Living holy is not easy. How do we live Godly? According to Mathew 5:20, to live Godly is to exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are His servants and representatives in this world. Not only are we obligated, but we are commanded to live holy. When every single day we are facing attacks from the devil that would hinder our walk with God, the question is asked, How then shall we live?
THE MINISTRY OF JESUS
John writes in his gospel in the beginning was the word, the word was with God, and the word was God. The word was made flesh, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus came to proclaim truth. When He spoke, people traveled from miles around to hear Him speak. His spoken word had power. When Jesus spoke, demons were cast out, the blind regained sight. Wherever Jesus went, the multitudes of people followed Him. Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. Jesus healed a Centurion’s servant with a spoken word. Jesus spoke and raised Lazarus from the dead. The multitudes followed Him. He multiplied 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes and fed 5,000 people not counting women and children. Jarius, ruler of the Synagogue, fell down at Jesus feet because his 12-year old daughter was dying. The multitude follow Jesus as He went to Jarius house, and a woman with an issue of blood pressed her way through the crowd and touched the hem of His garment. By faith, she was made whole.
LUKE 14:25-33:GOD WANTS COMMITMENT
-Commitment to Christ means serving Him no matter what.
-Can be compared to the marriage covenant.
-Ex. God told prophet Hosea to take a harlot as his wife.
-When we are not committed to God, we are playing the harlot.
I. We Should live a Sanctified Life
(1 THESSALONIANS 4:3,4)
To sanctify means to be separated unto God by faith in Christ, and to be set apart for divine service. Sanctification is God’s will for the believer. Sanctification occurs after the believer accepts Christ as their savior and lord. Sanctification, used in the N.T., means the believer is separated from evil activities and evil ways. It is a way of life for the believer.
Example: (1)Spring time ritual of scalping a lawn (when you scalp out the old weeds, new weeds will grow).
(2)Jacob going to Isaac in the covering of Esau to receive the blessing. We need to come in the covering of God’s son to receive the blessing.
The Holy Spirit is the agent in sanctification. Sanctification cannot be transferred or imputed. It is an individual possession, built up little by little, as the result of obedience to the word of God, and following the example of Christ (Romans 5)
II. WE SHOULD LIVE IN HUMILITY: (PROVERBS 22:4) Humility- humble in spirit, lowliness of mind, to make low. The quality of not being too proud about yourself.
Example: (1)Naaman humbling himself to listen to the prophet to be healed of leoparsy. It is important to be humble.We must have a servant mentality (Matthew 20:26)
(2)God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6) (3)If you humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, you will be exalted in due time (1 Peter 5:6)
III. WE NEED TO LIVE AN OVERCOMING, VICTORIOUS LIFE
Living for God causes us to arise and see the glory of God (Isaiah 60)
IV. WE NEED TO LIVE A LIFE OF ENDURANCE:
(2 TIMOTHY 3:10-12)-It is not enough to be born again. One must stand firm in the faith to the end of one’s life on earth Jesus said that he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(Mathew 24:13)-God comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may comfort those who are going through tribulation the same way God comforted us. (1 Cor. 1:6), (2Timothy 3:10-12), (2Thessalonians 1:7-10, v.4)
In the tough times, we need to give God praise: MOSES- The Lord is my strength and my song, He has also become my salvation, DEBORAH AND BARAK- The Lord made me have dominion over the mighty, HANNAH- There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside Him, neither is there any rock like our God, DAVID- The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, MARY- My spirit have rejoiced in God my saviour.
In the tough times, we need to have faith: NOAH- Told of a flood that had not happen yet, built an ark to the saving of his family, ABRAHAM- When he was called out by God, left his home and went to another land that he would receive as an inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going and lived as a foreigner, dewelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob. He looked for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God, SARA- Abraham’s wife, past the age of child-bearing, conceived seed, and she counted Him faithful that promised, MOSES- When he was born, was hid 3 months by his parents because they saw he was a proper child, and they were not afraid of the King’s commandment for the midwives to kill the Hebrew children. When he had gotten older, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him, forsaking Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King: for he endured as seeing him who is invisible, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL- Passed through the Red Sea on dry ground, When Egypt tried, they drowned, they also marched around Jericho 7 days and the walls came tumbling down, GIDEON, BARAK, SAMSON, DAVID, SAMUEL AND THE PROPHETS- Subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, out of weakness were made strong, women received their dead raised to life again, others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
V. CONCLUSION:
1.If you wandered away, come back. If you have drifted away, come back to the cross. God is able to restore you. Jesus says come unto me all you who are burden and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. We look for commitment from the world, but instead of getting a commitment we’re getting disappointments. We need to be committed to Christ.We need to be committed to Christ no matter what. We need to bear our cross and count the cost in following Christ. We need to live our lives in the pursuit of holiness. for every burdens-blessings, afflictions-answers to prayers, problems-peace.
