OUR CHALLENGE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST DISCIPLES.THEY TOUCHED HIM, SAW HIM, AND HEARD HIS VOICE- YET THEY
NEVER REALLY FULLY GRASPED WHO HE WAS UNTIL HE ASCENDED TO HEAVEN. NOW
HE LIVES IN US. WE HAVE TO GRASP THAT ONCE AND FOR ALL -THAT HE LIVES IN US -SO WE CAN NOT HELP
BUT HEAR HIM. IT’S A FACT! NOT LOGICAL? NO, BUT IT’S THEOLOGICAL. IT’S GOD LOGICAL! GOD CANNOT LIE. YOU
ARE HIS SHEEP IF YOU RECEIVE JESUS. THEREFORE YOU HEAR HIS VOICE! HE
SPEAKS WITH PURPOSE. SOMETHING HE NEEDS YOU TO HEAR. SO WE MUST HEAR HIM WITH PURPOSE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY STOP UP YOUR EARS
BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO HEAR AND MAKE THE CHANGES THAT YOU KNOW NEED TO BE MADE. THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO HARDEN
YOUR HEART WHEN YOU HEAR HIS VOICE. SATAN DOES NOT WANT YOU TO HEAR GODS VOICE BECAUSE YOU
WOULD QUICKLY BE TRANSFORMED BY IT. FASTER AND FASTER, AS YOU BEGIN TO REGOGNIZE HIM, FROM GLORY TO GLORY. THE VOICE OF YOUR REASONING IS USUALLY NOT THE VOICE OF GOD. THE VOICE OF REASON ACTUALLY GOES AGAINST
THE VOICE OF GOD BECAUSE OUR MINDS ARE NOT BORN AGAIN, ONLY OUR SPIRIT IS. EVEN IF IT’S GOOD, GODLY THOUGHTS.KNOW THAT
SATAN CAN USE YOUR OWN GOOD AGAINST YOU...BECAUSE HIS VOICE IS DISCERNED NOT REASONED. ISA. 30:21 TELLS US THAT GOD SPEAKS BEHIND US SAYING “THIS IS THE WAY, WALK IN IT”. WHY
BEHIND YOU? BECAUSE HE IS YOUR REAR GUARD, HE’S GOT YOUR BACK COVERED. HE KNOWS THE LOCATION OF EVERY
DEMON/SPIRIT ON EARTH AND WANTS TO LEAD US THROUGH THE MAZE. WHEN SATAN
SPEAKS HE’S RIGHT IN YOUR FACE. SATAN TALKS UP A STORM -BUT GOD SPEAKS IN THE STORM. HE CALMS THE STORMS THAT ARE CREATED
BY SATAN. GOD IS STILL SPEAKING…. SATAN’S ACCUSATION FROM DAY 1 IN THE GARDEN
OF EDEN HAS BEEN “DID GOD REALLY SAY THAT?” SEEKING TO CREATE DOUBT ABOUT WHAT GOD IS SAYING. SATAN WANT YOU TO
BELIEVE THAT GOD IS TOO BUSY DEALING WITH THE UNIVERSE TO SPEAK TO LITTLE OLD YOU. GOD’S PEOPLE MUST DISCOVER HOW TO
CONSISTENTLY AND CLEARLY HEAR HIS VOICE, DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY. WHY
HAS THE LORD NOT RETURNED YET? WHY ARE THINGS DRAGGING OUT SO LONG? AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CHURCH IS MAKING CONVERTS
NOT DISCIPLES. THE GREAT COMMISSION SAYS “GO YE AND MAKE DISCIPLES” NOT CONVERTS. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? I’M
GLAD YOU ASKED… THERE ARE MANY SITTING IN PEWS IN CHURCHES ALL AROUND
THE WORLD THINKING THEY ARE SAVED, BUT THEY ARE NOT. WHEN YOU KNOW THE TRUTH, IT WILL SET YOU FREE. BEING A CHRISTIAN IS TO BE LIKE JESUS. THIS IS GIVING OVER COMPLETELY OF ONESELF SO JESUS
CAN LIVE WITHIN YOU AND MANIFEST HIMSELF THROUGH YOU. YOU HAVE TO HAVE GIVEN ALL YOUR RIGHTS, BELIEFS, AND DESIRES OVER TO
HIM. YOU CAN HOLD NOTHING BACK. YOU HAVE TO DECIDED THAT YOU CANNOT DO THINGS ON YOUR
OWN, YOUR OWN WAY. AND YOU ARE DEPENDENT ON HIM.YOU DECREASE SO THAT HE CAN INCREASE. HAVING NO PLANS OR AGENDAS FOR THE FUTURE…NONE
EXCEPT HIS.HE IS ALWAYS ON YOUR MIND…YOU COME TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR HIS CAUSE IF
THAT IS WHAT HE ASKED OF YOU. LEAVING BEHIND ANYTHING AND ANYONE HE ASKED YOU TO IN
ORDER TO ADVANCE THE KINGDOM. WE ARE PRIVILAGED TO BE AMONG THIS LAST GENERATION. BUT, MORE IS REQUIRED OF US – THERE
IS A PRICE TO BE A CARRIER OF HIS GLORY. MANY WILL NOT PAY IT. YET HE PAID A DEBT HE DIDN’T OWE FOR YOU TO BE HERE RIGHT
NOW, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, DEEPLY KNOW HIM. YOU HAVE THE QUALITIES TAUGHT BY JESUS SUCH AS LOVE, KINDNESS,
HUMILITY, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. ALL THAT ARE HIS HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH THE
APPETITES AND THE LUST OF THIS WORLD. IT MEAN’S THAT YOUR HANDS ARE NOW HIS HANDS, YOUR
MOUTH HIS MOUTH, YOUR FEET ARE HIS FEET, YOU MUST BE ONE WITH THE LORD, HE LIVES AND MOVES AND HAS HIS
BEING IN US-NOT JUST US IN HIM. NOT
JUST STRIVING TO LOOK LIKE HIM, BUT BEING AS HIM. WE MUST
SHOW THOSE OF THE WORLD AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF AN INWARD CHANGE. MANY
PEOPLE HAVE INVITED JESUS INTO THEIR HEAD AND NOT THEIR HEARTS. HE REQUIRES ALL OF US. HE WANTS AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH
YOU. TO BE PART OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE. WE
ARE TOLD THIS IS A STRANGE MYSTERY -THIS SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE. BUT IT IS OF CHRIST THE BRIDEGROOM BEING ONE AND INTIMATE WITH
HIS BRIDE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE BRIDE. THE BRIDE THAT HE IS COMING
TO TAKE AWAY BEFORE THE MOST HORRIBLE TIMES THIS EARTH HAS EVER SEEN. WILL BE WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE.HE WOULD NOT HAVE SAID
SO IF IT WASN’T OBTAINABLE. WE CAN BE WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE. MARRIAGE
IS A COVENANT TO NEVER DEPART, TO SUBMIT YOURSELF WHOLEY TO THE OTHER PERSON. IT IS MEANT TO BE AN INTIMATE REALTIONSHIP OF
BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT. THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE BETWEEN US AND OUR LORD REPRESENTS DISCIPLES. SIMPLY DATING JESUS REPRESENTS
CONVERTS. NO COMMITMENT INVOLVED. PERHAPS YOU GO TO CHURCH, SPEND AN HOUR OR SO ON SUNDAY
WITH HIM, AND EXPECT TO GET TO KNOW HIM INTIMATELY.YOU CAN COME AND GO WHEN YOU WANT, AND STILL DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT…NOT MANY ARE LOOKING.
WHO CARES WHAT PEOPLE THINK…GOD KNOWS MY INTENTIONS…. I AM UNDER GRACE. HE
WILL FORGIVE ME. THE LUKEWARM IS GETTING READY TO BE DEALT WITH. GOD WANTS
US TO BE HOT FOR HIM. IF SOMEONE
IS COLD, HE GOES AFTER US.IF
WE ARE IN BETWEEN, HE WILL SPEW US OUT AS SOMETHING DISTASTEFUL. ONLY DISCIPLES
WILL WALK IN THE DEMONSTRATION OF HIS POWER ON THIS EARTH, SIGNS, WONDERS, MIRACLES, DIVINE HEALINGS, THE SUPERNATURAL BECOMING
THE NATURAL. THIS IS THE NEXT THING GOD WANTS TO DO ON EARTH THROUGH HIS PEOPLE. A CONVERT ACCORDING TO WEBSTERS DICTIONARY IS SOMEONE WHO IS BROUGHT OVER FROM ONE WAY OF THINKING TO ANOTHER. CONVERTS ARE PEOPLE WHO CHANGE THEIR MINDS, RECEIVE SALVATION,
SIT IN THE CHURCH PEW, AND
BECOME “SPIRITUAL BUMPS ON A LOG”, WHO SPEND MORE TIME PURSUING PLEASURES OF THIS WORLD THAN THEY DO THE THINGS
OF GOD. SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS, THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM. BEING TRAINED TO WALK IN KINGDOM POWER AND AUTHORITY. IT IS NOT
JUST GOING TO FALL ON YOU. YOU MUST WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING. OF THE ANOINTING, OF HIS GLORY. CONVERTS USE ALL THEIR EXTRA TIME FOR ENTERTAINMENT OF SOME SORT AND FORGET ABOUT THE PEOPLE, EVEN
IN THEIR OWN FAMILIES, WHO COULD DIE AND GO TO HELL. YET THEY THINK
THAT ONE DAY THE TRUMPET OF GOD WILL SOUND AND GOD WILL RAPTURE THEM. THEY WILL HAVE A RUDE AWAKENING. THE CHURCH JESUS IS
COMING FOR TO TAKE AWAY IS MADE UP OF DISCIPLES, NOT CONVERTS. MATHEW 7-21
SAYS NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS LORD, LORD SHALL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. ONLY THE ONES THAT ARE DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
WE MUST BECOME DISCIPLES WHO HAVE GIVEN ALL TO OUR GOD. THEY WILL SAY - DIDN’T WE PROPHESY AND CAST OUT DEMONS
IN YOUR NAME? BUT HE WILL TURN AND SAY… “DEPART FROM ME-I KNOW YE NOT.” THE WORD KNOW MEANS INTIMATELY
KNOW HIM. NOT CONVERTS…BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND NO LONGER LIVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEMSELVES. LET ME CLOSE WITH A STORY I ONCE HEARD. PICTURE A BEAUTIFUL MEADOW, ALL THE WAY DOWN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS MEADOW RUNNING LEANGTH WAYSWAS A FENCE. JESUS IS POINTING TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FENCE SAYING “EVERYONE THAT
IS SERVING ME AND ONLY ME GET ON THIS SIDE OF THE FENCE, ALL OTHERS ARE TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, SATANS SIDE.”
WHILE LOOKINGAT THE FENCE I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE SITTING ON TOP OF THE FENCE. NEXT THING I KNEW, JESUS AND HIS CHILDREN
STARTED WALKING AWAY. THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE FENCE STARTED SCREAMING AND YELLING FOR JESUS TO WAIT BECAUSE HE WAS LEAVING
WITHOUT THEM. BUT THEN SATAN SPOKE UP AND SAID “OH, NO.YOU CAN’T GO. I OWN THE FENCE.” TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT JUST A BUNCH OF RULES TO BE OBEYED. IF YOU THINK LIVING A CHRISTIAN
LIFE IS HARD, FIRST LOOK TO SEE WHO IS LEADING IN YOUR LIFE. DO YOU HAVE JUST ENOUGH OF JESUS TO MAKE YOU MISERABLE? NEVER COMING TO ANY VICTORY
IN YOUR LIFE? NEVER REALIZING THAT HE IS SPEAKING TO YOU AND SO YOU KEEP MESSING UP? OR PERHAPS GOING AROUND THE SAME MTS.
OVER AND OVER, STUCK IN ONE PLACE BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN’T SEEM TO FIND THE TIME TO DIG IN DEEPER. ALWAYS HEARING THAT NASTY LITTLE MOCKING VOICE FROM SOME PLACE INSIDE OF YOU THAT MAKES YOU FEEL
INCOMPLETE AND GUILTY OF SOMETHING …CAUSE YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT QUITE DOING GOOD ENOUGH? CHURCH, IT’S TIME TO KNOW THAT WE KNOW.THERE IS A HIGHER PLACE.WE SHOULD BE FULL OF JOY AND BE OVERCOMERS!
IT’S TIME TO BE HOT FOR GOD, ON FIRE. ALLOWING THE BAPTISM OF HIS FIRE TO CHANGE US, PURIFY US-GET US OFF THE FENCE.
IT’S A CALL TO ALL OR NOTHING, NO MIXTURES. A MIXTURE OF HOT AND COLD
IS LUKEWARM. HE IS BEGINNING TO SPEW OUT THOSE WHO ARE IN THIS CONDITION. THE BIBLE CALLS IT THE GREAT FALLING AWAY, WHICH
TAKES PLACE IN THE LAST DAYS. THOSE WHO ARE HOT, AND EVEN GETTING WARMER, ARE HEARING WHAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS SAYING TO
THE CHURCH. HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR. WE MUST ASK OURSELVES
THIS QUESTION. DO I REALLY WANT TO HEAR? TO BE FACED WITH THE TRUTH, OR DO I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE ON THE WAY I AM, HOPING
THAT I AM “IN ENOUGH” TO TRULY MAKE IT. YET AT THE BACK OF OUR MINDS THERE IS THIS STILL SMALL VOICE THAT ASKS, “BUT WHAT IF I'M NOT”. ~
REV. AMY EDMONSON
