To Judge Ourselves Part 6 – Do Not Fear

To Judge Ourselves

Part 6 – Do Not Fear

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We spent the last year looking at what the Book of Acts had to say about the founding, operation and behavior that the Lord expects from us as individuals, and as a church, or congregation of believers.

We then spent a few weeks looking at the letters that Jesus sent to the seven churches in Revelation, telling them where they were going right, and wrong, as well as what the punishments and rewards would be.

A few weeks ago, I took all of those letters, and compiled them into one letter from the Lord, to us.

Our new series will take a look at each of the points Jesus made in that letter, and we will not only examine our church as a whole, but ourselves as individuals.

2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

2 Peter 2:4-10 "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell^[a] and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;^[c] 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked ⁸ (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); ⁹ then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially those who indulge^[e] in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority."

We have already looked at Jesus speaking to us about hard work, not tolerating wicked people in the church, and testing those who claim to be apostles, but are nothing more than false prophets, and last week we spoke on perseverance, and enduring hardships for His name, Spiritually Rich during times of affliction and poverty.

Last week we looked at being slandered.

This week we will look at Not Being Afraid.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Revelation 2:10

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown."

I.         SUFFERING THEN, AND NOW IN LIFE

a.      It is going to happen in our lives

                                                             i.      Hard times

                                                          ii.      Financial situations

                                                       iii.      Family or relationship troubles

                                                         iv.      Anything that can be thrown at us to keep us from our calling

b.     Who is the cause of it?

                                                             i.      The scripture tells us it's the devil.

1.      Why? To stop us from serving God, and prevent us from doing God's Will on earth.

                                                          ii.      Jesus was tested in the wilderness in Matthew by the devil.

                                                       iii.      Matthew 13:38-40 "The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

                                                         iv.      John 8:43-45 "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.⁴⁵ Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!"

                                                            v.      The devil prompted Judas to do his will

                                                         vi.      Peter was tempted by Satan to tell Jesus not to go to the cross.

                                                      vii.      Acts 13:10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?"

c.      Warnings

                                                             i.      1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

                                                          ii.      Ephesians 4:27 "do not give the devil a foothold."

                                                       iii.      Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."

                                                         iv.      James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

II.      HOWEVER, DO NOT BE AFRAID

a.      1 Peter 3:13-15 " ¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”  ¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"

b.     Revelation 1:17 "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last."

c.      John 14:26-27 "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

d.     Hebrews 13:6 "So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

III.  INSTEAD, BE FAITHFUL TO THE END

a.      Remaining faithful during suffering and persecution

b.     Remain faithful to the end, and receive the Victors Crown

                                                             i.      "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown."

CONCLUSION

We will face storms in our lives. Hard times, tribulations, and troubles which are brought about by the devil to keep us from the things in life the Lord has given.  Peace, joy, happiness, and our service and dedication to living the Will of God on earth.

The devil wants us to fear what he may do in our lives, however, we can stand against him and his attacks in the power of the Lord, putting on the whole spiritual armor of God, resisting the devil, and remaining faithful to the end.

The Lord promises that we will receive everlasting life as our victors crown if we do so.

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