06/05/2020
Introduction
Good moments and peace of the Lord be with you all. My name is Peter Awa. I am the Deacon of the Harvest of Christ Ministry Church (HFCM) - Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. This is a local church. The church has been established in 1997 in Jiwaka, Nondugl District. The Church is 23 years old. Our primary objectives of this church is to preach;
Holiness -preach the truth of Jesus Christ. Observe the Word and live up with it diligently
Turn away from Sin and Satan - strictly say no to Sin and Satan's related acts/doings that would destroy our lives
Sweat/Honest Living - live a blessed life through sweat and honest earnings.
Sermon Topic: CHRISTIANS MUST NOT FEAR BUT HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD
Main Bible Verse
Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
We are in trying times. We hear of wars. Nations against each others. Family members up against themselves. Society is fragmented into pieces. As a result there is rise in prostitution, illicit drugs and organised criminal activities.
Currently, we are experiencing this pandemic-pestilence/COVID-19. Many of us are living with fear. We fear death, rapture, unemployment, finance, broken marriage and many more. Despite, these adversaries we must have FAITH. We are Christian people living in a Christian country. We belong to the Almighty God. We serve a living God. We should not fear and doubt what's happening around us.
The Bible in Hebrews 11:6; tells us that we must have faith. Without faith, we will not please God. We have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior through repentance and baptism. The Lord loved us so much and He died for our redemption. He has sanctified and purified us with His precious Blood. Jesus Christ is in you and He is in me. Why should we be afraid? We should fear nobody and nothing at all, period.
Fear is caused by unbelief. When we are possessed with unbelief, we put situations between us and God. This positioning or placement of God away from our lives creates fear. But on contrary, we as Christians should place God between us and the circumstances. This is the profound implementation of belief and faith.
If we should we do that, we are earnestly seeking God in such difficult times. We must tighten our faith with Jesus alone and no other idols of this world. Through faith we are entirely depending on Jesus Christ. This is how we please God, hence God will reward us.
The rewards will be as stipulated in the Scripture below;
Psalm 91:6-9
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
The children of God must have FAITH to please God. Ten thousand may fall at your side, thousand at your right but have solid faith. God will lead you through.
We hear from news that COVID-19 is rising death toll. People are dying in ten of thousands. Unemployment is affecting many lives, food shortage, family members are into isolation, global economy is collapsing. These happenings are signs of end time. Nevertheless, we must have faith with God. God will safely take us through this turbulence to surely secure our eternal comfort.
Let us not be distorted with circumstances around the globe, though its deemed looming. We must be rest assured that Jesus is present with us. Sometimes, Jesus calm the storm. Other times, Jesus let the storm roar but gives comfort and even provides for those who have faith.
Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
In this case, the disciples had Jesus Christ, the creator of the complex universe. Jesus created the wind and the sea. The savior, the comforter and master was among the disciples. Though, Jesus was with them on the very same boast, the disciples still had little faith.
The creator got up and commanded the creation to calm-down. The storm, both the wind and the sea. Jesus then, said to the disciples; "do you still have no faith."
How can we please God without faith? God wants us to earnestly seek Him. Jesus wants us believe and have intense faith that we can command mountains to up-lift and be thrown into the sea. We believe that Jesus is alive today. He has risen from death and today His is seated on the throne. One day He will come back again in the Eastern skies as The Glorious King to judge us. All we need is believe and have faith in Christ Jesus.
Other times, God allows the storm to roar or chaotic circumstances to uproar in our lives. We should not be panicking. God Almighty sees us through. Regardless of the situation, we are is favored and will be victorious. This is what exactly God did to King David.
1 Samuel 23:7-18
7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 David said, “ LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.
11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will.”
13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. 15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Or he was afraid because Saul had come out to take his life. 16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”
18 The two of them made a covenant before the LORD . Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
God has chosen David to be the King of Israel. Though, David knew that very well, yet God allowed him to go through this unfortunate adversary in the wilderness. King Saul and his best armies were pursuing to kill David. In the mist of this unbearable life, David always had his mouth opened, praising God.
He never cease praising and honoring God. David had faith that his God would rescue him and surely He did. God enthroned David as the King of Israel. An ordinary low class shepherd boy becoming the King was unbelievable. Nevertheless, this is how mysterious God works with Christians who have 100% FAITH with God.
Many times, we Christians are led into such situations. We quickly surrender and give-up. We lose hope and confidence. We doubt God and question our faith. How can we please God if we have no faith in God?
We must adhere and hold fast our faith. In such times, God wants to see and test whether or not we would still cling onto our faith. Dear Christian brothers and sister, as long as we are born again and washed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, He will never ever forsake us. Therefore, we must all the time give praise to God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Let us unceasingly praise the Lord. He is our compassionate High Priest. Jesus loved us so much that He died for us. When there is love, there is no fear, hence there is guaranteed high level comfort. This is all because of Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Hallelujah, praise the Almighty God. We should not fear as we are made perfect in God's love. Even if we walk through the darkest valley as David, we should not be afraid. He shepherd rod and staff will comfort us.
Psalm 23:4
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, Or the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
As long as the creator of the entire universe is with us, who will against us. We shall overcome the fear and always be victorious.
Romans 8:31
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
In such turbulent situations, Christians are delivered through test of faith. Most Christians fail the test. Reason being that we do not depend on the Word of God. Our faith may be vested on the government or people. All authority and power in heaven and Earth is bestowed with Christ Jesus. We would not go wrong should we lay our trust and hope on Jesus Christ by observing every law, commandment and decree as stipulated in the Bible. Therefore, the Bible verse below tells us that we must be properly equipped by the Word of God. This is our defensive weapon to fight against Satan and its inflicted fear.
Ephesians 6:14-18
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
In conclusion and exhortation, God wants us to have faith. We can not please God without faith. We have the COVID-19 pandemic. It is really affecting the livelihood of the people. Unemployment rate is increasing, death overwhelming and global trade and economic is crippled. This situation are most likely to affect our belief and faith with Jesus Christ.
Regardless of what we hear and see happening, we must never depart from God's presence. Let us have faith. God sees us through these adversaries simply to make us better understand God. We must repent, confess our sins and have best place of eternal in Heaven with Jesus Christ.
Now is the right timing. Brethren, lets give our lives fully to Jesus Christ and have faith. Tomorrow may never come.
God Bless.
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