Victory Life KY

FINISH WHAT HE STARTED

Episode Summary

Acts 1:1-2,NKJV- The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen.

Episode Notes

• Matthew 10:1,NKJV- “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”

• Mark 3:13-15,NKJV- “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.”

• Luke 9:1-2,NKJV- “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

• Acts 1:1-2,NKJV- The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen.

• He’s expecting us to finish what He started. Obviously He’s not referring to His finishing of the covenant with His work at the cross, but our assignment as His body concerning all He commanded us.

• Matthew 9:35-38 NKJV- “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

• In 1800, world population was 1 billion. 1900 was 1.6 billion. From 1900 to 2000, it jumped to 6 billion, current population 7.8 billion.

• Our current growth average is a little over 80 million a year.

• Approximately 2.5 billion confess to be Christian 

• How many of you think Jesus still needs workers for the harvest?

• Solomon actually tells us, “The end of a thing is better than the beginning.”

• And contrary to popular religious beliefs, if it was just all up to God, why would Jesus tell us to pray to the Lord to send workers. 

• Here’s the thing, to do what?

• We have to keep in mind exactly what Jesus was doing when He told us to pray for more workers.

• Matthew 9, Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease among the people.

• If we honestly believe the Bible is God’s word, that it is the Christians foundation of truth, that God’s word is a lamp unto our feet. A light for our path. 

• If God’s word is forever settled in Heaven, and we’re suppose to pray His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, if God never changes and His word is truth, 

• At what point did the commission for His first disciples and disciples today change? Especially considering He would know the amount of people that would be on the planet during our time.

• “The things Jesus began to do and to teach.”

• Why is the subject of physical healing not part of the gospel message for a large portion of the church today?

• Why do we have such a struggle with the subject of healing?

• According to Isaiah and Paul, faith for any subject comes from hearing the word of God on that subject. 

• So unless we preach and teach healing, there’s no way there can be faith for healing.

• And I personally believe this is where the change took place within the body of Christ.

• It’s kinda like the law of displacement, basically you can’t have two things in the same place at the same time.

• Matthew 10:1,7-8,NKJV- When He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
• And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

• v.25, It’s enough that a disciple should be like his teacher.

• In Luke, Jesus said, A disciple, when He is fully trained will be like his teacher.

• Think about this, according to what Jesus said in Mark’s gospel, laying hands on the sick is part of the great commission.

• A major key here is moving from an informational approach to the word of God, to a transformational approach. To a spiritual, faith driven approach.

• Ephesians 4:23-24,NIV- Be made new in the attitude of mind; and put on the new self, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD in true righteousness and holiness.

• Who’s honestly going to be willing to not only grow stronger in their faith, but stay in it, until?

• Peter said, God shows no partiality, no bias or favoritism 

• Acts 10:34,MSG- Peter fairly exploded with his good news: It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.

• Hebrews makes it very clear, anyone who comes to God MUST BELIEVE that He is.

• And according to Romans, the only way to change what we believe is to change the way we think.

• If healing is according to our faith, according to what we actually believe, then can we believe any way we want?

• Let's look at it from this perspective, can the lost believe anything they want and be saved?

• Not only do they have to believe specific truths, they actually have to do something specific.

• So what has influenced us to think that healing will be different?

• Remember, knowing Jesus is the healer and believing He actually heals is not the same thing.

• I believe that’s the question we need to ask ourselves, do we honestly believe that Jesus still heals, or are we waiting for a confirmation?

• In other words, are we still walking by sight instead of faith when it comes to healing?

• Remember what Jesus told Jairus? ONLY BELIEVE 

• Luke 5:17,NIV- One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.

• But only the paralyzed man carried by his friends got healed.

• According to this passage, I  believe God actually expects us to live according to our faith.

• Maybe the question is, do we honestly believe the Word of God right in the face of symptoms, of the negative report?

• How much of a demand, an expectation, do we actually place on what God tells us in His Word?

• Remember the example we have from the centurion, "it will be done for you just as you believed."

• One thing I've witnessed over the years is that the overwhelming majority of Christians are simply waiting around for God to do a miracle.

• Have you ever found yourself reasoning away something in His Word because of a negative experience?

• You didn't get the result you were believing.

• We have to stay aware of the reality that there is a real spiritual enemy, the god of this world. And he will be relentless at keeping a believer from walking in truth.

• He knows that if he can keep a Christian from embracing their new life, their only option is human nature.

• Acts 1:1-2,NKJV- The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen.