SERMON NOTES IN SUMMARY / REFLECTION
WHICH KINGDOM-AUTHORITY ARE YOU SUBMITTING TO? Satan's kingdom of self-seeking and rebellion or Christ's Kingdom of self-giving?
AUTHORITY IS GOD'S SERVANT
-Romans 13:1-4, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
-1 Peter 1:13-14, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."
“In serving God we must not violate authorities, because to do so is a principle of Satan. How can we preach Christ according to Satan’s principle? Yet it is possible in our work to stand with Christ in doctrine while at the same time stand with Satan in principle. How very wicked for us to assume that we are doing the work of the Lord. Please take note that Satan is not afraid of our preaching the word of Christ, yet how very much he is in fear of our being subject to the authority of Christ.” - Watchman Nee
Listen to this sermon on the topic of Ungodly Corrupt Authority & Abuse.
SUMMARY: BEING IN THE SPIRIT OF SUBMISSION
1) ALL TO SUBMIT TO GOD
James 4:7, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Let me ask you this…based on this ONE VERSE how are you able to resist the devil, resist his temptations, resist the desires he throws against your flesh… When you are submitting yourself to God – living under His guidance, living by His Word, allowing the presence of God’s reign to have authority under your life…in doing so you will find the means to resist the devil!
D.L. Moody once suggested, “Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can." // Spurgeon states, “A man is not far from the gates of heaven when he is fully submissive to the Lord's will.”
Such submission unto God will protect you from the spirit of rebellion and pride and the ways of Satan.
2)SUBMISSION PROTECTS FROM THE SPIRIT OF REBELLION AND PRIDE
Remember the spirit of rebellion and pride are principles of the devil who tries to nurture this old nature in all of us. Examples of such a spirit might be when we find ourselves becoming more FAULT FINDERS than FAITH DEVELOPERS and carry the rotten fruit of pride, bitterness, and oppressive-control than the spiritual fruit of love, patience, gentleness, self-control to name of few.
Author Pink says how, “It is the proud who cannot endure subjection, and who consider it beneath them to lend a helping hand to those less favored.”
3)SUBMISSION BUILDS UNITY IN CHRIST (Eph. 4:3-6; Phil. 2:1-7)
Unity comes at a cost as we voluntarily and lovingly yielding down our own invested interests for the interests of others in trust it’s for the betterment and health for the relationship were in, whether in a marriage, in your family structure, or for the ORDER, PEACE, and UNITY in our church body.
Richard Foster reminds us that spiritual disciplines are not designed for bondage, but for freedom. Every discipline has a corresponding freedom. Submission, therefore, is, “…the discipline which frees us to let go of the burden of needing to get our own way.”
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
-Romans 15:5-6
In our Lord,
Pastor Trevor