The level of our faith creates our future
Romans 16:3~4 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. (3~4)
♬Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #144 Jesus Shed His Blood For Me
The greatest trouble for the believers is that they are not receiving answers to their prayers. In order to receive answers to prayer, we must first correctly understand theology and the flow of faith. It is because what kind of walk of faith and what kind of faith we have determine our future. We must correctly discern legalism from faith. We do not receive salvation by keeping the law, but we receive salvation by faith. We must discern original sin from consequential sin. The wrongdoings that we commit are the consequential sins, and the problems that befall us without any wrongdoing on our part is the original sin. In addition, because salvation cannot be obtained by mankind, God gave it to us by His grace. We will begin to receive answers if we know of this flow and receive important healing.
1. Three kinds of healing
First, it is healing of prayer. Though we received salvation, we don’t know how to pray. When we close our eyes to pray, other thoughts creep into our minds and prayer doesn’t happen because we don’t know what to say. Therefore, if we begin meditating ten minutes a day, the desolate state of our mind can be healed and we can focus on praying. If prayer takes place and if we gain the power of prayer, there is nothing that cannot be done. Second, it is healing of evangelism. Going to different places with evangelism tracts is not evangelism. Seeing the facts and gaining the answer is evangelism. Third, it is healing of the Word. The Bible speaks about world evangelization, but it does not happen for us. If we find the reason why it is not happening and gain the answer to this, the Word that we have heard until now will begin to be fulfilled from that moment on.
2. Three kinds of power
Jesus came as the priest who forgave all sins, the king who destroyed the authority of the devil, and the prophet who opened the way to meet God. The combination of these three roles . priest, king, and prophet-is what we call Christ. However, God granted us this tremendous role (1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, starting now, if we have this blessing with us and enter deeply into prayer at an appointed time as well as continuously in a comfortable manner, disasters will crumble, the forces of darkness will be bound, and we will gain the tremendous strength and power of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
3. The blessing that the Romans 16 individuals received
The people recorded in Romans 16 received the blessing of faith. What kind of faith is it? It is faith to receive salvation, faith to believe in the power of God, faith to hope for the future, and faith to lead a good life and offer our mind and body for world evangelization. Priscilla and Aquila were able to stake their lives for the evangelists and the Gospel because they had such faith.
- If we begin to receive correct healing of prayer, Word and evangelism, we will experience the answer that the people in Romans 16 enjoyed. Think about what we must begin in order to restore the power of prayer and take up the challenge.
Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 2nd Service / 2010.7.25