Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 1: 27-31 (AMPC); James 1:2-8 (MSG)
From Jesus, with Jesus, to Jesus: I’m first and foremost a Christian before I’m anything else. I’m first a Christian then I’m a spouse, then I’m married, then I earn money, then I have children, then I’m a father/mother. I receive my life from Jesus, I live with Jesus, then I give glory to Jesus. I have a mind-set that always says, “I am first a Christian, I am first a believer, God is first place in my life,” every idea, concept, business practice, worldly practice, every thought that comes my way about life, I then live, manage and judge it according to the Word of God. I am first a Christian, so I obey You in everything, not just some things but everything.
In Christ: As I live for Christ, I depose – that means, I dethrone, take out of its place of authority, significance and power. God uses the foolishness of me living for Jesus so completely to depose, take all the power away from what the world considers to be wise.
Wisdom – Holy Spirit: Everything Pastor John is teaching me in this message requires the wisdom of God to find the balance for my own life. Balancing the ways of God in the way I live and approach life is the key to life. No-one can give me my key to life, only Holy Spirit is the key to my life. But Pastor John guides, leads and teaches me the patterns of God that will give me the wisdom. I don’t keep any options open. There is only one option for me to live; from Christ, in Christ, to Christ.
Ask God for wisdom: If I need wisdom, I ask my generous God and He gives it to me. It is the supreme intelligence and knowledge of God how to live my life. It is such a supreme intelligence that it puts governments and the world in place; that intelligence and understanding God gives to me is the wisdom I need to find out what decisions to make for my life.
Greatest gift I can give myself: I give myself the greatest gift – the permission to live life completely for Jesus. I do so without the opinions, ideas, concepts of others, family matters and issues holding me down and holding me back. I choose life. I’m smart; my choice to have life, is the life of Christ. If I live my life for myself, the more I’m going to find it’s got no real value in the long term. The authentic Christ that has been preached and lived through Pastor John, I understand and see that I can’t just live Christ the way I choose to live Christ. I choose to go all-in for Christ.
True disciple: There is no greater, more powerful force on the earth than a true living disciple. God uses gifts (five-fold ministry gifts) in the Church and world to promote Christ but it is to promote Christ in me so that I become like Christ. The most powerful force on the earth is me living for Christ where I live, being a sold out, dedicated, living example of Jesus Christ everywhere I go. Pastor John and Jesus can’t be there in business with me, but I can be there, and Jesus can be there through me. Christ is then glorified in my workplace.
Live my whole life for God: I want to live my whole life for God because every time I’m in Your presence there is this joy, life and light, I walk out with a greater sense of purpose, energy, a greater sense that my life is on track and it’s in a good place.
Persecution: If they persecuted Jesus, they will persecute me. If I’m a Christian and I’m not being persecuted, then I should question how I’m living. I do not want to fit in with society, I want to fit in with Jesus. I let Jesus be the Light that says, “I’ve got the answers.” The world is desperate for Christians who’s got answers because we are the only people in the universe that have answers. And the most powerful Christian is the one who has an answer for someone’s problem that only I can touch where I am. When I go to work and there are non-Christians there, then I’m the Light to them.
Believe God completely: I’m not to be a person unstable in my ways; believing God one minute and then believing the world system another minute. I believe God completely. I have patience, steadfast and enduring faith. If I’m living in Jesus, my assignment, my marriage, my business, everything will become what it needs to be. There is a great sense of peace and joy and a deep sense that I don’t have to doubt and worry about my future. I have just got to stay steady in You.
Staying steady: Like Pastor John, in moments in my life when the enemy comes against me, I speak and say, “I stay steady now”. I stay steady in Your Word, in my confession, in my prayer life. I stay steady in the storm and say, “Storm, be still in me. You may rage around me, but you cannot touch me. You may have all manner of waves and froth and there might be threatening’s, but in my boat, I am still, and the storm doesn’t touch me”. I am not like a man that is tossed to and fro on the seas of doubt, and unbelief, I am steady in who I am in You, in my life and walk with You.
The Peter Principle: “I love to search out the Peters of life. My spirit calls to them.” Like Peter, I do not seek the safety of my boat. I recognise the identity of Who is walking on the water. I’m looking for Jesus – where is He? When He calls, I’ll see Him and I come. I’m not avoiding risk. I call out and I say, “Is that You Jesus, then tell me to come”. I get out of the boat and I walk. I trust this one thing that Jesus is right there with me. I endure. When I walk on water I don’t fall. I walk the whole way, I stop looking at the waves and the wind, I keep my eyes on Jesus and walk the whole way. I have the power of the Holy Spirit to help me endure my faith regardless of the winds, storms and the waves of life.
To be a Christian: To be a proper Christian is not to be a wimp. I’ll be one of those disciples. I’m going to be the powerful force that Jesus called me to be. I believe the standard that is Jesus.
Heritage of Faith: “I want to, I want to publicly state that I thank you, Heritage of Faith. I thank you for being disciples of the Word of faith. The Word of Jesus Christ because the message that I have preached today, I have stood and preached it with confidence to you because I know that when I’m preaching to you, that you are receiving the Word that I am preaching. And that I could not preach this Word to you if you weren’t ready to receive this Word, and because you are ready to receive this Word and have received this Word, and indeed live this Word the rest of the world is ready to hear this Word and receive this Word and live this Word because there are disciples that live this way in this church. And God had taken His time to make disciples to live in this church this way because there are a people that will live this way. There are a people that will put Jesus first, that receive their life from Him that will live in Him and will give the glory back to Him. And you are that people. Hallelujah. Glory. And God just needs one group like that on the earth and He can say, “I’ve got one”. I’m sure He’s got many, but we are one. Hallelujah. Glory to Jesus. And may the whole world see this and may the glory of God be spread across the whole earth, in Jesus Name. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord” – Ps John Bendixen
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