Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / The Believer's Authority in Christ pt 3

Transcript

The Believer's Authority in Christ pt 3 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

0:01
Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here.
0:06
Make sure to stay with us till the end, where
0:09
we will share some great resources to deepen
0:11
your faith. Now, let's dive into this week's
0:15
sermon. Good evening, everybody. We're just quickly
0:23
going through the teaching. And the title is
0:26
still The Believer's Authority in Christ. And
0:28
it should be the third one, if I'm not mistaken.
0:31
The believer's authority in Christ. The believer's
0:35
authority in Christ. And, you know, the emphasis,
0:38
right, this evening, right, is actually to, what
0:43
I say, to give us as much evidence as possible,
0:47
right, from the Old Testament text, right, across
0:52
to the time of Christ and beyond to see. That
0:58
the supernatural is real through the power of
1:01
God. That the supernatural is evident through
1:06
the power of God. That we might be able to walk
1:09
in it. We might be able to walk in it. The whole
1:14
purpose of this teaching is to really fill us
1:17
up. So that we can understand and see the supernatural
1:21
across scripture. We can see the supernatural
1:23
across scripture. And by that, we come to the
1:27
epignosis of things regarding the supernatural
1:31
manifestation of the kingdom of God. We come
1:34
to the precise and correct knowledge of it. That
1:39
there will be no doubts at any point in time.
1:42
That there will be no doubts even while you are
1:45
out there preaching. while you are out there
1:49
laying hands, while you are out there walking
1:52
and seeing the kingdom of darkness and asserting
1:55
your authority, that there will be no doubt that
1:57
you will see it evidently, right, through the
2:00
scripture and in your life, in my life, in our
2:03
lives, in our meetings. Amen. So first of all,
2:07
in my last teaching, I explained something that
2:10
actually we do not have, we do not exert authority.
2:15
over a believer or over a person. We don't assert
2:17
authority as such as we assert over the kingdom
2:21
of darkness. What we need to understand, the
2:26
balance of it, of that we don't assert authority
2:28
over another person, right? I said that in my
2:32
previous teaching, that we don't assert authority
2:33
over another person, right? But the balance of
2:36
it, right, means that, you know, as Fred would
2:39
say, that teaching is standing on one leg, right?
2:41
This is the second leg that balances it, is that...
2:44
In the functioning of life, so you can write
2:46
it down, that in the functioning of life, in
2:50
the functioning of life, things in the natural,
2:54
the functioning of life, things in the natural,
2:56
the believer has an influence. The believer has
3:02
an impact. The believer has an impact. Therefore,
3:06
we would say that in the functioning, how people
3:09
function, how circumstances happen around people,
3:12
the believer can assert the authority. I can
3:17
assert authority upon the circumstances surrounding
3:20
someone's life. I can assert my authority as
3:24
a child of God. I can see someone that is healed,
3:27
that is sick, and I can rebuke the sickness.
3:31
That's the circumstance. And the person is healed.
3:34
So I can also see the person, right, under the
3:37
oppression of the devil. The person might even
3:39
be ignorant. And I can assert the power of God
3:43
in that circumstance and the person will be delivered.
3:46
The person will be delivered. Because circumstances
3:48
of life, right, circumstances of life and this,
3:52
you know, natural things, they also respond.
3:56
They respond to the supernatural power in the
3:59
believer. And this is the truth. The circumstances
4:02
of life, the things in the natural respond to
4:07
the supernatural power of God that is in the
4:11
believer. That is in the believer. So while the
4:14
believer, while we cannot push, I mean, while
4:19
we cannot, how do I say it? Push someone's will
4:23
to believe, right? We influence someone's will
4:26
by preaching the gospel. Luke chapter 24. We
4:31
influence someone's will by preaching the gospel.
4:34
Then the person exercises their will in believing.
4:38
So while we cannot affect that, circumstances,
4:42
natural circumstances surrounding people's life,
4:44
the believer, the supernatural power of God in
4:48
the life of the believer, right, can make significant
4:51
impacts. So we can go to Luke 24, Luke 24, Luke
4:55
24, verse 26. Let's start with this. It is written.
5:00
that Christ should suffer and on the third day
5:03
rise from the dead and that repentance and forgiveness
5:07
of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all
5:11
nations. And from Jerusalem, you are witness
5:15
of these things and behold, I'm sending the promise
5:18
of the father upon you, but stay in the city
5:20
until you are clothed with power from on high.
5:24
So he said, repentance and forgiveness of sin.
5:27
will be proclaimed in his name, right? Will be
5:32
proclaimed in his name. And Romans 10, right?
5:36
Romans 10 would give more clarity on that. Romans
5:40
10 would give more clarity on that. And it will
5:42
further and say, Romans 10 from verse 8, right?
5:47
From verse 8. But what does it say? The word
5:50
is near you in your mouth and in your heart.
5:53
That is the word of faith that we proclaim. So
5:57
you see there in Luke 24, forgiveness of sin,
6:01
repentance and forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed
6:05
in his name to all nations. And here he says
6:09
that that's a word that we, that word of faith
6:12
that we proclaim. Because if you confess with
6:16
your heart that Jesus is Lord and believe in
6:18
your heart that God raised him from the dead,
6:20
you will be saved. So he's talking about believing.
6:24
the repentance and forgiveness of sin through
6:26
Christ, right? So it's bringing us together that
6:30
a man is only saved, right? By believing in the
6:34
message that we proclaim to you, which is repentance
6:36
and forgiveness of sin that is proclaimed in
6:39
the name of Christ. So we see that, that we cannot
6:42
influence anyone except through the part of the
6:45
gospel. So through the gospel that how we influence
6:47
men and they have to believe, they have to take
6:50
a position. of believing in the message that
6:56
they have received. While that is true, right?
7:00
Circumstances surrounding people's life, the
7:02
believer has a lot of influences. So we can actually
7:06
supernaturally affect what happens in the natural.
7:09
Let's go to 1 Corinthians 12. 1 Corinthians 12.
7:13
So 1 Corinthians 12, when we start talking about
7:15
the gifts, right? You will see that in that first
7:19
few paragraphs, In those first few verses, the
7:25
emphasis was actually on these gifts and for
7:30
the common good. For edification, for the common
7:33
good, for the good of the church. 1 Corinthians
7:36
12, from verse 4. Now there are varieties of
7:41
gifts, but the same spirits, and there are varieties
7:44
of service, but the same Lord. And there are
7:47
varieties of activities, but it is the same God.
7:50
who empowers them all in everyone. To each is
7:54
given the manifestation of the spirits for common
7:59
good, right? As we say, for common good. So Jesus
8:01
said for, you know, everybody's profiting, right?
8:05
For the benefit of the church, for the benefit
8:07
of everybody. For to one is given through the
8:09
spirit all trends of wisdom and to another all
8:12
trends of knowledge according to the same spirit.
8:14
And it continues in verse 11 says, All these
8:19
are empowered by one and the same spirit who
8:21
apportions to each one individually as he wills.
8:25
So as we come together in our meetings, right?
8:28
As we come together in our meetings, as people
8:30
desire these gifts, right? They walk in them,
8:33
right? You desire to prophesy, you walk in prophecy.
8:36
You desire to walk in the gift of faith, you
8:39
walk in it. You desire to walk in the sermon
8:42
of spirit, word of wisdom, word of knowledge,
8:44
you walk in it because it says as each of them
8:46
will. But one thing is certain there, or one
8:48
thing is emphasized there, is that for the common
8:51
good, right? For the common good, it means for
8:55
us, for the benefit of us, or that we are edified,
8:59
right? Now, when we come to chapter 14, let's
9:04
come to chapter 14 of the same 1 Corinthians.
9:07
Do we observe that when they start teaching about
9:09
prophecy and tongues, When we start teaching
9:13
about prophecy and tongues, towards the end,
9:15
Apostle Paul introduced something which included
9:21
the unbeliever as a beneficiary in prophecy and
9:30
tongues. So if you read from verse 20. of chapter
9:34
14 of 1 Corinthians. So brothers, do not be children
9:38
in your thinking, right? Be infants in evil,
9:40
but in your thinking, be matured. In the law,
9:43
it is written, by people of strange tongues and
9:46
by lips of foreigners will I speak to these people.
9:48
And even when they will not listen to me, says
9:51
the Lord. Those songs, those tongues are not
9:55
a sign for believers, but for unbelievers. While
9:59
prophecy is a sign, not for unbelievers, but
10:01
for believers. If therefore the whole church,
10:04
you see, from verse 23, pay attention. I say,
10:07
if therefore the whole church comes together
10:10
and all speak in tongues and an outsider or unbeliever
10:14
enters, will they not say that you are out of
10:17
your minds? But if all prophesy, and there's
10:21
an unbeliever in church, right? If all prophesy
10:23
and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted
10:28
by all. He is called to account by all. the secret
10:32
of his heart are disclosed. And so falling on
10:35
his face, he will worship God and declare that
10:38
God is really among you, right? He will worship
10:43
God and say, God is really among you. So he painted
10:47
this picture of the fact that when we are together
10:51
and we have supernatural outrances, right? When
10:55
there's supernatural outrance and there is prophecy,
10:59
right? An unbeliever, right, can receive a word
11:04
from prophecy. So in the supernatural expression
11:07
of the believer, right, an outsider, when it
11:12
comes as prophecy, an outsider can receive a
11:16
word, can receive instruction, can receive direction,
11:19
can have an understanding and say truly, right,
11:24
just to say truly God is really among you. So
11:27
here we see that when it comes to the supernatural,
11:30
is something that will benefit the church. And
11:34
when we prophesy, someone from outside can also
11:38
benefit from it. So we can therefore say the
11:43
supernatural gifts and supernatural utterances
11:45
are both for believers and a believer can receive
11:50
instructions from it. We can instruct an unbeliever,
11:55
an outsider, because we have received a word.
11:59
Right. By the spirit. This is what happens when
12:01
we go for evangelism. And then we meet people
12:04
on the street and we receive a word for them.
12:07
Right. And when they receive this word, they
12:10
are edified, they are blessed. They confirm and
12:13
say, truly, truly, I know that you have come
12:17
from God. Of course, sometimes some of them don't
12:20
still believe after they receive this supernatural
12:22
word of instruction, clarity, the secret of their
12:26
hearts made known to them and their directions
12:29
are given unto them. Sometimes, I mean, sadly,
12:32
they still walk away. They still walk away, but
12:35
they can also benefit in this supernatural manifestation
12:39
that comes from. the believer, right? They can
12:42
benefit from that. So what we are seeing here
12:44
is that both the believer and unbeliever, right?
12:47
They can benefit from it, but it's giving expression
12:50
only through the believer. Supernatural expressions
12:53
only comes through the believer. Please note
12:57
this thing that I said here about the outsiders,
13:00
about the unbeliever who receives a word from
13:05
the supernatural expression of a church. Please
13:08
note it. Because when we begin to see from the
13:11
scriptures I'm going to go through, we would
13:13
notice, right? We will notice that just like
13:18
I said, that in the functioning of life and things
13:21
around us and circumstances around people's life,
13:23
because the believer has an authority, right?
13:28
We can impact and assert influence on those circumstances,
13:32
right? We can impact and assert influence on
13:35
those circumstances. unbelievers are within those
13:39
contexts. So it's about the authority in the
13:42
believer. It's not about the situation. And it's
13:45
not about the unbeliever. It's about the authority,
13:47
the power of God that is in the believer. The
13:50
focus is the power of God that is resident, that
13:54
is indwelling in the believer. So therefore,
13:57
sometimes, right, we can find circumstances where
14:01
we are sat the supernatural power of God and
14:04
unbelievers can be. partakers you know of the
14:08
result of it or the benefits so this is authority
14:12
this is how authority works okay it works responding
14:16
to the one who carries the authority responding
14:20
to the one who carries the authority so right
14:22
now i will begin to check scriptures begin to
14:26
check scriptures um we can check scriptures now
14:31
let's let's go to hebrews 11 12 to 14 hebrews
14:35
11 Let's start from Hebrews 11. Of course, that
14:39
was nowhere I intend to start from, but we start
14:41
from Hebrews 11, right? Hebrews 11, 12 to 14.
14:46
It's a death for from one man and him as good
14:49
as dead. We are born descendants, right? As many
14:55
as the stars of the heaven, as many, right? As
14:59
innumerable grains of the sun of the sea. So
15:03
we can see. If you read from verse 10, it says,
15:35
of sand, right, by the seashore. Now, this is
15:38
actually referring to, in a way, referring to
15:41
Abraham's situation, right, situation in the
15:44
natural, right, reflecting to his situation in
15:48
the natural as good as dead, right, as good as
15:51
dead, as someone in the natural that we do not
15:54
expect, right, that we do not expect to give
15:57
birth. But when we go back, we will see that
16:00
despite the natural situation, right? There's
16:03
a supernatural power of God that function in
16:06
Sarah, right? The supernatural power of God that
16:09
function in Sarah and Abraham. And then they
16:12
give birth to Isaac, right? They give birth to
16:14
Isaac. Now, this is what I'm saying, that circumstances
16:18
surrounding, right? The believer circumstances
16:20
surrounding. because the supernatural power of
16:24
God actually can function. Of course, we interpret
16:27
this and it leads us to Christ. All this, Hebrews
16:30
11, points us to Christ. But we see that the
16:33
man that is as good as dead, like non -functioning,
16:36
became functional, right? The woman became functional,
16:39
even when in the natural is not expected. So
16:43
we see that these things are actually supernatural
16:45
impact of God through the believer. So let's
16:49
check, right, and trace much more. how these
16:52
supernatural activities, right? Do we have them
16:56
in the Old Testament? Do we still have them today,
16:59
right? So that's the main focus of this teaching
17:01
because sometimes we overlook them and that's
17:06
the truth, right? Sometimes we overlook them.
17:08
We overlook probably miracles. We overlook the
17:12
supernatural taking place. Our focus sometimes
17:15
is mostly in the natural and how natural things
17:19
function. But the emphasis here is to raise up
17:24
our faith and direct us much more to see and
17:29
focus more on the supernatural and then expect
17:34
it. That's another thing, that we might expect
17:38
it. So we are so focused on the natural that
17:41
when even we say the supernatural is about to
17:43
take place, we don't expect it. We don't even
17:46
break through from the natural. So, from the
17:50
scriptures, we will see that from the Old Testament
17:52
text, there are a lot of supernatural events
17:55
that happen. And in the, you know, what we call
17:58
the New Testament text, they are still happening.
18:01
And they can happen in our lives. Right? That's
18:04
true. They can happen in our lives. And we can
18:07
see that. So, we can start with Exodus. Right?
18:09
So, let's start our journey gradually with Exodus
18:12
14. Right? With Exodus 14. With Exodus 14. Now,
18:17
we'll go to verse... Verse 15, Exodus 14 from
18:21
verse 15, actually from verse one to 31, but
18:23
we'll go to verse 15. And the Lord said to Moses,
18:26
why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel
18:28
to go forward, lift up your staff and stretch
18:33
out your hand over the sea and divide it. And
18:36
the people of Israel may go through the dry ground
18:40
and I'll harden the hearts of the Egyptians so
18:43
that they shall go in after them and I'll glory
18:46
over Pharaoh. and all the hosts of his chariots
18:50
and his horsemen. And the Egyptian shall know
18:53
that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory
18:57
over Pharaoh and his chariots and his horsemen.
19:00
Then the angel of God, who was going before the
19:03
hosts of Israel, moved and went behind them,
19:06
and the pillar of cloud moved before them and
19:10
stood behind them, coming between the hosts of
19:12
Egypt and the hosts of Israel. And there was
19:15
a cloud and darkness. and it lit up the night
19:19
without one coming near the other. Then Moses
19:23
stretched out his hand over the sea, and the
19:25
Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind
19:28
all night and made the sea dry, and the waters
19:33
were divided. And the people of Israel went into
19:37
the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters
19:41
being a wall to them on their right hand and
19:44
on their left. Right. So we see that they walked
19:46
on dry ground and the water was like a wall on
19:49
both sides to them. So what we see here is actually
19:53
the supernatural power of God taking place and
19:56
functioning in the circumstances of a people.
20:00
Right. Of a people. So we see all those descriptions
20:03
that the angel of God following them. We see
20:05
the cloud. We see the pillar of fire. Then we
20:08
see Moses, a certain authority through the staff
20:11
in his hand and dividing. the sea. Now, this
20:16
happened real. This is not something that we
20:18
say, of course, it points to something, a salvation
20:21
that is to come, but it happened in real life,
20:25
right? I think that's the way I can say it. So
20:27
it happened real. It means a part of God is functional
20:30
through the man of God. And this is supernatural
20:33
events, right? Taking place in the Old Testament
20:37
text, right? Taking place in the Old Testament
20:40
text. Now we see that this took place for the
20:43
preservation of the people. So this took place
20:46
for the preservation of the people. The exercise
20:49
of the supernatural and then someone is preserved
20:52
from trouble. The exercise of the supernatural
20:56
can take place through you and someone is preserved
21:00
from trouble. So we must pay attention as we
21:03
daily live. To know that the supernatural can
21:06
take place through you and someone will be preserved
21:08
from trouble. A people will be preserved from
21:10
trouble. Let's go to Exodus 16. Let's move to
21:13
Exodus 16, just the next page. So this one, they
21:16
are preserved from an enemy. That's what we see,
21:18
right? They are preserved from destruction. They
21:20
are preserved from an enemy. Exodus 16 gives
21:24
another, not another perspective, but another
21:28
deliverance of God. Exodus 16, we can go to verse,
21:34
We can go to verse 9. Then Moses said to Aaron,
21:37
said to the whole congregation of the people
21:40
of Israel, Come near before the Lord, for he
21:44
has heard your grumbling. And as soon as Aaron
21:46
spoke to the congregation of the people, they
21:48
looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the
21:50
glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And
21:52
the Lord said to Moses, I have heard the grumbling
21:54
of the people of Israel. Say to them, As three
21:57
lights you shall eat meat in the morning, and
22:00
you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall
22:03
know that I am God. And in the evening, right,
22:06
Quill came up and covered the camp in the morning
22:08
dew, in the morning dew, right, in the morning
22:12
dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had
22:14
gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness
22:17
a fine flakes like a thin, right, fine as the
22:21
frost of the ground. When the people of Israel
22:24
saw it, they said to another, what is this? For
22:26
they did not know what it was. And Moses said
22:28
to them, right, Moses said to them, it is the
22:32
bread that the Lord. has given you to eat. This
22:35
is what the Lord has commanded. Gather of each
22:38
one of you as you eat. You shall eat and take
22:41
your own man. And those instructions go like
22:44
that. Now, what we see here, right, is also supernatural
22:49
provision. Okay? Supernatural provision. Why
22:53
so many times we try to shift away from it, right?
22:57
We try to shift away from it because there are
23:00
excesses. It does not mean. that there are no
23:03
supernatural provisions, okay? Because there
23:06
are excesses of people saying, oh, all your life
23:09
from January to December, you have to depend
23:11
on supernatural provision. And then people become
23:14
lazy. It does not mean that there are no supernatural
23:18
provisions. And this is one of the things that
23:21
we need to bring back to our knowledge, right?
23:25
When we study the scriptures, that because there
23:27
are extremes to it. that makes people lazy and
23:30
makes people misinterpret the scripture does
23:32
not mean that supernatural provisions does not
23:35
exist. It does exist. Why? For the preservation
23:39
of the people again. So supernatural provisions
23:42
can be made available for the preservation of
23:45
the people. Of course, you know that Israel did
23:48
not eat manna all through their life. They only
23:52
ate it for a period of time. That is what's paying
23:55
attention to, that this supernatural provision
23:57
was provided. Now, if you read from verse 16,
24:00
it said they left a place called Elim, which
24:04
had 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees. That
24:09
is Exodus 15, 27. They left a place. They moved
24:13
from Elim and they moved to the wilderness of
24:15
Sin, right? And there was no water. So they were
24:17
found in a situation. where they couldn't find,
24:20
when they were in a limb, there was no record
24:22
that they said they cried for water. But when
24:24
there was a need, right, there was provision
24:27
made for them. So they ate that, right, and they
24:30
drank that. Don't forget, we'll come to 1 Corinthians
24:33
10 that also later refers to this. So supernatural
24:37
provisions for feeding, it happens, it takes
24:40
place. It takes place. All right, so verse 17,
24:44
chapter 17, let's just go to chapter 17 and see
24:48
the other one. chapter 17 from verse 1 to 6.
24:50
So after they had eaten all of this manna and
24:53
this quail, right, all the congregation of the
24:57
people of Israel moved from the wilderness of
24:59
sin, you see, by stages, according to the commandment
25:03
of the Lord. So in their movements, problems
25:06
arise and supernatural provisions were made in
25:10
their movement as they were moving. So you will
25:13
see that by stages, according to the commandment
25:15
of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim. but there
25:19
was no water for the people to drink. Therefore,
25:22
the people quarreled with Moses and said, give
25:24
us water to drink, right? After they've eaten.
25:27
And Moses said to them, why do you quarrel with
25:29
me? Why do you test the Lord? But the people
25:32
tested there for water and the people grumbled.
25:35
And why did you bring us? And they made all complaints.
25:38
Now, what happened? Behold, let's read from verse
25:41
five. And the Lord said to Moses, pass on before
25:44
the people take in with you some of the elders
25:46
and take. In your end, the staff with which you
25:50
struck the nail and go. Behold, I will stand
25:53
before you there on the rock at Horeb. And you
25:56
shall strike the rock. And water shall come out
25:59
of it. And the people will drink. And Moses did
26:02
so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And
26:05
he called the name of the place Masa and Meribah
26:07
because of the quarreling of the people of Israel.
26:11
And because they tested the Lord by saying, is
26:16
the Lord. amongst us or not. I'll come back to
26:20
that statement. But what we see here is that
26:23
within two chapters, the supernatural provision
26:26
of food, the supernatural provision of water
26:29
within their circumstances, right? Within the
26:34
circumstances of them. So these supernatural
26:36
provisions take place. The supernatural power
26:40
of God walks through the man of God, Moses, to
26:42
make things available for the people of God.
26:46
In quotes, right? So we see that here. And of
26:51
course, when we go to 1 Corinthians, I think
26:55
we should go to John 6, 49 first. Let's go to
26:57
John 6, 49. To corroborate Exodus 16, we'll just
27:01
go to John 6, 49. John 6, 49. Say, your fathers
27:06
ate the manna in the wilderness and they died.
27:10
right? They died. We'll come to that. But first,
27:13
they ate the manna in the wilderness. It means
27:16
there was a provision, right? So Jesus acknowledged
27:18
that, that there was a divine provision and they
27:21
ate this manna in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians
27:25
10 verse 1 to 4 would also tell us that they
27:29
ate and they drank, right? Of course, symbolizing
27:33
many things there. Well, let's see. So for I
27:36
do not want you to be unaware, brothers. 1 Corinthians
27:39
10 from verse 1. That our fathers were all under
27:43
the cloud and all passed through the sea and
27:45
were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and
27:48
in the sea. And they all ate the same spiritual
27:50
food and all drank the same spiritual drink.
27:52
For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed
27:57
them. And that rock was Christ. God said, I will
28:01
be in front of you and you will hit the rock.
28:03
So that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most
28:06
of them, God was not pleased. for they were overthrown
28:10
in the wilderness. So another evidence to show
28:13
that the earth's spiritual food, right, the earth
28:15
is divinely provided food, and the drunk are
28:18
divinely provided water in the wilderness. In
28:23
the wilderness, the earth and they were delivered,
28:27
the earth and the drunk. Now one more, one more.
28:31
So supernatural preservation, we see supernatural
28:34
food made available, drink. Then we see one more,
28:37
Numbers 21, verse 9. Because the believer actually
28:40
can walk in these things, right? We can intervene
28:43
in circumstances like this. Numbers 21, verse
28:47
9. Numbers 21, verse 9. Thank you, Jesus. It
28:52
says, so Moses made a bronze, a bronze serpent,
28:55
and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bites
28:59
anyone, He would look at the bronze serpents
29:03
and leave, right? He would look at the bronze
29:06
serpents and leave. So we see this also as a
29:10
means by which people are being healed, right?
29:12
Divine healing taking place in this place. And
29:16
we will see it also in John 3, 14, right? John
29:21
3, 14 gave the scriptures that as Moses, right?
29:26
As Moses raised, that was now... interpreted
29:28
as a pattern and as a message, right? The message
29:31
was explained from that event that happened,
29:35
right? The message was explained from Moses raising
29:38
the snake. Let's see. John 3, verse 14. It said,
29:45
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
29:47
so was the Son of Man lifted up, that whosoever
29:51
believes in him may have eternal life. So, what
29:57
Moses did there, right, was physical healing,
30:01
right, was physical healing. And Jesus interpreted
30:12
this and said about eternal life. So, here, natural
30:21
life was preserved in John. So we see all, all
30:44
of these. Sorry about the breaking transmission.
30:49
I really know how that opens. I hope we are back
30:53
now. I hope we're able to get Numbers 21, verse
30:55
9. Right? Did we get Numbers 21, verse 9? And
30:59
John 3, verse 14. Yes. Thank you, sir. So, we
31:04
got it. So, now, Jesus explained that in the
31:08
light of eternal life, that if you look at Christ,
31:10
if you believe in Christ, you will be saved.
31:13
So, these supernatural events are taking place.
31:17
Now, before we go further, the question I would
31:20
like to ask, was Israel saved? in these situations?
31:24
The answer is Israel was not saved. Most of them
31:28
were in unbelief, right? Most of them were in
31:33
unbelief in their movement and their walk with
31:40
God. They were in high level of unbelief, what
31:43
I can call high level, right? Because after every
31:46
deliverance and supernatural manifestation of
31:50
God, right? Plus the message of Moses revealing
31:55
Christ to them. They still walk in unbelief.
31:58
So why is the supernatural functioning among
32:01
them? That's the question we would ask. Why is
32:04
the supernatural? functioning among. Do you remember
32:07
that question? They said, is God even amongst
32:10
us, right? God was among them. They were asking
32:13
if God was among them, right? So Israel was working
32:17
in series of unbelief. So we need to know where,
32:20
why is all this taking place? It is because there's
32:24
a man of God there called Moses that is leading
32:27
them and under the authority granted to him by
32:31
God, those things were taken. For their preservation,
32:35
for their healing, despite their unbelief. So
32:38
it's just an authority that the circumstances
32:41
around respond to the authority of the man of
32:44
God, Moses. As he receives instruction from God,
32:48
when Moses receives instruction from God, he
32:51
executes those instructions and the circumstances
32:54
surrounding that respond to him. If it is by
32:57
Israel's fate, nothing will happen. If it is
33:00
by Israel's fate, nothing. will happen. But by
33:05
Moses, right, having the authority, being appointed
33:09
by God to lead them, the supernatural took place.
33:12
So the same way, right, I'm going to continue
33:15
with other scriptures. In the same way, when
33:18
the believer, right, is in certain circumstances,
33:22
the believer can assert his authority, right,
33:26
to put things in place. And unbelievers can benefit
33:30
from it. I mean, it's not unfortunately, but
33:33
it's just the way things are. It's just because
33:35
the circumstances would respond, would respect
33:38
the authority of God in the believer. And this
33:41
is what we must know. Do you remember what I
33:45
was going to do? Let me give us an example in
33:47
the New Testament. Acts chapter 27. I will still
33:53
refer to it again when we continue the teaching.
33:56
Acts chapter 27. It tells you that The unbeliever
34:01
has the authority, right? From God has the authority,
34:05
the power within working in him to put things
34:08
in place for preservation of many, for healing
34:11
of many, for provisions for many. Now let's see
34:14
what, what happened to Paul, right? Paul was
34:16
in the midst of a storm and many were preserved
34:21
through that. Let's see. Verse nine, Acts chapter
34:24
seven, verse nine. Since much time had passed
34:27
and the voyage was not dangerous because, The
34:30
event fast was already over. Paul advised them,
34:35
saying, Sir, I perceive that this voyage will
34:40
be with injury and much loss, not only of the
34:43
cargo and the ship, but also of our lives. You
34:47
see? But the centurion paid more attention to
34:51
the pilot, to the owner of the ship, than to
34:53
what Paul said. And because... The harbour was
34:56
not suitable to spend the night in. The majority
34:59
decided to put out to the sea from there. On
35:02
the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix,
35:04
a harbour in Crete, facing the southwest and
35:07
the northwest, and spend the winter there. Now,
35:10
when the south wind blew gently, supposing they
35:13
had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchors
35:16
and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. But
35:18
soon as the tempestuous wind called the northeaster
35:22
struck down the land, And when the ship was caught
35:26
and could not face the wind, they gave way to
35:29
it and were all driven along, running under the
35:32
lee of a small island called Kauda. We managed
35:36
with difficulty to secure the ship's boat. After
35:40
hoisting it up, they used support and unguarded
35:44
the ship. Then, fearing that they would run on
35:47
the cities, they lowered the gear. Since we were
35:51
violently stormed, they began the next day to
35:53
jettison. the cargo. Now, if you go to verse
35:57
21, it says, since they had been without food
36:02
for a long time, Paul stood up among them and
36:04
said, men, you should have listened to me and
36:08
not have sailed from Crete and incurred this
36:10
injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart,
36:14
for there will be no loss of life among you,
36:17
but only of the sheep. For this very night, there
36:21
stood before me an angel of God to whom I belong
36:25
and whom I worship. And he said, do not be afraid.
36:29
Paul, you must stand before Caesar and behold,
36:33
God has granted you all those who sail with you.
36:36
God has granted you all you, right? God has granted
36:40
you all those who sail with you. So take heart,
36:42
men, for I have faith in God that it will be
36:46
exactly as I have been told. but we must run
36:50
aground on some highlands. So in the circumstances
36:55
of Paul, right, that's a deliverance. That's
36:58
a supernatural deliverance. People who have not
37:00
even believed are part of that deliverance because
37:03
Paul was in that circumstances or rather in that
37:06
circumstance. So because Paul was in that situation,
37:10
right, they gave a revelation. They did not yield.
37:14
Despite their disobedience, There was assurance.
37:19
God has granted you. How did he put it? God has
37:23
granted you. All those who say with you. They
37:26
are preserved with you. They are preserved with
37:29
you. No life will be lost. The believer actually
37:34
carries. The supernatural power of God. That's
37:37
true. Our presence. Circumstances can change.
37:44
True. Our words. Asserting our authority. Circumstances.
37:50
Can change for good. And unbelievers can partake
37:54
in it. That is what we see. People who have not
37:57
even believed. In fact some people probably you
37:59
have preached to. They can benefit from the supernatural
38:02
power of God. Because he is not responding to
38:04
their faith. He is responding to your faith.
38:06
He is responding to your word. And Paul would
38:09
say. Because I have faith. He emphasized on this.
38:13
I have faith. So take at men, for I have faith
38:21
in God. Circumstances of life respond to the
38:25
faith of the believer, responds to the authority
38:28
of the believer. So in the case of Israel, it's
38:32
a similar situation where we see, right, where
38:35
we see that people are preserved, right, because
38:38
there's a leader, there is a man of God that's
38:40
leading them, that's giving instructions, and
38:42
by the authority, We see many signs and wonders
38:45
taking place. Many signs and wonders taking place.
38:50
Let's check more scriptures. Let's check more
38:53
scriptures and see. And see how people also believe.
38:58
In fact, some people wouldn't even believe in
39:00
your message, but they believe in the fact that
39:04
you're a man of God and you can heal. Or you're
39:06
a son of God, you're a child of God, and you
39:08
can pray for them and they can receive healing.
39:12
So let's go to 1 Kings. 1 Kings 17, verse 7 to
39:15
16. And just push through a little bit forward
39:18
to 1 Kings. 1 Kings 7 to 16. From verse 8, right?
39:23
We can say, The word of God, the word of the
39:26
Lord came to him. Arise, go to Zarephath, which
39:29
belongs to Sidon. And dwell there. Behold, I
39:32
have commanded a widow there to feed you. So
39:34
he rose and went to Zarephath. And when he came
39:37
to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was
39:39
there guarding stakes. And he called to her and
39:42
said, bring me a little vessel that I may drink.
39:45
And as she was going to bring it, he called to
39:49
her and said, bring me a muzzle of bread in your
39:51
hand. And she said, as the Lord your God lives,
39:54
I have nothing baked, only a handful of a jar,
39:57
only a handful of flour in a jar and a little
40:00
oil in a jar. And now I'm gathering a couple
40:04
of things that I may go in and prepare for myself
40:06
and son and that we can eat and die. Right. We're
40:10
not sustenance again. And Elijah said to her,
40:12
do not fear. Go and do as you have said. But
40:15
first make a little cake for me and bring it
40:17
to me. And after I would make something for yourself
40:19
and your son. But thus is the Lord God of Israel.
40:22
The jar of oil shall not be spent. The jug of
40:24
oil shall not be empty until the day the Lord
40:27
sends rain upon the earth. And the house hold
40:30
air for many days and the jar of flour was not
40:32
spent. Neither did the jug of oil become empty.
40:35
According to what the word of the Lord. According
40:38
to the word of the Lord that is put by Elijah.
40:41
Now, I know that these scriptures have actually
40:44
been used very well. And many things have been
40:47
done to the scripture. Many challenges and disasters
40:51
have been done to the scripture. And sometimes
40:54
it makes us, it makes us to miss the blessing.
41:02
See, the problem is when a part of the scripture
41:04
is not explained or there's an overemphasis on
41:07
something, it makes us miss the blessing that
41:10
is founded, right? It makes us to miss the blessing.
41:14
So is it that now that, you know, it has been
41:17
bastardized, we can just cut that part out and
41:18
say, we don't know. We have to pay attention
41:20
to it. We have to read it. We have to explain
41:22
it. We have to check it, right? We have to check
41:25
it. We have to pay attention to it. Now, the
41:29
emphasis I'm just going to make for today. The
41:34
emphasis is, he said the jar of the floor was
41:37
not spent, neither did the jug of oil become
41:40
empty, according to the word of the Lord that
41:44
he spoke, right? That was spoken by Elijah, right?
41:50
And this is not the first time he's doing something
41:51
supernatural. So we also see supernatural provisions
41:55
here. In fact, she said, as the Lord your God
41:58
lives. So it means that she understood this is
42:00
a prophet, understood that this is a man of God,
42:03
and for her to make the statement. But the man
42:07
of God had made a statement and said, according
42:09
to his word, nothing. There was a divine provision.
42:12
That's what we can see here. And preservation.
42:15
There was divine provision and preservation.
42:18
You can see that subsequently, even when the
42:20
widow's child died, Elijah raised him up. Right?
42:24
He raised them up again. So these are supernatural
42:26
events that we must still believe God that takes
42:31
place in time and seasons. Right? In this time
42:34
now. Right? In this time now. So we see that
42:37
the man of God spoke a word. By the authority
42:40
of the man of God, there was provision. Right?
42:43
By the authority of the man of God, there was
42:44
provision. So we see supernatural things still
42:48
taking place. And we also see it. We can write
42:51
the scriptures down. These are the scriptures.
42:53
1 Kings 18, verse 14. 1 Kings 18, verse 14. We'll
42:58
pay more attention to it when we come together
43:00
much on Sunday. 1 Kings 18, verse 41, sorry.
43:04
1 Kings 18, verse 41. 1 Kings 19, verse 8. 1
43:09
Kings 18, verse 41. 1 Kings 19, verse 8. And
43:13
you can put in brackets James 5, verse 19 to
43:17
18. James 5, verse 19. James 5, verse 19 to 18.
43:23
You can also put this other scripture, 2 Kings
43:24
2, 14. Let's write all of them down and we will
43:27
get them on Sunday. 2 Kings 2, 14. 2 Kings 2,
43:32
21. 2 Kings 2, 14. 2 Kings 2, 21. And 2 Kings
43:38
3, verse 17. 2 Kings 3, verse 17. Now, these
43:42
are events where people who are the authority.
43:46
To function in the office of a prophet, exercise
43:50
their authority. And we see what happened in
43:53
those situations. And we say we are kings, we
43:57
are priests, we are prophets. And therefore,
44:01
we must believe that the supernatural can function
44:05
amongst us. We can heal the sick. We can raise
44:08
the dead. We can make the lame to walk. We can
44:11
make the deaf to speak, the dumb to speak, the
44:14
deaf to hear. This is the power of God in us.
44:18
And it will be evident. So it just shows much
44:22
more that the believer has so much authority
44:24
that needs to be exercised. So much authority
44:26
that we must pay attention to in our daily life.
44:29
So much authority that we must make sure that
44:32
our faiths Let me say this, our faith must be
44:36
in God first, right? In God first, then other
44:41
what we call probably drugs and natural things
44:44
and all other circumstances, right? So it's not,
44:47
sometimes, for example, someone is first sick,
44:50
the first thing is drugs. Yes, drug is fine.
44:52
And of course, we know that in this church, we
44:54
don't say you shouldn't take drugs. You have
44:56
to take drugs, you have to follow the medication.
44:57
I was sometime not feeling well. We prayed, I
45:00
received healing and I still went to Astenem.
45:02
and the doctor did what he wanted to do, and
45:04
I'm fine. And I still believe that it's not just
45:08
what about the doctor did, it's about the fact
45:10
that I've been prayed for, right? And the doctor
45:12
had to just make that manifest. So it works together.
45:16
So primarily, right, we must set our hearts,
45:18
right, we must set our hearts to believe that
45:20
as believers, right, supernatural power of God
45:24
is at work in us. When we see circumstances,
45:26
we are first of all... to say, okay, God, we
45:29
believe in your intervention by the power at
45:32
work in us in this circumstance first. And that
45:35
helps us to grow in faith in God. In fact, sometimes
45:39
you will see the manifestation immediately. So
45:42
this is what we must set our heart to do, that
45:45
the supernatural is a reality, is a reality in
45:48
our midst. I know many people that have been
45:50
sick. We have prayed for, we have seen healing
45:53
come to place in this church. You know, one of
45:55
the things we will do. right maybe when we continue
45:57
this teaching there's a part that we're testimony
46:00
the raw testimony of people play in healing you
46:04
know we've not really paid attention to that
46:06
i'm sure with time we'll pay attention to that
46:08
where people would have to share their testimonies
46:10
of healing and from there people can begin to
46:13
heal can begin to receive healing others that
46:16
have been trusting god So what we'll do is to
46:18
pay attention to these things and trust God.
46:20
But this evening, we want to conclude, I want
46:22
to conclude with this, that you say to yourself
46:24
that I'm a believer and the supernatural power
46:28
of God is at work in me. I put circumstances
46:31
into order. I put things into order. I put chaos.
46:37
I put chaos into order. I take away... darkness,
46:40
and I bring light to every situation I find myself.
46:44
Oh, many people around me benefit because of
46:47
the supernatural power of God in me. Many people
46:49
around me are preserved because of the supernatural
46:52
power of God in me. I see it evidently. Oh, as
46:56
I also go to preach, I preach, the supernatural
46:59
takes place. The supernatural takes place, then
47:01
I preach. Oh, all working together to bring,
47:04
oh, to bring the manifestation, of the kingdom
47:10
of God in our midst, to bring the manifestation
47:13
of the kingdom of God through us. Father, we
47:17
thank you for the supernatural. It is evident
47:19
in our midst. We believe it. We walk in it. We
47:22
have faith. Oh, thank you for supernatural provision,
47:25
supernatural preservation. Oh, thank you, Jesus,
47:28
for supernatural healing. We're thankful you
47:33
joined us today. Don't forget to subscribe so
47:37
you're always connected to our latest sermons.
47:40
You can also explore more about NECF on our website
47:44
or follow us online. We look forward to having
47:47
you with us next time. God bless.