I. Sometimes we have lost the awe and appreciation of Jesus’ sufferings because we have seen the movies; participated in the pageants and plays; heard the sermons; taught the lessons; and read the scriptures. Further, it is easy, after a long walk with God and involvement in ministry, to seek the new and ignore or forget the basics.
A. Jesus faced Travail in the spirit; Torment in the soul; and Trauma to the flesh
B. Less we let another holy week pass with indifference, I thought it would be good to spend a few moments revisiting Jesus Christ’s Suffering
1. To perhaps renew our appreciation
2. To perhaps cause us to delve into a passage
3. To refresh our memory of the scriptures apart from movies and plays.
II. Let us begin with Isaiah 52: 14; 53: 2-9
A. Visage & form marred more than any man
B. Despised and rejected by man and we did not esteem Him
C. We reckoned Him stricken and afflicted, as if He deserved it
D. Yet, HE has borne our griefs; carried our sorrows; was smitten by God; wounded for our transgressions; crushed for our iniquities; chastised for our peace; LORD laid our iniquity upon HIM; was imprisoned and judged to be cut off from the living.
E. These He did without opening His mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter
Matthew 16:17-19
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah,
for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Rob Canet
The Reason for Your Loss of Hope and Joy
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (first part of John 10:10). The result is a
loss of hope and doubt in God. This is especially prevalent in our present times.
Constant messages of doom and gloom in the context of world events beat on our
hearts and minds like heavy, unceasing rain. We’ve only human, and can’t take
the unending battering forever.
The only antidote or remedy is to turn our thoughts back to Jesus. He never left
or forsook us, but rather we let our focus drift away from Him. He is yearning for
us to come back to His arms, the Harbor of Peace. He gives us the peace that
passes all understanding. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
minds through Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:-7). Also see John 14:27. “Peace I leave with
you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. We need not know how or why it
works, but just believe it works by faith.
Just as a tiny rudder turns a big ship, so a tiny amount of faith can move a
mountain. See Matthew 17:20. “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your
unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will
say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will
be impossible for you.” Also see John 14:1. “Let not your heart be troubled; you
believe in God believe also in me.” The last part of the answer is in the last part of
John 10:10. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly.” If you have life abundantly, there is no room in your mind to dwell
on loss of hope and joy.
So let these scriptures be the answer to your loss of hope and joy. In the name of
Jesus, there is power, more power than any weapon man or the Devil has, has
had, or ever will have. Call on that precious name, truly believe, and have faith
that Satan has to flee!
1 Corinthians 1:25-27
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise,
and God has chosen the weak things of the world
to put to shame the things which are mighty;
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal,
as to babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food;
for until now you were not able to receive it,
and even now you are still not able;
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy,
strife, and divisions among you,
are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
Philippians 3:12-14(NKJV)
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on,
that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended;
but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind
and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God
Proverbs 1 (NKJV)
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Judges 2:1-3(NKJV)
1 Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said:
“I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers;
and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you.
2 And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land;
you shall tear down their altars.’
But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?
3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you;
but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ”
Hebrews 12 (NKJV)
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the [c]chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present,
but painful; nevertheless,
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it.
Psalm 139
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
Hebrews 12:2 (NASB1995)
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,
who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Matthew 7
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me
, you who practice lawlessness!’
Revelation 2 (NKJV)
The Loveless Church
1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand,
who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience,
and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not,
and have found them liars;
3 and you have persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
4 Nevertheless I have this against you,
that you have left your first love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
repent and do the first works,
or else I will come to you quickly
and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
The Persecuted Church
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich);
and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not,
but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.
Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
The Compromising Church
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.
And you hold fast to My name, and
did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr,
who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there
those who hold the doctrine of Balaam,
who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel,
to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.
And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written
which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire,
and His feet like fine brass:
19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience;
and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
]20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you,
because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality
and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her
into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know
that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.
And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
25 But hold fast what you have till I come.
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father;
28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
————————————————————————————————————————-
Revelation 3 (NJKV)
The Dead Church
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:
“I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief,
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments;
and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life;
but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
The Faithful Church
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who
opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not,
but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet,
and to know that I have loved you.
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere,
I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world,
to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God,
and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God
and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven
from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,
the Beginning of the creation of God:
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—
and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich;
and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
Revelation 1
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.
And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man,
clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
16 He had in His right hand seven stars,
out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,
and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
In the Apostle Paul’s 1st letter to the Church at Corinth, he explains that comprehending God’s word is not a matter of human endeavor
but rather it is by the Illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 says:
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
but the inn Spirit who is from God,
so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom,
but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit),
so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things,
we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit,
using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.”
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NLT
Our ability to understand, interpret and apply scripture is greatly dependent upon the Holy Spirit’s illuminating ministry.
In order for us to access the Holy Spirit’s illuminating ministry,
we must first understand the Filling Ministry of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
When we trusted in Jesus Christ by believing the Gospel of our Salvation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4),
a number of things happened. We were baptized by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13), we were sealed by the Holy Spirit
(Ephesians 1:13-14) and we became new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creature;
the old things passed away; behold,
new things have come.
We now have two natures living in us. We have our old sinful nature,
and our new spiritual nature which is part of our new creation.
God desires for us to be always living under our new creation.
HOW DO WE LIVE UNDER OUR NEW CREATION?
First you must confess any know daily sins that you have committed.
This has NOTHING to do with your salvation.
That was settled when you believed the gospel
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
We Confess our sins for the purpose of fellowship with God and with other believers.
1 John 1:5-9 says:
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him,
and declare unto you,
that God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Verse 9 tells us that when we confess our sins to God (our daily sins),
He forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Whenever we sin we break our fellowship with God,
and we need to confess them in order for our fellowship to be restored.
Once we are back in fellowship with God, then we need to apply Ephesians 5:18
which has to do with the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit,
who indwells every believer in Jesus Christ.
The filling of the Holy Spirit is to be continuous.
In other words, when we apply Ephesians 5:18,
the Holy Spirit will fill us and give us the ability to do the things which please God.
When we sin, we break our fellowship with God and the Holy Spirit
stops filling us until we confess our sins and apply Ephesians 5:18 again.
Ephesians 5:15-18 (NKJV)
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:15-18 (NLT)
“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead,
be filled with the Holy Spirit,”
Verse 15 tells us to be “careful how we walk”. The Greek word for walk is “περιπατέω” (peripatetic – Strongs# G4043),
and means to set one’s lifestyle by, and to live under its control.
Verse 16 says that we should make the most of the time that we have.
And verse 17 states that we are to understand what the will of God is.
It is God’s Will for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
It is in the imperative mood (a command )
It is in the plural form (applies to all believers)
It is in the passive voice (filling comes from something other than ourselves )
It is in the present tense (a continual filling)!
Notice the contrast in verse 18 between being drunk and being filled. Which area of your body is being controlled if your intoxicated? It is your mind. So in contrast,
when your Spirit-Filled the area of your body being controlled by the Spirit is your mind also.
Therefore being filled by the Holy Spirit means that our mind is now under the control of God.
HOW TO APPLY EPHESIANS 5:18 (Filling of the Spirit)
Colossians 3:1-2
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ,
keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above,
not on the things that are on earth.
Romans 8:6
For the mindset on the flesh is death,
but the mindset on the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute,
if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,
dwell on these things.
So in order for the Holy Spirit to illuminate us to scripture, we must be continuously filled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18),
by setting our minds on things above, which are found in God’s word.
