Get off the roller coaster of self-effort and enjoy the life of Christ
Opening prayer:
Praise and Worship: 10 minutes:
Testimonies: 5 minutes
Review: Get off the roller coaster of self-effort and enjoy the life of Christ
Many people are striving in their own efforts to be pleasing to God. They are trying to earn their inheritance. They don’t feel that they can be blessed because they know that they have fallen short of God’s standard. That is our conscience telling us someone must be punished for sin. Ever since man ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we have a conscience. We know sin must be punished. Unfortunately, most believers punish themselves with guilt and condemnation. God desires for you to know that our identity is found in Christ Jesus. All of our sin was placed on Jesus on the cross. We no longer have to depend on our own efforts in order to be blessed. The life we get to enjoy is that of Christ Jesus. Most people do not realize that we already “died” to sin on the cross. Jesus punishment and death was our punishment and death.
Romans 6:6-8 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” We need to realize we are dead to sin and are now alive in Christ. Does that mean we will never sin? No, but it means we are dead to it. It is not how God judges us. Even when we miss the mark, we can be confident that God is still blessing us. We are forever free from the law and its penalties. We can always expect God to bless, prosper and protect us. We can always depend on Jesus’ life and supernatural provision to flow through us.
When you read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, God is not pleased with the older brother who constantly works for his inheritance. God is pleased when realize that the fatted calf, a picture of Christ Jesus, was killed on our behalf to cover our sins. The Father is pleased when we allow Him to give and give and give. We don’t have to perform in order to receive our inheritance. We no longer have to “do” in order to receive the Father’s blessings. We need to realize that self-effort does not please God. What pleases God is knowing that “It is Done!” Jesus finished everything we will ever need on the cross. We can’t forgive, have enough faith, or live a good enough life in order to be blessed. That is self-effort and it doesn’t please the Father. What pleases the Father is trusting that Jesus’ lived a perfect on our behalf. When the Father looks at you, He sees you in Christ. We already died, and now are alive in Christ! Stop trying to “work” in order to be blessed. Rest in Jesus and allow the Father to work through you. When you rest, God will go to work and show you that every promise is yes and amen in Christ Jesus!
Prayer: 10 Minutes:
If there is any situation in your life that needs prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to pray through you for that situation. The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us according to the will of God. It is the perfect prayer and is always answered!
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Share God’s goodness together.
Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Amen