11/4/2021 [Sunday Message] www.lifechurchmissions.com

Coming to terms with the harshness of faith <Lk 9:23-24; Lk 9:43-45; 54-55; Lk 9:58, 60-62; Lk 22:31-34; Lk 10:17-18>

1. Part of the nature of Christian faith is harsh.

Read: <Lk 9:23-24>

23 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.

1) Even though we do not seek suffering, taking up the cross is death to a whole way of life.

2) Even after regeneration, building up our belief is not straightforward or easy.

Read: <Lk 9:43-45; 54-55>

43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

44 While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men."

45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"

55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them,

3) Following Jesus permits no delay in moving away from the comfort and inheritance of this life.

Read: <Lk 9:58, 60-62>

58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good bye to my family."

62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

2. The harshness of faith compels us to follow close to God.

1) Do not underestimate Satan and sin, for you need all the strength to fight spiritual battles.

2) Need to check: what is the degree of your hunger?

3) It is not possible to have true reformation without first having true revival (training of holiness).

4) Reform what you have been taught to the truth

3. Until you find yourself in captivity of God’s word

1) Disappointments and discouragements may still happen, but true freedom is found when we start to develop a conscience sensitive to the Word of God.

2) All sorts of discord may happen, but victory over Satan is seeing the kingdom of God on the march, opening doors of opportunity for the gospel

Read: <Lk 10:17-18>

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

3) Helplessly, sin is found in whatever man does, but the conscience found must be respected, for God’s judgment and for His salvation.