How's Your Spiritual Health?
Sermon Two: Are You Governed Increasingly By God's Word?
This sermon series is based on the book entitled Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Dr. Donald Whitney.
Sermon prepared by Thomas A. Gaskill for May 29, 2011
Have you exercised since the last time we met? Are you eating right? Have you seen your medical doctor this past week? Do you have concerns about your physical health? Do you check your blood pressure?
Let me ask this: Do you take vitamins or medication to prolong your life and hope for good health? I'd like to encourage you to continue pursuit of good health.
My question remains again this Sunday: How's your spiritual health? As your pastor, I hope you are healthy and thriving. I hope last Sunday's sermon has stirred you up to thirst for God more and more. I hope there has been soul searching and God pursuing. I hope your thirsting souls are not empty or dry but rather satisfied by God's abundant living water – the Holy Spirit. I hope mirages of the world are not being chased by any of God's people but I continue to pray that, as God's Word says in Hebrews 12:14 (NKJV) “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” and again in Hebrews 12:1,2 (NKJV) “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” I hope those of you who like to read are reading thirst-making writings.
Melodee (my wife) and I have been spending time together in theological discussions and during the course of one of our discussions I was made aware that I need to encourage you to listen to thirst-making music. Music is a powerful means of spiritual edification. Many people listen to music throughout their days. I encourage you to listen to God glorifying, Christ revealing, heart purifying, soul encouraging, Bible proclaiming, truth revealing, Gospel propagating, Holy Spirit fellowshipping, faith energizing, perfect love saturating, and kingdom service equipping music and radio stations. Melodee can give you information regarding this kind of music and stations.
This Sunday I ask the second of Dr. Whitney's 10 questions to diagnose your spiritual health: “Are you governed increasingly by God's word?”
We live in a society that promotes rugged individualism; many have become more and more self-centered and less and less submissive to governing authorities. People seek to cast off all restraints and gratify the desires of their flesh. Driven by inordinate affections, criminals abound. Law-breakers are everywhere. Murder, theft, assault, battery, property damage, rape, child-molestation, kidnapping and abduction, human trafficking, prostitution, drunk driving, illegal drugs dealt and used, and much more.... Prisons are overloaded and new ones are being built to house our ever-growing population of disillusioned mirage pursuers who do not know the right way to live because their worldview is hugely lacking in truth. Anytime a person thinks the world revolves around themselves, chaos is the inevitable result.
We must have a trustworthy governing authority and be governed by this authority - this worthy standard of righteousness that remains the same throughout time and eternity.
Governments change. People change. Cultural norms change. While all these are quite important – due to their constant changing nature – they are not to be the ultimate standard to live by.
There is only One who never changes – God!
Malachi 3:6 NKJV "For I am the LORD, I do not change.”
James 1:17 NIV Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Nations rise and fall. People live and die. Heaven and earth pass away. There is only One who remains forever – God!
Psalms 9:7 NKJV But the LORD shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.
Psalms 135:13 NKJV Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations.
Psalms 145:13 NKJV Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Lamentations 5:19 NKJV You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.
God never changes and remains forever; therefore, God is the only reliable and absolute standard of righteousness. God has revealed Himself and what He requires of us in His Word – the Holy Bible. His Only Letters to You. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
Scripture tells us that it is divinely inspired and not of human origin. Anything contrary to the teachings of God through His revealed Word must be rejected. Scripture is to govern our faith and life.
We are to pattern our lives after Jesus. Listen to the words of Jesus: John 13:15 GW I've given you an example that you should follow.
And again, Scripture tells us: 1 John 2:6 TNIV Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
When we look at the temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11, we see that Jesus was governed by the Word of God. Jesus was victorious over the multiple temptations that the devil threw at Him because He knew what was written in Scripture and lived according to God's written revelation.
Since Jesus' life was governed by Scripture, shouldn't ours be as well!
Listen to what God inspired the Apostle Paul to write to Timothy and for us:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 GW
(16) Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval.
(17) They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.
This is one of those passages of Scripture that I believe every Christian should have memorized. It is powerful and it will change your life as you live according to what is written in Scripture. The Holy Bible is the written word of God! Read it, study it, memorize it, live according to it, and share it with others.
The Word of God governs our lives by:
Faith: Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It is the Word of God coupled with the Holy Spirit that enables us to walk by faith and not by sight (Galatians 5:16). Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Resist the devil steadfast in the faith (1Peter 5:9).
Empowerment: Ephesians 6:10-17 NKJV
(10) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
(11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
(12) For 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.
(13) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(14) Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
(15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
(16) above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
(17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
The Word of God empowers us to stand strong in the midst spiritual warfare. It empowers us just like it did Jesus when He was tempted. The Word of God is our defense and weapon.
Discernment: Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
(12) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
This passage is written as part of the passage of entering into God's rest. As we allow God's Word to govern us, we will be spared from disobedience and the unrest that results. As we allow God's Word to increasingly govern us, we will be delivered from impure motives and set free to sincerely follow Him because the Word of God gives us discernment. Discernment of what is of God, what is of the world, what is of the devil, what is of our own fleshly desires.
God tells us in Proverbs 14:12 NKJV There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
After God miraculously delivered His people from Egyptian slavery, He told His people to take possession of the promised land. The Israelites had seen God display His sovereignty over all the false gods of Egypt through the ten plagues. God's people witnessed His sovereign power over nature as they went through the middle of the Red Sea on dry ground. They experienced God fighting on their behalf when He destroyed all of Pharoah's military in the Red Sea. God established His governing covenant with them at Mount Sinai by giving them the written law – The Ten Commandments.
God was leading them into the promised land where they could eventually find their rest. He commanded them to take possession of the land. They sent 12 spies to evaluate the undertaking. Ten of the twelve spies came back trembling with fear. Only two of the 12 spies advised the people to follow God's governing word. The people followed the advice of the 10 unbelieving spies by shrinking with fear and disobeying God. None of them entered into God's rest but all of them of accountable age perished during the 40 years of endless wandering in the desert wilderness. Only the two believing spies, Joshua and Caleb, entered the promised land.
Are you governed increasingly by God's Word or are you one who follows the dictates and opinions of an unbelieving majority? Are you abiding in God's plan for your life and entering into His rest or are you aimlessly wandering about in a wilderness of disillusionment driven to and fro by your own desires? Do you walk by faith or are you as the majority who walk by sight? Can you discern what the will of the Lord is or are you chasing mirages in the desert wilderness? Do you walk in victory empowered by God's Word to stand against the wiles of the devil or are you struggling with defeat as the onslaught of temptations come your way?
I hope you can identify with the first part of each of the questions I just asked you; but if not, there is still hope for you. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Be as Joshua and declare: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Be as Joseph who responded when being asked by another man's wife to come and lay with her – “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God!” – governed by the Word of God!
Be as Moses who refused to be known as the son of Pharoah's daughter; but instead chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. – governed by the Word of God!
Be as Noah who by faith built an ark on dry ground to save his family from the floodwaters soon to come upon a land that never experienced rain – governed by the Word of God!
Be as Abraham who by faith, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going – governed by the Word of God!
Be as the nation of Israel who, by faith upon the command of God,marched around the city of Jericho seven days and experienced a great victory as the walls came tumbling down – governed by the Word of God!
Be as Jesus, governed by the written Word of God while in the midst of His temptations.
Resist the devil steadfast in the faith – governed increasingly by the Word of God!!!
Walk by faith, not by sight – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Be holy in all your conduct – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Love your neighbor as yourself – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Joshua 1:8 NIV Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Depart from evil; seek peace and pursue it – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only – governed increasingly by the Word of God!
Will you be governed increasingly by the Word of God!
I invite you to embrace the Word – Jesus Christ.
