Spiritual Awakening

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

E. C. McKenzie said, “A good sermon helps people to two ways: Some rise from it greatly strengthened; others wake from it greatly refreshed.”

 Ephesians 5:14* New King James:
 Therefore He says:
    t“Awake, you who sleep,
    Arise from the dead,
    And Christ will give you light.”

 Wake means to arouse from sleep, to cause to appear, bring before the public, to raise up, stir up, against one.

A. AWAKE, YOU WHO SLEEP
 "Awake you who sleep"
1.    The world is asleep Spiritually: They read books, watch TV, go to movies, but ignore the Bible because they are asleep.
2.    Christians can also fall asleep spiritually. There are spiritual seasons in wish we can become cold and loose the desire to pray, the desire to worship. We can loose our hunger and our thirst for the Word of God.
3.    Spiritual sleep is the equivalent to spiritual indifference. When a spiritual season touches our life we can become like frogs *(show movie about the frozen wood frog)

 
 One of the most amazing examples of freeze tolerance is the wood frog (Rana sylvatica). This common frog is found across Canada and all the way north to the tree line. Wood frogs winter on land, hiding under the leaf litter on the forest floor. By hibernating on land, the frogs can get active as soon as the snow melts and breed in the temporary ponds and ditches formed by meltwater. Their soft, water-permeable skin is no barrier to ice and so, whenever frost penetrates into their winter home, they freeze. Ice penetrates though all of the fluid compartments of the animal and within just a few hours a mass of ice fills the abdominal cavity encasing all the internal organs. Large flat ice crystals run between the layers of skin and muscle, and the eyes turn white because the lens freezes. Their blood stops flowing and as much as 65% of the frog's total body water is converted to ice. Breathing, heart beat, and muscle movements all stop and the frozen "frog-sicle" exists in a virtual state of suspended animation until it thaws.

Best of youtube Episode 85
http://www.bestofyoutube.com/story.php?title=5562084

 Wikipedia:
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernation conserves energy, especially during winter. Hibernation may last several days or weeks depending on species, ambient temperature, and time of year. The typical winter season for a hibernator is characterized by periods of hibernation interrupted by sporadic euthermic arousals wherein body temperature is restored to typical values. Hibernation allows animals to conserve energy during the winter when food is short. During hibernation, animals drastically lower their metabolism so as to tap energy reserves stored as body fat at a slower rate.

Illustration
Some people are asleep because they have never been awake. I am familiar with that state because I was once in it myself. I attended church, heard God’s Word preached, sang the great hymns, listened to others pray — but with no depth of comprehension. I was simply present where others worshiped. I was on the outside. I was not alive to spiritual things. Perhaps you derive some vague comfort from being with religious people and doing Christian things, but inside you understand very little of what is going on. The pity is, it is possible to pass from this life into eternity without recognizing your slumber until it is too late. It is possible to be damned even in the church.

B. SPIRITUAL HIBERNATION

1.    Many times our hearts are hardened with the ice of disappointment but the Lord wants to touch you today and and give you a new heart, a heart of flesh.

 Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

2.    Moses spent 40 years in the desert but as the Lord revealed him in a burning bush he came out of his spiritual hibernation. After Paul was saved he went through a “sleeper season” in Arabia.
3.    Disappointments, traumas and bad experiences can bring a season of winter into our lives and we must understand it knowing that the Lord will bring a new fire.


 Have you slipped into spiritual hibernation? Do you need a boost of caffeine for your soul? God wants to see you "wake up" to a life uncommon!

Similarly, we also experience that aspect of spiritual winter in our lives when there seems to be silence and inactivity.  It’s what I call “spiritual hibernation.”  There’s a sense of stagnancy, inactivity, fruitlessness, dryness, coldness, and even depletion and regression.  Despite all our fervent efforts to make things happen and progress, it’s an effort of utter futility.  Also, whatever spiritual gains we’ve made, it now appears as if it’s being all spent and depleted.  Now we’re at our low reserves with no break in sight.  We seem to be spiritual hibernating and things are being expended and depleted while we’re not seemingly replenishing and refueling enough to keep pace.  Have you ever felt this way in your walk with God?  Have you ever hit this wintry hibernation moment in your spiritual journey?

Ephesians 5:14* New King James
Therefore He says:
    t“Awake, you who sleep,
    Arise from the dead,
    And Christ will give you light.”

As the wood frog wakes up with the spring sun rays we need to be enlightened by the anointed Word of God in order to come back to life

C. "I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER"

 The Prodigal Son said "I will Arise and go to my father"

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

1.    Notice first that the Light is a gift from Christ.
2.    Notice than the Light of Christ is called the light of Life, meaning if you receive Christ, you will have eternal life.
3.    You will understand where you are going, why you were born and how you should walk.

 2 Cor 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The God of this world system is Satan, he blinds the minds of the lost so that they are: Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Tim 3:7

Only Christ can help you to understand Spiritual things. He may be speaking to you tonight. His is a still small voice, His knock at the door of your heart is gentle. If you believe, take the first step tonight. Salvation is a free gift of God but a gift has to be received, God loves you, He is pleading for you to come to Jesus, but you must accept His Offer.

Conclusion
1.    Is your heart cold for spiritual things?
2.    Where you hurt by something or someone and you are not able to feel God’s presence?
3.    Wake-up and receive God’s Holy Spirit, He will meltdown the ice in your heart!

7 Functions of the Blood

There are 7 life functions in the blood of the lamb – JESUS CHRIST!

Oxygen - Life The red blood cells transport oxygen from respiratory structures (lungs) to the cells of the body.	The blood of the lamb transports the breath of life into out spiritual cells so we can truly live and continue living for all eternity.	Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
Cleansing The blood transports metabolic wastes from each cell to organs that excrete them, even drugs.	The blood of the lamb cleanses us spiritually and removes all poisonous wastes from the world that will kill us.	1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[ 1:7 Or every] sin
Nutrition - Nourishment The blood transports nutrients from the digestive system and from storage depots to each cell of the body.	The blood of the lamb transports food to our spiritual cells and keeps us from starving to death for all eternity.	John 6:53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Hormones - Joy The blood transports hormones from endocrine glands to target tissues.	The blood of the lamb transports hormones- excitement-joy to our spiritual bodies.	Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Balance The blood helps to maintain fluid balance in the body.	The blood of the lamb will maintain balance in our life so we do not fall off one side or the other.	1 Peter 1:18 18 Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Heat - Safety The blood helps to distribute metabolic heat within the body and to maintain normal body temperature.	The blood of the lamb will distribute heat to us in the midst of the storms to keep us warm and secure and it will help us stay at peace in the midst of the storms of life.	Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by theblood of Jesus,
Defenses - Protection The blood (white blood cells) defend the body against invading microorganisms.	The blood of the lamb will defend us against the powers of darkness and keep us safe in battle.	Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Kings and Priests

Introduction:

We can sometimes have pre-conceived ideas about God, the Bible, religion, etc. and have our minds closed, unable to change our way of thinking.

For centuries people believed that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth. Aristotle was regarded as the greatest thinker of all time, and surely he would not be wrong. Anyone, of course, could have taken two objects, one heavy and one light, and dropped them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object landed first. But no one did until nearly 2,000 years after Aristotle's death. In 1589 Galileo summoned learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa (in Italy). Then he went to the top and pushed off a ten-pound and a one-pound weight. Both landed at the same instant. The power of belief was so strong, however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say Aristotle was right. 

Today I want to talk about who we are in Christ and ask you to be open minded and willing to receive a fresh revelation.

Revelation 1:4

4* John, to the seven churches, which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

 5* and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

 6* and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

A. HE HAS MADE US

When the Bible says “He has made us” we need to understand that we where not kings and priests but by his love and through the washing of his blood we received a new nature. Some translations have the word “Kingdom” instead of “Kings”. This because the translators wanted to understand the right meaning of this sentence (if you want the correct meaning read it on the King James)

1. Everything he does is perfect 
1. There are bad kings and good kings.
2. There are bad priests and good priests
3. We where made by Him...so we are the good ones! 
2. We where made into his image. In this passage Jesus Christ is seen in His threefold office as Prophet (faithful Witness), Priest (First-begotten from the dead), and King (Prince of the kings of the earth). Christ has made us a kingdom of priests, and this is the emphasis of Revelation. Today, Jesus Christ is a Priest-King like Melchizedek (Heb. 7), and we are seated with Him on His throne (Eph. 2:1–10).

Illustration

When I hold a basketball in my hands, it’s just a basketball. But when you place that same basketball in the hands of Michael Jordan, it turns into collegiate and professional championships. Put a paintbrush in any of our hands, and it’s just a paintbrush. But put a paintbrush in the hands of Picasso, and you get priceless works of art. If you put a guitar in a small kid’s hands, you’re going to get a lot of noise. But put that same guitar in the hands of John Mayer, and you’ll get beautiful music. 

The bottom line is that if you put what you have in the right hands, you will get amazing results.

We where made Kings and Priests in God’s kingdom, so when we use the power of this Gospel in our world the Holy Spirit confirms the Word of God with signs and wonders. We have the supernatural power of God in us and he will confirm the decrees of his children as we speak words of prophecy inspired by his Love.

B. WHO ARE THE KINGS AND WHO ARE THE PRIESTS?

Sometimes we do the mistake of making things outside of our natural God given gifts. God gave us natural abilities and different gifts so we can operate in them. The Bible reveals us that Jesus Christ made us KINGS and PRIESTS to his God and Father. I used to think that we could be both at the same time but the reality is that we can only operate in one of these positions at the same time. Of course that we serve a Sovereign God and in different seasons of our life we will accomplish different goals and we will obey God in different positions, calls or ministries.

 I wasn’t always a preacher. I have operated as a Worship Leader, Youth Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, Evangelist, Bible School Teacher, Church Planter, by God’s grace I operated many years as a Senior Pastor.

God can change our call but we need to understand the position and the gifting that we have in the present so that we may prosper in everything we do.

God made us in one of these two groups (we don’t operate in both at the same time). You need to understand who you are in Christ and use your gifts and talents for his glory.

When we remember the story of Martha and Mary we can see that Mary had the attitude of the Priest and Martha was busy doing stuff (she had the positioning of a King on the light of this teaching). Jesus didn’t told Martha that working in the house while he was there was wrong but that Mary chose the best part.

Some people say that Martha wasn’t spiritual therefor she was wrong but that is not the lesson we learn from Jesus.

Revelation 5:9,10

9* And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

 10* And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

KINGS	PRIESTS
Dominion	Glory
Provision	Vision

Throughout the New Testament the Bible calls us servants, helpers, prophets, apostles, pastors, disciples, etc.. Why does John bring this new revelation by calling us Kings and Priests?

I believe the Lord want us to understand what this means. Many times as Pastors have more vision then money...

Who are the Kings and who are the priests?

• Kings are businessmen. Marketplace People.
• Priests are ministers

When a King wants to be a priest or the opposite we will have problems. God doesn’t want Pastors to be businessmen and he doesn’t want the businessmen to be pastors.

Of course that this doesn’t mean that a pastor cannot have a business or that a businessmen cannot be a pastor. What I mean is that the focus of a Pastor is to take care of God’s flock and the purpose of a Businessman is to make sure that the pastor has enough money to accomplish his call.

Let me show you some Biblical foundations for this statement.

1 Chronicles 13:7-12

7 So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.

 8 Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

 9 ¶ And when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled.

 10 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.

 11 And David became angry because of the LORD’S outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza to this day.

 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”

David was a KING and he wanted to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. As they put the ark on a chariot Uzza stretched his hand to hold the ark and God took his life. David became very fearful and asked “How can I bring your Glory to me?”

We know that King David was a prophet and a worshiper but he wasn’t a priest.

1 Chronicles 15:1,2,12

1 David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it.

2 Then David said, “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.”

12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

On verse one we see that David built houses for himself because he was a King and not a priest. After he understood his call he then ordered the priests to bring the ark.

C. VISION AND PROVISION

Vision with no Provision will accomplish nothing at all. God will give vision to the Church but we will need money in order to reach His goals. The vision brings the Glory of God but the Kings need to bring money to the house of God.

2 Samuel 12:29-31

29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.

 30 Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance.

 31 And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

David was a King and not a priest. God wants to use the businessmen to go to war and bring the finances to His house in order to establish his Kingdom and build His Temple. God calls the Pastors to be priests and not Businessmen.

Provision = Pro + Vision

Personally I prefer to pray and worship the Lord rather than be in a business meeting.

How can you know if you are a King or a Priest?

If you keep busy praying, studying the Word or going to a Bible School you are most likely a Priest. You can be a businessmen now and the Lord can call you to become a priest. When I was called I was afraid to speak in public, I would never sing loud and could never see myself as a pastor. However God changed this and called me to step down from being a businessmen and serve in His house.

Some people at the church listen about faith and healing and serving the Lord but the only thing they can think about is their jobs or their businesses. There is nothing wrong with this. You shouldn’t feel condemned if  you cannot pray for one hour like some people do but maybe you are a faithful giver and are serving the Lord as a King.

Illustration

We need to understand that God want’s us all to be givers. Some people don’t like to ear about finances at church. Let me do a small check on your spiritual health.

When you go to a doctor for your annual check-up, he or she will often begin to poke, prod, and press various places, all the while asking, "Does this hurt? How about this?" If you cry out in pain, one of two things has happened. Either the doctor has pushed too hard, without the right sensitivity. Or, more likely, there's something wrong, and the doctor will say, "We'd better do some more tests. It's not supposed to hurt there!" So it is when pastors preach on financial responsibility, and certain members cry out in discomfort, criticizing the message and the messenger. Either the pastor has pushed too hard. Or perhaps there's something wrong. In that case, I say, "My friend, we're in need of the Great Physician because it's not supposed to hurt there."

Kings are called to bring tithes and offerings to the House of the Lord

Priests do the spiritual work and labour in a different way.

A healthy church must have a balance. Kings bring their tithes and offerings and priests serve the Lord listening to His voice and bringing a sacrifice of praise before the altar

D. JESUS’ CALL

Who was present after his birth? Kings and Priests! The pastors where the evangelists that told everybody about Jesus. The Kings came and brought the Gold that enabled Joseph and Mary to have the finances to emigrate to Egypt.

John 6:15

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

The Bible shows that the multitude wanted to make Jesus their King but he didn’t allow the people to dictate his future. Jesus did not accept a position for what the father didn’t call him. He came as a Priest. One day He will return as a King!

Hebrews 2:17

 17* Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

CONCLUSION

Revelation 1:4

 6* and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

• Are you a King or are you a Priest?
• I’m talking about the present time! What is your greatest desire?

Remember the story of Martha and Mary Jesus didn’t told Martha that working in the house while he was there was wrong but that Mary chose the best part.

Illustration

A rich man was determined to give his mother a birthday present that would outshine all others. He read of a bird that had a vocabulary of 4000 words, could speak in numerous languages and sing 3 operatic arias. He immediately bought the bird for $50,000 and had it delivered to his mother. The next day he phoned to see if she had received the bird. He wanted to explain  what the bird could do  "What did you think of the bird?" he asked. 

She replied, "It was delicious."

If we don’t understand purpose we may end up killing God’s plan.

You shouldn’t feel condemned if you cannot get involved in Church activities as others because you are busy making money that will provide finances to the Church.

We will close in prayer asking the Lord to reveal you who you are.

I will pray for all of those that have a calling to be Kings and after for those that feel called to be priests.

If you are here for the first time I have news for you: God wants to give you a purpose and a destiny. As he washes you in the blood of the lamb and receive forgiveness for your sins he will make you Kink and Priest.