A SPIRIT FILLED MINISTRY
Pastor Larry Gatlin, So Oregon
Hey Folks I want us to look at a portion
of scripture that has been blessing me lately. I am going to focus on certain
verses and let you read the text for yourselves.
Let's
look at Matthew 11:1-24. Again I'll just key on a few scriptures that have
blessed me. But the whole text is relative to what Father is doing and the
Kingdom.
I'll
just put the text down and then place my thoughts at the appropriate places.
Matt 11:1-24
Now
it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He
departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of
his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look
for another?"
4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you
hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed
and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached
to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
JESUS SETS THE BAR HIGH FOR SPIRIT FILLED MINISTRY:
1.
THE BLIND SEE
2.
THE LAME WALK
3.
THE LEPERS ARE CLEANSED
4.
THE DEAF HEAR
5.
THE DEAD ARE RAISED
6.
THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL (THE GOOD NEWS) PREACHED TO THEM)
7.
BUT THIS ONE IS KEY. BLESSED, (HAPPY) ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT OFFENDED BY
ME."
BLESSED
ARE THOSE WHO CAN RECEIVE ALL THAT I DO, AND SAY.
8.
THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE TODAY WHO WANT TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT THEY
RECEIVE FROM THE LORD AND HIS WORD.
9.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ARE TO BE SEEKING TO DO WHAT JESUS DID. AND NEVER BE
OFFENDED AT IT OR BY IT.
7
As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John:
"What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the
wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments?
Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what did
you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he of whom it is written:
"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way
before You.'
JOHN
CAME TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE CHRIST. IT WASN'T EASY WITH ALL OF THE
RELIGIOUS FOLK AROUND. BUT HE WAS FAITHFUL TO HIS CALLING. JESUS IS LOOKING
FOR "WAY PREPAREERS" AGAIN TODAY. HE IS CALLING US TO HELP PREPARE
THE WAY FOR SUPER NATURAL MINISTRY. TO SEE SIGNS, WONDERS, AND MIRACLES TAKE
PLACE IN THE BODY. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY HE IS CALLING US TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR
SOULS TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM.
WE
HAVE RELIGIOUS FOLK TODAY TOO. BUT NEVER LET THAT KEEP YOU FROM SOUNDING THE
TRUMPET AND PREPARING THE WAY FOR ALL THAT GOD WANTS TO DO.
11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen
one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven
is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now
the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you
are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has
ears to hear, let him hear!
TWO
THINGS HERE.
1.
THE KINGDOM SUFFERS VIOLENCE AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE. THE KINGDOM WILL
NOT STAND STILL FOR STATUS QUO. I HEARD ONCE THAT STATUS QUO IS JUST LATIN FOR,
"DA MESS WE IN." PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM PRESS THROUGH AND PUSH FORWARD
FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGS DOMAIN.
2.
HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR. I SPENT SOME TIME STUDYING THIS THOUGHT. WHEN I
FINISHED I DISCOVERED THAT IT MEANS; GET UNDERSTANDING, CONTEMPLATE AND THEN
ACT UPON.
It FITS TOGETHER. THE ARMY OF THE LORD IS NOT CALLED TO BE BENCH WARMERS. BUT
DOERS.
16 "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting
in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:
'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you
did not lament.'
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a
demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look,
a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom
is justified by her children."
20 Woe to the Impenitent Cities
(Gen 19:12-14; Luke 10:13-15)
Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been
done, because they did not repent: 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you,
Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre
and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22
But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of
Judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven,
will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you
had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I
say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of
Judgment than for you."
NKJV
WE MUST ALWAYS STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND
WHAT HE IS DOING.
IT
SEEMS TO ME AS I READ THIS PORTION OF SCRIPTURE THAT THERE ARE GRAVE
CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE WHO REJECT THE WORKS OF JESUS AND THE SPIRIT. IF
THE LORD SAYS THAT THOSE WHO REJECT THE POWER AND WORKS OF HIMSELF
WILL BE WORSE OFF THAN SODOM AND GOMORAH, IT MUST BE A VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
SO LET'S STAY IN TUNE WITH WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING AND DOING. I NEVER
WANT TO MISS ANYTHING THAT THE LORD HAS FOR ME. AND I AM CERTAIN THAT YOU DON'T
EITHER.
…
