MinistrEmail March 2015 – Ever Increasing Never Ebbing

Last month we looked at what it means to go from Faith to Faith and Glory to Glory, with no turning back! This month I would like to share a message that builds upon this and yet is the very foundation also. A few weeks ago I preached this message at my church and as I was finishing the service the Lord spoke very clearly to me and said “THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORRTANT MESSAGE YOU HAVE EVER PREACHED”.

Can I encourage you to prepare your heart to receive right now? Listen to the voice of the Spirit of God as you read these words and allow Him to minister it to you in power. Let’s begin with the scriptures we looked at last month once more;

Romans 1:16-17 NKJV  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (17)  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV  (18)  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We have already learned a lot from these two scriptures about what the Lord wants for us in this time. That He is moving in power and there will be ‘no ebb’, no receding, no drawing back. Now we have to examine our part in participating in this. God’s grace, supply, Glory and faith towards us is sure, without repentance, without hesitation and without ebb. We cant work for it, however, we have to contend for this by making sure we don’t block or resist or fall short of this grace. To do this we have to examine a place that we must absolutely stay in and refuse to move out of!

Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV  Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:  (15)  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God;lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

As we have said, grace, the favour, supply, and power of God is unearned, however it’s not automatic in it’s outworking in our lives, we must receive the grace of God and not fall short.

How do we fall short? By removing the character and nature of God from how we live.

There is a dynamic of the very DNA of God that is now the very nature of who we are. All of the manifestations of His Spirit, all of the heavenly truths, all of the supernatural increase, faith and glory will only function through this dynamic of Who God is.

Everything in the Kingdom of God works and is empowered by the very essence of God Himself and that is ‘LOVE’!

Now I know you have heard sermons on love before, and I want to encourage you right now  DON’T tune out here. Listen, receive, understand and live this. Love is the never fail ingredient.

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 NKJV  (8)  Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  (9)  For we know in part and we prophesy in part.  (10)  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

This is a phenomenal statement when you meditate on it! The Lord is bringing us to a place of wholeness where “that which is in part will be done away” What is the context here? Love, and it’s absolute connection to every manifestation of the Spirit.

Love is perfect because God is Love

Love never fails because God is Love

Love is the force (Himself) empowering every manifestation of the Spirit because 

God is Love!

Let me give you some examples of ‘how to ebb’

Luke 22:31-32 NKJV  And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  (32)  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

This scripture makes it clear that if Jesus prayed that Peters “faith fail not”, it was then possible for his faith to fail! How?

Galatians 5:6 KJV  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

1 Corinthians 13:2 NKJV  (2)  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13 is the very center principle of all of chapters 12-14. All of the manifestations or gifts of the Spirit work by Love. In a similar way an engine works by fuel, your faith works by Love. If an engine has no fuel it will not work. If your faith has no Love it will fail! Let’s look at what Jesus taught us about the operation of faith.

Mark 11:20-26 NKJV  Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  (21)  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”  (22)  So Jesus answered and said to them,”Have faith in God.  (23)  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  (24)  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  (25)  “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. (26)  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Jesus teaching on operating in the God kind of faith, supernatural faith, did not end with “…and you will have them”. The very next word is “And…” You don’t begin a whole new topic with “and” it is a continuation of thought. Verse 25 and 26 are crucial. Jesus said “and” (connecting this to what He had just taught about prayer) “whenever you stand praying”. “Whenever” means whenever. In other words there is not a time that you pray, that you can do so without making sure you are walking in forgiveness. Why?

(25)  “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  (26)  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

This didn’t say God does not want to forgive you or even that He is holding back forgiveness. God cannot be in unforgiveness, He cannot sin! He is Love.

Examine these words “…that your Father in heaven MAY…” The truth is that if we refuse to forgive others God’s forgiveness will not work in our lives. We literally reject it! We block it.

Jesus is teaching us that if we don’t live a life constantly walking in love, releasing others from what they have done or said against us, or what we perceive they have done or said against us, then the Love of God is not allowed, by us, to work our faith.

Do you remember when Jesus taught His disciples to pray?

Matthew 6:12 NKJV  And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

Luke 11:4 NKJV  And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”

Of course your forgiveness was obtained through the blood of Jesus, not your own merit or your own works, and His grace has saved you “through faith”. It was His Love that empowered this saving grace that you received for salvation. That forgiveness has never been pulled back, and you do not loose your salvation by stepping out of love, however your daily application of the force of faith is affected in the absence of Love. You literally push back on His forgiveness, His Love when you refuse to Love and forgive another.

In the absence of Love, you will begin to believe something other than God’s Word, specifically what the devil wants you to believe, this is unbelief rooted in fear. Fear is faith in reverse, operating on the same spiritual laws as faith. Romans 10:17 says that “faith is the substance of things hoped for” And so the opposite is true also; “fear is the substance of things dreaded”

The answer? Get rid of fear! How?

1 John 4:18 NKJV  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

In Mark chapter 11 Jesus is teaching how the Faith of God, that we should have and operate in, works. Not only in its application of believing and speaking but also in understanding that forgiveness is crucial. Here is another reminder for husbands (that would be me) about the operation of the force of Love in our prayer life.

1 Peter 3:7 NKJV  Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

We already know that the admonition to all husbands is “love your wife as Christ Loved the Church and gave His life for her…” So the bottom line in this scripture is if you don’t treat your wife right by walking in Love your prayers will not work.

I believe that a move of God has begun on the earth where His power is once again seen and manifest in ways that great revivals of the past have seen, but at this time in a way that will increase and not ebb. His presence as we worship will be overwhelming and full of answers, healings, manifestations and breakthrough’s however, when we are in this powerful place lets also remember this instruction from Jesus;

Matthew 5:23-24 NKJV  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  (24)  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

You might say, “yes but I have nothing against my brother or sister, it’s their problem with me”. Exactly! Will you walk in Love enough to go and make it easy for them to forgive you and get right with you so that their faith will work?

Before we enter into worship ourselves, shouldn’t we do everything we can to walk the Love walk?

The World knows Jesus for His miracles of walking on water, raising the dead etc. etc. The world is to know us, Christians, disciples of Jesus by our Love one for another. That doesn’t just mean that we smile at each other a lot! It means the manifestation of the Nature of God is so amongst us that His power is flowing through us to the world in the same works that He, Jesus did and greater works!

No turning back!