I Have Hope

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[0:37] When Peter was called to go and give a reason for going to the house of a Gentile with a gospel in the book of Acts chapter 11, he recounted how he was in a place of prayer and God came to him.

[1:00] And God told him that, go to the Gentile's house and preach the gospel. But he said, I can't do that. And God said, don't call unclean what I have decided to work with.

[1:13] So, he said, well, he went. Just after he had a vision, he had a, there were some three men who Cornelius has sent waiting for him outside.

[1:28] So, they told him that the men were waiting for you. So, he did not hesitate. Acts chapter 11. He did not hesitate, but went with them.

[1:39] And he said, when he got to Cornelius' house, he started telling them the gospel. But as he spoke, whilst he was speaking, the Holy Spirit came upon them as he came upon the apostles.

[1:57] Is he on the screen? Yes. And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as upon us.

[2:09] At the beginning. At the beginning, when the Holy Ghost came upon them, they were praying in the upper room.

[2:22] Praying in Acts chapter 2, verse 1. And whilst they were praying, the Bible said that suddenly, and the Spirit of all came upon them, verse 4. And they were all filled with the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

[2:40] But this is the beginning, how it came. But Gentiles were not supposed to receive the Holy Spirit according to the Old Testament.

[2:52] I wish time would permit me to tell you the difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The name of the God of the Old Testament is Yahweh, Jehovah, God Almighty.

[3:10] The name of the God of the New Testament is Yahweh, Jehovah, God Almighty. So what's different? There's a difference. Name's the same. Characteristics, the same.

[3:22] Attributes, the same. Eternal, Almighty, Healer, attributes, the same. But there is something about the God of the New Testament which is different from the God of the Old Testament.

[3:32] The God of the New Testament is the revealed God, explained God, defined God. The God of the Old Testament is the hidden God, concealed God, unexperienced God, unseen God.

[3:44] The God of the New Testament is the expressed God. So in John chapter 1, Bible says that Jesus Christ in the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God. And the Bible says the Word became flesh and we beheld the glory of God.

[3:58] So Jesus was the definition. He was the expression of the invisible God. In the book of Hebrews chapter 1, verse 3, Bible says that He is the expression, the express image of His presence.

[4:11] Who being the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His presence. And so in John chapter 6, He told them, I have been with you all this while and you don't know me.

[4:22] If you see me, you have seen the Father because I and the Father are one. That is the difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God. The God of the Old Testament in John chapter 1, He says that no one has seen, John chapter 1, verse 18, He said, no man has seen God.

[4:39] No man, no one has seen God. But He is there. But no one has seen Him. But Jesus came to define Him, came to express Him, came to see, for us to see Him.

[4:54] And so in 1 John chapter 1, Bible says that that which we have seen, that which we have handled, that which we have touched, that we declare to you because this God who is unseen came to be seen.

[5:08] And so, the way He was dealing with us in the Old Testament is completely, radically different from the New Testament. In the Old Testament, Gentiles are not meant to worship together with Jews.

[5:19] But in the New Testament, the story was different. And so even though they were born again, they were still living in Old Testamental times. They thought it's just a continuation of the Old Testament system.

[5:33] Little did they know that the Old Testament system was just to create the way for the New Testament church to be born. So when the church was born, they thought the church was about Jews.

[5:47] But the church is more than Jews. So Paul said that unto me, who was the least among the apostles, have this thing that was being hidden from the foundations of the earth.

[5:59] No, the prophets didn't even know and understand it. because the whole system, I feel like preaching, the whole system about church is a mystery.

[6:09] How can Jews and Gentiles, people who have different or completely variant racial backgrounds, how can male and female, how can slave and free all come together in a glorious heterogeneous union?

[6:26] Bible says that we are one in Christ because we have one Father, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith, one hope, one calling. Should we are one? And so when you are born again, intrinsically, we have some oneness.

[6:43] As soon as you are born again, in spite of your color, in spite of your status, in spite of your gender, we have oneness. Seven different types of oneness according to Ephesians chapter 4.

[6:55] But the Jewish believers who had the privilege of receiving the arrival of the Holy Spirit first did not know that the Old Testament system has changed.

[7:08] They didn't know that Jesus had abolished, abolished the law. Colossians chapter 2 from verse 14 downwards, it talks about how handwriting of ordinances that were having wiped out Jesus.

[7:27] This thing is too good for my spirit. He said, having this, talking about Jesus Christ, okay, for you to know that's about Jesus, go to the verse 13. Talks verse 13. And you, being dead in your transgressions, okay, that's what we used to be.

[7:40] That's what I used to be. Say that. Say that's what we used to be. That's what we used to be. And you, being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he made a life together with Christ?

[7:55] Okay, that's why it's H, capital H, with Christ. This is, don't take this lightly, okay? Don't take this lightly because of mercy, this thing. Mercy has made this possible.

[8:06] Mercy, mercy, mercy, because all of us have some bad history. Even if you don't think you have bad history, somebody in your bloodline, has a mercy history which you are supposed to pay for.

[8:22] They made decisions and their children were supposed to pay for it. So everyone, but he has forgiven us our trespasses now. So he has forgiven us. Who were dead in our transgressions?

[8:35] We were dead in our trespasses. Has he forgiven us our trespasses? Because he made us alive together with Christ. And we were dead in trespasses.

[8:47] Dead. Trespasses. Trespasses kill. And so he made us alive having forgiven the trespasses that are responsible for the dead. And watch this.

[8:58] Watch this. Go to the next verse. Having wiped. You know what it means that something said the death is wiped out? Clean slate.

[9:09] Everything wiped out. He wiped. He deleted something. Just delete. Wiped out. We can't find the record. It has been wiped.

[9:24] The email records have been wiped out. There's no trace that you send that email to that brother. There's no trace that you send. You know some of you know how to wipe some history from your internet history.

[9:37] You know how to wipe and delete the history. But you know the problem is that some of those histories when you delete them and the police catch your computer they can still find out where you have been.

[9:50] but this one the blood of the blood of Jesus the blood of Jesus wipes it out and there is no trace.

[10:04] There is no trace. There is no trace. Shout yes. I don't know what you may hold against me.

[10:20] I don't know what you may have against me. I don't know what you may know about my past but I want you to know I am forgiven in Christ. And and you that's it that's what it is.

[10:40] and you and you who were dead in your trespasses and you being King James the version in Ephesians 2 puts it and you Ephesians 2 verse 1 he said and you who were Ephesians 2 and you had he made alive who were dead the same thing in trespasses and said you were dead in the thing.

[11:12] That's the danger of religion. They ask you to do a few things that God ask anybody who practices any religion anywhere and ask them about what is the assurance you have about forgiveness of your sins.

[11:24] They don't have it. you see I don't believe this I don't this is what we believe you see let's put all that all those issues aside and let's get to the bottom of the thing how about your sins there is Bible said that they marveled and said who is this man who can forgive sins in Mark Mark chapter 2 they brought the man who was crippled and he said son your sins are forgiven rise up and the guys were not distracted by the rise up they wondered but who are you to forgive sins they wonder who is this man who can forgive sins no man can forgive sins no man and no religion can guarantee forgiveness of sins because it must take God you can't it doesn't matter how much how many courts you go if you owe the bank legitimately you can't go and say that no they have to wipe it off they have to no no courts will work for you it is the bank who can say we have decided to wipe it off on this condition

[12:44] God decided your sins me I'm going to delete it say hallelujah when someone asks you why are you so excited about church why are you making so tell them because you have tested what it means to be forgiven you have tested what forgiveness of sins can it feels so good you can sleep so well that's why he said he who the son sets free is free hold on I said this a time ago when someone breaks out from prison a prison break the person breaks out from prison or runs away from prison and is in town the person is free isn't he he's not confined he can see the red buses and everything he is free but every little time here something looks behind him he's free but not free indeed but my bible says he who the son sets free is free indeed sound free indeed sound free indeed they may not they may not appreciate why we shout they may not appreciate why we sing they may not appreciate why we love this more than football they may not appreciate why we're so excited and we spend time in

[14:21] God's house they may not but we know we have been forgiven we have been forgiven our trespasses that's one of the biggest news that can happen to you your debts can I like this one your debts can be cancelled but listen when your debts are cancelled and you are still guilty you cannot sleep peacefully your debts can be cancelled but how about your sins how about your sins when someone says I'm an atheist I don't believe ask them how about your guilt what are you going to do about your guilt what guilt are you talking about I said the guilt you know the guilt you know what you going to do about that guilt yeah you don't believe I don't believe in God no problem no problem but there's a conundrum here there's an issue here there's a complication here what you going to do about your guilt it's only

[15:24] Christ that can forgive us so let me finish what I started Colossians chapter 2 verse 13 and it says that so here's verse 13 and you being dead in your transgressions in your transgressions and uncircumcision of your flesh has he made alive uncircumcision of your flesh that's where the Jews had the problem the Jews had the circumcision is for the covenant people and this some of us were not in covenant in fact Ephesians calls us Ephesians chapter 2 we're aliens alienated from the commonwealth of Israel we were strangers Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12 and 13 it said we were foreigners it says that at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of prophets having no hope without God in this world that's the most miserable state anyone can be in be alive without

[16:28] God it's the highest risk you are very hopeless to be alive without God hopeless why would you want to buy a house in a safari where the animals live the lions how would you want to buy a house there you will not live to enjoy the house lions will live to enjoy your life without God you are miserable without God it's risky without God you are very hopeless and he said that's what we were so don't be surprised that you may have more money than me you may have better job than me you may have other things I may not have externally materially physically but there's something I may have which you don't have I have

[17:28] God I have God I have God you don't know where you go when you die but I do but I do but I do but I do and it doesn't matter it doesn't matter how wealthy you are you're going die it doesn't matter how wealthy you are some of the sicknesses your wealth cannot take care of but I have hope I have hope because I don't know what the future holds but I know he who holds the future short I am forgiven please let me finish I'm talking about calling yours house I will I will and and so he says that we were but has he forgiven us our transgressions verse 13 again please has he forgiven us our transgressions now watch this verse 14 having wiped having wiped the handwriting of requirements that was against us which were contrary to do you know what that means the thing this this are handwritings of requirements they are not evil things though when you are going to apply for a job or apply and say this is a requirement is it wrong you can't say the requirements are wrong no that's the requirement for the job you want to be a mathematician and they say at least you must have O level mask is that a wrong requirement there's no so so if you want to be employed as as a salesperson but you don't like talking to people you don't like meeting people that means it's not the requirement that is wrong but you are the wrong person trying to get that job so the requirements are right this is a handwriting of requirements and

[19:18] I think King James King James said handwriting of ordinances it has been ordained Bible says Jesus Christ came the things that are written in the law that is really contrary to you the law is not against you but you are so bad that when you bring you close to the law it's bad news bad news the law was killing you and Bible says that Jesus Christ he has forgiven our transgressions made us alive having wiped of the ordinances that were requirements that was against us which was contrary to your destiny that thing is not working for you Jesus said this thing is not working for them he forgave you your sins made you alive and wiped out because the requirements of the law that were against you not that the law is against you but you are so bad you and I as Gentiles even Jews couldn't keep the law let alone you uncircumcised

[20:24] Philistine so having wiped out and has and has taken it out of the way say the way the way that's not your way again there's no law making demands on you having nailed it to the cross and so when Jesus did this the door the curtain was torn from top to bottom I think in Matthew 27 53 or so somewhere there the curtain was torn on the cross when Jesus said it is finished the curtain is so high no man can go climb out there it's God himself held it at the top and ripped it apart wow because now you can come behind the veil it's not only Jews Gentiles and Jews can come to me behind the veil that is why Paul in Hebrews people dispute who wrote in you but Paul in Hebrews 4 6 16 he said therefore come before the throne of grace that you may obtain that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need and so when God it was time watch that when it was time for God to break out into the dental reason he sent Peter and Peter went and as he was talking he told him about the history of the God of the Old Testament how things you see you need to know the God of the Old Testament to understand the God of the New Testament you know you have to see how it works his attributes are much more defined in the Old Testament but clearly seen in the New Testament so if you want to understand how God works praise and worship does God need praise and worship check what he did with praise and worship in the Old Testament so he went and then started telling them about the Old Testament took it and explained things to them but Bible says that whilst he was speaking

[22:22] Acts chapter 10 verse 44 whilst Peter yet speak this word King James whilst Peter yet speak and I know as I am speaking whilst I am speaking whilst Peter yet speak these words the Holy Ghost that fell upon all them which had the word and now the Jews were confused how can God come to these people so the next verse and the Jews they circumcised they are the covenanted people as many as came with Peter and they of the circumcision the covenant which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter because the Holy Ghost has also been brought upon the Gentiles too no they are not supposed to receive so this brought the problem in the Jerusalem the headquarters so they summoned Peter and they said Acts chapter 11 why did you go to a Gentiles he said this is my vision and I ended up there but when I went there and I was speaking Acts 11 15 there and us as I began to speak the Holy Ghost decided to come this is not religion it's a Holy Ghost move

[23:34] I don't have a say in it if I had my way I would have blocked them I would have blocked him from coming no but he told them guys you have to understand whilst I was speaking the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost decided to come join my speaking but what was beautiful is in Acts chapter 2 the Bible said they were together praying and the Holy Ghost came this one they were not praying they were hearing the word they were hearing the word and so when they were hearing the word the Holy Ghost came Acts 11 15 the Holy Ghost and Peter said Acts 11 15 on us the way he fell on us the same way he came on this just like the beginning what differed was we were praying and they were hearing the word but it is the same look at the next verse I like this one then remembered I the word of the Lord how he said

[24:38] John baptized with water but not many days then I remembered that's why you need the word of God in your system so when God is moving you can actually make references but if you don't already have the word of God in your system someone a fetish priest a chief imam will come and prophesy to you he said what he said was true God is really with him God is really you don't have the word I'm about to enter into the era of prophecy so we are getting somewhere now so he said and I remembered what Jesus said in certain times in times you must remember what Jesus has spoken to you through your man of God you must remember you must remember one of the testimonies one of the ladies was talking about how I remembered what pastor said that I remembered what pastor spoke so I decided that no after I've prayed I'm going to expect positive things and speak the positive one and speak what I've prayed about I don't pray one thing and go out and say different things if I pray that

[25:41] I'm going to have a good husband then I'm not going to say no one can have a good husband so why are you praying that prayer you pray one thing and talk another thing so she decided that as pastor said I'm going to start walking you always need a red reference you need a red reference so you understand why people who come under satanic attack sleep when the word is being preached that's Satan's favorite hot spot because you have to sleep when the word is being taught because God can't do anything without the word so as long as he can steal the Bible in John Mark chapter 8 the Bible says that when the word was sown the one that fell by the wayside the Bible says immediately Satan came and stole the word in Mark chapter 8 so Satan looks for the people who when they are listening to the word they are looking at someone with this hairstyle they are concentrating on someone screaming they are concentrating on unnecessary things and as soon as the word is they steal so they leave the church they are forgotten everything and so in the time when God is about to bless them and say okay bring your coupon which is your word reference

[26:54] I don't have a coupon I don't have a word reference because your coupon has been stolen by the devil but I say that no more no more will the devil have the akkadabababab no more will the enemy have the chance to take away the word you have heard because it is the word that will deliver it is the word that will produce it is the word that will guarantee your love and your portion shout yes Acts 11 17 this guy is talking like a lawyer now he said if therefore if therefore God gave them the same gift as he gave to us when we believed the Lord Jesus who was I that I could say God know who is man when God chooses to say it is your turn you are too worried about who doesn't like you that is your problem you are too worried about who doesn't like you who is saying drop that because when God says it is your turn even not an apostle

[28:14] Peter not an apostle Peter who can say that no no no he said who who was I who was I if God has decided to give these people the Holy Ghost just as he gave to us when we believed in Jesus who was I but how did this happen this is a good one I'm ending on this listen listen listen you see verse 17 again it's interesting therefore God who did this for us when he decided to do it for them who was I to do what how could I who was I to withstand God what is he talking about withstanding God about giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles so but if God wanted to do it why must he engage Peter shouldn't he do it go ahead and do it anyway because Peter has a problem of the people receiving they are not supposed to so why must you go through Peter because God always have agents on ground when we were in

[29:35] Graceland I wanted us to upgrade our speakers you would like what I'm about to say because some of you have experienced that before I wanted us to upgrade our speakers and you know in the internet age everything is on the internet so I went on the internet and searched for the manufacturers and I saw different types which we can get but one one of the things that some of you must know some of you do Amazon shopping is not what I'm talking about I'm talking about I'm talking about professional equipments you don't see price the manufacturers don't tell you the price you call them they said they'll put you through to an agent a distributor a dealer they said you want to buy from us sorry we can't supply to you we have people on ground you need your profit you need an authorized dealer from God licensed by God certified to come and deliver your testimony testimony and I'm pleased to announce to you that I stand here as an authorized dealer an authorized prophet to speak over your life to demand a change in your situation to demand a turnaround in your situation

[31:07] I speak your liberty I speak your relief I speak your miracle I speak your blessings I speak your breakthrough now now now may it happen to you faster than you thought quicker than you thought I stand here as a prophet of God I stand here as an apostle in this commission I stand here as one ordained by God God by God anointed by God to set the captives free for the liberty of humanity I stand here and I speak over your marriage I speak over your health I speak over your finances I speak over your family I speak over your spiritual life I speak over your ministry I demand resurrection I demand resurrection I command resurrection I speak peace in your marriage I speak peace in your health in the mighty name of Jesus if you believe it shout yes Lord as I began to speak the Holy

[32:26] Spirit fell on them lift up your hands and say Lord as your servant begins to speak pray that prayer let what you have packaged for me get into my life pray that prayer pray that prayer pray that prayer right now pray and ask God God speak to me speak to me thank you Jesus Father we give you praise we give you glory in Jesus name and everyone who believes shout the living amen come on clap your hands give the Lord a big if you are not saved you are not safe because life is dangerous life is not under your command I don't see why I should end this service without giving you an opportunity to say yes Lord pastor pray with me because I want to have this bread means I want to put all my confidence in him all my hope in him I want to give my life to Jesus if that is your genuine desire just lift up your hand and say this after me say it genuinely from your heart say Lord

[33:28] Jesus I know I'm a sinner I've sinned against you I ask you to forgive my sins wash me with your blood thank you Lord for dying on the cross to save me from today I will serve you I believe in you I put all my hope in you I put my faith in you as my Lord and personal savior I receive you into my life I make a vow with you that I'll serve you all the days of my life Satan get behind me I don't belong to you I belong to Jesus thank you Lord for saving me in Jesus name father I thank you your word says that you know your sheep and your sheep know your voice no one can come to you except your father brings him I pray that let your grace be upon them help them to be strong I pray that the grace of God will come upon you the power of the Holy Spirit will come upon you and help you to be a strong Christian in Jesus mighty name amen thank you for listening for more resources please visit caries.org or call us on 0207 740 9960

[34:40] God bless you through and for