Mark E. Herridge Sr.: Recent Episodes
Mark Herridge Sr.
We all experience PRESSURE - this is not new. Now we are dealing with Pandemic Pressure. How to use pressure instead of being abused by pressure.
God expects us to open the doors we can open and He will open the doors that we cannot.
Colossians 3:12-14
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. KJV
The flesh hates invisibility. If we are to do anything for God then we need to fade away and Christ must come into focus.
Technology is helpful in the right situation but we must never forget that the Church is supernatural and the growth of the Church around the world was not fueled by technological gadgets but rather by the power of the Holy Ghost.
A very important message addressing the need for evangelism from the standpoint of the lost and from the standpoint of the missionary.
Upon whose bosom are you leaning? Are you leaning on the bosom of the world (taking in fire) or are you leaning on the bosom of Christ?
It is as normal for you and I to be in a flock of sheep as it is for natural sheep. We just cannot go it alone. As soon as a person becomes a Christian they are going to find a compulsory need to seek out others of “like precious faith”.
I don't need another vineyard. I don't need its worth in money. What I have is all that I need and I intend to hang on to it until the day of the Lord.
If you study end time apocalyptic prophecy you will read of a lot of bad things that are going to happen in the END, but not all of it is going to be bad...
Is revival a work of grace only or does God send revival to people as a result of their prayer?
If you think grace will give you an excuse to sin freely you are deceived. Grace comes to make holiness possible.
The are only two wisdoms in this world. First there is the wisdom that does not come from above, and second there is the wisdom from above. I want to make sure that I possess the right kind of wisdom.
Those that walk in faith will be rewarded. Those that fail are infamous and we speak of them to warn others.
We are fighting a real war. The Church is not defenseless. We are armed and dangerous. We are armed with spiritual weapons to fight a spiritual war.
Make no mistake about it: God is going to judge this world in righteousness. Sin and evil cannot, and will not, continue. There is coming a day when God will exact His vengeance upon all that have rejected Him.
Today's Ashes are the remains of yesterday's fire. An unfortunate side effect of fire is ashes. God has provided instructions on who, how, and when the ashes should be removed. If the ashes are not removed they will smother the fire. It takes discipline to maintain the fire.
So many today seek God only for selfish reasons. A true relationship with Christ is one in which the disciple seeks the Lord out of love and a desire to know the one who saved them.
The Bible records the words of Jesus on the cross. It also records the words of the two thieves on either side of him. One of the thieves railed on Jesus but the other preached a perfect "Three Point" sermon to the offending thief.
As Christians we should always walk in victory. We are the Armor Bearers and Jesus is the soldier that went before us.
"The Man Up On the Hill Can Help Me Win My Battle" - We all face battles in life. We need a Man on the Hill to direct us in this warfare.
At one time people waited for the troubling of the waters but today we have the Troubler of the Waters.
The true Church of the Living God may get knocked down but she will always get back up!
Jesus referred to the arrival of the Holy Ghost in Baptism as the "Comforter" and after His resurrection He commanded His followers to go "tarry in the Upper Room" until they were endued with power from on high. Those that refuse to wait on this spiritual baptism can only be described as "Uncomfortable".
Persecution is certain. Satan is going to launch an attack against you and your family. This is what we should do when the Devil comes along and "burns us up".
These false teachers, with their perfectly coifed hairdos, their bleached white teeth, their daisy-sweet manicures, and their primrose pedicures could never compete alongside the roaring voice of a John the Baptist or the weeping cry of a Jeremiah. No! They must tiptoe up to the lectern to primly pronounce their pitiful prognostications in a bleating-whinny voice. There is very little sweat and no passion. Only an oily deception dripping with rancorous sugary prose. Danger! Watch out! Place your hand over your wallet, for this is the goal of their smooth words – your wallet and your soul are in grave danger.
We are called to stand out from among all the world. If we blend in then we are failing to be what we were called to be. We must be extreme Christians and live this Bible.
Have you ever had the feeling that something was missing? Sometimes people just decide they can get by fine with what is missing and can exist with less. Others are bothered by what is missing and put forth great effort to recover all.
Lot grew up with his Uncle Abraham and was raised in a tent. There came a day when he "pitched his tent towards Sodom" and started his journey to the city. When the angels show up years later to warn Lot of the coming judgment we see that Lot now has a home in the city. Lot had developed a "Cottage Mentality" and was now at home in this world.
If a person had six fingers what advantage would that give him? He would have a better grip! David and Israel faced one of the brothers of Goliath that had six fingers on each hand. This giant used his size and grip to try to strangle the people of God. The good news is that we know One that has a better grip than the Devil.
When God chooses He does so in a much different way than you and I. God usually does not choose the mighty, noble, or the wise. When He chooses it is usually that which will bring Him the most glory.
What good is a handle without the axe head? Can you chop down a tree with a handle? When the Axe Head becomes separated from the Axe Handle a search must be made for the Head. Where will you find it? Where you lost it!
That Old Serpent the Devil wants to wrap you in his coils and squeeze all of the life out of you. This is what he did at the city of Philippi. Jesus has the power to break his coils.
There was a time in the history of Israel that few champions remained. It took a boy named David to pave the way for the Mighty Men of Israel to rise up and take their place in the Kingdom.
The Bible uses descriptive elements to help us understand spiritual things. One of those elements is the River. The Holy Ghost is described by Jesus as River. It is important that nothing impedes the free flow of this river through us.
The Church is shielded by her Faith. This Shield of Faith must be pure and glorious. There are many today that have shined up shields of brass in an attempt to make it appear as gold. We must not be fooled by the glitter and glitz of the "Emergent Church" with all of its technology, architecture, and smooth words. Only the real will be accepted by God.
The mantle of Elijah represented the anointing of the Holy Ghost and was passed on to Elisha. Elisha in turn sought for a servant that he could pass the mantle on to one day - the man he found was Gehazia. This man was not a worthy successor and the mantle was dropped by that generation.
Preached at a Revival at Mercy Chapel Church of God. The Church must remain faithful despite adversity. Faithfulness is a requirement.
Only that which can be subjected to sunlight will remain. The "Sincere Christian" is the one that can stand the close scrutiny of the Living Word.
We get discouraged when we lose sight of "The Big Picture". We must remember that we are a part of something much bigger and glorious than our particular struggle. Step back and take a look at "The Big Picture".
Today sin can be found in any place on earth at any time. The clock is ticking on sin and it is about to run out. There is coming a day when Holiness and Righteousness will cover the earth and will be so common place that it will even be inscribe on the bells on the horses bridles and the pots and pans in the kitchen.
So many preachers offer a “Quick Fix Gospel” in which they assuage the guilty conscience but no true deliverance from sin is ever declared. The people come to church, service after service, to be absolved of guilt for their sinful behavior only to leave and go right back to the same old sins. The recurrent pattern is a trap they are forever caught in and only the “Full Gospel” will ever be able to deliver them. This was what Jeremiah meant by healing his daughter, Judah, slightly. The “Slight Gospel” offers temporary relief. The “Full Gospel” offers eternal deliverance.
Neither cold nor hot, neither clinging to Christ or the world, pulled between two extremes. Double-Minded. These are Bi-Polar christians and are really not christian at all.
If you cast away your confidence you will soon grow faint and thirsty. You must go back to what brought victory to your life the first time - there you will find revival.
We are Born Again to be New Creatures and all that we need to live for God is contained in the New Creation.
God has given the Church a glorious vineyard that is filled with all that we need to live an overcoming Christian life. The enemy will come along and offer to buy you out. You must make up your mind now that your inheritance is "Not For Sale".
2 Kings 19:14
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
The prodigals want to come home but when they do will they find the farm as it was or will they find a "For Sale" sign out front?
The Church derives its identity from Christ. When we become separated from Jesus then we lose our identity. As long as we are attached to the Head then we maintain our unique identity. The moment our connection to the Head is severed then we lose what it means to be the spiritual Body of Christ. This connection to Christ must be maintained at all costs.
Once-Saved-Always-Saved preachers are telling us that we do not need to "Hold On" - this is a lie. The Bible clearly tells us to "Hold On."
Synergism is defined as two or more agents working together to produce a result that is not obtainable independently. From a Biblical perspective this means that God and humanity work together, each contributing their part to produce salvation for the individual. Synergism is the teaching of the Word of God. Salvation cannot be achieved for the individual without an agreement between God and man.
This message was preached at the 2013 Campmeeting in South Carolina at Gospel Temple Holiness Church and is a challenge to the Church to step out and do the will of God even at great cost.
No matter how bad the storm. No matter how high the waves. No matter how fierce the wind. We must never stop rowing. Keep on rowing and He will show up when you cannot row any longer.
Our life is derived from our connection to the True Vine. If at any time that connection is severed we will dry up and die. It is absolutely imperative that we stay connected to the vine.
What most people today believe about the Kingdom of God is really an imaginary Kingdom of Fables and dreams that has no basis in the Bible.
Those in the “Lite Church” preach a “Stripped Down Gospel” in which all that is offensive to the flesh has been removed or repacked so that it no longer poses any discomfort to the hearer. This new “Stripped Down Gospel” calls no one to deep daily prayer, makes no references to fasting, asks the hearers to give only what is convenient, and never stresses discipline.
We travel against the flow. When we do this we oppose those that are going with the flow. As we pass them this produces friction and heat. They hate us because we are resisting what they feel is normal. Resistance always produces friction. Jesus told us that there would be friction between the world and His Church. This is the path of most resistance and it is the path the Church must take.
If the trademark is not used then it will lose its effectiveness. We must not allow our Pentecostal Trademarks to be lost. Use it or lose it!
Preached at Lighthouse Community Church in Marianna, Florida.
If you are going to sail in this sea then you had better make sure Jesus is on board your ship for it is a dangerous time to sail.
Another message in the series on "The Nautical Bible". This message deals with Paul's warning about "holding faith" lest you become a "Shipwreck".
When you run out of solutions, when you find yourself at "Wit's End" you will find that God is still in control.
This is the first message in a series of messages based on scriptural references to all things nautical.
In many ways the fight against repentance is a fight against obedience, which ultimately is a fight against the Lordship of Christ. People want to go to Heaven but they want to build their Tower of Babel (religion) to get there. They do not want to get to Heaven by pledging allegiance to Jesus as Lord. They do not want to love him enough to keep His commandments (John 14:15).
There is no reason to fail. With every temptation there is a way of escape and on top of that we have one another within the Body of Christ. We can overcome! We are Overcomers!
This message was preached at the Jonesboro Campmeeting. The theme of the Campmeeting was Exodus 33:18 and this message is based on that text.
Many times God has called men and women that did not fit in their generation. Men like John the Baptist, Ezekiel, Joseph, Abraham, and the Apostles. Women like Mary the mother of Jesus, Hannah, and even Deborah. These individuals made a difference because they did NOT fit in. Who says that we must fit in to make a difference? I say that most of those that make a difference in the world are those that march to the beat of a different drum. We need men and women of conviction. We need prophets and preachers that are willing to stand up and be counted. We need those, whose allegiance is not to Judah, or America, or Britain, or anywhere else in this world. We need those whose allegiance is to God and God alone. Yes, sometimes these individuals will be called by the title of “Traitor”.
The answer to the widow's dilemma was one full pot of oil that was poured out into all of the borrowed vessels. If you will get full you can fill someone else. God cannot use you until you are full.
Pressure is not a new thing but has been with mankind from the beginning. Sometimes we are molded by pressure but more often it is pressure that reveals what is on the inside. The only way to combat pressure without is by having an equal or greater pressure within.
Move not the Old Landmark! What gives any one the right to move the "Old Landmarks" that were set by God?
Only that which is unseen can truly give God the glory. If I am getting the glory, and not God, then I am still visible. The Flesh (Self) abhors invisibility. The Flesh (Self) despises being invisible. The flesh thrives on being seen.
We must ask the question: Why are so few people being filled with the Holy Ghost in denominational pentecostal churches today? This was not always the trend but seems to be a growing trend today. In this message I want to address three reasons why I believe this is so: De-emphasis, Disobedience, and Deception.
There is no better way to End the Beginning or Begin the Ending than with God Almighty.
The wagons are on the way! When the Holy Ghost shows up, He will have everything that we will need.
If you want to know what the Pig Pen was like then you need to talk to someone that has been there. If we could interview the Prodigal Son this is what he would say about the Pig Pen...
The philosophy of most churches concerning evangelism is “Build it and they will come”. They build a large, hi-tech structure in the community and then they sit and wait for the sinners to come. Some may even fill a building this way but is the building full of tares or wheat? This is what I mean by “Architectural Evangelism”. Jesus never commanded us to build a building to draw the lost. Our only draw should be the Christ. Jesus said in John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
"When That Which Filled the House Fills the People." God filled the “House”, the Temple, on the day of the dedication. God only did so as type to you and I of His desire to fill the spiritual “House”, which is His people. God never intended on living in a building made of wood, brick, mortar, plaster, and paint. No! God always wanted to live in a people. This is why He first chose Israel and why he subsequently chose you and I who make up the Church.
Preached at the April 2013 Revival Fire Pentecostal Fellowship meeting. The Wilderness was dotted with the desiccated corpses of those that fell victim to God’s judgment. They died of the Wandering Judgment. God used one generation to birth another and then he allowed them to die. God can judge quickly or He can consign a person to wander in circles until he perishes under the weight of his or her own unbelief. I believe that we are seeing a generation of people that have already been condemned to wander in circles under the auspices of the Wandering Judgment.
Dynamite Comes in Small Packages. This message was preached in a Revival at Full Gospel Temple in Jonesboro, Lousiana.
To "walk in the flesh" is to "go with the flow" - it is the path of least resistance. The "walk in the spirit" is to take the path of MOST resistance. In order to overcome any force you will need power. This power must be great enough to surpass the force it is opposing or it will fail. You cannot overcome the pull of the world on your flesh without being empowered! The Holy Ghost is our empowerment! "Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh".
The Pentecostal Church is the original idea of God. This is how God sees His Church. This has been lost in religious darkness at times throughout history but in the late 19th and early 20th centuries Holiness and Pentecostal churches rose up again in a revolution against the tired old religious forms of their day. Unfortunately, most of what calls itself “Pentecostal” today is terminally sick. The excesses of the so-called Pentecostal and “Spirit-Filled” churches of today are too numerous for me to expound upon fully. We need a spiritual revolution to throw off the religious chains that are binding the local churches. We need Revival! We need a Spiritual Revolution!
The Wilderness was dotted with the desiccated corpses of those that fell victim to God’s judgment. They died of the Wandering Judgment. God used one generation to birth another and then he allowed them to die. God can judge quickly or He can consign a person to wander in circles until he perishes under the weight of his or her own unbelief. I believe that we are seeing a generation of people that have already been condemned to wander in circles under the auspices of the Wandering Judgment.
Revival message preached at Church of the Living God in Lebanon, Missouri. Never stop rowing. The storm may blow against you but keep on rowing. Row, row, row your boat and when you have reached your limit Jesus will show up.
We think we have a "Fire Shortage" in our Churches but we really have is a "Fuel Shortage". In the natural we know that a fire requires fuel. Without fuel you cannot have a fire. It is impossible. No fuel – no fire. The lack of revival fire in our churches can have no other explanation other than a lack of fuel - a lack of sacrifices.
"Warning to the Pentecostal & Holiness Churches". This message was preached at the East Texas Campmeeting that met in Conroe, Texas and is a solemn warning to the Church from the example of the nation of Israel.
Preached at a Revival at Full Gospel Temple in Jonesboro, Louisiana. All of us know how to "get" the victory but the real secret is learning how to "keep" the victory. Like David, we must go to the brook and put in our bag what we will need to fight the battle and once that is used up then we must again return to the brook. We must keep "Victory in the Bag".
Preached in a Revival at Full Gospel Temple in Jonesboro, Louisiana. The only answer to Delilah is a “Walk in the Spirit”. I will only be free from the addictions of this flesh if I walk in the Spirit! I am not just talking about tobacco, alcohol, and drugs – I am talking about anything that is carnal. I can be free from carnality if I walk in the Spirit. If I walk in the flesh then I will be doomed to fail.
This message title is based on the title of Leonard Ravenhill's book "Why Revival Tarries". In this message I want to answer the question of why the Church is not experiencing Revival and what we can do to see it.
This is the "Tag Team" message for the Uncompromised Campmeeting in Dothan, Alabama on February 9. I started off and Jason Steege finished up. The subject was "The Anointing".
Little things matter. If you do not believe then look at some of the disasters in history where the tragedy can be traced back to one small detail that was overlooked. In our walk with Christ it is imperative that we pay attention to details. It is the "Little foxes that spoil the vines". We are busy watching for rampaging elephants and we often miss the invasion of the "Little Foxes".
This is the message I preached at the Uncompromised Campmeeting in Dothan, Alabama on February 7, 2013. I challenge you to listen to this message and examine the "Habitat" that you and your Church are currently living in. You may not be living in the "Habitat" as described in the Book of Acts.
This glorious salvation will cost you nothing to gain but everything to maintain. It is not "Low Maintenance" or even "No Maintenance" - this walk with Christ demands that we give our all. Nothing less will be accepted.
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ makes the claim that it is the exclusive hope of all mankind therefore it is essential that we spead the Gospel by our words, actions, and any other means available. To fail to share this Gospel with the world is treason of the highest order.
“This is Part 7 of a series of messages dealing with subtle, and not so subtle, errors that have crept into the Church. In this message I am dealing with "The Authority of Scripture" and "Truth". If you have not listened to the other parts of this series they are posted on Spreaker. ”
When that 120 came out of that Upper Room they were 120 sticks of dynamite. They rocked the world of their day with the explosion of the Holy Ghost. The sick were healed, devils were cast out, the blind saw, prisons shook, doors opened, the deaf could hear, the dumb could speak, snakes were shook off in the fire, and people were even healed with the touch of a shadow. The Church may have been small but it was filled with Dynamite power!
You may have to pass through many different wildernesses in your walk with Christ. Just make sure that you do not lodge in the wilderness lest your soul is swallowed up.
"When You Don't Feel Like An Eagle." If you need an encouraging message then this is one you ought to listen to. Make sure you stay with this message all the way to the end and you will find out the reason for the title.
"The Acts of the Holy Ghost Through the Church." None of what happened in the “Book of Acts” would have happened if the Holy Ghost had not of fallen on the 120 in the Upper Room. We must know this! The Holy Ghost is the catalyst that made all possible! We must know that this is a book of Holy Ghost Action! All the Holy Ghost needs is a willing vessel. We are not waiting on God. God is waiting on us! The time to ACT is now!
This is part 6 of a series of messages dealing with subtle, and not so subtle, errors that have crept into the Church. In this message I am dealing with Worship. If you have not listened to the other parts of this series they are posted on Spreaker. ”
We in the Church have a “Manifest Destiny”. We can stop right here, and live here if we want to. Or we can press on to all that God has for us.
God’s got something more for us if we will keep pressing on. We can have it all. There is something more over the next hill. It is our manifest destiny to press on.
Just as sin as so covered the earth today, there is coming a day in the future where every pot & pan is going to “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD”. Every little bell is going to be “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD”. The knowledge of God is going to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. How is God going to do this? Through His New Creation!
Because of the popular use of the word “Christian” today, the word has basically lost its meaning. Frequently I find myself having to explain what I mean when I refer to a person as a “Christian”. Due to my position as a Pastor I often find myself having to preach funeral services, and at these meetings I find myself referring to a deceased person, that I know was a “Christian”, as a “Real Christian”, or a “Holy Christian”, “Committed Christian”, or a “Genuine Christian”. Real, Holy, Committed, or Genuine - as opposed to what? Well, obviously from all of the other “Christians” out there.
The Church needs champions! The appalling lack of champions in the Church today is the fault of the leadership in the Church! These pleasure-seeking, pampered & petted, tuxedo-wearing, limp-wristed, cowards cannot inspire anybody to be a champion! It takes a champion to inspire others to be a champion!
This is part 5 of a series of messages dealing with subtle, and not so subtle, errors that have crept into the Church. In this message I will deal with "Holiness" and "Sin". If you have not listened to the other parts of this series they are posted on Spreaker.
Satan's power is in his ROAR - he goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. We need to stop listening to his roar and start listening to the "still small voice" of our Great Shepherd.
This is part 4 of a series of messages dealing with subtle, and not so subtle, errors that have crept into the Church. In this message I will deal with "The Prosperity Movement" and "Judgement". If you have not listened to the other parts of this series they are posted on Spreaker.
So many today seem to be “striving for imperfection" instead of the other way around. At one time we all knew that the Church should strive to be “Christ-Like” and perfect. Today it is different. So many churches “glory” in their imperfections and make that the draw instead of the draw of being like Jesus. While the idea of the Church being open for sinners to come is commendable the “draw” is not. Our advertisements should not be aimed at encouraging imperfection. Our goal should be perfection!
There are two different kinds of wind spoken of in the Song of Solomon: the south wind and the north wind. The south wind is pleasant, soft, and comfortable while the north wind is harsh, cold, bitter, and tempestuous. In life, both winds blow upon us all.
"Breaking the Grip of the Six-Fingered Man".
The Six-Fingered Man has a powerful grip, so it will take someone more powerful to break his grip. We need a "Jonathon" to help us break the grip of the Six-Fingered Man. We need someone “Given by Jehovah” to help us break the grip of the Six-Fingered Man. Only Jesus can truly break you free!
The Spirit of the Python in this damsel had its coils wrapped around the city of Philippi. It was slowly constricting and crushing the life out of this city. It was suffocating this city slowly. The city of Philippi was dying because of this spirit. It was not a quick death but a slow death. Is this not like the devil? He does not always kill with the quick poison, but sometimes he kills through a slow process of suffocation.
We hear it said often that we are not to follow man but to follow Christ. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing wrong with following the Christ in a man. All of us need Role Models.
This is part 3 of a series of messages dealing with subtle, and not so subtle, errors that have crept into the Church. In this message I will deal with "The Law & the Christian" and "The Ecumenical Movement". If you have not listened to the other parts of this series they are posted on Spreaker.
God is looking for people that will be faithful to Him. There are people that are faithful to Church Services but are not faithful to God. God wants someone that will be faithful to Him on Monday Night when there is no Church gathering. God is looking for someone that will be faithful to Him on Friday night when there is no Youth Rally or Fellowship Meeting! God is looking for someone that will be faithful to Him on the Job, at school, at home, and at the market.
This is the second of a series of messages dealing with subtle distortions (and sometimes not so subtle) of doctrines in the Pentecostal Church. In this second segment I deal with the subject of "The Lordship of Christ" and the "The Fear of the Lord".
This is the first of a series of messages dealing with subtle distortions (and sometimes not so subtle) of doctrine in the Pentecostal Church. In this first segment I deal with the subject of "Repentance" and the "The Blood of Jesus".
"It's A Spiritual Thing! You Wouldn't Understand!" It is the second birth that makes us spiritual. It takes a spiritual man/woman to understand spiritual things. The natural man cannot understand the spiritual things of God. When the natural man tries to understand these things he thinks that they are foolish. The natural man/woman may attempt to grasp the spiritual but in the end a complete understanding will elude them.
A Manifesto lays out openly what a group believes and intends for the future. When Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848 they clearly told the whole world what their ideology and plans for the Communist movement were. Their book ignited a fire in those that came after and by the middle of the 20th century over one half of the world was under the rule of communist governments. Their Manifesto worked to galvanize followers to act. It is my hope that this Pentecostal Manifesto will do the same.
To the Banker He is the Hidden Treasure.
To the Astronomer He is the Sun of Righteousness.
To the Architect He is the Chief Cornerstone.
To the Baker He is the Living Bread...
We must take responsibility for the Dead Babies in our Churches! We must take responsibility for the problems, the mistakes, the errors, the faults, and the sin! The old song says, “It’s not my Brother, it’s not my Sister, but it’s me O’ Lord standing in the need of prayer.” How true those words are and the Church is never going to experience a restoration until she owns up to the dead babies in her midst.
"Is the Enemy Any Less Defeated Because You Had to Crawl?" Jebus Victories are dirty, cold and dark. Jebus Victories are humbling. Jebus Victories are not the ones we like to brag about. Yet, why should we complain if the Lord strengthens us to climb through the gutter to obtain victory?
Signs will not only follow the Believer but they will also follow the Unbeliever. The Apostle Paul lists those signs in his Epistle to the Galatians and we refer to them today as “The Works of the Flesh”. There are 17 works of the flesh listed in Galatians and all of these are clear signs of a person living a life for themselves and NOT Christ.
Victory is not based on how you feel or the situation around you. Victory is in Christ our Lord. Paul & Silas sang and gave praises unto God after being beaten and imprisoned proving to the jailer and all the other inmates that despite their circumstance they were still free.
We were created with the capacity to love by a loving God. Love is the one attribute that grows by sharing with others. You can give all of your love away and then when you look you will have more than you gave. Love multiplies with giving.
We are a Body, we need one another. Just as surely as my hand cannot function separated from the rest of my body, an individual Christian will not be able to function long without an attachment to the Body. Anyone separated too long from the Body risks decay and eventual death. The analogy of the Body leaves no other option. What is true of the natural is true of the spiritual.
Have you ever wondered why everything seems to be so hard for you? This message will reveal to you that our victories do not always come easily but they are worth the struggle. This is a message meant to encourage the Church.