Tuesday, July 7, 2015

What are we accomplishing?

John 11: 45-48

A religious mind-set can blind you from seeing the Truth.
It can also hinder a divine encounter with Jesus.
It can also stop you from receiving your miracle.
The priests, rulers and teachers of the Law rejected the Truth and Life, Jesus Christ;
They missed a divine experience by not following Christ.
Sadly, they missed out on the miracle of transformation.

Acts 4:1-20
Peter and John were imprisoned for healing a crippled man in the Name of Jesus.

The Name of Jesus has power
V7 & 10: It is by the Name of Jesus Christ that people can be healed, restored, delivered and saved.
People or situations CANNOT be changed by the sprinkling of holy waters or ash. When someone is sick he/she should be anointed with oil IN THE NAME OF JESUS (James 5: 14)
The Name of Jesus Christ is powerful and effective in itself because it is not just another name.
Using His Name in vain does not make it less powerful.

The Name of Jesus has authority
(To have authority over something or someone is to exercise influence over them)
HIS Name has authority over sicknesses, diseases bondages and strongholds
His Name has authority over physical infirmities
His Name has authority over sin and death
His Name make demons tremble

The Name of Jesus is life-changing

V 20: Peter and John said that they cannot help to speak about what they have seen and heard
when they were commanded to NOT speak in the Name of Jesus.
(1John 1:1 & 3) John said that they proclaim what they have touched, seen and heard with their own senses.
They were referring to their experiences with Jesus.
Experience is something that no one can dispute.
No one has experienced Jesus can ever remain the same.

Conclusion
One would have expected that the people who are representing God i.e. teachers of the Law, priestsand rulers would be ecstatic /joyful when the people they are serving got healed and delivered.
The Problem was: They did not accomplish anything when they compared themselves to the many Miracles Jesus performed.
Jesus and the Name of Jesus was and still is a huge threat to the religious mind-set.
Jesus did not do anything in a conventional/orthodox way.
Jesus intimidated their way of life; their prestigious standing in life. He became more important than them to the people.
The religious community had their own agendas for being in positions of influence .If they really cared about the people they would have given their endorsement for the Name of Jesus to be used.
They were clearly not Kingdom-minded.

WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING IF WE ARE NOT DOING OUR ACTS OF KINDNESS, GOOD WORKS, TEACHING AND PREACHING, HEALING, DELIVERANCE AND RESTORATION WITHOUT DOING IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS?
WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING IF WE ARE NOT PUTTING OUR GOOD INTENTIONS AND STRATEGIC PLANS TO WORK?

By: Pastor Alicia Lawrence