Rev. Patrick Vincent
“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” – 1 John 5:19
We should not be surprised when the world acts like the world; it is under the influence of the devil.
There are clear lines drawn.
Which side are you on?
Under whose sway are you?
“Do you also want to go away?” – Jesus (John 6:67)
What a sad question Jesus asked His closest friends.
Peter answers, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (6:68-69)
How do you answer Jesus’s question?
Do you also want to go away?
To whom do you go?
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” – 1 Cor. 2:12-13
Here is the Christian’s starting point. Here is where we are coming from.
Lot’s of great stuff here:
We received Him, others have rejected Him
“the Spirit who is from God” Note: who = the Spirit is a Person, not a force or an “it.”
God gives His Spirit freely
We speak what the Holy Spirit teaches, not what Man says.
Therefore, we are able speak on spiritual things.
We have been given this Spirit so that we might know.
The more I read these verses, the more I get out of them!
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” – Heb. 13:15-16
Just like I tell my kids: do good and share. God likes that.
“They stumble, being disobedient to the word” – 1 Pet. 2:8
Decisions have consequences. Disobeying God’s Word = you will fall.
“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13
Something to keep in your back pocket when your mouth starts running.
“He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” – John 21:17
This grieved Peter. His failure was still fresh in his mind. However, Jesus was restoring him.
This question Christ asks us as well. Even as the wounds of our failures are still fresh; Do you love Him?
Even when we fail, Jesus is faithful.
He will restore you.
“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” – 2 Cor. 13:8
The truth stands outside of us, there is nothing we can do to alter what is true. We can only side with & promote the truth.
“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” -Acts 8:39
This is the end result of an encounter with God’s Holy Spirit: rejoicing.
Remember what this whole incident started with? The word of God!
“Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your son lives.‘ So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way” – John 4:50
Only Jesus can speak with such authority.
What wonderful words for a father to hear.
Only Jesus can bring us from death to life!
