Transcript: Strengthen Your Faith in Jesus Christ: A Guide to Enduring Faith

Music I was communicating with someone the other day who had sent me a saying of a sincere deceased believer in Jesus Christ who spoke about the human kind of love that we have for one another versus the love of Jesus Christ, which is on an even higher, infinitely higher, not on a human plane. I thought within myself, it is so true, so very true. The love that we have for our precious Savior is an insatiable love that seeks to know him more and more. It is a genuine and a real love and this godly love cannot be satisfied. I wrote back sharing that godly love is on a much higher plane and the heart of the true believer in Christ continually seeks a higher knowing of his love like the maiden in the Song of Songs. Her love at the beginning of her journey was a careless, self-seeking kind of love but as she experienced his love she was driven to know him more and more. Dear listener, it must be known that this love for our Savior Jesus Christ is not of a carnal or a filial kind of nature or love, but it is one that is born out of faith and the distinct divine revelation of who and what Jesus did in his sacrifice for you personally on the cross when he shed his precious blood to save you from eternal death and the grave of eternal pain and suffering. Me too. This kind of love for Christ is not a cheap kind of love. He doesn't owe us a thing. He was the innocent Lamb of God who knew no sin. The high esteem which God has for his human children is the high regard that we should have for him in return, and it is called agape love. This is a divine and supernatural kind of love that belongs to God alone, and dear one, he generously shares this love with those who truly know him and love him. Because of the hundreds of references in the Bible, it is certainly the most remarkable book of love in the world. Nothing compares to it. It records the greatest love story ever written in God's unconditional love for us that he sent his son for us to die on the cross. And when we look at the scripture in John 3, verse 16 We can't help but see God through the eyes of love. John 3.16 declares, For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world, that he even gave up his only begotten unique son, so that whoever believes in, trusts in, clings to, relies on him, shall not perish, come to destruction, be lost, but have eternal everlasting life. And also, regarding God's love, this is found in 1 John 4, beginning in verse 10. And this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loves us so very much, we also ought to love one another. No man has at any time yet seen God. But if we love one another, God abides, lives, and remains in us. And his love, that love which is essentially his, is brought to completion, to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected in us. Verse 13. By this we know, We come to know and perceive and recognize and understand that we abide, live and remain in him and he in us. Because, because he has given, imparted to us his Holy Spirit. Verse 14, and besides, we ourselves have seen, have deliberately, steadfastly contemplated and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. Did you see in verse 13 that we come to know and understand this love because he has given us, imparted in us, his Holy Spirit? we come to truly know that we know that we know that God is love and not only does the Bible declare this truth in John chapter 4 verses 7 and 8 which declares Beloved, let us love one another for love is, springs from God and he who loves his fellow man is begotten, born of God and is coming progressively hear that? progressively to know and understand God, to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him. Verse 8, And he who does not love has not become acquainted with God, does not and never did know Him. For God is love. We can't help but see the absolute personification and portrayal of perfect love of our great God. such love surpasses our capability of understanding in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 19 Apostle Paul declares this truth as he says that you may really come to know practically through experience for yourself the love of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience that you may be filled through all your being unto all the fullness of God may have the richest measure of the divine presence and become a body wholly filled when flooded with God himself. Dear church, love like this is everlasting and sacrificial and a healing kind of love which endures to the end. In Hosea chapter 14, verse 4, God declares, I will heal their faithlessness. I will love them freely, for my anger is turned away from Israel. You see, when the people of Israel repented, the Lord promised to heal the apostasy of these people that had become a fatal sickness to them, and he also promised to lavish and shower his love upon them generously, because then he would no longer be angry with them for the betrayal and their turning their backs on him who loved them dearly and chose them for his very own people. Did you see also where God heals the people's faithlessness? The people had disobeyed God and began to relish the beliefs of the pagans around them and has been noted through this collection of scriptures that we have been coursing through thus far is to truly and genuinely know and grow in the divine or supernatural love of God that we must be filled with the Holy Spirit And please understand this is a gift from God that has been given to you and me Let us not be guilty of taking the precious truths of God for granted. In Acts 2.38, the scripture tells us, Peter answered them, the people, repent, change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness and the release from your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Hallelujah So now we have to ask ourselves what is the test or proof of a born again believer to know that one's faith is truly founded and grounded in Jesus Christ and is real and genuine. We must always refer to the priceless and pure trusted word of God to answer these important questions which can only be answered by the living word which comes from the very mouth of God, our Heavenly Father. And according to Romans chapter 8 beginning in verse 9, we see Apostle Paul's explanation showing that one is not marked as a believer by a scanty, insincere utterance of a proclamation or profession of faith, but rather it is actually by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and being led by him that demonstrates and proves one's true and genuine Christianity. and let's look at that in Romans chapter 8 beginning in verse 9 but you are not living the life of the flesh you are living the life of the spirit if if I repeat if the Holy Spirit of God really dwells within you directs and controls you but if anyone does not possess the Holy Spirit of Christ he is none of his he does not belong to Christ and is not truly a child of God but if Christ lives in you then although your natural body is dead by the reason of sin and guilt the spirit is alive because of the righteousness that he imputes to you verse 11 and if the spirit himself who raised Jesus up from the dead dwells in you then he who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also restore to your life your mortal short-lived perishable bodies through his spirit who dwells in you. Did you notice in verse 9 that there was a contingency in living the life of the Holy Spirit who literally lives within your temple and directs and controls you? You see, by inquiring whether we have the spirit of God or Christ, Or not, as we see in verse 9, which says, But you are not living the life of the flesh. You are living the life of the Spirit if, and I did emphasize that, if the Holy Spirit of God really dwells within you and directs and controls you. And this scripture expresses and states the conditions of living in the body, which represents the flesh versus living the life of the Spirit, which is vastly different from the unregenerate spirit of man. All believers have flesh and spirit in them, but to live in the flesh and to live in the divine presence of the Holy Spirit are completely contrary to one another. There is nothing more odious or abominable to God than those who pretend and announce that they have been captured or anointed and have the intimacy of God or the Holy Spirit. And yet, by the way they live their lives, they demonstrate, they manifest, and clearly show that they are pretenders and hypocrites of this precious life in Christ through the Holy Spirit. You see, the scripture indicates and expresses that one being overcome and subdued by one of the two paths, either the life of the flesh or the life of the Holy Spirit living within can be known and recognized. The Spirit living and dwelling within is the best evidence of our being and living in God's Holy Spirit, for the indwelling is very mutual in this relationship. 1 John chapter 4 verse 15 and 16. Anyone who confesses, acknowledges, owns that Jesus is the son of God. God abides, lives, makes his home in him. And he abides, lives, makes his home in God. Verse 16. And we know, understand, recognize, and are conscious of by observation and by experience and believe, adhere to, and put faith in and rely on the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. Dear listener, did you see also here that God's Holy Spirit living in us is a mutual relationship and fellowship? This is saying that God is pleased to live and dwell in the one who has faith and love in him. John was speaking of the intimate knowledge of God here when he says that the one who does have this has really come to know has intimate fellowship and abides or lives in Jesus Christ no individual or church group will really be any stronger than the extent to which they manifest God's love by loving one another in verse 15 we see that faith, acknowledging Jesus Christ as God's own Son, and trusting in the love which God has for us, leads to mutual indwelling between God and the genuine believer. This growing personal relationship and fellowship in Christ is born out of pure, genuine faith in Him alone, and is consequently expressed and perpetuated by living in God's agape love. Apostle Paul lays out and tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, beginning in verse 8, what agape love of God entails and what it looks like in these verses. Verse 3, even if I dole out all that I have to the poor in providing food, And if I surrender my body to be burned in order that I may glory, but have not God's love in me, I gain nothing. Verse 4. Love endures long and is patient in his kind. Love never is envious, nor boils over with jealousy. It is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited, arrogant, and inflated with pride. It is not rude, unmannerly, and does not act unbecomingly. God's love in us does not insist on its own right or ways, for it is not self-seeking. It is not touchy or fretful or resentful. It takes no account of the evil done to it and pays no attention to a suffered wrong. Verse 6. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness but rejoices when right and truth prevail Love bears up under anything and everything that comes is ever ready to believe the very best of every person Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and endures everything without weakening. Verse 8. Love never fails, never fades out, or becomes obsolete or comes to an end. As for prophecy, the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose of God, Dear listener, these scriptures outline the guidelines that we see as God's children and followers of Jesus Christ, that they can truly measure our own growth and maturity by, as we honestly introspect and evaluate our own consciences, Jesus said in John 15, in verses 12 through 14, Jesus was telling his disciples that love is the greatest of all. love for a friend or friends reaches its highest point when one willingly sacrifices his or her life for a friend and Jesus has spoken of his love for his disciples here and he would shortly show them how great his love was for them by making the greatest and most supreme sacrifice for them and for all others for that matter He set the greatest example of love for them and for us to follow, dear church. Jesus did more than lay his life down for his friends. He even died for his enemies. He went to the cross on their behalf. As he was dying on the cross, he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Our precious Savior said in Matthew chapter 5, verses 43 and 44, You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you. How many of you know, to forgive those who persecute you is a true measuring rod, or litmus test, so to speak, of God's true and real agape love dwelling in us or not. I know for me dear one this has always been a great hurdle for me to get over and eventually more or less and have the victory over this as God's precious truth has taken root in my heart over all these years in serving the one in whom my heart loves and I'm not saying that I have completely overcome this because I know that I have not faced what our dear brothers and sisters have faced when they have suffered atrocious physical torture and have seen their loved ones murdered right in front of them. I pray to have the mind of my dear Savior Jesus Christ to the very end just as he set the example for us as he was on the cross dying and said, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. I pray as well that we will never have to face these things in the United States of America but I must tell you I must warn you as well that our country is going through great turmoil in our government and with the invasion of millions of illegals rushing through our borders with the approval of this present administration in this year of 2023 we are beginning to see and hear of the great lawlessness and the pandemonium that this nation has never seen before in this nation. Major cities are being burned and chaos has broken out and it's like a well-organized army of foreign nationals that are being used to perpetuate internal warfare and guided by treasonous traitors in our very own government, military and private foundations that play a big part influencing the forum mentioned because of their great contributions of money, which we all know. Money talks and greedy people buy into any lie that comes along. These things are not being reported on the mainstream media. I leave you with that warning. Yours and my part is to do as Jesus Christ warned, and that is found in Matthew 24 beginning in verse 6. Please go there with me. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened or troubled for this must take place but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be famines and earthquakes place after place. All this is but the beginning of the early pangs of the birth pangs of the intolerable anguish. Verse 9. They will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death. And you will be hated by nations for my name's sake. Verse 10. And then many will be offended and repelled and begin to distrust, desert him whom they ought to trust and obey. And will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred. Verse 11. And many false prophets will arise up and deceive and lead many into error. and the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity. But he who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom of God will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then will the end come. Verse 15. So then when you see the appalling sacrilege, the abomination that astonishes and makes desolate, spoken by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place. Let the reader take place in notice and ponder and consider and heed this. Verse 16. Then let those who know who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not come down and go into the house and take anything. And let him who is in the field not turn back to get his overcoat. Verse 19. And alas, for women who are pregnant and those who have nursing babies in these days, pray that your flight may not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, affliction, distress, and oppression, such as has not been seen from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be ever again. We see the warning that our Lord left to each one of us personally to take responsibility for. and that is to keep awake and watch at all times and keep praying that we do not have to see or live through these horrific days that the world has never seen before. Well now, with that side note and looking ahead, and just a reminder as to keep our focus and direction in this message today, which is entitled, Are You Sure That Your Faith in Jesus Christ Is Real? we see where Paul teaches in Romans chapter 8 verses 9 and 10 that true believers in Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit and consequently are led by him. Verse 9 But you are not living the life of flesh. You are living the life of the Spirit if the Holy Spirit of God really dwells in you. Direction controls you. But if any one does not possess the Holy Spirit of Christ he is none of his he does not belong to Christ is not truly a child of God Paul taught that all disciples must serve the indwelling spirit instead of the sinful flesh which struggled against this If one is led by his own sinful nature, then they should question whether they are truly saved. And this is confirmed by Romans chapter 8 verse 11. But if the spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwells in you. You see, the born-again believer has personal responsibility to follow the spirit, And dear listener, this is by faith and not by chance. You must know that the Lord does not produce in us a fixed, inactive, non-involvement lethargy when the Spirit of God enters our lives. In fact, it's just the opposite. We are immediately called into active responsibility as a soldier in his army. Romans 8, verse 12 declares, Therefore brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. This expression, we are debtors, indicates we are under the obligation to God. And this says that we immediately must begin to take charge over the sinful nature that belongs to our old man or the old nature. And that will be definitely with the help of the Holy Spirit. this is the first battle we are involved in as a soldier in the army and you see this is where we willingly submit our wills to the will of the Holy Spirit and because we personally did nothing to merit the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are indebted to God for his precious Holy Spirit's presence in our lives the way that we show appreciation to God for his grace in this matter is to obediently follow after his spirit and not after the sinful pleasures that entertain our minds or our bodily appetites called the flesh this is called the willing obedience to God's commands and precepts this too is motivated by faith and love for Christ and what he has done for us you see there are inevitable consequences of our lifestyles Paul declared in Romans chapter 8 verses 13 and 14 that our way of life clearly demonstrates whether we have been born again into God's family and shows if our faith in Jesus Christ is real verse 13 for if you live according to the dictates of the flesh you will surely die but if through the power of the Holy Spirit you are habitually putting to death making extinct deadening the evil deeds prompted by the body you shall really and genuinely live forever for all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God for if you live according to the dictates of the flesh you will surely die, Paul says. Such a person clearly does not have the spirit in him and will be eternally separated from God no matter what profession of faith they make. He or she is excluded because their life produced the fruits of the flesh. They earn for themselves the reward that they receive when they face their maker. but to those who follow the Holy Spirit's leading and grow from the immature state of childhood or little children that come into the maturity of sonship or the sons of God who are grown-ups voluntarily conforming to the life of Jesus Christ. John chapter 1 verses 11 through 13 declare he came to that which belonged to him to his own his domain, creation, things in the world and they who were his own did not receive him and did not welcome him verse 12 but to as many as did receive and welcome him he gave authority power, privilege right to become the children of God that is to those who believed adhered to, trusted in and relied on his name who owe their birth neither to blood nor to the wills of the flesh that is a physical impulse nor to the will of man that is a natural father but to God they were born of God this is supernatural and divine internal change dear ones and this happens because the precious Holy Spirit truly lives in the individual who has willingly surrendered their lives to him. Their conformity to Christ confirms that they were indeed born again and are joint heirs with Christ. If we read a few scriptures down in Romans chapter 8, but in verse 16 this time, we read where children is used, and the Spirit himself witnesses or testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God. Let's read that, beginning in verse 16, and that again is chapter 8. The Spirit himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are the children of God. Verse 17, And if we are his children, then we are his heirs also, heirs of God, fellow heirs with Christ, sharing his inheritance with him. only we must share his suffering if we are to share his glory. To be born again refers to the new birth. Afterwards, however, comes the maturity process and this growth into sonship is achieved by the means of obedience to the Holy Spirit in our lives and God's will for each one of us. In Ephesians 2, verse 10, Paul says, You see, God has a plan for each one of us. who pursue his very best that he has for us in this Christian journey. And each one of us is responsible to examine our own heart and see where we honestly stand in our faith and pursue an earnest and honest answer as to if our faith and love in Jesus Christ is real or not. God forbid a hypocritical, phony, or a lie that we are living. at this present moment. Let us earnestly seek God for this answer and examine our own consciences with the help of precious Holy Spirit. Let us not delay. Let us all do this immediately. .