Jesus died and rose again
to purify our hearts…
deliver us from the power of sin…
and forgive us from the penalty of sin which is
hell.
There is also something else He came to deliver us
from.
Forsasmuch then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through
death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; AND
DELIVER THEM WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH WERE ALL THEIR LIFETIME SUBJECT TO
BONDAGE.
Hebrews 2:14-15
He came to deliver us from the fear of death.
The fear of death holds
people in bondage and as a result they are never able
to submit themselves to
the will of God to accomplish and fulfill
the ministry He has for them to do…
because they fear the consequences.
BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME, NEITHER COUNT I
MY LIFE DEAR UNTO MYSELF, SO THAT I MIGHT FINISH MY COURSE WITH JOY,
AND THE MINISTRY WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD
JESUS,
TO TESTIFY THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
Acts 20:24-
Paul would never have been
able to fulfill the ministry God had for him and finish his course if he had
counted his life dear unto him.
PLEASING GOD AND DOING THE WILL OF GOD,
was more important to Paul than his own life.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it; but whosoever shall LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE AND THE GOSPEL'S, the
same shall save it.
Mark 8:34-35
Notice there is a distinction between the Lord's
sake and the gospel's.
Many live for the Lord and
serve Him by reading their bible, praying, living clean and moral, but never
make any sacrifice to advance the gospel.
The real persecution, sacrifice, suffering,
reproach,
and cross bearing comes for the gospel's sake.
Making an effort to advance the gospel
in a world that is hostile to it.
Saving our life and being unwilling to lose it
renders us ineffective.
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and
die,
it abideth alone: but if it die, it will bring
forth more fruit.
John 12:24
We will never bring forth any fruit until we are
willing to lose our life
not just for the Lord's sake but also for the
gospel.
This is one major reason there is so little genuine
fruit in our day in this country.
It is so much more than just being willing to take
a bullet in the head
rather than deny the Lord and go to hell.
It is daily laying down our life, denying
ourselves,
and allowing the Lord to live through us.
Sin certainly needs to be preached against but sin
is so much more than just the lists we see in 1 Corinthians 6 and Galatians 5.
It is exalting our will above God's will
and living for ourselves rather than the glory of
God.
Luke emphasized we must do
this daily…
And he said to them all, If any man will come after
me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow me.
Luke 9:23
Jesus said He had power to
lay His life down …
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay
down my life,
that I might take it again. No man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down of myself.
I have power to lay it down, and I have power to
take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father.
John 10:17-18
and He gives that same
power to His followers …
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth.
Acts 1:8
To be a witness meant to
be a martyr…
And they OVERCAME HIM by the blood of the Lamb,
and the word of their testimony; and
THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH.
Revelation 12:11
We will never be able to overcome the attacks of
the devil
to stop us from serving God, fulfilling His
purpose, and bearing fruit
as long as we hang onto our lives and are UNWILLING
TO DIE.
We are only fooling ourselves if we think we will
not deny the Lord
on the threat of death when we deny Him on a
regular everyday basis
by refusing to lay down our lives
FOR THE SAKE OF HIM AND THE GOSPEL.
HANDS TO THE PLOW!
~ By Brother Micah
Armstrong.
