New Creation Realities (Reconciliation) - Pastor Awo Antwi

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[0:33] We go on to another aspect of the new creation realities. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word. We appreciate you so much for what you're doing. And we say that, Lord, we are open to your word.

[0:45] Let your word become a life to us, Lord. May it not just be the words we hear, O God, but may it be your very voice, O God, that is speaking to us, O God. And the word became flesh, O God.

[0:56] May we be a living word. May the word be living in us, O God. May it transform our lives in the name of Jesus. And we will walk in the reality of it. We will enjoy it, O God.

[1:07] And we will testify of your goodness in the name of Jesus. We thank you, Holy Spirit, that you breathe your word afresh on us this afternoon for us to have an encounter with you. We give you praise in Jesus' name.

[1:19] Amen. Amen. In the first service, God's event was talking about the centrality of the word of God. The centrality of the Bible. And those of us who were here in the morning, we were so blessed.

[1:32] I was blessed. Brethren, if I can take an advantage and stress this, that I have come to realize that we can't live this Christian life for real.

[1:46] I mean, not just the fact that we have the label as Christians, but walking in that realm that God has prepared for us, moving out of the natural and walking in the supernatural.

[1:59] Because I realized that when we were teaching on faith in my last K group and also in our K group leaders meeting, I realized that sometimes we can have the potential of seeing God's word that, yes, that's what God has said.

[2:13] And also, we believe it. We believe it. But it's not our very life. Everything is not hanging on it. That our making or our crushing is based on it.

[2:28] It hasn't become real for us. We read it because it's good to read it. We read it because we can be informed here in our mind. But the word of God is more than that.

[2:41] Not just for information. But it is food for the soul. If it is food for the spirit, man shall not live by bread alone, but by the very word of God.

[2:54] So if we approach God's word as just a good book that we know we have to read, of course we know that it's God's word. But if we don't approach it as this is what I need to live by.

[3:06] This is what governs my life. Without it, I am dead. I don't have life. But it hasn't become the very whether you know that this is what I live by. Without this, my life, I'm just living a mundane life.

[3:23] I'm not living the Christian life. I'm not walking with God outside the scriptures. It's interesting. When God brought his people out of Egypt, he told them something specific, which we always share when we're having baby dedications.

[3:38] He said, And these words, teach them when you walk, when you sit, bind them like frontlets between your eyes.

[3:50] It has to be your single focus. The word of God is your single focus. Nothing else. You can't focus on something else and then say you're all still focusing on God.

[4:01] No, the word of God is your single focus. It's the final authority in your life. It is the very instructions of God. I feel like sometimes when you're approaching the scriptures, you don't just approach it because it's your devotional time, but you are sitting with the Father and the Father is telling you his counsel concerning your life.

[4:17] That is when it becomes real for you. You're not just reading it because, some of us, okay, we don't even read it. But those of us who read it, you're not just reading it because it's something that you have to do.

[4:28] You know it's good for you, but it's not the very breath of God. It has to become the very breath of God. It has to become the very food from God. It has to be that you are sitting at the feet of Jesus and he's teaching you, giving you instructions, showing you what to do.

[4:44] That is, and from there you begin to apply it. That is when you are talking about that you shall live by faith. Faith comes by hearing, and by hearing the word of God. So I want to encourage you.

[4:56] This series is making a point to listen to them on SoundCloud because it will change your life. It will change your life. God said, if a man of God who doesn't have the word of God in his mouth, there's no point to that person, that man of God.

[5:10] There's no point to that person because what have we got to offer but his word? What have we got? Even Jesus was making references concerning the scriptures. He was constantly making references from the Old Testament that this is the counsel of God.

[5:25] This is what God has said. This is what is coming to pass from the scriptures. There's nothing we can offer you. There's nothing a church can offer you outside the word of God.

[5:35] Any other thing is irrelevant. Forget about it. Don't use this. It won't produce. It won't produce because he watches over his word to perform it. He doesn't watch over anything. His word, he's committed only his word.

[5:49] Commit your life to God's word. And you see him performing it into your very eyes. You see him performing because he will perform only his word. As a church, it's been such a burden on my heart this week that if I have the opportunity, I will tell somebody, eat this.

[6:09] Eat it. It's the very word of God for you. Most of us who will sit in a train, we haven't even read the scriptures, but I will pick the metro. You have to read the metro.

[6:22] Yeah, you have to. Because you have to know what is going on. That is the word of men, but we forget God's word. What will truly take you, navigate you from here to that destined place?

[6:34] We forget about it. But on a daily basis, we receive all kinds of information. We receive all kinds of information. That is no God's word for us. You don't mind picking the news, which is okay.

[6:45] At least some of us are excuses. We need to check the weather. Fine. Some of us need to check football. Fine. Some of us need to check football. All kinds of things that we need to check. Well, don't do that if you haven't found yourself in the scriptures for the day.

[7:00] What at all? The weather. Most of us, we can guess anyway. You know, between this time and that time, it normally rains. It normally is cold. When the summer kicks in, you know it has kicked in.

[7:11] You know, so you can't, in this state, you won't go out without a quote. So why now pretend you have to see whether it's 15 or 12 or 10.

[7:21] It's cold anyway. So pick your quote and just leave. It shouldn't be a priority if we haven't found God. God's word for us for the day. I want to encourage somebody, encounter God for yourself.

[7:35] Encounter God in the scriptures for yourself. Encounter him for yourself. Let his word become real for you. Real to you. Let it be the very rule that governs your life.

[7:47] The journey of life is long. Nobody knows the terms of the journey of life. But if you can depend on God's word, he says in Joshua chapter 1 verse 6, this book of the Lord should not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night.

[8:01] He says in the end, it will make your way prosperous. The one who is meditating on it, that person's way will become prosperous. It is a guarantee.

[8:12] If we believe that Jesus really came to die here on earth to save you, if you can believe that, then you have to believe every aspect of God's word. If you claim a Christian and you know that it's because of the finished work of Christ and you believe it, then if you found that in the scriptures, then all other things are relevant.

[8:31] All other things. He said, it guarantees you that your way will be prosperous if you meditate on the word. It should not depart out of your mouth. That is the guarantee he gives you. Your way will be prosperous.

[8:44] The other time I was saying that, isn't it interesting that in our, you know, our kind of churches where sometimes the word is not made paramount, but in actual fact, praying for people in laying of hands is more important, which is good.

[8:58] It's in scriptures. They laid hands, they applied oil. So, we are fulfilling scripture. When we put, when you look at us, and sometimes you give us 10 years, 15 years, and you look at some of these people on the other side, likely to settle with God's word.

[9:17] Some of them don't even have pastors who know how to lay hands. When they are laying hands, this is if they are afraid of the person. They touch here like this, and they will put it, may God bless you. But, they make the word the priority of their gatherings.

[9:32] You look at them, and you see generations, grandmother, grandfather, hair white together, their children, and their children of her children, they are well established.

[9:42] The blessing of the Lord is manifesting in their lives, and you can see peace at the peace of God at work in their lives. Why? Because the word, the word is being made paramount.

[9:55] The word of God is being made paramount. It is the very counsel of God, and they live by it. It is not in the sentientism. It is not in the excitement. It is good. It has its place.

[10:06] We have got to be happy. We have got to be excited about serving God. But if you are doing all that outside the word, your matter is quite sad. Because what we know we must experience, it won't come.

[10:20] And some people say, God never disappoints. He never. I always tell people that when you haven't seen the manifestation, please put God aside, it is never his fault.

[10:31] It doesn't matter what I go through. I always say, people or the devil, God is never at fault. As for God, his way is perfect. Perfect.

[10:43] So something is not in place. His word. There's no paramount in your life. His word is not the final authority. His word is not governing your life. What you can do, what you can't do, where you can go, where you can't go, what you can say, what you can't say, when you wake up to pray, whether you won't pray or not, how you live your life, how you experience the Holy Spirit, how you are practicing his presence, all of that.

[11:07] The word is governing all of that. If it's not, I'm starting to say, that's why you see, most of some Christian friends, by God's grace, in Kairos, the word is paramount.

[11:18] So I can't say anybody in Kairos. But you will see, over years, you wonder what is going on. You wonder what is going on. The word of God is not governing the person's life.

[11:31] I encourage you, brethren, he said, it will make your way prosperous. The word. The word. It guarantees you prosperity. It guarantees you prosperity.

[11:43] He said, in Psalm 138, verse, he said, he has magnified his word above his name. And we know, at the mention of his name, every knee will bow. But he has magnified his word.

[11:55] Look for the word. Look for the word. It will transform your life. It will change your life. Move you from one place of nothingness to a place of fulfillment.

[12:09] The word. It has everything in it. It will take you. It will transport you. It will transform you. It will change your life. It will. It will. It will.

[12:20] I've lived it. I'm still living it. And by God's grace, I am not who I used to be. I am not. I'm not who I used to be. I know people from school, people when I've grown slightly older, and people who have known me maybe even for the past year.

[12:37] I'm not the same person. The word is working in my life. It's working in my life. And I'm seeing the fruit of it. I encourage you don't just come to church and go shut it up.

[12:48] Leave it aside. Constantly live in guilt. Oh, I know I'm supposed to read. Oh, I'm not supposed to. Oh, yeah, I know I'm supposed to read. And don't do it. The devil is tricking you. He's leading you out of your destiny.

[12:59] Day by day, you won't see it. But by three years, four years, five years, you are starting from where you should have moved on far from. You are stuck there. Read it, eat it, and obey it.

[13:13] Obey it. It will change your life. Have we all not experienced where maybe we were taught justification three years ago and we didn't get it. Until maybe a year or two later when we were taught it, this is what he was trying to tell me three years ago.

[13:28] But because he had not got the understanding, you haven't encountered the word of God. So you heard it, it was a powerful message and that was it. It didn't become your reality. So what I'm telling you, new creation realities, it will be from here.

[13:41] We are not teaching from anything, from here. So if you can encounter a new creation, it will be your reality. The experience of new creation, the power, the authority, all that is in, it will be your reality.

[13:53] Sometimes you don't even have to hear a message to know that you're actually working in it already because you have encountered God for yourself. You have encountered God for yourself. This is a little part of what we do.

[14:04] This is a little part of your Christian work. Just how many minutes, maximum one hour, that's it, you go and that's all you're going to live on for the week. How many hours do we have? I think I'm sure 160 something hours we have in a week.

[14:18] How? Going to use just one hour. But I know that even that one hour, if you take it serious, meditate on it, chew on it, munch on it, it still has the potential to change your life.

[14:28] It still has it. Hallelujah. God's heaven started on forgiveness of sins, which he said, it is the beginning of all of it. If your sins are forgiven, you have started a journey with Christ.

[14:39] It's about three weeks ago. He started on forgiveness of sins. And forgiveness of sins really means that our debt has been paid.

[14:50] As debtors, we've been discharged of the debt. The debt of sin, we have been discharged of it. We are, we've said, go. I hold nothing against you. Go and live your life.

[15:02] Go and live this life in me. I hold nothing against you. Our sins are forgiven. Settle with it. Most of us can't even take forgiveness of sins. Because you some way, some way say, can God really, really, really, because he's a holy God, can he really, really, really, really forgive me?

[15:18] It's a fact. It's not a feeling. If you believe that the blood of Jesus washes you, and because of that you are a Christian, then take the fact that you have been forgiven of every sin. It's a fact.

[15:30] You don't have to feel it. But if you confess your sins, he's faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. That's his word, and we take it as it is. We don't have to try and process it one way or the other.

[15:42] It is his word. We take it. Take it or leave it. You can allow the devil to trick you and think that, oh, it's not possible. It can't be real. You know, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe. And live in that arena of doubt, and therefore not experience God, not live this new life freely.

[15:59] Freely. So our sins have been forgiven. God's events treated it with, you know, such enthusiasm. And then we, he also treated the subject of redemption. As slaves, we have been granted our freedom.

[16:11] We were once slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to righteousness. So we are free. We are free. We are free not to sin. We are free.

[16:22] We have that choice. We give God praise for that. He bought us with his precious blood. He went on the shelf and picked you. He looked through humanity and picked you.

[16:33] And said, I want that one. I have paid for that particular person. His blood has paid for you. He bought you from the kingdom of darkness and he's translated you into the kingdom of life.

[16:45] We have been redeemed. Hallelujah. We have been redeemed. Hallelujah. And this one was something else when we took, um, picked the subject that we have been, we are blessed.

[16:55] We are blessed. We are blessed. Once we were cursed, we're under the curse of the law. But now we have, we are partakers of the blessing of Abraham. We are blessed.

[17:06] This is what is happening to us, has happened to us. These things are facts of what God has done. It's not about your feeling, about what your reality now. These are facts. You can choose to live it.

[17:17] You can choose to make it your reality or you can choose to be ignorant about it and not experience it. But it's yours. It's like you have money in your account but you are going around with your card and not going to withdraw or buy anything.

[17:30] And you are hungry, you have needs and you wouldn't go and buy anything with your card. It's a fact. The money is in your account but you are not making use of it. So these are things that needs to sink deep.

[17:42] You need to know so that you can cash in on it. We are not teaching these things so that you can just have knowledge. No. So that, oh yeah, I know new creation. Yeah, I know what it is. No, no. So that you can walk in it and the devil can't trick you anymore or swear God has already provided for you but you can't take advantage of it.

[17:57] You can't walk in the reality of it. The devil is a liar. We are blessed. Amen. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law and we are partakers of the blessing of Abraham. The week before he took the subject of justification and the accused sinner.

[18:13] Justification means that the accused sinner has been declared righteous. The accused sinner. Yes, you are accused. Yes, I am accused. Yes, if you check my background, my history, you find yes, yeah, there was that lie, there was that thing, uh-huh, yeah.

[18:28] So you have missed the mark. You are accused and found guilty of sin but God by his own intentions because of the work of Christ has declared you righteous.

[18:43] You stand before a perfect judge and he declares you righteous. Sometimes when we say righteousness, we have our own imagination of how we should be. You know, as human beings, we feel that we have to end things.

[18:57] We feel that, you know, we feel that. It's just, it's in our saying, there's no free lunch. When somebody's giving something free, you're quite suspicious. You wonder, okay, what is the catch? What is behind this?

[19:08] There must be a catch. That's human beings. Because of our falling nature, you are constantly suspicious of what is being termed free. You don't trust because you yourself, you know, you have some few things here and there.

[19:24] You know, so the other person can't be that genuine. You know, and we take it on to God as well. You are still a bit suspicious. But the interesting thing is, God said, you sinned against me and you missed my mark.

[19:38] He sets the mark. He sets the law. And he said, you missed the mark. He's a perfect judge. He said, you've missed the mark. And we all know we missed the mark. Do I have witnesses here? Praise the Lord.

[19:51] There are a few genuine people around. We know that we missed the mark. And he knows we've missed the mark. And then he now determines how we can get back to him.

[20:03] He now sets the rule. He now sets the parameter. He now sets the basis for which we can get back to him. And he says, believe Jesus. If you just believe him as Savior and Lord, confess it that he's Savior and Lord.

[20:21] And with that is enough for me. That appeases me. You miss my mark and that appeases me. And from then I declare you in spite of everything that you have done.

[20:33] I declare that you are righteous. And sometimes we find it too difficult to receive that. Because you think it's too simple. It can't be true. There must be something that we have to learn.

[20:44] That is the lie of the enemy. Just as the other ones, this is also a fact. This is a fact. This is what God has declared in his word. If you believe that he will heal your sicknesses, it's the same route to righteousness.

[20:56] This is what he said. If you believe that by his choice you are healed and therefore you're looking forward to your healing, you're looking forward to your prosperity. This is how he determines who is right and who is not right with him. So as God's servant always teaches us, you can be the perfect person.

[21:11] He says, that perfection is filthy rags before me. But another person can be imperfect but says, I need Jesus. I need him.

[21:22] And that person is declared right. Is declared right before God. So Christianity is not necessarily about the do's and don'ts. It's not about the boxes you have been able to take.

[21:33] It's about who Christ is to you and whether you have received the finished work of the cross and that you believe God's word concerning your state. That is what it's about. That's where it starts from.

[21:44] Of course, there's a law of the spirit that tells you walk in the spirit. That tells you the fruits of the spirit. That tells you about the gifts of the spirit. All of that. All is there. But it starts from accepting what God has done for you through Christ.

[21:58] We were accused sinners but we have been declared righteous because of the finished work of the cross. Hallelujah. So somebody's justified. Hallelujah. Amen.

[22:09] This morning we're taking on reconciliation. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. We have been reconciled to God. Reconciled to God.

[22:23] Sin estranged our relationship. Sin alienated us from God. There was enmity between us and God. But because of Christ we have been reconciled unto God.

[22:35] We have been brought back. to fellowship with God. Because of and this is our reality as a new creature. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17.

[22:45] I'm sure almost everyone of us know. Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature. All things have passed away. Behold all things have become new. Verse 18. Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

[23:04] that says that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing the trespasses to them and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

[23:15] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So it tells us the perfect work of God. This is God's plan for us and he executed it on his own. The scripture says that if any man be in Christ he's a new creature.

[23:28] That's where it starts from. So new creation but this is the reality that we have been reconciled. We used to be enemies of God. Let's look at Romans chapter 5 verse 6 and then we can get the full picture there.

[23:40] Romans chapter 5 verse 6. Romans chapter 5 verse 6 we are reading on to verse 11. For when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

[23:55] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die so you don't die for a righteous man. Okay. Yet perhaps for a good man somebody would even dare to die.

[24:08] But you don't die for anyway we'll go down. But God demonstrated his own love towards us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

[24:19] Whilst we were still sinners we hadn't considered to do anything about our situation. Christ went ahead and died for us. much more then having now been justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to go through the death of a son much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by his life.

[24:48] We have been reconciled. Clearly tells us that we were enemies. We were enemies of God. it says it clearly in verse 10 it says for when we were enemies we were reconciled to God.

[25:06] Before you couldn't approach God because you're an enemy. He won't look at you because you're an enemy. You're on the other side and there's a big big big gap between you and God.

[25:17] You couldn't approach him but because of Christ it tells us very clearly because of Christ he said how much more he said we reconciled us through the death of his son because of his death now we have moved from amenity into friendship.

[25:33] I am a friend of God. You are a friend of God. Don't pretend you don't know him. He's your friend. Hallelujah. Don't be shy. He's your friend. Hallelujah. He's for you in Jesus name.

[25:46] Amen. He said we have been moved from enmity. We were once enemies. enemies they war. They fight against each other.

[25:58] They see how they can bring the other one down. That's what enemies do. An enemy is not wishing for your well-being. An enemy is not looking out for your well-being or for something to work for you.

[26:09] No, no, no, no. They are looking forward to your destruction. They are looking forward to bringing you down. That's the role of the enemy. Before Christ God wasn't interested in our well-being.

[26:21] God wasn't working for us. God wasn't watching over his word to perform in our lives. He had nothing to do with us. We were at the mercy of the enemy. The one we now call enemy.

[26:34] We used to be at his mercy. Mash you up. Do whatever he wants to do to you. We were that cheap prey for him. We were cheap prey for the devil.

[26:46] But because of the finished work of Christ we are friends of God. This is good news. We are friends of God.

[26:57] You sit down and you chat. He opens his word to his intentions, his plans. He's not a friend with an ulterior motive. No. We are genuine friends of God.

[27:09] He's looking out for your well-being. He's looking at how he can sort you out. How he can make sure that nothing evil comes against your life. We are friends of God. We have been translated from the position of being enemies.

[27:23] I am a friend of God. You are a friend of God. I am a friend of God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We are friends.

[27:35] We are okay. God is cool with me. He's cool with you. He's alright with you. He's alright with me. Once we have come through Christ he's okay with you. We are friends.

[27:46] You see each other you pat each other and sit down. You can talk. You can chat. You can be open. The issues you have you can be genuine with him. And he will listen to you with judgment.

[27:57] But no, as a friend. As a true friend. As a genuine friend. He sees how he can help you. This is our position as a new creature. All things have passed away.

[28:09] Behold all things have become new. I am a friend of God. I have been reconciled with him. I have been brought back into friendship with him.

[28:21] Into walking with him. In the scriptures in Genesis it says that in the cool of the day God will descend and walk with Adam and Eve. They will chat. They are friends.

[28:34] We have even been brought into another level now. Better than Eden. Not just been restored to Eden. It's better than Eden. Hallelujah. He doesn't just descend every now and then. In the cool of the day.

[28:45] In the heat of the day. When we are going through trials and tribulations. Though I walk through the valley of shadow of death. I fear no evil because he's my friend. He's my friend. God has found a friend in me because of what Jesus has done.

[28:58] He's found a friend. Some of us look around looking for someone who will be genuine to us. You want to open your heart. You're looking for someone you can be open to. No restrictions. No hidden agendas.

[29:09] God is better than that. God is better than that. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Let's look at Colossians chapter 1 verse 20.

[29:20] Colossians chapter 1 verse 20. It says, By him to reconcile all things to himself. By him whether things on earth or things in heaven. Having made peace through the blood of his cross.

[29:34] And you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works. Yet now he has reconciled.

[29:45] He specifically tells us that we did some wicked works. Wicked works. Wicked works is not anything that displaces God. It is the wicked work.

[29:56] Because he's a good God. And you are doing things to displace a good God. It is wickedness to displace God. But he says, he says here, we were doing wicked works when he, he went out of his holy throne to reconcile us to himself.

[30:14] So what more wicked works would you do? That we want him to reject you. Not now. When you didn't deserve it, he worked it out so you can have it.

[30:29] How much more now? Now that you are in a relationship with him, sort that same thing out and move on with God. Sort it out and move on with God. He desires a relationship with us.

[30:42] He desires a friendship with us than being a judge to us. His aim is for us to be friends with him. Genuine friends, true friends. Where I come from, they say body, body.

[30:55] Like you're tight. Nothing comes in between you. He knows everything about you. You know everything about him. That's why you have to go into the scriptures to find out. To find out what is this friend saying?

[31:07] What is he talking about? When you have friends, you pick the phone and you call them and you chat. Some of us ladies will say let's meet for tea. Let's meet for coffee because you want to service the relationship.

[31:19] God says morning, let's meet for tea. Let's meet for coffee. Over my word. And let's service this friendship. Don't let this friendship be static.

[31:30] Don't let it be plastic. No, no, no, no. Let it be genuine. Let it be dynamic. There's a flow from you to me and me to you. That's what he wants. That's what he wants.

[31:42] That would ensure a better relationship. And therefore, the devil can't trick you. He can't. Because you are tight with God. How would he come between you? He can't.

[31:53] He can't. He's a roaring lion seeking for whom he may devour. He's like, like, like, he's like, like, like, like. He's not. He's like a roaring lion seeking who may be devour. But if you are tight with God, the devil doesn't intimidate you.

[32:07] He doesn't. Because you've got the king of king on your side. He's your friend. You talk to him. He talks to you. Everything that he wants to do, he tells you first. He tells you first.

[32:19] You are close. That's what God wants. That's what God wants. Let this word be sweet for you. Don't let just wait for somebody to lay hands or your testimony has come.

[32:32] Don't let that be the only reason for your rejoicing. But God's word that you are his friend. Why would he bother about you if you are an enemy? So it starts from here.

[32:44] The fact that you have not become friends with him. There are some friends who go to their house and you can just go to the kitchen. What do you have in your fridge? You open it. You take drink. You pour it. You're not even thinking about it. And the conversation is just going on.

[32:55] You are just having a good time. You pour it. You sit down. You're drinking. You pull a chair. You're not waiting for someone to say, oh, this is your, can you please? No, no, that's not friendship. That's his acquaintance.

[33:06] That's acquaintance. But he says, we are no more enemies. We've been made as friends. When Jesus said, you are no more servants. Now I call you friends. Now I call you friends.

[33:19] That's the relationship God wants with us. When we come into his house, we're not coming here as strangers. So those of us who are fond of coming later, I encourage you, you have God's friend, isn't it? Today you are forgiven, but next we come early.

[33:31] Because you're God's friend, you're looking forward to meeting him, isn't it? He's your friend. You've gone appointing with him. Second service, 10 a.m. You are in a rush, rush, rush, rush, rush. I've got to meet up with him. I don't want him to be waiting for me.

[33:42] I have to meet up with him. Yeah, yeah. There's aspects of this. Yeah. As today's conversation, there's aspects of it that we'll be praising him. I'll be telling him of his goodness. Why do I want to miss that?

[33:53] I don't want to miss that aspect of it. No, no, no. I've got to tell him that the thing you did, I am grateful. Thank you, actually. You know, if your friend sends you a gift, won't you pick a phone and call him? Won't you pick a phone and call him?

[34:04] Send a text. Oh, thank you for that present. No, no. So when we come to church, we have an appointment with the best friend you can ever have. The best friend you can ever have. And praise and worship time is a time when we say thank you for the thing.

[34:17] You know that thing you sent me. That miracle you sent my way. You know that protection you brought to me. Thank you. Thank you. Actually, I just want to say thank you. That's why you can't afford to be missing praise and worship.

[34:29] You shouldn't. Because it's part of your, your, your time, your time with God is part of your appointment with him. You got to say thank you for the things he did.

[34:41] And then you hear other ministrations, other things he's packaged for you. You have to hear all that. You have to hear, you have to hear the testimonies that your very good friend, if one of your friends had an appointment with David and he says, so today let's meet at 10.

[34:55] I want to tell you all about the things, what happened with David. 9, 9, 15. So where are you? I've been waiting for you. Why? Why? You can't even wait to say, please tell me over the first day.

[35:05] Wait, wait, wait, wait. When, when you come, I'll tell you, I'll give you all the details. Won't you be in a hurry? That's why you can't miss the testimony aspects of the service.

[35:16] To hear all the things he's been doing, all the great things, all the things he's been doing, situations he's been turning around. You have to come here to hear it's the, oh my friend, you've been doing good.

[35:27] You've been doing good. That's, that's what he wants from us. That's what he wants from us. And the word, all the things he's planned, all the things he's planned.

[35:38] I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. You know, this coming with this, what I want to, you know, last week, you don't remember, I told myself to declare the divine speed. This is the area of speed.

[35:49] I'm going to execute it for you. This is what you have to hear it. don't hear just the end of it and say, oh, pastor declared powerfully. You've missed 90% of it.

[36:02] You've missed it because you've missed the appointment with your friend. You've missed it. So I encourage you, you see, we've packaged in nicely as to make an appointment with God, a friend, not just this transcendent God sitting in heaven somewhere.

[36:21] No, he came here to meet you, came here to meet you and unveil some things for you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We are friends of God. We have been reconciled.

[36:33] Okay, let's continue. We're getting very excited about this friendship, which is very good. Amen. And, um, verse 22, it says that in the body of his flesh through that to present you holy and blameless.

[36:47] This is the purpose for records reconciliation. This is the purpose for reconciliation. To present you. So not just the fact that he saved you, but he's reconciled, he's made you a friend so that he can present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight.

[37:07] In his sight. So when you sit with him, because you deliberate, because you have this friendship, because you have been reconciled, you are above reproach before him.

[37:18] Nobody can go in and say accusing things about you. It doesn't work. Because he knows you, you are tight. You are good friends.

[37:29] You can imagine if you go before my husband and say, hmm, your wife, she did A, she did B. By the time you said B, he'll be asking you, my friend, are you okay? Because, who do you think you're talking to?

[37:41] Eh-heh, God is better than that. God is better than that. So nobody can claim an enemy. There's this thing I always tell people. Especially when two Christians are fighting.

[37:52] I said, be careful, because that's God's daughter too. That's God's son too, you know? So be careful. Don't be quick doing fights. No, no, no, no. The person you are accusing, he's tight with God.

[38:06] He's tight. That's why you have to really keep that friendship very tight. Nobody can dare go to him and complain about you. Nobody can dare go to him and say, God smite him. Smite her.

[38:17] God will ask her, excuse me, do you know who you're talking about? Do you know who you're talking about? Even you have dealt, I have forgiven a few things, you are coming to say what about who? Go sort yourself out before you come back to me.

[38:29] Make the relationship tight. Nobody will dare. You can't go before God. It's irrelevant. Irrelevant, he's not interested. So, you are above reproaching his sight.

[38:41] You are above condemnation before him because of the friendship you have with him. You got to service that friendship. Verse 23, if indeed you continue in faith, grounded and steadfast and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard, which was preached in every creature under heaven of which I, Paul, became a minister.

[39:03] to service the relationship. It says, if indeed you continue in faith, continue, continue, continue. Christianity is one faith that it doesn't matter where you find yourself.

[39:17] There's continuation. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter where you find yourself. How low, how low you can pick yourself up again and continue with God.

[39:29] I tell you, it doesn't matter. The devil can lie to us and tell us that maybe it's over. You can't go back. These things you've engaged yourself in, you can't approach God.

[39:41] But he says, continue. God knows. When he's saying continue, you may be in some rotten position this afternoon. But the word is continue. Continue.

[39:52] Pick it up and continue. Continue. From wherever you find yourself, continue. You don't give up the faith. Having done all to stand, therefore, stand.

[40:04] We keep standing. We keep standing. We keep standing. We keep moving on. We keep moving on. It doesn't matter. It says, the righteous can fall seven times. But yes, come back again.

[40:16] You have to keep going on. That's how you service the relationship. When you're with your friend, you fall out and you realize, okay, I didn't do well. You go, sort it out and you keep moving on. Even human beings can do that.

[40:29] How much more you and God? Keep that. Continue in the faith. Continue in faith. Continue in faith. Don't give up and don't let the devil lie to you.

[40:39] This is our reality as new creatures. This is our reality. When you're continuing with God, it means that we have become friends with God. We are servicing the relationship and the one key thing that we have with God as friends is we have peace with God.

[40:54] We have peace with God. As I said earlier on, you are okay. God is okay with you. You have peace with him. Romans chapter 5, verse 1. We have peace with God.

[41:07] We have peace with God. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have peace with God.

[41:19] this is a fact. It's not about how you feel. It's not whether you like it or not. It's not based on any other thing but the fact that he has said it. He has said it.

[41:31] He said, through Christ, we've been justified and we have peace with him. He's okay with you. Peace with God is different from peace of God. Peace with him says that I'm okay with you.

[41:44] But the peace of God means that okay, I'm okay with you now. What advantage do you want to take of this friendship? Some of us may have friends and you're very close with them.

[41:54] There's nothing in between you but when you have a challenge, you say, I don't want anybody to know my business. So you never share your friendship. That is not your new friendship. God wants us to have peace with him but also take advantage and have his peace in spite of what we see, in spite of the challenges.

[42:11] The Psalmist said, though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I fear no evil, not one, because he is with me. He walks through the valley of the shadow of death with you.

[42:24] He's with me. With me. It doesn't matter what we're going through. We can enjoy the peace of God because we have peace with him. He's okay with us.

[42:34] So he's okay to come alongside us through the journey of life. He's okay with you. If you have a friend that you are not on good terms with, you wouldn't call for them to escort you to a difficult journey.

[42:46] You are not so sure. Just like when Jacob was about to meet Esau, he was very worried because he knew what he had done to him. He said, I tricked this guy and ran away. I stole from him and ran away and I've heard that he's coming to meet me.

[42:59] I don't want to meet him. He brought gifts. He said, you take your gifts. I'll make my own way because he was afraid that he didn't have peace with him and therefore he couldn't have that reconciliation with him because of that fear that he didn't have peace with him.

[43:15] But God says we have peace with him and therefore we can have his peace. We can have his peace. His peace is not the absence of challenges but stillness in the presence of challenges.

[43:30] Stillness in the presence of challenges. We are unmovable. We are steady in spite of what we see. That's the peace of God.

[43:42] He never promised to take away every challenge. He never said that but he said Lord I'll be with you to the end of the age. That's what he said and he's with you. If God if you've got God you are okay.

[43:54] You are sorted. You are fine. Jesus was with them in the boats asleep at the back end of the boats. The storms came. If he was in the boats how would they call him? But because he was in the boats with them it didn't matter how far back and how much asleep he was.

[44:08] They could go to him and say Master cared not that we perish because he was in the boats with them. So if you you have peace with him he said I am with you.

[44:19] I am with you. I am with you. Till the end of the age. I am with you. He's with us in spite of what we see and that should give us this confidence of going through life in spite of the challenges.

[44:31] Doesn't matter what you see. It doesn't matter what you hear. You are steadfast. Unmovable. You could see how Jesus look at his trial.

[44:44] He could see that this guy should be shaking but he wasn't because he said the father doesn't leave me. He doesn't leave me. So he knew that it doesn't matter what he's going through.

[44:56] The father is with him. And therefore what is it? What is it that somebody can Pilate said don't you know that I can release? He said you don't have the power. You don't have it. Most of us would say please Pilate what can you do for me?

[45:10] You know is there something? No no no no no. He didn't need that because the father was with him. He said that the father has not left me. He hasn't left me.

[45:21] So I'm okay. I know I'm going to the cross but the father hasn't left me. And the biggest pain was when he was on the cross our sin was placed on him and the father left him. And at that time that was when the weight the weight of his challenge was so much and said my father my father why have you forsaken me?

[45:39] But before then it didn't matter who did what you can imagine how still he was supposed to be carrying his cross they saw he was weak somebody helped him they went somebody slapped him spit Peter tried to cut somebody he said look I can command the angels to come and calm down put your sword back where is that?

[45:59] Here let me put it back and let's go on let's move on to accomplish the purpose of the father he was still he was still he was still in the face of challenge in the face of the biggest challenge on earth for a righteous man to be put on the sins of the world but because he knows the father has not left me we have to walk with this you have this is something that you know not just in your heart but it sinks in your heart it sinks deep that I have peace with God and therefore I have to experience the peace of God said my peace I give to you not as the world gives that no natural man has genuine peace if you don't have a relationship with Jesus no natural man has genuine peace genuine peace can only be found in Christ and he exhibited it right here on earth what it means to have genuine peace he encountered 5,000 men with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes he said father I thank you that you always hear me no shaking we are cool we are cool we are cool the father is with me he hasn't left me yet

[47:16] I know he said let them sit down let them sit down and let's see what the father will do get them to sit down I said people are hungry Jesus said intense oh so we count 1, 2, 3 ok you say this 5,000 men not counting women and children he said let them sit down in groups and after that Jesus wasn't afraid he said ok give it to me he blessed it he said father I thank you that you always see me broke it and gave it to them go give it and after that he said pick up the crumbs Jesus is very interesting you know very interesting there is so much that can be picked from this shot this shot happening of his son the people down he thanked the father he was not intimidated by the situation the people ate he said pick and they picked 12 baskets is this not a shock this is a shock but in the face of it no shaking we are cool it doesn't matter what you face you should have this peace of God that you know and you know you know you know and you know that it is well with you you know and you know that he will make your way prosperous you are convinced beyond any shatter of doubt that your end is glorious you know it because you have peace with God you have been reconciled with him you are his friend and therefore you go around with his peace doesn't matter the report

[48:46] God's event always tells us don't look at the report and believe that your life is over no it is a human being who wrote that report a human being who made that diagnosis it is a human being and you have God as a friend and you are intimidated by what a human being is saying they themselves they will need help very very soon they will need help so how come their word can be final in your life the word of the newscaster is final in your life they themselves they don't write it they just read it but when they are saying it you believe it that there is credit crunching so you can't start your business that's a lie you should know you have a friend with you and he doesn't leave you he doesn't depart it doesn't matter the report you face it doesn't matter the encounter you have you must know that you are a friend of God and he has your back he has your back Jesus has got your back he's got your back he will not let any evil come near you he will sort you out he's got what it takes to sort you out and he's committed to sorting it out that is double promise not just that he can do it and he's committed to doing it he's committed to doing it through his word so we really have to work with this friendship work on the friendship

[50:05] Philippians chapter 4 verse 7 Philippians 4 7 it says the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus it surpasses all understanding it doesn't make sense that looking at what you're going through you are okay you are fine the peace of God surpasses all understanding it says it will guard it will stand in God the peace will watch it he's on guard he's a security man the peace of God is a security man for your mind the peace of God is your security is standing on guard is standing on guard for your heart and your mind watching it watching it watching it that all is well with you this is good news this is good news whatever it will take it is on guard no enemy can bypass if you are still in the peace of God it can't overtake you it can't bring you down it can't overcome you because the peace of God is on guard hallelujah and it's interesting it goes further down it said finally brethren whatever things are true this is how you maintain it this is how you keep your peace whatever things are true whatever things are noble whatever things are just whatever things are pure whatever things are lovely and of good reports if there be any virtue in this and praiseworthy meditate on these things that's how you keep your peace in your mind it says look at what you think about look at what you dwell on it's very necessary one minute you could have peace and the next minute depending on what you give your mind to what you give your mind to you realize that that peace of God is being stolen from you it says whatever things are true the only true thing that cannot be challenged is the word of God keep your mind on that keep your mind the only truth that has surpassed generations is God's word it said whatever things are true keep it keep it keep it keep it it said meditate on this whatever things are noble noble no foolishness whatever things are noble it doesn't demean you it's honorable whatever things are that they are just they are just so you don't think evil about somebody else you're not thinking how you can outsmart somebody it's not just so don't dwell on those things whatever things are lovely how God is good isn't it not lovely his faithfulness is lovely he said think about these things think about these things it's lovely to serve God it's lovely to be in friendship with him it's lovely you hear God's word it's lovely he said think about these things think about these things don't give your mind to all kinds of noises and the ploys of the enemy he said it's of good report when somebody hears it's okay and it's interesting most of us would restrict maybe what we say or what somebody would hear about what we've said or what somebody would see that we've done but what we think we are not on guard but that's where it starts that is where it will start your thought life if you can't subject your thought life look the peace of God will elude you you can't bring your thought life to the subject of the things that are true the things that are noble the things that are just the things that are pure the things that are lovely the things that are of good report the peace of God will elude you he says meditate on these things and these ah this is good these things

[54:06] which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me and yeah and saw in me these do and the peace of God will be with you you see how it works we are peace with him but to have his peace to have the peace of God he says think about these things meditate about these things and as you have learned and you do the peace of God will be with you the peace of God will be with you as you do these things I can go on because this is one of my favorite parts of the scriptures but I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again though you surely did care but you lack the opportunity not that I speak in regard to need for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content I have learned whatever state I am I'm okay I have peace with him I have the peace of God I know how to abase and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things

[55:10] I have learned both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need every state I am in this is how the peace of God really translates into our daily living I have learned he didn't say it was given to me he said I have learned by what I think about what I meditate on I have learned how to abound when every resource is provided for when I am swimming in all kinds of opportunities when I am kicking my legs because a testimony has been has come forth I am rejoicing I have learned to enjoy that state to be content in that state and I have learned also when it doesn't seem that a miracle has come forth I know how to be content because my contentment is not in the happenings my contentment is not in the things my contentment is not in the testimonies even though God will do it and will glorify him for that my life is not hanging on those things those things that not determine whether I have joy or not it is not a reason why I serve God or not

[56:21] I am content with God I am okay with him because it is pleasing that I will be okay with him first so that is more than enough I am content contentment the scripture says godliness with contentment is great gain we are not lured by the trickery of the enemy because we haven't learned to be at peace with God and in God's peace it is something that you have to learn some of us may be content into one thing but we are not in another I am not saying we are in a position where we don't believe God for things as we are believing as we are working in faith we are still content that I am a friend of God that is more than enough for me and if I am his friend then I am okay because every need will be supplied every need will be supplied every need will be supplied I don't doubt it I am okay I have learnt believers must learn to rest in God to rest in him be content with everything that he does everything that he does and it says that the peace of God verse 30 said then I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

[57:43] I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me because I watch what I meditate on because I have learned to be content both to abase and abound I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me this is God's word and let's know that we have been reconciled to God we are at peace with God we can walk in the reality of peace with God of having God's peace of knowing that he is with us we are his friends and that we are content with that and we see the manifestation of God's peace in our lives in Jesus name hallelujah amen amen just begin to thank God for his faithfulness for his word that has come to us that tells us that we are at peace with him we are friends of God we have been reconciled we have been reconciled it all starts with being reconciled with God having a relationship with him and knowing that he is on our side knowing that he is on our side why don't you just thank God and say

[58:56] Lord we appreciate you for your word we appreciate you for this new creation state oh God we appreciate you for this new reality you worked it all by yourself and made it happen for me I thank you father in the name of Jesus if you are not saved you are not saved 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 Jesus I know I am a sinner I have 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

[59:59] I receive you into my life I make a vow with you that I will save 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 God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you

[61:04] God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you God bless you