invitation to the believer from the king of this throne!
Vs 16. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,…….
a.) God H/s is extending an invitation to come to the throne & receive what you need from the king.
b.) Many times we live in defeat simply b/c ignore this invitation ………. Everything we need found at the throne but we ignore the invitation!!!
c.) The devil will do anything he can to stop you from coming to the throne ……. B/c he knows this is the exact place where every believer is empowered.
d.) This is where he loses the battle for your soul / life ………. This is the place of victory for the believer & defeat for the devil!!!
e.) That’s why we are being compelled – let us come boldly!
2. We also need to u/s another reason why we are being compelled towards the throne of God ……… It is the place of great riches / resource!
a.) Every throne has great resources / riches connected to it.
b.) The riches of Solomon’s throne left the queen of Sheba breathless when she had seen it all – wealth beyond imagination!
c.) Here is an invitation to get all the blessing / help we need from the resources of the throne of God!
(Phil 4:19 NKJV) "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
3. B/c this is an invitation from the king we can come to His throne anytime we need to – but especially in the time of need!
Vs 16. …….. that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
a.) This is the great blessing of God’s throne ……. Finding help at the time of need.
# 3. Our approach.
A. We need to u/s God is interested in our approach.
1. Unlike other thrones God wants us to come b/4 Him – BOLDLY!
a.) We need to u/s that this is not a method / formula ……… God is looking for far more than that!
b.) The issue here is faith!
(Heb 11:6 NKJV) "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
c.) Faith is what God is looking for when we approach His throne! …….. W/o this we can’t expect anything from God!!!
d.) We access this throne through faith ……… believing that God will do what he has promised to do for us!
(Eph 3:12 NKJV) "in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him."
2. The power of God’s throne is released through faith!
a.) Faith releases the power & resources of the throne into our lives & circ!
b.) God wants to bring the power & resources of His throne into your life ………& He will if you’ll approach his throne in bold faith!
B. You need to develop a confidence that b/c God invites you to His throne He’ll give you what you need.
1. We only need to look as far as the promise of His word to gain confidence that we can get what we need from God.
a.) Here is the promise of our text ......
Vs 16. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
b.) The throne of God is the place where we can expect mercy ...... mercy – not being punished as we deserve to be – God will be merciful to us as we come to His throne.
c.) And it is secondly the place where we can find Grace ..... grace – giving us what we don’t deserve & haven’t earned.
d.) B/c of Who sit upon the throne we can find everything we need in life for every circ / season & time we come to.
e.) Thank God! Ordinary people like you & I have an open invitation to the throne!
