Episode Transcript
Are you ready to experience the amazing love of God and his plan for your life? Are you curious about the fast fulfilling Bible prophecies? Amidst the rapidly changing world, secrets of prophecy is your gateway to unlocking these exciting realities. Join Pastor David Price on a journey of discovery that will not only transform your life, but will equip you with inner peace and an unshakable hope to face the future. Well, I'm so glad that you can join us for session six of secrets of prophecy.
In this session we're going to find some exciting things. We are going to look at the basics of the christian journey and I'm so glad that you can join us. We're going to look at seven steps to spiritual freedom and how to build a stronger relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our discovery points in this session will be who is the true source of real spiritual freedom? Number two, what is the first major prophecy in the book of Genesis? Number three, what are three main steps towards spiritual freedom? Number four is the christian life a boring journey? And number five, what real help does God promise to christians? So here we are in seven steps to spiritual freedom. Father in heaven, we thank you that you have promised to bless, guide and direct as we open your word and see amazing things bring a personal revelation and discovery to each person who hears your word. In this session, we ask in Jesus name, amen.
All right, seven steps to spiritual freedom if you're watching this online, this study guide is actually downloadable under the description bar and you are welcome to print that out and join us. Did you know that less than half the countries on planet earth experience true freedom? See Freedom House and worldaudit.org dot.
Did you realise that countries such as Angola, Albania, Brunei, Syria and Vietnam still lack many human rights and even freedom of speech, justice for all and electoral democracy? One country blacklisted for many years is Iraq war. Dictatorships, kidnapping and torture have been part of life there for centuries. During the ill fated United States war in Iraq, Douglas Wood, an australian engineer and businessman, was kidnapped at gunpoint and taken hostage in Baghdad.
Throughout the next 47 days, Wood was beaten, blindfolded and forced to endure the raw emotion of his torture and likely execution. Douglas Wood got through each day by thinking about his favourite football team and the love he had for his grandchildren. He wasn't sure if he'd be rescued, but he never lost hope because, like all of us, he wanted to be free in the most amazing of circumstances.
Douglas Wood was rescued by iraqi and us forces while on a routine sweep through one of Baghdad's most dangerous suburbs. Wood heard a should shootout between the iraqi army and the insurgents on the roof. And then the army forced their way inside.
Wood heard further gunfire, but he knew he was well on the road to freedom when he returned to his homeland. Douglas Wood gave a number of speeches telling his story and thanking his rescuers. At the completion of one speech, he even sang to his audience, be a moving song entitled I want to be free, friends.
There is a story behind the story and I wondered if God was involved in any way. The newspapers here were reporting that he was several hours away from beheading and this story is worth reading if you want to pause the programme and just catch up with this amazing story. What I thought was interesting was that as he faced being beheaded, he wrote, I made peace with my God and I hoped if they killed me, which I thought was logical, it's not much different to dying in your sleep.
And he said, but I'd fundamentally made peace with my God and decided that if I go, I go. Friends, God certainly saved his life, but it wasn't so fortunate for his rescuers, many of whom actually perished. And so I want to remind you that his rescuers paid a very high price to rescue him.
And seven of the ten iraqi soldiers who saved Douglas Wood were actually murdered. You know, I can think of someone else who rescued us and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. And he got killed by rescuing us too.
Do you actually want to be free? I mean, really free? The Bible says that the inhabitants of planet earth have also been taken hostage, but not by insurgents, actually by the devil himself. Do you feel sometimes as if you are captive to guilt, discouragement, deep seated addictions, abuse, self centredness or low self esteem? The good news is that a loving God has developed a rescue plan for you. So I just want to thank you so much for joining us.
For secrets of prophecy session number six. Let's have a look at the seven steps to spiritual freedom. Question one, who is the source of true spiritual freedom? We go to John 836.
These are the words of Jesus. And he said, therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free. Indeed I.
What a beautiful promise that is. You know, friends, we should be able to be even locked up in prison. And if we have a relationship with the God of the universe via his son Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, then we will have freedom inside.
Our freedom won't actually be based on where we are or our circumstances. Our freedom will be based on our relationship and that we feel free actually, in that relationship with Jesus Christ. And comforted, guided and protected.
You know, the Bible is a love story, isn't it? That highlights the greatest resource of all times. We start this story at the creation of the world. And as this story unfolds, you'll discover why you are so precious to God and why Jesus is so important to you.
Question two. We're asking who created the universe? We're going to Genesis one. One.
And there we read in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Friends, planet earth did not evolve. It was actually designed and created by God.
The word God in this text is the hebrew word Elohim, which is plural, referring to the Godhead, the Father, son and Holy Spirit. How could God be one God and yet three separate beings is always a mystery in itself. Maybe we can explain it this way.
A simple illustration of this concept can be seen in the humble apple. So an apple has three parts, the peel, the flesh and the core. And they are all separate parts of the apple, yet they are all one apple.
They are not an orange, a lemon or a watermelon. They have different purposes, but they are just one apple. You know, similarly, the godhead has three persons.
They all have different roles, but they are just one God. So when we look at the word Trinity, it actually is three words, tri in unity, which is a singular reference to our one God. Yet it's plural in that there are three persons.
Many people have found this hard to understand, but if you look at the sun, it's represented in three ways by light, heat and power. If you look at time, it's represented by past, present and future. If you look at matter, it's represented in three ways by solids, liquids and gases.
And if you look at space, it's represented in three ways in length, breadth and height. In Matthew 20 819, Jesus said, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Notice he didn't say in the names.
And so the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all divine. They are all part of the family of God. But the Father is not the spirit, and the spirit is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father.
You know, friends, this is still a challenging concept, and one of my favourite writers wrote this. The revelation of himself that God has given in his word is for our study. This we may seek to understand, but beyond this we are not to penetrate.
The highest intellect may tax itself until it is wearied out in conjectures regarding the nature of God, but the effort will be fruitless. This problem has not been given us to solve. No human mind can comprehend God.
Here silence is eloquence. The omniscient one is above discussion from Ellen White's amazing book, ministry of Healing, certainly a book ahead of its time. So we need to remember that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is also the divine creator God.
And we know that from John chapter one, verses one and three, where it says, in the beginning was the word. That word is logos, and the word was with God, and the word was God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made.
So in John 114 we read that the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, and that is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. So we need to remember that Jesus existed from eternity past and he was fully God. But he also existed and was born into our time as a man, so he was fully human.
Here is where we strike the great conundrum, the great mystery, the great enigma. How can someone be 100% man and yet 100% goddess? In reference to Jesus being human, we go to Micah, the Old Testament prophet, chapter five and verse two, where it tells us about how the son of God, the ancient one, would become a human. But Eubeflehem Ephrata just means there were two bethlehems at the time, one in the north in the tribe of Benjamin in Zebulun, and this Bethlehem was in Judah.
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, just a small town, yet out of you shall come forth to me, God says, the one to be ruler in Israel. In other words, the messiah would come out of Israel, but he just wasn't starting his birth there. God tells us that this one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from what thats right, from old, from everlasting times.
And so this tells us the power of our God in that Jesus Christ is surely the divine God man. You know, creation is important because it demonstrates the power of God and tells us why human beings are so precious. God designed and made Adam and Eve with his own hands to be his personal friends and companions.
We are special to God. We are even made in his image. See Genesis chapter one and verse 26.
We go into question number three. We're asking what happened when Adam and Eve sinned. And we go to Genesis two and verse 17.
But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat a for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die. Adam and Eva told very, very clearly the conditions of being in the garden of Eden and how to deal with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We're also reminded when asking what happened when Adam and Eve sinned.
And in Romans 623, the apostle Paul wrote, for the wages of sin is death, so sin pays wages of death. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, a natural separation took place. The purity of God formed an instant barrier against the sin within humanity.
The nature of Adam and Eve changed, and everything on planet earth suffered as a result of that first sin. The natural and inevitable result of sin is death. So if God had not responded, Adam and Eve would have died there and then, and that would have been the end of life on this planet.
So why did this happen? Romans 512 13 explains it. Therefore, just as through one man, that's Adam, sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all Mendez because all sins. Some people may be confused, believing Eve was the first one to sin.
And she did. Paul tells us that Eve was beguiled, she was deceived. But when Adam took the fruit off her, he knew what had happened, and he took it and decided to cast his future lot with the woman that God had made to be with him instead of standing with obedience and loyalty to the God and the creator.
Question four. What is the first major prophecy of the scriptures? Most people would not know the answer to this. We go to Genesis 315.
What does God say here? He says, I will put enmity between you and the woman. And he's addressing the serpent and cursing the serpent. I'll put enmity or hatred between you and the woman.
And today there's hatred and fear between snakes and people, and between your seed and her seed. We're going to look at who was the promised seed of the woman eve. God says to the serpent that the seed of the woman, the promised one, the messiah, would bruise your head, but usurpant shall bruise his heal.
We need to ask who actually was the woman seed. Let me give you an extra reference, not in the study guide. You might like to write down Galatians chapter three and verse 16.
Now, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to your seed, who is Christ. So we find out that Jesus Christ was the messiah.
Friends, here we have the gospel meaning the good news mentioned. For the first time in the Bible, God is speaking to the serpent, the devil, and outlining the great conflict that will occur on planet earth between the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, the messiah, and the devil with his followers. The climax of this story is the death of Jesus Christ on Calvary.
It was on the cross that Jesus suffered, symbolised by bruising his heel. But Satan was defeated, symbolised through a bruised or crushed head. So what symbol in.
So here we notice that Jesus would bruise the serpent's head. And that happened at the cross, in that Satan was a defeated foe from that time on because he was unmasked before all the angels of heaven. What symbol is used to represent Jesus as our sacrifice? We go to John one.
And verse 29. What did John the Baptist say when he saw Jesus coming to be baptised the next day? John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Friends, did you know that Jesus is the lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world? Meaning a decision was made that he would die if this planet should fall into sin.
And Jesus was like a lamb in that he was pure and gentle. He did not resist being cured. For the book of Isaiah says, he was led as a lamb to the slaughterhouse, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent.
So he opened not his mouth, as in Isaiah 53 seven. Friends, did you know that when Jesus died, he was abused physically? How? He was nearly beaten to death at his trial. Then he was abused sexually.
How? Throughout the trial and crucifixion, he was paraded totally naked before a jeering mob. And then he was abused spiritually. Not only was the cross seen by some as a pagan sacrifice, but to be hung on a cross was a symbol of being cursed by God.
See Galatians 313. Jesus suffered the highest level of humiliation and abuse for us. And so he suffered the second death, jew in hell fire.
And he took our place there for us as he died on the cross. The second death. You can read about the death of Jesus more in Mark, chapter 15.
Have a look at the entire chapter. And you need to ask God to show you the depths of his love for you and to help you realise how much you mean to him. You know, friends, it's really important that we take time to remember Jesus death on the cross for us.
Without Jesus dying on the cross, there is no hope for sinners. I'd like to go to the amazing book desire of ages, and I'd like to read you a few paragraphs that help us to understand the depths of God's love for us. Upon Christ, as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all.
Jesus was counted a transgressor, that he might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon his heart. We're reading chapter 78, the chapter called Calvary, pages 752 to 755.
The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierce Jesus heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by Mandev. So great was this agony that his physical pain was hardly felt. Satan, with his fierce temptations, wrung the heart of Jesus.
The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to him, coming forth from the grave as a conqueror or tell him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. Jesus feared that sin was so offensive to God that their separation was to be eternal.
Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin bringing the Father's wrath upon him as man's substitute that made the cup. He drank so bitter and broke the heart of the son of God.
At the 9th hour. That's 03:00 p.m. on that Friday afternoon, the darkness lifted from the people but still enveloped the saviour.
It was a symbol of the agony and horror that weighed upon his heart. No eye could pierce the gloom that surrounded the cross, and none could penetrate the deeper gloom that enshrouded the suffering soul of Jesus Christ. The spotless son of God hung upon the cross, his flesh lacerated with stripes.
Those hands, so often reached out in blessing were nailed to the wooden bars. Those feet, so tireless on ministries of love, spike to the tree, that royal head pierced by the crown of fawns, those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe. And all that he endured, the blood drops that flowed from his head, his hands, his feet, the agony that racked his frame and the unutterable sadness that filled his soul at the hiding of his father's face, speaks to each child of humanity, declaring, it is for thee that the son of God consents to bear the sin of guilt.
For thee, he spoils the domain of death and opens the gates a paradise. He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam capped billows, who made devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and rolled forth the dead to life, offers himself upon the cross as a sacrifice. And this is all done from love for you, from love to thee.
Jesus tells us in Jeremiah 31 three that I have loved thee with what and everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I called thee. Absolutely beautiful. We're asking now in question six, does Jesus really care about us personally? Let's go to one Peter 118 19.
Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, Peter writes, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Friends, there is a growing sector within the community who feel a low sense of personal value. This feeling of worthlessness can result in personal discouragement or depression.
God wants you to know that in his eyes, you are of infinite value. So if God invested all the gold and silver of heaven to save us, then that would be an amazing sacrifice. But you know, we are so valuable to God that he invested the most important thing he could do, and that is he invested in the precious blood of his son, Jesus Christ.
Not only did God design and personally create us, he also gave the blood of his own son for us. It's a story about an old 1975 Ford Escot that once belonged to Pope John Paul II. It was sold at an auction for $690,000, or $900,000 in our money, while the golf clubs that belong to President John F.
Kennedy sold for over $1 million american dollars. Why? Those items were not valuable in and of themselves. Their value actually lay in the fact they belong to someone important.
You also belong to someone important. The king of the universe. Jesus loves you and cares about you personally.
He wants you to be his personal friend and to live with him forever. Question seven how does the blood of Jesus cancel our sin? We go to Hebrews chapter two and verse nine. But we see Jesus, who is made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
You know, Jesus tasted death for everyone, didn't he? He tasted death for every man, every woman. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. And that's not just physical death, but also what the Bible calls the second death in revelation 2014 and 15.
This is the death that only Jesus has experienced. It is the final death that results from our sins. And this topic will be discussed further in our study guide.
Where on earth is hell? In a future session, hope you can join us. So, friends, the real reason why the blood of Jesus Christ makes it possible to forgive us is actually explained in the act of substitution. If you truly forgive someone, then you are willing to suffer the consequences of the evil they've done to you without retaliation.
To illustrate, if someone punched you in the eye, forgiving that person means that you experience the pain from their wrongdoing without actually returning the punch. We have all sinned against God and his law, but justice requires the penalty, and death and mercy can only be provided by the God whose law we have broken. You know, Jesus Christ chose to suffer the full penalty of our sin in order to provide a way of escape for each one of us.
What an amazing saviour he is. So we have to ask, how important is it that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead? We go to one. Corinthians 15 and verse 17.
And if Christ is not risen, Paul writes to the church in Corinth, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Friends, that's a very powerful text, isn't it? If Jesus was never raised, then we cannot be forgiven our sins and we have no hope of eternal life. So the apostle Paul said, if Jesus remained dead, we would have no hope of salvation.
Although the death of Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, a dead Christ could not forgive our sins. Today, only a living saviour can give us freedom and hope. That is why there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 412. Friends, where is the Lord Jesus Christ right now? And what is he doing? Hebrews chapter seven and verse 25 tells us exactly where Jesus is and exactly what he's doing in the kingdom of heaven. The apostle Paul writes in the book of Hebrews, wherefore he, Jesus Christ, is able also to save them to the uttermost, and all sinners down to the guttermost, that come unto God by him.
Seeing Jesus ever liveth, to make intercession for them, friends, that's what Jesus is doing now. He's applying the benefits of his sacrifice that was made on the cross of Calvary. The good news is, in Hebrews 725, you can go from being a horrendous sinner to absolutely clean and, and forgiven.
How? By asking the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Lord and saviour from sin. That is the divine transaction where he took the death that was ours and he offers us the life that was his. Question nine.
What can I do to benefit from the life and death of Jesus Christ? We go to John 316. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in Jesus Christ should not perish but have everlasting or eternal life. You know, friends, that famous text says it all, doesn't it? God gave because he loves.
We cannot earn salvation. We'll never deserve it. We'll never ever be good enough.
In fact, we can only accept it through believing in him. Everlasting life is a free gift that God offers to us today, why don't we reach out and take it? Question ten what are the steps to receiving spiritual freedom? Number one, we receive spiritual freedom through accepting the gift of salvation. Number two, you accept salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal saviour and the Lord of your life.
To help you to understand how to accept Jesus, here are seven practical steps, and that is, of course, the perfect number. We're asking what are the steps to receiving spiritual freedom? Step number one is found in Romans 323. Number one is that we must admit that we are all sinners.
That's point number one, for all have sinned, every man, woman and child, everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You know, friends, the first thing to be realised is our need for the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people are so called good, moral citizens who wouldn't dream of stealing or killing anyone.
But every one of us has experienced sin. We've broken God's law either by thought or action, which automatically qualifies us as sinners. The Bible says the wages which we've earned for our sins is actually eternal death, and only Jesus Christ can solve the sin problem.
So, point number one, we must admit that we are sinners. Point number two, we're looking at the seven steps to receiving spiritual freedom and how to have a closer relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus words in Matthew 1128.
And he said, come unto me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. He's giving us rest in our souls. So the second step to receiving spiritual freedom is to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive him as our lord and saviour.
Friends, what a beautiful promise. No matter how sinful you may feel at times, just remember that Jesus is a far greater saviour than you are a sinner. In fact, do not wait until you are good enough or haven't sinned for a while.
Jesus is calling you to him, just as you are, just where you are right now. And when you come to Jesus, you simply say to him that you recognise that you're a sinner, that you need help in your life, and you acknowledge that only Jesus Christ can give you that help and become your saviour. We're looking at the third step of receiving spiritual freedom.
In acts 1631, we find out the story of Paul and the philippian jailer. And Paul wrote, so they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household friends. It's very important that we believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to achieve salvation.
But what sort of belief is it? Saving faith is not just an intellectual ascent of belief in Jesus Christ is actually to trust him. But it's much more than an intellectual belief, because even the evil spirits, the fallen angels, the devils, believe. In James 219, they've seen Jesus.
They've been to heaven. They know belief is to have such a trust in Jesus that you are willing to do what he says. To illustrate, a doctor prescribes medicine.
If you believe in that doctor, you will take the medicine. Jesus has a cure for sin. And if we believe in Jesus, we will gladly accept his cure.
We're looking at the fourth step of receiving spiritual freedom in James four seven. The fourth step is to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in James four seven, it says, therefore, submit to.
To God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. You know, friends, this is actually where you can ask Jesus Christ to be your personal saviour from sin.
Did you know there are many people who go to church each week, and yet they've never asked Jesus Christ to even be their saviour from sin? And Jesus says in revelation 320, he stands at the door of your heart and knocks. He wants to enter your life and have a daily relationship with you. But if the richest man in the world knocked at your front door and offered you a million dollars, if you let him in, how long would it take to invite him into your home? You know the answer, don't you? Well, Jesus offers you something much greater than a million dollars.
What is he offering? He's offering you an eternity of peace and happiness, if you will hear his voice. Number one. And number two, open the door of your heart to him.
He loves you. There's nothing to fear. We're looking at the fifth step to receiving spiritual freedom and strengthening a relationship with Jesus Christ.
In one John one nine, the fifth step says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So step number five is to repent and confess our sins. I believe a true definition of repentance is being sorry enough to quit.
Think about that. Are we really sorry enough to quit the sin and the dysfunction of our lives? It's worth a thought, isn't it? You know, Jesus wants us to be sorry and to say sorry for our sins. Confession can be made directly to God, and he promises that he will forgive you.
He's purchased your sins with his own blood, so you can be guaranteed that if you deliver his purchase to him, he will accept the delivery. Did you know that? Confession needs to be specific. If you've hurt another human being, you need to apologise to that person.
Also, true confession comes from a heart that's sorry for the sin and determined to do whatever it takes to move away from a life of brokenness, of sin, suffering and destruction. We're looking at point number six in the seven steps to spiritual freedom. Let's have a look at second Corinthians 517.
Paul wrote, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, meaning in a relationship with Jesus Christ, he is a new creation. The King James version says, a new creature. This is the new king James Version.
He is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
You know, one aspect of the mystery of God is this. It's actually Christ in you. Christ Jesus Christ living in you.
The hope of your salvation, the hope of glory. Colossians 127. Did you know the christian life is not just a modification or reformation of the old life, it's actually a transformation.
You become a new creature, the old life is gone and you live a new life with Jesus living in you. The Bible symbol for the change of life. This change of life is actually baptism.
To be baptised fully in water represents a death and burial of the old life and a resurrection of your new life in partnership with Jesus Christ. As in Romans six three six. This change of life and the outgoing and the ongoing growth in spirituality can only be accomplished through the work and power of the blessed Holy Spirit.
See Galatians 522 and 23 four. The gifts, the spiritual gifts of the spirit. We're looking at point number seven of the seven steps to receiving spiritual freedom.
In Colossians two six, it says, as you therefore have received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk in him. You know, point number seven, therefore, is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord of our life. That means that Jesus Christ becomes the boss of us.
He becomes our master, he becomes our God. And we love him so much and are so grateful for his eternal sacrifice that we actually are willing to do the things he's asked us to do. You know, many today are happy to have Jesus as their saviour, as an escape plan from hell.
But Jesus also wants to be the Lord of your life. Jesus said, if you actually love me, would you keep my commandments? John 1415. We need to accept Jesus as Lord and then walk in him.
In other words, be obedient and walk in his steps toward a happy and victorious christian life. This is not legalism, that is rigidly keeping the law. It's simply obedience.
It's simply a love response to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, friends, let's just take a moment to review the seven steps to spiritual freedom. Most christians might know these things vaguely.
Seekers don't know much about it at all. So let's go through it. Number one was to admit that we are sinners.
That's kind of hard, isn't it? Number two, to come to Jesus Christ and surrender to him. And number three, to actually believe on his name, his authority and his power. Number four is to submit our hearts and make a surrender to Jesus so that he can be the Lord and the boss and the master of our lives.
And number five, to repent and confess our sins on a daily basis. Number six, to experience the new birth via the blessed Holy Spirit. And number seven, to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life.
I want to ask you right now, as we pause, whether you've actually done these things. If you have, have you done all of them? Have you ever admitted to God that you're a sinner and taken responsibility for your actions? Have you come and placed yourself, your life in Jesus hands just as you are, and asked him to take you from where you are to where he wants you to be? Do you actually believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Is there enough evidence to arrest you as a Christian? Are you actually following the path and following and reading God's word? Number four, are you submitting and surrendering your life to Jesus on a daily basis? Number five, are you repenting and confessing of your sins? Number six, if you're experiencing these things, you will be experiencing the new birth via the powerful holy spirit of God, the third person of the Godhead. And number seven, you will be able to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and master of your life.
Now, friends, all of these are very important, but I'm wondering if one is more important than the other. And I would like to suggest to you point number four, if I do not submit and surrender my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I believe on a daily basis, I found it's unlikely that I'm ever going to do any of those other things. So I'm asking you to concentrate and focus and make a priority on submitting and surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
So in question eleven, some people have suggested that the christian life is very boring and restrict evil. And I want to tell you that I've never found it that way. In John 1010, Jesus said it wasn't.
He said the thief, meaning Satan, the enemy of souls does not come except to do three things. He comes to steal your heart away, he comes to kill you and he comes to destroy you. But Jesus said in opposition to this, I have come that they may have life and that they, those who follow him, may have it more abundantly.
What a beautiful promise that is. The abundant bursting full of life. Life, that's what I want.
That's what I'm enjoying. You know, the devil tries to rob us of life, doesn't he? He makes out that a christian life is just for boring people who have nothing better to do. He emphasises what you will miss out on and the things you can't do anymore.
But Jesus says that a life with him is a life full of adventure and discovery. It's an abundant life where people of all ages and cultures can discover true happiness and fulfilment in life. You know, friends, when we think about Jesus and Satan, it involves a choice.
And I'd like to share with you a few verses of this song that was on the radio a number of years ago. And the verses and the chorus are very, very powerful. And come back to this choice between our God and the enemy of souls, the devil.
You might be a rock and roll addict prancing on the stage. You might have money and drugs at your commands, you might have women in a cage. You may be a businessman or some high degree thief.
They may call you doctor or they may call you chief, but you're going to have to serve somebody. Yes, indeed, you're going to have to serve somebody. Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're going to have to serve somebody.
You may be a construction worker working on a home, you may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome. You might own guns and you might own even tanks. You may be somebody's landlord, you might even own the banks.
But you're going to have to serve somebody yes, you're going to have to serve somebody. Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're going to have to serve somebody. Friends, this song, this powerful song by Bob Dylan has a lot of truth in it.
A lot of people today don't believe they serve Satan and they don't want to serve Jesus. But Jesus made it very clear that we cannot sit on the fence. I think it must be an electric fence because Jesus said in Matthew twelve and verse 30 these words, Jesus said, he that is not with me.
What does that mean? He that is not in a relationship with me on a daily basis is actually against me. Friends, Bob Dylan released this song on his album in 1979, slow train coming, and it was the first of three christian albums as he went through a christian phase. But, friends, there is a great truth.
If you look at the bottom of the screen, well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but we're all going to have to serve somebody. Jesus asked us to serve him, but Satan kicks down the door of our heart and he demands that we serve him or serve the gods that he sends us. Question number twelve.
What assurance is there for those who actually believe in Jesus Christ and they know if they've signed up and have a relationship with him? First, John 513 tells us, yes, Jesus said these things. I've written to you who believe in the name of the son of goddess, that you may know that you have eternal life. Friends, what a powerful statement.
Did you know that eternal life is not just something you can hope for? A true belief in Jesus includes having the confidence that you have eternal life today. The reason why you can have such confidence is because the gospel is based on the power and the promises of the creator, God and friends. Those power and promises are found in God's word.
That's where the source of power is. Question 13. What does God promise to those who choose to live the christian life? We go to Philippians four and verse 13 and we read these words.
I can do all things through Jesus Christ, who strengthens me. What a beautiful and powerful promise. There's a second text we need to look up.
What does God promise to those who choose to live the christian life? In Ephesians 320. Friends, we're not going to be able to do this on our own. We're going to need to plug into some power, aren't we? Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.
So there is our answer. There is power. I want to share with you four texts that are very encouraging that you can know how to have a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ.
Second Corinthians nine, eight. And God is able to make all grace abound. What's grace? God's riches at Christ's expense.
That he gave Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us so we wouldn't have to die the eternal death and go into the lake of fire. So God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work what a beautiful promise that is. In Hebrews 218, does Jesus understand how we feel? For in that he himself, Jesus has suffered being tempted himself, he is able to aid those who are tempted.
Jesus knows how hard it is for us to resist temptation when we're already born bent with a predisposition to sin. In Jude, chapter one, verse 24, there's a wonderful promise. I love this.
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling or stumbling into sin, and to present you faultless, to present you how faultless or perfect before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy. What an amazing and comforting promise that is to have a relationship with Jesus, and he can keep us from falling into sin. Philippians one six is another very, very powerful promise.
Being confident of this very thing. What is it that he, Jesus Christ, who has begun a good work in you from the time that you sign up with Jesus, will complete it. He'll keep an ongoing work of spiritual growth and sanctification until the day of Jesus Christ.
Meaning when Jesus Christ returns to planet earth. Friends, there's no limit to the power of God. No matter where you come from, no matter how bad you've been, no matter what sins you are struggling with, God has the love and power to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.
I want to finish with this beautiful promise. Did you know that Jesus Christ is a far greater saviour than you will ever be a sinner? It's a wonderful thought, and I find that very, very encouraging. I want to share with you three points to remember.
Number one, did you remember that all human beings are sinners, and without Jesus, we're going to be eternally lost. If we don't place our sins on the sin bearer, then we'll have to bear those sins ourselves into the lake of fire. Number two, you can be certain that you have eternal life if you accept Jesus as your lord and saviour.
If he is the boss of you and your master, then you can certainly know that you have the promise of eternal life. And number three, God doesn't leave us alone. He wants to empower you today to live a victorious christian life.
So, what is your response to this amazing Bible study of the ancient biblical writings? Jesus is offering you the free gift of salvation. Would you like to invite Jesus into your life today or renew that decision and experience an empowered christian life? I hope that your answer will be yes, because it's the most powerful experience that you can ever go through. We've got four relational questions what should you do if or when you feel you are not good enough to get to heaven? Friends, I think one of the most important things we can do is plug in to the precious promises of God.
Promises like I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me. Another promise? All things are possible with God. Another promise.
Is anything too hard for the Lord? These are beautiful and amazing promises. Question two part what does the death of Jesus Christ on the cross actually tell you about God the Father? It tells you that God the Father is not just loving, that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, the family of God are all love, not just loving a characteristic. They are defined as the essence of love.
That really is mind blowing. Question two. How can you make the cross far more meaningful to you? I would like to recommend this amazing book, the desire of ages.
It refers to the Messiah coming and this messiah, the Lord. Jesus Christ, had been the desire of all the nations and all the generations. He came and was the desire of all the ages, that there be a saviour, that there be a messiah.
May I direct your attention, please, to maybe chapter 78, a beautiful chapter on Calvary. And as you read that through, I'll be amazed if you are not deeply moved. Question three.
Do you think the christian life is hard? Friends, the christian life is hard because this is planet earth, where Satan is its ruler. And so every day is a battle and a march. But it gives us opportunities to lean hard on Jesus.
Why don't you think more people accept God's free gift? I wonder if everybody knows what the gospel is. The good news that makes the heart to sing and the feet to dance? Maybe not. Friends, do you know it is our responsibility to take the good news to others and to witness about him? And when you're connected to Jesus Christ every day in his power to make you the sons and daughters of goddess, then there's lots to tell other people about answers to prayer and victories gained and amazing things happening in our lives.
Question four. What would you say is the secret to living the christian life? What can you do to increase your love for Jesus on a daily basis? I'm sure there's many reasons, many answers. But I'm thinking about this one.
The power that comes from reading God's word to blow the dust off that old Bible sitting in the cabinet open to one of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Mark's the shortest. Why not just start in the Gospel of Mark, 16 chapters, one chapter a day, and after 16 days in a row, you will have finished the Gospel of Mark, which is the short version of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
All right, if you've got a pen handy, why don't you join us in the these five quiz questions? They are multiple choice. Let's go. Who is the only true source of our spiritual freedom? Is it Jesus, is it Lucifer? Or is it ourselves via the God within us? All right, I want you to lock in one of those answers.
I think you can see that this is very, very basic and easy question, but I want to tell you, in about two weeks time, the questions are going to get a lot harder. So our answer here is obviously there's only one true source of spiritual freedom. That'd be the one who died for us.
So the answer is Jesus Christ. The answer is a. Question number two.
What happened when Adam and Eve sinned? A they both died. B they both valued the serpent's wisdom. Or c, they both began to die.
A means they both died immediately. B they valued the serpent's wisdom. C.
They both began to die. Lock it in. And our answer is.
C. They both began to die. We know that Adam lived 930 years, and you can cheque that out in Genesis chapter five.
Question number three. How important is it that Jesus Christ was actually resurrected? A, not really important, as his return or second coming is much more important. B.
Quite important, but it's not really essential. C. Yes, it's the most important fact, or we are all lost.
I want you to lock in one of those answers, a, B or C. And the answer to question three is, see if Jesus wasn't resurrected. Paul said our faith was futile.
We are all lost. There's no hope. Question four.
Why is it hard to admit that we are sinners? A. We're Christians who are living really good lives, so there's no problem. B.
Our hearts are desperately wicked, as in Jeremiah 17. C. God doesn't even require it.
Question four. Lock it in. A, B or C.
And the answer is b. Our hearts are desperately wicked. Who can know them? Question five.
What does God promise to those who live the christian life? Does he promise a power in Ephesians 320? B the ability for us to become gods? Or c, a life free from pain and suffering? I want you to lock in your answer. What does God promise to those who live the christian life? The answer is a, obviously, he offers us power to live the christian life and power to become the sons and daughters of God. Let's conclude where we started.
Number one, who's the true source of real spiritual freedom? We now know Jesus gives freedom to all who ask him. I hope you do. Number two, what's the first major prophecy in Genesis? Most people don't even know this, that Genesis 315 says that Jesus Christ will crush Satan at the end.
Praise God. Number three, what are three main steps to spiritual freedom? Now, there were seven steps. You could choose any three.
The three I think are important are that we believe that we submit to Jesus or surrender, and that we repent, confess. Number four, is the christian life a boring journey? No, I haven't found it that way. I found it's rather exciting being in a daily battle against sin and Satan and evil forces.
Number five, what real help does God promise to christians? He promises power. What sort of power? Supernatural power via the power of the Holy Spirit. So, friends, our next session is entitled Secrets of Prophecy.
Yes, the lesson is entitled Secrets of Prophecy in the Secrets of Prophecy seminar series. And then in two sessions time, we're going to look at the mystery man of prophecy. That's why next time in session number seven, we're going to look at the secrets of prophecy, and that will help us to understand how to interpret prophecy.
And then we can handle finding out about the mystery man of prophecy, which is about the Lord Jesus Christ, when he came and when he died and when he will come back. In our secret to prophecy, wall of truth in session five, last session we learned does God really care? We asked the question and we found out yes, he does, because he allowed his son Jesus Christ to volunteer and be sacrificed to show us how much he loved. In session six this session, we were looking at seven steps to following Jesus Christ and we learned that we need to surrender to him every day.
So I'm just reminding you that session seven, the next time we get together will be entitled the Secrets of prophecy. What are we going to learn in that session? Who does God reveal his secrets through? That's important. Who actually gets to know what the secrets are? Number two, when will the secrets of prophecy be revealed? Is it in our day? Number three, what is the main purpose of Bible prophecy? Why is prophecy given and what is prophecy? Number four, why was the Bible written in mysterious symbols, beasts, etcetera? That's a good question.
And number five, what warning does God give in interpreting prophecy? So that's in our next session entitled Secrets of Prophecy. Friends, it's been an amazing session. Why don't we just pray? Gracious heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, our saviour and Holy Spirit, we want to thank you so much for blessing us in this session with giving us the wisdom and understanding on how to have a stronger relationship with Jesus.
I now pray that someone listening to this message or say, yes, I want Jesus Christ in my heart and my life and I open the door to him now. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, cleanse me and forgive me from all my sins. I want a new start with God, and I want you to work powerfully in my life, and I pray that this will be the expression and the story for everyone who hears these words, and I ask it in Jesus Christ's powerful name.
Amen. So, friends, thank you so much for being with us for this session. It's been amazing to be with you and I look forward to sharing next time with you in the next session.
The secret to prophecy thank you so much and may God bless you. Bye.
Secrets of Prophecy with Pastor David Price has been brought to you by 3ABN Australia radio. For more resource in this series you can visit the YouTube page trueblue SDA all one word that's trueblue SDA.
