FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY 4

TEXT:

(Mark 3:13-15 KJV) "And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those He himself wanted: and they came unto him. {14} And he appointed twelve, that they MIGHT BE WITH HIM, and that he might send them out to preach, {15} And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons"

1. DISCERNMENT: Jesus spent the night in Prayer

(Luke 6:12-13 NIV) "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. {13} When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:"

2. CALLED MANY: All are called

a. Jesus called those who were interested in him

3. APPOINTED DISCIPLES

a. TO BE WITH HIM

b. TO PROCLAIM

c. TO HEAL

d. TO DELIVER

THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WAS FOURFOLD

1. TO BE WITH HIM

GOD IS NOT ON A RESCUE MISSION TO SAVE US SO WE CAN KEEP OUR STUFF..

GOD IS ON A MISSION TO BRING US TO FULFILLMENT IN HIMSELF!

JESUS IS CLEAR ABOUT HIS PRIMARY CALL TO US…

(Luke 9:23-24 NIV) "Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. {24} For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

YOUR CROSS IS WHERE YOU END.. AND HE BEGINS..

HE WANTS TO BRING YOU TO THE END OF YOURSELF SO THAT YOU WILL FIND HIM!

JESUS WANTS YOU…

HE IS NOT HIRING…

HE IS NOT TO ADOPT…

HE IS NOT COMING BACK FOR FOLLOWER…

JESUS IS PASSIONATELY PURSING A BRIDE!

THE FIRST BELIEVERS WERE KNOWN FOR ONE THING..

BUT THEY GAVE THEIR ATTENTION TO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

“CHRISTIAN” – IS WHAT THEY CALL US…

(Acts 11:26 NIV) "and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST AT ANTIOCH."

“FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY” – IS WHAT WE DO…

THE CHURCH CALLED “DISCIPLES” OR “FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY”

(Acts 24:14 NIV) "However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,"

OTHER SCRIPTURES: Acts 9:2 19:9,23 24:14,22

2. TO PROCLAIM

(Rev 12:11 NIV) "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."

TESTIMONY: What has God done in your life?

- Can only been what you have experienced.

- Can’t be motivated to try and convince someone

- It must be from your own journey

IF ALL YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE ARE OTHERS PEOPLES STORIES THEN YOU DON’T HAVE A TESTIMONY

- YOU CANT SHARE FROM THE HEART UNLESS IT’S YOUR STORY!

- YOU CAN’T OVERCOME THE DEVIL WITH SOMEONE ELSES STORY..

A TESTIMONY IS MOTIVATED OUT OF LOVE..

o IT’S LIKE ONE BEGGER TELLING ANOTHER BEGGER WHERE TO FIND BREAD… NOT A JUDGE TRYING TO CONVINCE A JURY..

(Mat 18:18-20 NIV) ""I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. {19} "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. {20} For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

THE POWER OF AGREEMENT

1. WITH GOD = FAITH - JESUS HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY WHEN WE AGREE WITH HIS PLANS FOR THE EARTH

2. WITH BELIEVERS= CORPORATE PRAYER - JESUS HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY WHEN WE AGREE WITH OTHERS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

3. TO HEAL

KINGDOM REALITY… POWER!

(1 Cor 4:20 NIV) "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."

1. THE CHURCH TODAY DOES IS NOT LIVING IN THE KINGDOM

a. THE CHURCH TODAY IS A “RELIGIOUS SOCIETY”

b. THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS LOOKING FOR IS A “PASSIONATE BRIDE”

2. THE CHURCH TODAY IS ABOUT TO COME UNDER A FIRE OF REFINING SO THAT WE CAN BE CHANGED INTO A KINGDOM REALITY

a. THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS LOOKING FOR IS A CHURCH THAT WILL “PARTNER WITH HIM” TO DO BUSINESS ON THE EARTH

i. TO LET GO OF THE COMFORT ZONE

ii. TO GET REAL EXCLUSIVE WITH HIM (let go of idols)

iii. TO DO THE THINGS HE WANTS TO DO

iv. TO TAKE ON THE AUTHORITY AND POWER HE HAS

v. TO DO WHAT HE DID AND EVEN GREATER

(John 14:11-12 NIV) "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. {12} I tell you the truth, ANYONE WHO HAS FAITH IN ME WILL DO WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

WHY NO MIRACLES TODAY?

JESUS WAS POWERLESS ONCE!

(Mark 6:5-6 NIV) "HE COULD NOT DO ANY MIRACLES THERE, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. {6} And HE WAS AMAZED AT THEIR LACK OF FAITH. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village."

NO PARTNERING WITH GOD…. NO MIRACLES

NO TRUST IN GOD… N MIRACLES

NO DECLARATION IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD… NO MIRACLES

OUR PRIMARY CALLING – DEMONSTRATIONS OF GODS POWER

(Mark 16:17-18 NIV) "AND THESE SIGNS WILL ACCOMPANY THOSE WHO BELIEVE: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; {18} they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; THEY WILL PLACE THEIR HANDS ON SICK PEOPLE, and they will get well.""

WE KNOW THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE GIVEN POWER TO HEAL..

- JESUS GAVE ALL BELIEVERS THE POWER TO HEAL

- HEALING IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST PHYSICAL

(Luke 4:18-19 NIV) ""The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, {19} to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.""

JESUS HEALING PLAN (BASED ON ISAIAH 62) – not just physical!!

1. PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS

a. Inform people of God’s plan for love & freedom

2. SET PRISONERS FREE

a. Freedom for those caught in sinful patterns

3. HEAL THE SICK

a. Physical healing

4. RELEASE THE OPPRESSED

a. People who are dealing with demonic oppression

5. PROCLAIM THE JUBILEE – TOTAL RESTORATION

a. Complete return of all that was lost to the enemy!

4. TO DELIVER

GOD GAVE US AUTHORITY ON THE EARTH

(Gen 1:26 NIV) "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

- GOD OWNS IT.. WE WERE GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING CARE OF IT!

o WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE EARTH!

- WE HAVE ABDICATED OUR ROLE

o INSTEAD OF “THY KINGDOM COME.. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

o WE HAVE DONE “OUR WILL”

 THE EARTH IS “restless” LONGING FOR THE SONS OF GOD TO BE REVEALED… (those who will partner w God)

(Rom 8:19 NIV) "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed."

JESUS MISSION IS NOW OURS

(1 John 3:8 NIV) "… The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."

WE MUST PARTNER WITH JESUS!

WE BATTLE USING HIS WEAPONS AND HIS STRATEGY..

(2 Cor 10:3-5 NLT) We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. {4} WE USE GOD'S MIGHTY WEAPONS, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. {5} With these weapons we BREAK DOWN EVERY PROUD ARGUMENT THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM KNOWING GOD. With these weapons WE CONQUER THEIR REBELLIOUS IDEAS, and we TEACH THEM TO OBEY Christ.

BEING SUBMITTED TO GOD…

(James 4:7 NIV) "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

MAINTAINING OUR POWER..

(Eph 6:10-18 NLT) A final word: Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. {11} PUT ON ALL OF GOD'S ARMOR so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. {12} For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. {13} USE EVERY PIECE OF GOD'S ARMOR TO RESIST THE ENEMY in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.

SO SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS DONE BY

1. BEING IN CHRIST

2. RESISTING THE DEVIL – Sheild of Faith

a. HIS DECEPTION

b. HIS ACCUSATION

3. USING OUR MIGHTY WEAPONS & WEARIN OUR ARMOR

a. MAINTAINING OUR HOLINESS/ RIGHTEOUSNESS

b. SPEAKING THE TRUTH

c. WHOLENESS AND WALKING IN PEACE

d. SHEILDING AGAINST ATTACK BY BELIEVING GOD


1. IN THE BEGINNING MAN WAS GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER THE EARTH

AUTHORITY ON THE EARTH GIVEN TO HUMANKIND

(Gen 1:26-28 NIV) "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and LET THEM RULE OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, OVER THE LIVESTOCK, OVER ALL THE EARTH, AND OVER ALL THE CREATURES THAT MOVE ALONG THE GROUND."

{27} So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. {28} God blessed them and said to them, "BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE IN NUMBER; FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT. RULE OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR AND OVER EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES ON THE GROUND."

1. GOD CREATED US IN HIS IMAGE – TO RULE/CARE FOR THE EARTH

A. WE FUNCTION AS WE SHOULD WHEN WE REIGN UNDER HIS AUTHORITY & PLAN

1. HIS PLAN IS NOT TO VIOLATE THE EARTH

2. HIS PLAN IS NOT TO LIVE IN SIN

C. WE WERE COMMISSED TO RULE OVER AND CARE FOR THE EARTH

1. WE HAVE RULED THE EARTH

2. WE HAVE DONE A POOR JOB CARING FOR THE EARTH

JESUS HAS BEEN GIVEN ALL AUTHORITY

(Mat 28:18-20 NIV) "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. {19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""

1. THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESSURECTION

(Rev 1:18 NIV) "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

2. SATAN PLAN VS. JESUS PLAN

(John 10:10 NIV) "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

a. GOD’S GOALS ARE ACHIEVED THROUGH MEN WHO ARE UNDER HIS CONTROL

NEXT WEEK: `````````````````````````````

SEVEN MOUNTAINS OF CULTURE

1. Family

- PRIORITY #1 - Relationship with God

– First Commandment: Love God with all your heart soul mind and strength

- PRIORITY #2 - Relationship with other people

- Second Commandment: Love your neighbor as you love yourself

- The Fear of God – The fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom

- Character VS. Efficiency – Must teach our children to do right.. not what I expedient

- Training in righteousness – Mentoring in righteous behavior

(Deu 6:6-9 NIV) "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. {7} Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. {8} Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. {9} Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

2. Government

- Righteous leadership – leadership that will do what is right, not what is expedient

- INFILTRATE GOVERNMENT – don’t whine, get involved

- (Prov 14:34 NIV) "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."

- (Prov 21:1 NIV) "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases."

3. Media

-We are an entertainment culture

- Storytelling has been a tremendous influence in ALL CULTURES..

-Continuous influence on us.. it is the way that a culture communicates values

- Determines expectations and norms for behavior

4. Education

- Shapes the minds of the coming generations

- Whoever controls and leads our children

- Parents have abdicated their role as primary educators

- Must teach children the COUNTERCULTURE first.. IN THE CONTEXT OF CULTURE

- Christian Education, Home Schooling, Godly infiltration of our Liberal Agenda

- Western Albemarle – teaches that FOX NEWS is not real news

- WE NEED A GENERATION THAT WILL INFILTRATE THE MEDIA WITH POWERFUL RIGHTEOUS

ENTERTAINMENT

5. Arts and Entertainment

- Creative Expression is the fruit of Culture

- The CHURCH has had a 500 year prejudice against the ARTS

-before the reformation the church was the source of the arts

-after the reformation, the conservative/ protestant influence has resisted the arts

-We have a idea that MUSIC, VISUAL, WRITTEN ARTS ARE WRONG!!

- WE NEED A GENERATION THAT WILL INFILTRATE THE CULTURE WITH RIGHTEOUS ART

6. Religion (or the Church)

- THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION

- 78% of people in the U.S. Say that their religion plays a part in their daily lives

- 70% Say that they believe in God

- Only 28% of people report that they attend church

7. Business

- Most important aspect of our American culture

- Christian businesses leaders have been the Support for all other areas

- SUPPORT FOR ALL OTHER MOUNTAINS COMES FROM THIS ONE!!

3. THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY AND THE CHARGE TO REIGN ON THE EARTH THROUGH THESE SEVEN MOUNTAINS

1. WILL YOU ENTER INTO YOUR GOD GIVEN CHARGE?

a. FAMILY – WILL YOU BE A RIGHTEOUS LEADER IN YOUR FAMILY

b. GOVERNMENT – WILL YOU BECOME ACTIVE & VOTE FOR RIGHTEOUS LEADERSHP

c. MEDIA – WILL YOU KEEP YOURSELF FROM BEING INFLUENCED BY UNGODLY MEDIA

i. WILL YOU SUPPORT GODLY MEDIA - TYLER PERRY

d. EDUCATION – WILL YOU SEEK GODLY TRAINING

i. WILL YOU RAISE UP YOUR CHILDREN IN THE ADMONITION OF THE LORD

e. ARTS – WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS TO INFLUENCE FOR GOD

f. RELIGION – WILL YOU SERVE IN YOUR CHURCH TO DISCIPLE OTHER BELIEVERS

g. BUSINESS – WILL YOU LEAD YOUR BUSINESS FEARLESSLY UNDER GOD’S DIRECTION AND PLAN