FaithSermon4

• We live in a confusing and confused world

• Cults have strange beliefs, the ordinary person often has strange beliefs

• We have recently been considering the need for Christians ‘to know' truth

• For a Christian it is important to understand reality

B. Reality at the basic level

People who don't believe, don't do!

• People who don't believe the Bible, don't read it

• People who don't believe God, don't pray

• People who don't think God is wonderful don't worship

• People who don't believe the Gospel is the best thing going, don't share God's love.

• It doesn't matter what you SAY – reality is proved by what you DO

C. Confused Reality

There are two sorts of believers:

i) those who believe in only the material world

ii) those who believe in material & spiritual worlds

The second one includes us as Christian believers AND freaky-belief people

Consider strange beliefs:

a) Childish beliefs

• beliefs in fairies, Father Christmas, power of the party conjurer

b) Religious beliefs

• watch out for weird things!

• there ARE a lot of people who call themselves Christians who hold very strange beliefs

• our beliefs are to come from intelligent reading of the Bible

c) Superstitious Beliefs

• black cats

• not walking under a ladder etc.

D. Knowing REAL Reality

What do we mean by ‘Spiritual Reality'?

• We mean what is real, what “is” as God sees it!

• This world is NOT merely material/physical

• It is material AND spiritual

Example 1: 2 Kings 6:15 -17

• Elisha's servant only saw the physical soldiers

• Elisha asked the Lord to show him the whole picture

• THAT was the reality!

Example 2: Mt 17:1-3

• On the Mount of Transfiguration Moses & Elijah appeared from heaven

• They hadn't ceased to exist when they died.

• THAT was reality.

Example 3: Paul's references to ‘the heavenly realms

• Eph 1:3 – where our blessing resides

• Eph 1:20 – where Christ reigns

• Eph 2:6 – where WE reign with him

• Eph 3:10 – where we are watched

• Eph 6:12 – where rebellious demonic forces seek to resist us

E. Why is it important that we understand spiritual reality?

Because Revelation comes through the Spirit realm

• 1 Cor 2:9,10 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

Faith is about the Spirit realm

• Heb 11:1b Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Because our faith impacts that realm

• Mt 16:19 (past tense) “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven."

So that we understand:

the past – Christ can take us back to realise the truth about our past

the present – He IS with us today

the future – He can give us a vision of His plans for us

So we don't operate on the same basis as the world

e.g. you are not alone at home, work, college etc. – He is there with you

so don't try to compete on their level by their methods – look to Him.

F. How do we learn to sense spiritual reality?

1. Read & study your Bible

• start to catch the understanding that is there

2. DO what God says

• be humble

• be servant hearted

• be loving, accepting & caring

• be moved (be emotional!) by compassion

• reach out in love to those around you

• listen to God as you do this (risk it!) and act on it

THEN you will find a new reality that is exciting, thrilling, incredible, scary, and life changing!

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