WTFMT #56 28 AUG 18 HGM

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-56

TEXT: "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:5)

 

I. DON'T BE PUSHY

 

A. A pushy spirit is sometimes manifested by a preacher ministering the Word. This happens more often in youths than in elders. Many believers minister a pushy spirit instead of "ministering the Spirit" as Paul mentions here in Galatians 3:5.

B. They are wanting to thrust something upon you by force. They cannot rest in the Spirit's work. They want to cram that message, that truth, that word, down your throat with their own fists. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew11:10)

C. Many Believers take this verse and say, "we must be violent, in our Christian walk, kick Satan around, and kick in the doors of heaven. This is so wrong on many levels. God does not want us to take the kingdom of God (not Heaven) through violent forceful means over Satan. Christian violence? But this is not consistent with the Word of God.

D. Believers "minister by the Spirit," not by violence or force. They minister love not violence to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus here is teaching that the Kingdom of God is suffering because of the violent forceful, pushy means His disciples used to lead ones into His kingdom. They are sincerely desirous and anxious that you receive it, and they are furiously attempting to get it in you. But that is not God's way.

E. We need to be as the messengers sent forth bearing the words and ways of God and not our words and ways. "And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying," (Deuteronomy 2:26) We must come to our brothers and sister in the LORD, our friends, and even our enemies in and with peace, not simply with words of peace which may be covering up a striving heart and ungodly motives.

F. We are not supposed to be like those who say with their mouth, "I forgive," but never have such worthy words in their heart. Don't put up a front. Our forward progression in God will depend upon a "frontless" life. It will do us spiritual harm to live our Christian life with an inward habit of disguise or camouflage. This habit will eventually bring us before God in a disguise. We will wear our disguise when we read the Bible and when we pray.

G. Disguises are fabricated for self-preservation and personal gain. We need to quit catering to our self-life. We need to leave off our disguises and take off our camouflage of religion and let God into our weakness, our ugliness, our short temper, our whatever. His strength and work of grace are waiting and ready for us. We need to let Him provide that which we need.

 

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

 

A. Once we make the discovery of His work of grace the rest, peace, and the ease Jesus speaks of we find, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30) His qualities will begin to become part of our character. They will become our true character without any disguises or camouflage.

B. We will not even have to be antagonistic against the devil. It is very ease and convenient to blame Satan for our short coming and failure to walk in obedience to the LORD. Satan made me think those thoughts, made me say these nasty things to my brother or sister in the LORD, or friends, or even my enemies. Satan made me to become disobedient to the LORD.

C. This type of understanding, in most cases, is simply a cover-up for spiritual weakness and lack of confidence, faith, authority, and power. Satan knows what that type of a person is doing better than the person himself knows. The enemy is not frightened by such threats.