Can you handle the Truth?

Truth

The armour of God starts with truth.

His Word is called truth because it is meant to be belived. He wants us to believe.

Why is truth the first component in the armour?

Everything in the armour hinges on our right believing. Right believing produces right living.

There was a story that Deaconess Lian shared. There are a severely depressed man who approached Pastor Joel Austin (hope I got the name right). He was suffering from depression these past 6 years, ever since he broke up with his girlfriend. Pastor asked him what he thought about first thing in the morning.

"Oh, I would think about how I should go on with life now that she has left me. What she said when we broke up..."

Pastor said, "Well, I'm no psychologist or doctor. But there is nothing wrong with your emotions."

"Nothing wrong? But I feel so sad without her.. How can there be nothing wrong with my emotions? I haven't got over her these 6 years!"

"There is nothing wrong with your emotions. What you have to change is your thinking."

I thought that was such a powerful statement. Think about it.

There is nothing wrong with your emotions. Your emotions follow your thoughts.

That is why, what you believe is so important.

Living the Christian life is not about doing; about doing to be right with God. When we do things unto the Lord, it is effortless. We come from a place of rest, knowing that everything has been given.

I believe there is a ministry in the marketplace. Lately, I have been frustrated because I examine myself and what I'm believing God for, and it seems so far away. Yes, the problem is I look towards myself and what I should be doing for God to bless me and I start working (i.e. worrying)

Whenever we feel frustrated, or not at rest, or at peace. It is not about doing to get back that lovin' feeling. Nothing we can do can make Him love us any more. Nothing we can do can make Him love us any less.

When we get that way, check your believing.

So what is the truth?

The truth is actually something very powerful, and elusive to the world. Philosophers have debated and talked and discussed, searching all their lives for the truth.

What is the meaning of life?

Ordinary people (I have been ordinary once :)) go out for parties, seeking acceptance in friends and social enjoyment, only to go home alone, lonely, thinking, "Is this all there is?" There is a vacuum inside, crying out for someone to understand.

We all need to know that we are loved. We need to know that. It gives us the strength to go on, to know that we matter.

What is truth?

13In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)

Truth = Gospel of your salvation.

So what? How does the gospel of salvation profit me?

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

The gospel is the power of God.

The power of God to salvation. What is salvation?

Salvation. In greek, soteria, In hebrew, Yshuwah. (Hmm.. familiar? Moses said, "Stand still, and see the salavation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today." (Exodus 14:13)

Salvation is not only saved from hell. It means Deliverance, Protection, Preservation, Prosperity, Safety, Soundness, Welfare and Health.

Our world today. Wouldn't you agree? - It is the best of times. It is the worst of times.

In terms of medicine, liberty, science, technology, education, governments, we have advanced in the last 200 years or so, far beyond the centuries before. With it came terrorism, wars, moral decline, beyond the centuries before.

In a society which has so much more compared to the past, we have also lost much, that which is not seen. Character. A sense of honour, integrity, trustworthiness, forgiveness, generousity, responsibility - these are no longer celebrated. In a world that is so confused, we search for stability and security.

Where do we find it? In the gospel.

What is the gospel?

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Sometimes this verse is often repeated, we think we know it; that it's only for 'new' Christians, it's an evangelistic verse for non-believers.

But let's meditate on it for a moment.

God was El-Shaddai. Almighty God. And God was Father. Not just an up-there heavenly Father. He is Abba.

And He "so loved" the world. Not only love. God is already love. But He SO loved. He SO LOVED. It was His desire.

Who did He loved? The world. You and I. He loved me. Did I deserve it? I wasn't even His. The world. When I was yet a sinner. He saw me, He knows my thoughts, knows how I failed, the wrongs I did - and He loved me still.

It's easy to say I love you. How do we know whether He meant it?

When you love someone, your heart is opened, you want to give to that person.

It is the same with the Lord. God so loved, that He GAVE.

And what did He give? His only begotten Son. The value of the gift corresponds with a how another feels for you.

(I don't buy the saying 'it's the thought that counts.' If someone matters to you, out of love, you would get something that corresponds to how you feel)

God gave Jesus, His only Son for me. What do you mean gave His Son for me?

He gave Jesus for me, to go to the cross. Recall the cross, the manner of His death. And God SO LOVED me, when I was yet unborn, when I was yet not His, that He gave His only Son for me, to die for me.

How can one fantham? A Holy God who knew no sin to become sin. An eternal God who chooses to die for me. He chose to go through the scourging, His back ravaged ("The plowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long -Psalm 129:3)

And the lion of Judah chose to take His place as a lamb, SACRIFICED on the cross. (He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. - Isaiah 53:7)

We are not an accident. Why did He choose the cross?

"looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

Who was the joy set before Him?

He must have seen what would happen if He chose the cross. Through the cross God reconciled the world to Himself. Cleansed by the blood, the holy spirit can now reside in us.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15 NKJV)

What was His joy? He saw us, His family. He saw His family, and for that He endured the cross, despising the shame.

And how do we approach God? Romans 8:15

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" (The Message)

15For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! (The Amplified Bible)

15So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family[a]--calling him "Father, dear Father." (New Living Translation)

What is the gospel?

God loves you so much that He gave His son to take our beating so that we have His blessings.

We walk by faith and not by sight.

Don't believe bad news no matter who says it. When push comes to shove, who are you going to believe? The Straits Times or God? The doctors or God? The statistics or God? The symptoms you can feel or God? Your intellect or God?

How do we know what God is saying?

It's all in His Word.

Don't lose the consciousness of Abba's love for you. It is important to have that consciousness, because with it, comes the boldness to receive.

Well, that sounds real good. But I'm not reigning in life. How do I make it practical? How can the Word work for me?

17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)

The day of judgement is not THAT day of the apocolyspe. The word 'judgement' here comes from the greek word 'krisis'. (check out www.crosswalk.com; bibletools, lexicon, greek)

We have to read this verse in the light of the gospel. Not to break up the verse and read it as English.

The word Krisis can mean "opinion or decision given concerning anything
esp. concerning justice and injustice, right or wrong" and "sentence of condemnation, damnatory judgment, condemnation and punishment"

Now Christ is judged once and for all on the cross for ALL our sins. So our sins have already been judged, past, present and FUTURE. All means all. So therefore, there is NOW, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

So what does the day of judgment mean here?

Remember, the devil is known as the "accusor of the brethren". He is the accusor. He brings our sins into our remembrance. But God has clearly said that:-

For this is My blood of the new[a] covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. (Hebrews 8:12)

He comes lying, usually putting thoughts in the first person (i.e. using "I") and says things like, "Call yourself a Christian, how can you do that?" "Is this how I behave? How can I be a living testimony to God?" "Today God isn't with me, 'cos I'm not flowing with him. I didn't do enough quiet time." "You see, I'm sick - now do I believe that God heals? You've been taking the holy communion - doesn't work does it?"

He comes condemning, saying that you've fallen short.

Realise, that the focus is on YOU. Duh.. I already know how unworthy I am. The Christian life is impossible without God. But I have died to self, therefore, it is no longer I who live but Christ in me. (Romans 6)

So whenever the accusor comes, sneaking in and condemning us, we declare, "As Christ IS, so am I IN this world." (not when we go to heaven)

Is Jesus healthy? So am I! Is He prosperous? So am I! Is He joyful? So am I!

Don't let the bad news touch you. Don't focus and believe any bad news. Don't look at yourself. You can't change yourself; on the Lord.

19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19)

Fear here is not being scared. Fear is worship (as defined by Jesus. See Matthew 4:10)

Why would the enemy come in like a flood?

The Word is often typified as water. (eg. Ephesians 5:26, 1 John 5:8)

So when the enemy comes in like a flood. Now, a flood is a bad thing - but a flood is water. The enemy comes in condemning - He uses God's word and shows you how far you've fallen. That's the trick of the enemy. He uses the Word of God on sincere Christians. But He quotes the Word out of context. And whatever is out of context, is a con.

So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood (Rev 12:15)

The devil impersonates God.

Be sober, be vigilant; because [ NU-Text and M-Text omit because.] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

There is only one lion of Judah. The devil walks about LIKE. But praise God, he can't just devour anyone. he has to seek. That is why what you believe is so important. You have to rightly believe God's Word. The truth does not automatically set you free. You shall KNOW the truth, and the truth will make you free. (John 8:32)

Lift up a standard - a symbol of victory. A complete, irrevocable victory! The prophercy in the Garden has been fulfilled. The serpent's head has been crushed! The victory is already won! We are not trying to fight for our victory. The devil deceives us saying that we must do more to obtain. When Christ died, It is finished! It is all His work. Not Jesus + me. That is why, we are told, having done all to stand. Just STAND. Stand on the finished work. The fight of faith is to stand. That in spite of all we see, or hear, we are not moved. We are only moved by what we believe, even if it's contrary to our senses. We 'lose' only when we look away from Jesus and the cross and to ourselves.