[0:01] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to the Spirit-filled Word by David Entry. A time to hear God's Word is a time to be visited. May you receive a visitation as you listen to this message.
[0:14] Be blessed. The only good thing on earth is the work of God. I know you didn't get it, but you get it one day.
[0:25] When God says good works, when the Bible talks about good works, good things, it is talking about the work of God, what God is doing.
[0:37] And the Bible says that it is not good that man should be alone. So Adam alone, God can't use him. God can't use him because even when Jesus taught us to pray, he said, when you pray, say, I will not my Father.
[0:53] Because Christianity makes you lose your independence. As soon as you become Christian, you are dependent on others and others are dependent on you.
[1:05] You become part of a body. So he said, we, 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12, even though we are many, we are one body. So there is something about the many parts coming together as a body.
[1:21] As a body. So Satan does not like our coming together. He doesn't like it. Most people don't know.
[1:32] See, if you don't have revelation, you wouldn't know where God is working and you wouldn't know what Satan is using against you. Or for that matter, the church. The most important thing, one of the most important things about our Christian work is the fellowship life.
[1:51] You are, you can live an effective Christian life by yourself. You need others. So when someone asks for me, it's between me and God. You don't know God. There is nothing like, there is nothing like a personal work with God when it comes to Christianity.
[2:07] It's a corporate work with God. When it's Christianity, it's not you about you, but it's about us with God. So in 1 John 1, 1 John 1, verse 1 and 2 and 3, it said, that which was from the beginning.
[2:24] Oh, I already feel like preaching. It said, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life.
[2:41] Verse 2, it says that, the life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.
[2:56] Look at that verse 3. That's where I'm going. Verse 3, that which, verse 3 says that, that which we have seen and have heard, what we do before we have seen and heard, we declare to you, what's the purpose?
[3:06] That you may have fellowship. The reason why we are preaching, the reason why we are declaring these things, our personal experience is useless until it can translate into helping you to be part of what is going on.
[3:20] So it said, we declare to you that, why are we declaring these things to you? That, so that you will have fellowship with us. So you see, your fellowshipping with people cannot be just based on your feelings.
[3:33] You know, you can't fellowship with people because it's close to my house or they are nice people. No, no, no. You see, we declare something to you so that that becomes the premise, that becomes the basis of your fellowship with us.
[3:46] What we are teaching is what determines what kind of fellowship you can have with us. You can't be part of a Christian organization whose teaching you don't know. Because it's the teachings that determine the quality of our fellowship.
[4:00] It's our understanding of God's word that will determine the move of God amongst us. It's not our feelings about music, about music, about, all those things are so subjective.
[4:19] So that which was from the beginning we have seen, we have handled, we have, our hands have handled, we have heard, has been manifested, the life, eternal life has been manifested.
[4:34] We have seen the manifestation of eternal life. Eternal life is not ethereal. It's not cerebral. In other words, just an idea. Eternal life is a reality. So the preacher, the preacher or the one who is telling you about God must be someone who has actually had a personal experience with God and that personal experience becomes your corporate experience.
[5:01] So it says that we declare you can't remain silent if you have met God. If you've contacted God, you will speak God.
[5:14] We will speak God. Today's reading, I love you so much. I'm going to preach a lot from today's reading. John chapter 1. He says that the Jews, 20, verse 20, the Jews sent to John to ask him, who are you?
[5:29] Are you the one to come? And Bible said that he confessed. He did not deny but confessed. Confession was used twice there. He confessed. He did not deny.
[5:40] Bible said, he asked him, what are you? The Jews, the testify of John, who are you? And then verse 20, I said, please. Verse 20 says that. Verse 20, please. Verse 20.
[5:51] He confessed, did not deny, but I confessed that I am not the Christ. He didn't confess who he was. He first of all confessed who he wasn't.
[6:04] He confessed. He said, I am not the Christ. But now he had to define himself because he actually didn't even tell them who he was. He told them who he wasn't because they sent to ask if he was.
[6:21] And he said, the Bible said, he confessed and he denied. He did not deny. He confessed and did not deny but confessed that I am not the Christ.
[6:32] Please, don't get me wrong. I am not him. So they say, okay, are you Isaiah? Or are you the prophet? Who are you? Tell us so we can have something to tell those words.
[6:44] The Bible says that and he said to them in the voice of Isaiah. And I say that in the words of Isaiah. But King James says that he said to them, I am the voice.
[6:57] He said, I am the voice. He wasn't describing himself as the man or he didn't use title. He said he was a voice. I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
[7:10] John the Baptist said, me, I am a voice. I am a voice. I am a voice. That is why if you have met God, you can be silent because you will be a voice. If you have met God, you will be a voice.
[7:24] Your behavior is a statement. Your convictions are a statement. What you say is a statement. What you do, what you do, where you go, what you don't go. It's all a statement testifying to the goodness of the God you have met.
[7:37] If I were you, I would shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Well, this is all to let you know that our gathering is so important and Satan does not like our gathering.
[7:54] Satan doesn't like our gathering. That is why sometimes even in our country, it's difficult to find places for gathering. other religions have more gathering opportunities even in universities.
[8:14] We call them societies and all that, but for some reason, Christian gathering is always a threat to the devil. Some of the things that we believe in, others also believe similar, but they are not a threat.
[8:31] they are not a threat. For instance, for instance, we, we believe that there is one God, right?
[8:43] Others also believe there is one God, but atheists have problem with us more than them. Atheists, they have problem with us.
[8:55] You see, some of the others, they are not a threat to the 80s. Another thing that you have to understand is that Christianity is a message.
[9:09] A message. That's why if you don't believe the whole of the Bible in its authenticity, you are not a real Christian or a genuine Christian or there is something wrong with your Christian life.
[9:23] A Christian life that believes only part of the Bible is not an authentic Christian. But, but, you know, I can't believe everything the Bible is saying. That's why, you see, I went for a red Bible.
[9:36] You can't miss it. Red, red. There's no iPad or tablet I can't afford, but I prefer to hold my red Bible. Red Bible.
[9:48] I've got a few of them. I've got all colors, but I prefer the red. It's a warning sign. Christianity is a message.
[10:00] What, you see, in the, in the, in the book of Acts, I've not started preaching. This is just introduction. In the book of Acts, Acts, they were beating.
[10:13] They were giving lashes. Whips, Acts chapter 5. They whipped them. And in Acts chapter 4, they threatened them that you can teach.
[10:29] You can teach, but not in the name. You see, religion is okay. Religion. Most people say, I don't believe religion. They don't have problem with religion.
[10:41] It's Christianity, the message of Christianity. The message of Christianity is what is the problem for the devil. Because in 1 John chapter 5, verse 18 and 19, it said, the whole world lies under the sway of the enemy.
[10:58] So the more you want to be loved by the world, the more you are likely to miss what God wants you to do. Because the whole, we know that whatsoever is born of the, verse 19, we know that we are God.
[11:13] And the whole world, what part of the world? What part of the world? Everything.
[11:24] The whole world lies under the sway. The sway. It's like the enemy is, the wicked one is just swaying them and manipulating them in a certain direction.
[11:37] But we, we are of God. We are of God. And the whole world lies under the sway of the enemy. So Jesus puts it this way in Luke 6, verse 26.
[11:49] Woe is you if all men speak well of you. Woe to you when all men speak well of you. If all you want is many likes online, you might not be able to represent God.
[12:09] So Christianity is a message. Our message. Now, wherever Christianity prevails, it's usually open to other religions.
[12:24] Not that, not that we endorse other religions. But that's fine. if you want to practice whatever, you can come.
[12:35] Any country that is Christian, generally Christian, is very open to every religion. Any country or community that is generally other religion is never open to Christianity.
[12:53] Can I say that again? The reason why every religion is acceptable in the United Kingdom, even though in the past, United Kingdom has been Christian fundamentally.
[13:05] But now it's normal place. Just that our values are so Judeo-Christian, it allows us to be welcoming of everybody. So when Christianity was prevailing, was the major, main religion, it's still open to everyone.
[13:23] If Muslims want to buy a building, you can buy it. They want to worship people, Hindus can do it. That's why we celebrate that mayor is Muslim, prime minister is Hindu.
[13:37] We love it because of the fundamental Christian ideology. When Christianity prevails in a community, it is open to every religion.
[13:49] Why? Christianity can never be threatened by any religion. Because they don't have a message. They don't have a message. They have practices.
[14:00] They don't have a message. So Christianity can never be threatened by any religion. That's why we can't have whatever you want to do. But wherever other religions are, hey, Christianity won't allow you.
[14:15] Because Christianity is a threat to any religion as long as we can preach our message. If we preach our message, you can bend the Bible, we don't care. It doesn't matter.
[14:26] We have other ones. They've always attacked the Bible from the beginning. So you bend, it doesn't matter. We will not fight against you. We will actually love you.
[14:37] We will give you food. When you finish bending, we will give you food. That's Christianity for you, but not other religion. They will cut, they will chop off your head. because they don't have a message.
[14:51] They don't have a message. The strength of Christianity is not in our practices. Listen to me very carefully. The strength of Christianity is not in our practices. even though our message makes us practice some things.
[15:07] Being nice, being caring, being good, being welcoming. We do that because of the kind of people Christianity makes us. See, if you are full of God, watch this, if you are full of God, the closer you get to God, the more merciful you become.
[15:27] The more forgiving you become. You are making so much noise in church and yet you are so vindictive. You are so unforgiving. You are I will never forgive them.
[15:39] I will never forgive them. I will die in my grave without forgiving them. And yet when you come to church, you are the loudest. Something is not right.
[15:52] Because the closer you get to God, the more better husband you become.
[16:09] and the more better wife you become. The more better son you become, the more better daughter you become. The more better citizen you become, the more better student you become.
[16:22] The more better community member you become. The more you become closer to God, the more it's easy to live with you apart from your message.
[16:37] So they said, you can preach. But the Bible says that they charged them strictly not to preach in that name again.
[16:51] The charging was very strict. Don't preach in that name again. And then when they found them preaching again, they brought them and said, did we not? No, no, no, no.
[17:02] No second. First Corinthians, please. In the second one, Acts. Acts chapter four and chapter five. They said, did we not have a chapter five, actually, from verse 20, 7, 20, 7, 8, 8.
[17:13] Did we not charge you? Did we not warn you not to preach in that name? And he says, you have filled the whole city with your doctrine. So they called them and commanded them that they should not speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.
[17:31] And then when you go to chapter five, I think verse 27. Let's look at verse 27, chapter five. Acts 5, 27. And when they had brought them, they said to them, before the council and the high priest said, ask them, look at verse 28, ask them, they ask the apostle, say, did we not strictly command you not to teach in this?
[17:50] See, the problem is not your teaching. The problem is the content of your teaching. Your teaching involves this name. And in chapter four, verse 10, verse 11, Bible verse eight says that, Peter filled with the Holy Ghost.
[18:09] How can you preach Christ without the Holy Ghost? Peter filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts chapter four, I said, please. Peter filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them, rulers and people of Jerusalem, people and the elders of Israel, be it known to you.
[18:24] Verse 10. If we are being asked this, they judged before the good deed done to this helpless man. By what, by what means he will have been made well? Verse 10 says that, be it known to you.
[18:36] Let it be known to you all and to the other people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him, this man stands here before you all.
[18:58] That's the Christian message here. The crucified Jesus, we preach Christ crucified. To the Jews, it's a stumbling block.
[19:10] To the Greeks, it's foolishness. What's all this nonsense? Someone died 2,000 years ago. What has it got? Nonsense, nonsense, yes. We understand. Satan is swearing you over.
[19:21] You don't know. We understand. The God of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. 2 Corinthians chapter four, verse four, blinded the minds of unbelievers. So he says that, look at the verse, I like the verse 11 and verse 12.
[19:33] Are you ready for this? Oh, I feel like preaching. This is the stone which you, which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.
[19:47] For there is no, oh, oh, verse, verse four, verse four, verse four, verse four is getting, no, is there salvation in any other? For there is no other name under heaven, giving amongst men by which we must be saved.
[20:04] For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus. Sit down.
[20:18] So they said that, did we not strictly warn you? Acts chapter five, verse 28. Did we not strictly warn you that you should not preach?
[20:31] Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Look at the next statement. I like that one. It sounds, it looks like I can identify some of you with that statement.
[20:44] It said, you have failed. Brothers and sisters, one of the reasons why we are here is we have to feel United Kingdom.
[20:59] I feel like preaching to somebody. We are here because we want to feel United Kingdom. We want to feel the Midlands. We want to feel England.
[21:09] We want to feel Scotland. We want to feel Europe. We want to feel our generation. We want to feel everything. We want to feel everywhere with the doctrine of Jesus. Shadiya!
[21:25] They said, you have filled, I like that, filled Jerusalem with your doctrine. It's like, you can't be living in the times of these people in Jerusalem without knowing about this Jesus.
[21:41] because when the true gospel is preached to you, it never leaves you the same. You are, your life is either better off or worse off.
[21:55] Oh yeah! Anytime the true gospel, that's why we have to preach the gospel. Don't be afraid. For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation.
[22:10] Shadiya! Don't be afraid of the gospel. People will intimidate you with their opinions.
[22:21] Opinions don't matter. How does human opinion have you been able to solve your family problems? Excuse me. You can't be talking about your opinion.
[22:34] What cares? Your opinion. Your opinion. Who are you and what do you do? Better people who have achieved greater things and have accomplished greater things are even a bit humble when it comes to their opinion, when it comes to the gospel.
[22:57] You. Please. Please. Who even know you haven't been able to even finish your studies?
[23:12] And yet, you have an opinion about the gospel. Please. Please. Please. Excuse me. Your opinion doesn't matter in this, when it comes to this matter of the gospel.
[23:29] Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit. For this is Matthew chapter 5. Verse 3 and 4. Blessed are the poor in spirit.
[23:39] For this is the kingdom. You want to experience God? You can't. Come with an attitude of you don't, I don't know. I don't have Jesus.
[23:52] Whatever I have, whatever I have obtained is dank. I count as dank that I might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering be made conformable to his death.
[24:09] What are you talking about? So, please, I want to appeal to you and challenge you.
[24:21] If you are a genuine Christian, if you are a real Christian, the weight of your Christianity shouldn't be on how you don't fornicate. The weight of your Christianity shouldn't be on how nice you are.
[24:39] Jesus said, why do you call me good? No man is good. So, don't bring your goodness to the table. Don't bring your goodness to the table.
[24:51] The weight of your Christianity should be built and based on your obedience to God and Paul said that I might finish my course.
[25:02] I might fulfill my ministry with joy. Acts chapter 20 verse 24. I want to fulfill this thing with joy. Then you are talking about how serious a Christian you are.
[25:13] Because the more serious you are as a Christian, the more you know there's a charge to keep. a charge to keep. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 from verse 16 17.
[25:25] It says that necessity lays made on me. Woe is me if I preach not. There's a charge to keep. Then you are talking about proper Christian.
[25:37] A solid Christian who is doing things based, not based on some religious ideologies, but based on convictions in the Lord and in scripture.
[25:50] An assignment to Paul said that yet none of these things do move me. Neither do I count my life dear to myself. Acts chapter 20 verse 24. Neither do I count my life dear to myself.
[26:02] Yeah, you are talking about Christianity now. Because if your life is dear to yourself, you will be stopped in your tracks. Because you will be threatened. You will stop the message.
[26:13] You can't feel Jerusalem with your doctrine. We want to feel Jerusalem with our doctrine. If some people say they don't believe, at least they know what you are talking about.
[26:28] They have heard it. Why should people be around you and not know that Jesus died for sins? No. People must know. Maybe some people call themselves Christians, but they don't even know the Christian message until they come into contact with you and they realize that the Christian message is about how Christ died for our sins.
[26:48] That's the call of Christianity. Christ died for our sins. Christ died for our sins. Christ died for our sins. Christ died for our sins. Christ died for our sins.
[27:00] And he resurrected on the third day for our justification. And he seated on the right hand of majesty. And we are seated together with him in high places. Christ died as the Christian message.
[27:15] People who come into contact with you, your ex, it's good you tell your ex, you know what, nah, don't do those things.
[27:27] It's good, but that's not the best. Take it further. Lead them into saying, so what is it? It can tell them about Christ.
[27:38] lead them into saying, oh, okay, so you don't do that again. Why? Then you can tell them that Christ died for my sins and your sins.
[27:51] And if you can put your faith in him and convert and stop and change and let your life be his living, then you can also be saved like me. Because Christ died for our sins.
[28:02] You don't need to die in your sins when Christ has died for your sins. It's not about, oh, now I'm a good boy. Now I'm a good girl.
[28:14] I've stopped doing pornography. That is not the message. That is not the message. Because there are other people who are not doing what you used to do.
[28:26] So they are ahead of you. They were not doing it before you stopped doing it. Now I don't do drugs anymore. But there are people who never did drugs. But they are still going their way to hell.
[28:41] So if you make the weight of your Christianity, the fact that you stop doing drugs, you are misleading people. You are not doing drugs again because you have been saved by the blood of Jesus.
[28:53] That's where the message starts. He has been saved. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7. He says that in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Hallelujah! This is what makes us excited as Christians.
[29:08] If someone catches up their door. So Christianity is one essential aspect of Christianity is fellowship. And what defines Christianity is our message.
[29:24] Listen to this. The strength of Christianity or essential aspect of Christianity is our message. fellowship is very important.
[29:37] And our fellowship watch this. The core essential aspect of our fellowship should be the message in our fellowship. The message we preach, the message we discuss, the message we enjoy.
[29:52] It's so important in Christianity. That's why never waste your time in Christian meetings that keeps the Bible closed. it's a Christian gathering where God has been muted and it's dangerous.
[30:09] So we are here because fellowship is important and the message in our fellowship is essential.
[30:24] Satan doesn't like our meeting but they can't stop our meeting. The reason why Satan can't stop our meeting is because of the Alos Paracletus, the Holy Ghost who is with us.
[30:39] Jesus pursued this way, I tell you the truth, you are Peter, and upon this rock, Matthew chapter 16 verse 18, upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell.
[30:51] Hell is not a threat. hell can never threaten the existence of the church. Jesus said, the gates of hell. The first time the word church was mentioned in the Bible was mentioned by Jesus.
[31:05] Jesus said, and as soon as he mentioned the church, he said, I know hell is interested in the church, but the gates cannot prevail. So he said, this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell.
[31:17] If you want to do church, get ready for a fight from hell. But hell cannot prevail against us. Say amen.
[31:28] Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. The best thing that can happen to you is being exposed to the word of God. To hear more from David Entry, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and subscribe to Karis Church on YouTube.
[31:48] You can also find more information about Karis Church in our upcoming services by visiting Karis.org. Be blessed.