Spiritual gifts part 14: Our Lord is the Heavyweight Champion of the universe

Pastor-Teacher
John Farley
Wednesday,
August 18, 2010

Spiritual gifts part 14:  Our Lord is the Heavyweight Champion of the universe

Spiritual Gifts Part 14: The Lord Jesus Christ is the Heavyweight Champion of the universe

Announcements

The Doctrine of Spiritual Gifts

The Angelic conflict plays out in the conflict between the principles of the world system and the principles of the cross.

On one side [BOOOO] is the world (cosmic system), the flesh (our sin natures), and the devil (kingdom of darkness and its leader).

On the other side [YEAH!] are the Person and Work of God the Father, the Person and Work of God the Son, and the Person and Work of God the Holy Spirit.

The battlefield right now is the soul of the Church Age believer.

Our Lord is the Heavyweight Champion of the universe!

One piece of superior weaponry is your spiritual gift.

GAL 6:14
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

What in the world is “the world”?

“The world” means the organization and the mind and the outlook of mankind as it ignores God and does not recognize Him and lives a life independent of Him, a life that is based on this world and this life only.

“The world” means the outlook that has rebelled against the Lord God and turned its back on Him.

The world is a system of thinking that exalts self and opposes the Lord God.

“The world” is a point of view that sows seeds of doubt about what the Lord God has to say. It questions the word of God.

Satan now brings on another worldly thought. This time it is a direct contradiction of the word of God.

“The world” is a system of thinking, based on deception, that opposes the Lord God and exalts self.

Finally, we have the vicious attack on the Lord God’s character and nature.

1. Question God’s word.

2. Remove respect for the authority of the Lord God.

3. Contradict God’s word.

4. Attack God’s character.

“The world” is a system of thinking, based on deception, that opposes the Lord God and exalts self, yet never truly satisfies, and results in death.

The world system is fallen man seeking to reclaim his lost glory apart from the Lord God and His provision.

Body - good for food
Soul - delight to the eyes
Spirit - desirable to make me wise

Try to satisfy the body, the soul, and the spirit through counterfeit means, rather than according to God’s perfect provision and accurate instructions.

Satan thought he had won a great victory on planet earth when he enticed Adam and the woman to rebel against God.

Our Lord is the Heavyweight Champion of the universe!

The Gospel is first and foremost an adventure. It is the announcement of the greatest victory of all time.

The Lord Jesus Christ comes on the scene and He knocks down the barrier that satan had built to imprison the human race.

He destroys the works of the devil: sin, the penalty of sin, the consequences of sin, the affront to God’s character and nature, death (physical and spiritual), our position in Adam, human good and evil.

That is why the Church Age, coming fast on the heels of the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, is the age of the unique spiritual life.

The Church age is the dispensation when God the Holy Spirit is manifesting the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.

One of the most visible and powerful manifestations of this life of the Spirit in the church is the function of spiritual gifts in the local assembly!