Victory Life KY

Willing and Faithful

Episode Summary

Jesus makes it very clear that He’s got something wonderful in store for all those willing and faithful.

Episode Notes

• When it comes to our life in God, He never gives us the complete picture because He created us to be people of faith and if He were to give us every detail, then no faith is needed.

• This is why Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

• Being able to live this way comes out of time with God and His word. It’s the things God promise us that develop the faith that is in us.

• Here’s one of God promises that will help, He told us that if we’re willing and obedient we would enjoy the good of the land.

• So our prayer is that this talk inspires our thinking, inspires our faith, to move past thinking that our lives here and now is all there is to a life in God. Seriously, this is the shortest thing a believer will ever do.

• So as we say goodbye to 2020! Let’s help each other refocus our attitudes, refocus our faith and according to Jesus, “OCCUPY TILL HE RETURNS.”

• Listen to the apostle Paul, he makes it very clear that we are to redeem the time we have here because the days are evil.

• “Joshua addressed the People of Israel: “How long are you going to sit around, putting off taking possession of the land that GOD, has given you?”

• So what do say? Let’s make 2021 the year we’re more about the Master”s work. After all, this portion of what we call life is going by quicker than any of us give thought to.

• Jesus makes it very clear that He’s got something wonderful in store for all those willing and faithful.

• Revelation 22:12,NKJV-  “And behold, I am coming quickly, and MY REWARD IS WITH ME, to give to every one according to his work.”

• I truly believe 2020 was a wake up call for God’s people. Statements like, “Behold, I’m coming quickly” should take on a fresh meaning for us all. And I know in my own life, a time of reward from the Lord wasn’t always something I gave much consideration to.

• But the more I began to dig into this subject, there more revelation God was giving me on this subject. Jesus actually talks about reward a lot, so maybe we should give a little more consideration to this reality.

• 1 Corinthians 3:13-14,AMP- The work of each one will become plainly, openly known (shown for what it is); for the day of Christ will disclose and declare it, 
• because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. 
• If the work which any person has built on this Foundation, any product of his efforts whatever survives, he will get his reward.

• Here’s the wake up call, our willingness and faithfulness here and now has significant influence in our life in the next dimension.

• Here’s the revelation every born again has got to come to terms with, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL NEVER BE BASED ON WHAT WE DO, OUR REWARD IS.

• A big part of our reward is absolutely connected to our position in the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Moody was right, what we do here and now is simply training for our next chapter.

• Revelation 5 tells us that Christ has made us kings and priest, and we shall reign on the earth. Take a second, you ever think about what kind of role the next chapter of your life will be? (Parable of minas in Luke)

• God is counting on those that have accepted this truth and are making themselves available for it, embracing the reality that we’re actually in training right now.

• Stop thinking simply from this 3 dimensional world. You are a brand new species of being. Made in the image of your Father.

• Remember, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL NEVER BE BASED ON WHAT WE DO, OUR REWARD IS.

• Don’t think for a second the people that want nothing more from Jesus than to escape hell are going to be in the same class as those willing and faithful in serving Jesus.

• Listen very carefully, God is not a man that He can lie, and He does not change, His ways and His word are forever settled. 

• The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. And without a doubt, God is not a socialist!

• The fact is, the more Jesus can trust you with this life, the more He will entrust you with in the next dispensation.

• When we follow Jesus through the gospels, the thing He talks about more than anything was the Kingdom of Heaven. (150 references in the gospels)

• The crazy thing is, the majority of todays church gives little consideration to the things of the Kingdom.

• But here’s something we should consider, Jesus talked about it so much that some His closest disciples tried securing their positions right then.

• Matthew 20:20-23,NKJV-  “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 
• And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” 
• But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 
• So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

• Jesus repeatedly made this statement, “The greatest in the Kingdom will be a servant.” And possibly one of the most noticeable characteristics will be humility.

• But make no mistake, clothed in humility, God is absolutely looking for those willing and faithful people taking care of His business. 

• Matthew 6:1,3-4,6,16-18,NKJV-  Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

• v.3, But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 
• that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

• v.4, And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 

• v.6, But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

• v.16,Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 
• v.17, But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 
• v.18, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

• This stuff God is dealing with is all a heart thing. He’s talking about our born again lives Jesus died that would could experience right now.
• But if we’re ever going to live supernatural, we’ve got to start talking and thinking supernatural.

• Which means we’ve got to take to heart what the apostle James told us, we cannot continue living a double minded life.

• Let today’s talk inspire our faith to move past thinking that our lives here and now is all there is to a life in God. Let’s help each other refocus our attitudes, refocus our faith and according to Jesus, let’s help each other be about the Master’s work.

• And even though it’s not all about rewards, don’t kid yourself, ask any parent who loves rewarding the children for doing good, our Father is the same way, God wants to reward, He wants to distinguish you! (Esther)

• But here’s the thing, possibly one of the biggest challenges the born again face is embracing a way of living that is beyond here and now. 

• Philippians 3:17-20,NLT- Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 
• For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 
• They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 
• But we are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.

• Revelation 22, I am coming quickly, and MY REWARD IS WITH ME, to give to every one according to his work.

• Matthew 16, Jesus tell us that he will return in the glory of the Father and He will reward each one according to his works.