On whose side, are you?
Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | April 21, 2023 | Matthew 12:25-30
KEY VERSE:
²⁵Knowing their thoughts, he told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ….³⁰Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. Matthew 12:25,30
MESSAGE:
The scenario in this passage depicts a battle between two kingdoms – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, the kingdom of light, and the kingdom of darkness. Jesus is fighting the forces of evil with the greatest force of love that the world has ever seen! Jesus is fighting evil with the power of the Spirit of God and the fact that He is doing so is evidence that the kingdom of God has come through His life and His ministry. He gives the illustration of going into a strong man’s house and trying to steal his stuff. That strong man is not going to just let you steal his stuff. Therefore, the strong man must be bound up to steal his stuff. The beautiful part is that Jesus is demonstrating that He has power over Satan by defeating the forces of the evil one.
Consciously or unconsciously, the whole world is involved in this battle, and one fights either on the side of Jesus or Satan. Those who acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and submit to Him as Saviour and Lord of their lives are those who are with Him. Those who are with Jesus gather with Him individually as members of His kingdom through consistent faith, loyalty, and holiness. They walk His walk and talk His talk. Together they make a community of His kingdom, and they gather with Him through unity. They are not divided and so are able to stand, and the Gates of Hades will not prevail against them. The Pharisees were certainly not with Jesus. They not only deny Jesus but also attributed His power, the power of God, to the power of the devil. They were against Jesus, and so they were against God.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
On whose side are you? Jesus makes it clear that there is no middle room when it comes to loyalty towards Him. You are either with Him or you are against Him. Jesus has no room for neutrality. If you are on Jesus’ side, you are on the winning side. He will not fail, for greater is He that is us than He that is in the world. Ask yourself if you have experienced the power of Jesus. You may have your name on a church roll, or you may be a regular attendant of your church. But the question is, have you experienced the power of Jesus? If you are against Him, you are rejecting the work of the Spirit and you are on dangerous ground because you may soon move beyond your ability to repent.
PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, please guide me and help me to always stay on your side. I promise to be loyal to you and to follow your ways, your word, and your will. Please grant me strength and wisdom to be steadfast in my faith and to live a life that reflects your love and grace. Thank you for your everlasting love and mercy. Amen!
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
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