COME TO THE CROSS Pt. 4

                                                                                                                                        INTERCESSION - INTERVENTION

Highlights from Pastor Jerry’s Sunday, July 28th Message

We are believing to see God extend our Hope Centre Family Church boundaries and to see every personal stronghold wiped out!

God wants us to exalt Jesus always!  It’s joy unspeakable and full of glory! Pastor Jerry said, “I long for the afterglow services from my newly “born again” days!”  You do not have to hype people up when Jesus is present.  What are the strongholds or boundaries that are preventing you from praising God? 

 Proverbs 6:1 6 says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

17  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,18  a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,19  a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

God directed us to put up a Prayer Wall Cross with photos of family, friends, etc.  Jesus didn’t die on the Cross and suffer a horrendous death for us to have a “push button” faith. WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO BASICS!  Many churches have taken down the Cross and do not mention the Blood for fear of offending some.

Hebrews 2:3 tells us, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?!” It important that we understand the Cross of Jesus Christ!

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[d] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross “ (Colossians 2:13-15).

INTERCESSION is an INTERVENTION on behalf of people in need.  We don’t realize what principalities and powers we have allowed to keep us in bondage. (I.e. _ When you go to the doctor he may ask, for example,“Does anyone in your family have arthritis ? The Holy Spirit examines us and exhorts us to intercession (intervention).

Pastor Jerry recalled an incident in which a woman came to here for healing from arthritis. He received a word of knowledge that she had hatred towards her mother.  When she confessed that she did her clawed hands opened up and she was set free.

Jesus’ blood has made us free and given us authority to invade principalities and powers. Nehemiah 13 is an example of how the Israelites allowed the enemy to take up residence in the temple.

Jesus watches over us every moment. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous…” (Psalm 34:15) Jesus is not a religion – it is a personal relationship.  It is not His will that any perish but all come to repentance. He prompts us to intercede (intervene) – perhaps on behalf of our children, a friend in need, a situation, for a nation, etc.   We cannot afford to waste our lives trapped in bondages and torment. 

We are citizens in the Kingdom of God… bought by the blood of Jesus.  God sees us as saints; the blood of Jesus has made us whole. (1 John 1:8-10) But that does mean that we can continue in sin.  There are boundaries God has set up that are His “Promised Land” for you and me. Just like the Israelites we have come out of slavery, out of bondage. The Israelites came out by the millions.  God declared, “Let My people go that they may worship me!”  They were joined with a mixed multitude who eventually turned to worship a golden calf.  

In Ephesians 1 the Apostle Paul, after his Damascus Road experience prayed that…

“the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your [f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality[g] and [h]power and [i]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

We must return to the basics! It is a call to respond to the abundant life. (John 10:10) Jesus is building His Church and it’s back to basics! 

Psalm 139:23, 24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”