LIVING IN THE POWER OF CHRIST

1. In Christ we have hope: Ephesians 1:15-18 (NKJV) Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: "...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints..."

In order to have any sense of spiritual growth in our lives, we need a knowledge of Christ that comes to us in a personal way. This is the factual knowledge that comes to us through the work of God's Spirit in our lives. This is the difference between knowing about" and knowing" by experience. I knew about Jesus long before I ever got saved. In a sense I had some knowledge of Jesus. It was not until my salvation, however, that I knew about being a saint-[Christian] in a personal way.

This is a really important issue when it comes to our desire to see people come to the experience of faith in God for themselves. We learn from the apostle Paul in this text that the way to start is to pray for people before we ever consider talking to people about the life of faith. We witness the most effectively when we live who we are in Christ.

2.  In Christ We Have Power [19-20] "...and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places..."

One of the great issues in our world today is the sense in which people feel powerless. We have not really begun to understand what the real intent of faith for our lives and for our church is all about until we come together as a church in God's power to carry out our mission in the world around us. We are called to be salt and light, to give witness to God's mighty power to bring about justice, hope and love. Yet it is more than clear that none of this can take place within our own strength. It is when we are in touch with and energized by the power of God which is intended to work within us that we begin to sense the possibility of changing the world around us.

In some ways, Paul points to the fact that this power of God that can work within us is not something ordinary. He prays for the church continually that they will have the spiritual knowledge it takes to be the powerful church God desires us to be.

3. In Christ We Have Victory [21-22] "...far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church..."

These thoughts take us back to one of the central themes in all of scripture namely: God's people live under the power of a divine promise that no matter how long the road may seem or how dark the night may appear to be, God's victory over all unrighteousness is certain.

We live under the promise of the resurrection, the power of God within the community of faith and the affirmation that "all things" have been put under the feet of Christ who is, "head over all {things} to the church."  

It is the certainty of God's victory in the long term that powers our life of faith in the short term.

4. In Christ We Have Fullness"...Which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

We learn in this short verse that Jesus Christ brings fullness, which is completeness and full maturity to our lives as God intended them to be.

The New Testament vision of a church that is healthy and whole, a church where people may discover the fullness of Christ, is a church that is bound together as the Body of Christ. This is a church where Christ is the head.

This is not something that comes about because we hang a mission statement in the halls of the church building or open with prayer at our meetings. When Christ is head of the church, there is evidence of our openness to God, to each other and to the cries of a dying and lost world.

One of the reasons we don't experience the fullness of Christ in the church these days is that we have too low a view of Christ and the church. It is seen as just another social grouping by too many. We will gain the power God has for us when we regain a very high sense of Christ as the head of His Body, the church. Perhaps it would help to re-center ourselves on Paul's words in Ephesians 5:25 Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.

The Apostle Paul's prayer actually opens up God's design for the church. In Jesus Christ we have hope, in him we have power, in him we have victory and in him we have fullness. Colossians 2:9-10 ^For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Invitation: Are you complete in Christ? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you? Have you invited Him into your life? If not, now is the perfect time in the privacy of your own environment. If you will you will never regret it, but if you refuse you know where you will spend eternity so seriously think about it!

THE THRONE OF GOD

Psalm 93

INTRO: We see, hear and experience many things in this life that are not good. Every day some evil and wrong is before our eyes. We don’t understand how a people can drift so far from the truth of God’s word and way. How are we to live today with all that is going on around us on a daily basis? There is not much we can count on in this world, but there is one thing for sure, our God reigns. Let’s look at the picture from a view point of God’s throne instead of man. If we view things the way God does, it will help us keep the right perspective.

 I. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY- 
Psalms 93:1 (NKJV) ¹ The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. 

A. Jehovah reigns gloriously from His throne in Heaven

B. God reigns -His royal power and dominance prevail

1. He clothes Himself with Majesty- [Glory, honor, beauty, grandeur, excellence in form and appearance]. HE IS Very grand, dignified, and lofty- above all others. None like Him.

2. He clothes Himself with strength- Power to resist attack. Power to act upon and affect something-To cause things to happen. Example- He made the world and holds it in place.

  II. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S STABILITY 
Psalms 93:2 (NKJV) ² Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. 

A. His throne has no beginning or end. It’s from everlasting to everlasting. B. Established before creation of the world. All false gods beginnings are comparably recent. All other thrones have a beginning and an end. God thru Jesus established the church and said the gates of hell will not prevail against it. [Matt. 16:18]

  III.  WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S STRENGTH- Psalms 93:3-4 (NKJV) ³ The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves. 
⁴ The Lord on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea.  Terrors and tumults rise against Jehovah. God’s enemies like a flood rise up against Him and His throne. Don’t want God reigning. Psalms 2:2-3 ² The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ³ "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us." 

B. The Lord is amused and angered. Psalms 2:4-6 ⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. ⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 

C. Jehovah reigns triumphantly - Psalm 2: ⁶ "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." Psalms 2:7-9 ⁷ "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.' " 

D. God’s unlimited sovereignty and irresistible power is a comfort to His people. God rules over satan and all is evil angels. We can be assured of that fact. The bible says in the book of Revelation 20:10-15 ¹⁰ The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. ¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

IV. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S CHARACTER
Psalms 93:5 (NKJV) ⁵ Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever. 


A. God reigns in truth and holiness. The word from God’s throne is very sure. His promises stand true forever. Psalms 119:89-91 ⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. ⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. ⁹¹ They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants.

B. Name of Jehovah means – “The Eternal Living One” possesses essential life and permanent existence. He is absolutely self- existent- “One who is what He is” and “One who will be what He will be.” He is above all else holy- sacred-spiritually perfect, pure, and untainted by evil or sin. Deserving of deep respect, awe, reverence and adoration. In heaven continually:

Revelation 4:8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" His holiness adds beauty, splendor and distinction to our worship. Since He is supreme authority, let us be ready to quickly do His will as He reveals it. With God in control from His throne we have nothing to worry about and much to be thankful for.

INVITATION: God is revealing right now that if you don’t know His Son you cannot make it to heaven, but instead you are condemned and headed to a place called hell that we just read about. God says in His word in John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. His name is Jesus Christ. If you don’t know Him and you would like to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, ask Him to forgive your sins against God. Invite Jesus into your life to take charge of you. Then you will not be condemned by God and He will allow you into heaven when this life is over.