Good morning everyone, such a blessing to be back with you in Monaghan and so thankful for all that the Lord is doing through you. You’re good people.
For those watching online a warm welcome and all those listening via translation into Portuguese and Russian.
Jesus loves, Brazilian people, Irish, Portuguese, Russian, Moldovan, Ukrainian people very much, amen.
BIBLE / Acts 10:
34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favouritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear Him and do what is right.
Acts 10:34-45
This is the good news of the Gospel
Jesus had no favourites, he died for everyone so that we might have forgiveness of sin… This forgiveness frees us from the curse of death.
Live the Kingdom Way
The old covenant was between God and humanity. There were over 316 laws that people had to follow in the Old Testament. However, it is impossible to keep it.
The new covenant or contract, however, was between a Father and his Son. Jesus was able to keep the contract on our behalf and because of this we are able to stand on the righteousness of Christ.
We are now free from the old contract. The new covenant allows us to live in freedom.
Psalm 109:37
“He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
and from among their tribes no one faltered.”
The children of God came out of Israel loaded with gold. This sounds appealing, but remember they were under the old contract. The freedom we have under the new contract is even better than gold and silver! We now can live in the abundance of God’s grace, joy and mercy.
Galatian 3
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Galatian 3:10-13
Jesus became the curse of the law to redeem us.
Freedom comes with forgiveness. If you’re living in forgiveness you’re living in spiritual freedom.
Jesus died on a cruel cross for you to live in freedom, be free of fear. He did it so we might be reconciled with God and finally have a relationship with Him.
Forgiveness and reconciliation bring us freedom. Unforgiveness, on the other hand, weighs us down. There is a release that comes from reconciliation and forgiveness.
Freedom is not doing what I want – freedom requires obedience. God has established boundaries for us. It’s important to know that in the old covenant, we would obey God because we had to. Under the new covenant, we obey him because we want to. We as Christians, should be moved to please God out of love the same way we serve our family and partners because we care about them.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV
1st – Only in the presence of God is there true liberty – liberty of spirit, soul, and body.
The most important and most powerful liberty comes from within when Jesus moves in after you invite Him and receive Him.
Nothing else on earth can compare to the liberty of life and spirit of a believer who has allowed the Holy Spirit to have His way in him/her.
Freedom comes through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and through the Word of God:
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 NKJV
2nd – We are free from spiritual slavery and fear of punishment and death:
‘And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to slavery.’ Hebrews 2:15
We do not need to live in fear anymore. People are usually afraid of:
- The dark – but Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
- The unknown – but Jesus said, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4).
- Evil – “I will fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4).
- Being lost – but Jesus said, “follow me”. We have been found and secured in Christ.
- Heights – but Jesus said, “I will put your feet on a rock” (Psalm 40:2) We stand on a firm foundation.
- Poverty – “that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
- Death – but the word of God says, “death has lost its sting” (1 Corinthians 15:55-58).
- Being unloved – but God said, “I love you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3)
- Being alone – “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
- Ill health – “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26).
3rd – We are free from slavery to anyone but Christ, who bought our freedom:
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman.
Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 1 Corinthians 7:22-23
As long as we serve God, we also willingly obey Him. The more we submit to Him, the more freedom in which we walk. Serving Him is a place of honour and blessing. It gives us freedom. We are now free from sin, but we are servants of the Most High.
4th – We are free from the Law:
‘But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.’ Romans 7:6 NKJV
We do no longer serve God out of fear of punishment for transgressing the Law, but now we serve him from the heart, with joy. We walk in the reality of forgiven sin. Traditions, religion and the law tie us down and restricts us.
We are free from the curse of the Law. We are free from the control and power of sin. We are free from corruption.
Our physical bodies may die, but God has promised us a glorified body that cannot die or grow old and perish. All of creation will one day share in this glorious liberty!
God has set us free from the opinion and control of man – only God’s opinion of us, and His will for us, counts. We take our orders from God alone; even so, we choose to love and serve others at His direction.
5th – We are free from religious ordinances:
Many churches are religious even Pentecostal ones. The church is at its best when we celebrate the diversity we have in unity.
Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
When you are a child, you need outer boundaries to protect you and to lead you in a form of discipline and training.
As you grow, you learn to form inner boundaries. An unsaved person needs the outer boundaries to keep them on track, such as the Law. A spiritual person is governed by the Holy Spirit within, and he is led and directed by the spirit, and not by the flesh. God is not impressed with mere religious rituals; He looks for worship – in spirit and in truth – from the heart
There is no freedom for the wicked!
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:34-36 NKJV
The freedom to sin is not freedom. Submission to sin is submission to bondage and the devil.
True freedom comes from yielding to righteousness and the Holy Spirit.