Knowing Your Assignment.
Matthew 28:18-20
Un-forgiveness is like a Beaver Dam, it backs up the waste and debris of past events. Un-forgiveness stops the flow, nothing fresh can enter. Life in general becomes tainted.
On the other hand, Forgiveness is not a feeling, it’s a decision, a choice, a crisis of the will. Hold on to this, “Nobody heals in order to forgive; they forgive in order to heal.”
Illustration, As authority becomes precedent, Authority flows down, and removes all sediment and debris.
Remember this, authority rules in the spirit. As Christians believe, and practice their God-given authority, life advances.
Nothing has the ability to hold back a Christian that believes!
“I believe we live in a day of unbelieving Christians.” PH
Authority cannot be recognized, saturated with un-forgiveness, and bitterness:
Luke 17:1-4NLT One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. 3 So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. 4 Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
Listen Saints, the millstone had your name on it, my name on it, because we’re all tempted and been tempted. -But Jesus!
You might say, where is Justice? It is in the cross. Jesus Christ died for your sins, her sins and his sins, and everyone else’s sins.
Without the cross, forgiveness isn’t possible.
Someone once said, the cross is the sternest rebuke to mankind‘s selfishness this world will ever see.
19th century, Scottish author, George McDonnell said, that man is perfect in faith, who can come to God in the utter dearth of his feelings and desires, without a glow or an aspiration, with the weight of the low thoughts, failures, neglects, and wandering forgetfulness, and say to him, “thou art my refuge.”
We limit God with our doubts, unbelief and un-forgiveness. Scripture says of Israel in, Psalm 78:14 Yes, again and again, they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Unbelief, and un-forgiveness, limit the Holy One. -Notice, Israel murmured. Murmuring is always connected to unbelief, and unbelief bloats and crowds out all God given authority.
Israel murmured continually, is God able? Sure, he made a way for us through the Red Sea, but can He give us bread? God gave them bread. But can He give us water? God gave them water from a rock. But can God give us meat? God gave them meat from the sky. But can He deliver us from our enemies? Time and time again, God provided and delivered in every area.
Yes, Israel, God’s people spent 40 years crying, “Can God…? Can God…?”
Beloved, we ought to be proclaiming, “God can, and He will do all that we ask and believe Him for. -Our God is faithful.”
When we understand, God's faithfulness, In return, we become faithful. God's love is steadfast. Unending. God’s love is eternal along with the other 8 fruit of the Spirit.
The apostles Paul states a strong fact this way:
1 Corinthians 13:13NLT Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
In Galatians, chapter 5, we can read of the 9 fruit of the spirit.
This is what we need to know. These fruit, these powerful characteristics are eternal.
And when walked in, give each believer powerful authority!
Galatians 5:22-23NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Un-forgiveness rottens fruit. Un-forgiveness makes ‘one’ turn inward. Wrong perceptions, wrong thoughts, wrong motives, cynicism and pessimism mixed with unfaithful lips, wild imaginations, strongholds develop castles and fortresses.
Paul wrote about strongholds in the mind: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5NLT We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
As believers, we think of, Philippians 4:8. Whatever is good, lovely, brings a good report.
Q&A:
In an army, who has the most authority? The General.
-The General submits to no other rank, but exercises authority over every other rank.
Now, who in an army has the least rank? The Private.
-The private is the opposite. He submits to all other ranks and exercises no authority over any other.
This thought came to me, When does the Private have the same authority as the General? Never?
There is a time when the Private exercises the same authority as a General.
- It’s when the Private is carrying out an assignment, given to him by the General.
What is your assignment? If you don't recognize or understand your assignment, you’re going to flounder. You have to know, and believe your assignment has been given to you by God. Walking without your God given authority is dangerous.
When a Private carries out a directive, and errand, a mission, or an order given to him by the General, then, with regard to that directive, the Private carries the Generals authority.
Every other soldier, every rank, every Captain and Colonel, must yield to him (the Private), in the fulfilling of his assignment.
And before this Private, every gate must opened, and every door must be unlocked.
Jesus said He’s given us the keys to His Kingdom. Matthew 16:13-19NLT When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
In the universe, who has all authority? God. Yes, He’s the General.
And who has the least authority? Us… Man?
So when do we, the Privates, bear the authority of the General? When… we carry out the assignment given to us by God, our General, when we carry out His mission.
Today’s Text, Matthew 28:18-20NLT Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Know this, if a Christian decides to live outside the will, and authority of God, if he, or she acts against it, then they will act with the authority of a Private, which is to have no authority.
But if you live inside the will of God, if you follow the directives of God, if you carry out His assignment, if you set your course on fulfilling His mission, if you believe that you are forever positioned in heavenly places with God, then you will live in the authority of God.
Hear the words of Jesus in, Luke 10:19AMP Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.
Please understand this, As a believer every rank in this universe must yield to your steps, every door must unlock, and every gate must open.
-Jesus is the Master Locksmith!
“So make it your aim to live your life holy in the will of God. Find your mission and fulfill it…
Walk in the authority of the Almighty!” PH
Paul Harvey tells about a man who said, “I grew up, poor, but they told me I wasn’t poor I was needy. Then they told me I wasn’t needy – I was deprived. Then they told me I wasn’t deprived – I was under privileged. Then they told me I wasn’t underprivileged – I was disadvantaged. -I still don’t have a dime, but I have a great vocabulary.”
John 20:20-23MSG The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were awestruck. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”
22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”
Today, aim to walk fully in the will of God. Carry out a mission from the General. And as you walk in His will, walk also in His authority.
Proverbs 19:21NLT “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
An interviewer with Mother, Theresa asked her, how do you expect to change society?
She answered with a question, “How do you expect to change society without bringing people to a face to face encounter with God?”
First and Foremost:
* Jesus came to forgive sin. Ask this risen Savior in. -Ask Him in!
* Jesus died and rouse to give you His authority. You have an anointing,1 John 2:20!
As a genuine believer your identity is sealed; Your position with this King Jesus is eternal.
Yes it’s true, If you truly believe, you are sealed, -Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!
Prayer for closeness. Son of God, there’s nothing I have faced or ever will face that you have not faced, endured, and conquered. It’s wonder of wonders, you run to me when I need your help.
I come to you now. Draw close to me, Jesus, in your strong name, amen.
