TOPIC: No Cross, No Power (Mountain Of Fire And Miracle Ministries Sunday, 26 August 2018)
FIRE SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:6-11
MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.” – John 10:17
The MESSAGE:
Jesus could have avoided the cross, but He did not, He had the power to let down His life and power to take it again. (Jesus Christ knows the end from the beginning, hence we cannot use the statement …He would not have realised). Can you imagine Christianity without the cross and the resurrection? It would be only one of many religions. It would not be the transforming “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). Jesus died because it was necessary, not because it was unavoidable. It was necessary that He died and because His death and resurrection were planned by God to bridge the gap created by Adam, redeem and reconnect us back to God, bringing us into fellowship with Him as originally designed by God. As a mere man, He would not have died while He had the power to live. As people indwelt by God and participants in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), we choose duty before life, the cross before pleasure and enjoyment of this world. If we are not characterised by this divine nature, we are none of His. This is clearly stated in Mark 8:34, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Those who believe that they can bypass the cross are not truly Christ’s. Jesus called Peter’s confession “satan” because he rebuked Jesus for not escaping death although He possessed the power to do so. There are no shortcuts to success. The first one to suggest success and achievement without the cross was satan himself. Jesus objected to the miracles satan wanted Him to perform. The devil suggested that Jesus should change useless stones into useful loaves of bread (Matthew 4:3). We should watch out for those who have followed satan’s suggestion to perform ‘miracles’ and have not ‘taken up their crosses’ to follow Jesus. Beware of some of the preachers of the gospel of wealth and prosperity. They are ‘apostles’ of satan using satanic power for signs and wonders. Real power of God comes from being crucified with Christ.
The devil wanted Jesus to acquire instant fame, and he quoted Scripture to persuade Him to do so. He suggested that God would perform a miracle if Jesus would only cast Himself from the pinnacle of the temple. Success from Christ’s point of view is living in voluntary obscurity and self-effacement like Christ when you could live otherwise. He who had the will to die on the cross had the power to rise from the dead. No other person on earth has ever said what Jesus said and accomplished (Mark 8:31). He knew that by God’s appointment He was to die, but He was absolutely sure that on the third day, He would rise from the dead. Would the world be better had He chosen to live on, escape death and not exercise His power to rise from the dead? Certainly not.
When you take up the cross, you surrender fully to Christ and lay your life down for Him like the apostles. You identify with Christ’s suffering and shame by enduring all things for His sake and gospel’s sake. You surrender your will and launch out fully for Christ like Paul. Your priority is to please God always and forsake the distractions and deceptions of this world. With your eyes and heart focused on the cross, you look forward to being with Jesus in His heavenly home.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS.
PROPHETIC WORD:
You will choose duty before life, the cross before pleasure and enjoyment of the world.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
1. I cling to the old rugged cross by fire by force, in the name of Jesus.
2. Holy Spirit crucify my flesh forcefully, in the name of Jesus.
3. I shall not miss my divine assignment on earth, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING
4. Fire in the word, fire in the bones, unquenchable fire of the Holy Spirit, enter me now, in the name of Jesus.
5. Holy Ghost fire, consume every spiritual barrier to full surrender in my life, in the name of Jesus.
6. Every hindrance to my spiritual growth, catch fire and burn to ashes, in the name of Jesus.
7. Fire to fulfil my destiny, fill me afresh, in the name of Jesus.
“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional HERE”
MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)
Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.
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