Kingdom Advancement - In Christ Realities with Pastor Mike Krulcik

Thanks for checking out the Anchor Faith Message Podcast

from St. Augustine, FL.

Now enjoy this message, but this is what I would encourage you

with When you're doing your devotional reading, When you're

doing your prayer time, when you're coming to church This

year, 2024, as we leave 2023 and enter into 2024.

This year when you're doing your devotional reading, your prayer

time, your praise time, when you're coming to church, be all

in. Don't go through the routine.

Pastor Marquess is talking about the fresh start through the Holy

Ghost, right? He was giving him inspiration or

a word in season for us. But listen, your routine's going

to be the same if you don't change your routine.

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and

over again and expecting a different result if you're doing

the same. Thing as you.

Did last year and it wasn't working last year.

Guess what? It's not going to work in 2024.

So when you come, you really need to draw.

Everybody, eyes on me. Focus.

Turn to your neighbor, say. Focus.

Turn the other one, say focus. Say in 2024, I'm going to stay

focused. In Luke chapter 8, there was a

Luke 8 · chapter mention

woman with issue of blood and she had needs, right?

The Bible says she was hemorrhaging or bleeding for 12

years. She had going through the same

routine, doing the same thing over and over again.

But guess what? Nothing was changing.

It just kept getting worse. There's hope in the Kingdom of

God. She heard about the Messiah.

She heard about Jesus. And all of a sudden something

sparked on the inside of her. And this is my prayer for us.

Something should spark on the inside of you today that I want

to do something different. 2024, what is the plan you have for

me? God in 2024, when she heard the

Messiah was there, she heard about his goodness, His

faithfulness, his healing power. And she said, I'm tired of being

in the same position, the same place, the same results.

I need a fresh start. I need a new season.

And she did something that nobody else did.

The Bible says Jesus was making way down the street when she

heard he was there in her town. And there's they said there was

a crowd around him, so much so it was shoulder to shoulder.

But she and her condition said I got to get to him.

There was a desire, there was a craving, there was a demand.

She said if anything's going to change, I need truth.

And so she pressed and squeezed and navigated through the

crowds. And we got to get some things

out of our way. This week may have been heavy.

You been man walking. Get it out of the way today so

you can receive when you do your devotional.

Don't come in with confusion, distress, distraught,

depression. Get it out of the way.

So what you can press into the word of God.

And so she touched the hem of the Messiah, of truce garment.

And all of a sudden, instantly that's how quick it happens.

Church. Instantly the blood had stopped.

Her season had changed, but guess what?

That just doesn't fall on you like ripe cherries off of a

tree. You could be around Jesus just

like the crowd was around him, but didn't get what they needed

because they didn't press in. In John chapter 4, the woman at

John 4 · chapter mention

the Well, Jesus said if you would have known the gift of

God, you would have would have asked.

So what's he saying? If you would have made a request

that you made a demand upon me? And guess what?

She pressed in. So my context for you in 2024 is

press in. These were theater seats at one

time. But this isn't entertainment

anymore. You are coming on Sundays not to

be relaxed in your seat, but to get a download of instruction to

equip you for your purpose in this vision.

It shouldn't be. I left and that was a good

sermon. It's a life changing message

that fueled me for what God has in store for me.

And we serve a great God who's got great things in store for

his great people in 2024. Amen.

But you got to draw. You got to draw.

Listen, I I guarantee you whoever Pastor O has ministered

in any layer of leadership at Anchor Faith Church, whatever

assignments. He gave me an assignment this

morning. We take this very seriously.

We study, we pray. We seek God from from infants to

elderly. Whatever we're doing in

ministry, we want God there. But there can be a hindrance to

what's being downloaded and parted if you're not drawing.

Hello. So a lot of what's said.

Guess there could be a pool, there could be a draw.

That whatever you need, if you draw on the anointing, it can

come to you today. But if you're going to sit there

thinking about whatever else, you may not get much.

Amen. But if you say, Lord, I want all

that you have for me, God's going to speak to you today.

Amen. So I want to talk to you about

Kingdom and advancement today. Kingdom advancement and to be

advancing in the Kingdom we need to know some in Christ

realities. Amen.

Our mode, our motto for Anchor Fay Church is always advancing,

and there's some things that will hinder advancement in your

life. We've already covered those

doing the same thing you were doing last year that wasn't

getting any results. That's a hindrance to your

growth in God, right? How far do you want to go with

God this year in advancing with him?

The outcome is completely up to you.

I want to start off in Matthew chapter 13.

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

This is a parable that Jesus spoke, but it really sets the

principle for everything the Word of God does in our life.

You could say it's one of the parables of all the parables

because in this we find how the word of God goes in operation

and can be stalled out or hindered in our life, or can go

on to produce, produce great things in the life of those that

receive it, embrace it and do it.

So in Matthew chapter 13, verse #1 it says on the same day Jesus

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

went out of the house and sat by the sea, and great multitude

were gathered together to him. So they got into a boat and sat,

and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Then he spoke many things to them in parable saying, Behold,

A sower went out to sow, and as he sowed some seed fell by the

wayside. The birds came and devoured

them. Some seed fell on Stony places

where they did not have much earth, and they immediately

sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

But when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they

had no root, they withered away, And some seed fell among thorns,

and the thorns sprung up and choked them.

But other seed fell on good ground, and yielded A crop, some

a hundredfold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears to hear, let him

hear. And the disciples came and said

to him, Why do you speak to them in parables?

And Jesus answered and said to them, because it has been given

to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to

them it has not been given. For whoever has to him more will

be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not

have even what he has, will be taken away from him.

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do

not see and hear, and they do not hear, nor do they

understand. And then then the prophecy of

Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, hearing, you will hear and shall

not understand, seeing you will see and not perceive.

For the hearts of this people have grown dull, and their ears

are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they

should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, unless

they should understand with their hearts, and turn, so that

I should heal them. Verse 16 But blessed are your

eyes, for they see and your ears for they hear.

For surely I say to you that many prophets and righteous men

desire to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what

you hear, but did not therefore hear what the parable of the

sower says. When anyone hears the word of

God in the Kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked

one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart, that he

who received the seed, that is, he who received the seed by the

wayside. But he who received the seed on

the Stony place is to see who hears the Word, and immediately

receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself,

and he endures only for a little while.

When tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word,

immediately he stumbles. Now he who receives seat among

the thorns, He is He Who hears the Word.

But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches

choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.

But he who received the seat on good ground is He who hears the

Word and understands it. And indeed he brings forth

fruit, some 100, some 60, some 30.

How far do you want to go with God in 2024?

Some of you are going to. Bring forth fruit.

The question is how much fruit do you want to bring forth?

You want to be a 30 fold Christian, a 60 fold Christian

or 100 fold Christian. Now listen, if you do statistics

on this when the seed is sown, 4 things happen.

Only one of those is the result of the devil.

We could say 25% of an unsuccessful, unsuccessful

Christian life is because of the devil.

Two other things, and we'll say this the culture.

Say culture is the culprit. Say it again.

Culture is the culprit. Two of those things, one had no.

What fertile ground? It was shallow, that's why I

said you got to be all in. You got to be all in, You got to

press in, the other one says. Guess what?

The deceitfulness of riches and the cares of life.

So statistically, 50% of unsuccessful Christian life is

because of the culture that were around.

You know, when the Israelites came out of Egypt through the

wilderness to come in a Canaan land, God said to destroy the

nations around you, lest you're given to their culture.

You can get sucked in to the way that the world does things and

myths with all that God has in store for you in 2024, but thank

God there's some. And I pray we have a good amount

of some at Anchor Faith Church. I pray we have a good amount of

some at Anchor Faith Church that says Lord break up the fertile

to the ground that that's hard and just break it up.

I want to have reception of the word of God.

Get the stones get the rocks get the weeds out of the way Father.

And I want your seed implanted and impregnated in my.

Heart because I want to bring forth fruit this year and some

are going to bring 30, some are going to bring 60 this year and

some are going to bring 100 where?

Are you in that statistic? Hallelujah.

Are you going to do the things necessary to bring forth fruit

as a hundredfold Christian this year?

So the Kingdom is always advancing.

The question is, are you advancing with what God is doing

through this vision and body and anchor?

Faith. Church and Acts, Chapter 20,

Acts 20 · chapter mention

verse #24. This is the Apostle Paul.

And I'm. I had the opportunity to do a

funeral on Friday, and obviously, we see the end of one

life at that funeral. You know, death does not scare

me. I say death, You're dead.

Why'd I say that? Because I'm in Christ.

Yes. Hallelujah.

So I'm not waiting for eternal life.

I have eternal life right now. So death.

Guess what? You're dead.

But you know, this person obviously lived out their life,

and there's an obituary describing the reputation, the

character, and the worth of this life.

I bring that up because the next example I'm giving you is just a

big picture summary. You know, at some point there is

going to be death in the sense of you're going to separate from

this physical. Body.

Your spirit Man's already alive eternally.

The Bible says to be absent from the bodies.

To be what? Present with the Lord.

You know I have a lot of eternal life right now in my spirit.

But if this body passes away, which it will, it says this

corruption must put on what incorruption?

Corruption means I'm subject to death, decay and will die.

Incorruptions means I'm not subject to death, decay and will

not die. So my spirit man is immortal.

It's not subject to death. Decay or will die, Paul said.

This outward man is perishing, yet this inward man's being what

renewed day by day. Amen.

Amen. So this obituary point out the,

the worth, the character, the life of this individual.

But it gives you, you know, it's a it's a sombering moment at

that point because you realize that there is going to be a

point if the Lord does not return, that you're physically

this body's going to wear out. Amen.

I pray cancer doesn't take you out.

I pray you live the fullness of your days.

Do you know it's God's will for you to live the fullness of your

days? There is no reason that you have

to be taken out by illness or disease.

Now your life may not have the duration of others, because you

may be a martyr for. Christ.

But you still fulfilled the will of God in health and wholeness.

Amen. And that there are the The Bible

says in Proverbs the curse Causeless does not come.

Meaning there's a cause for the curse, and we're going to look

at one in Christ's reality today.

It's going to set you up for 2024 to move some mountains.

Are you ready for mountains to be?

Moved, but I want to go to Paul's.

I'm not. He's still alive, so it's not as

obituary, but it is his near end of life's statement.

As he's fulfilling his ministry. He gets a word as he's on his

missionary journeys that there's going to be persecution, there's

going to be tribulation. But guess what?

He's not that one statistic. That tribulation of persecution

is going to get him off the will or plan of God.

He was determined, resolved and firm that I'm going to complete

God's plan for my life. And the and the word of God said

when you go these towns, there's going to be, it's going to be

hard outwardly. But you know what Paul said

about that In Acts 2024? He said None of these things

move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may

finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from

the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

There's a race that we need to finish with joy.

There's a race that God has assigned to you that you need to

finish with joy. Not sadness, not depression, not

well. I barely got along and

completed. No, God said.

You're going to live out the fullness of your days, and

you're going to fulfill the ministry if you surrender and

submit to His will. In Hebrews chapter 12, verse #1,

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

the passion translation says this.

As for us, we have all these great witnesses who encircle us

like clouds, so we must let go of every wound.

That is pierced us in the sin we so easily fall into.

Then we will be able to run life's marathon race with

passion and determination, for the path has already been marked

out before us. Hebrews 12 is referring back to

Hebrews 11 about this Great Hall of fame of faith, all these men

and women of God that did great exploits for the Kingdom.

But he's saying As for you, there's a a race before you.

It's not a Sprint, it's a marathon.

But you got to throw off some stuff, get some mountains out of

your. Way.

So what? You can fulfill the course and

the plan that God has for you. So let's go to Ephesians chapter

one. To advance in your race with

Christ, you need to know some in Christ realities.

What does in Christ realities mean?

I don't watch much at all secular TV shows.

Matter of fact we were with some friends and family in in

Oklahoma and one of them and said hey, have you ever seen the

office? I said no.

I go to an office on Mondays, but but in these TV shows, they

have what they call reality TV shows.

Let me say this. Truth and reality are

synonymous. And these reality shows are not

reality. They're drama Mamas in front of

the camera, they put on a. Show It's really reality is not

a matter of show. Reality is an actual being or

existence of anything. Reality is truth.

Reality is something intrinsically important.

We don't want to live in fantasy land.

As believers, we have hope. We have the word of God.

But we're not living in fantasy land.

We're not living in unrealities. We want truth.

Something that's intrinsically important, right?

So these are in Christ realities.

What does that mean? When you're born again, your

spirit man, which was separated from God, becomes a new creature

in Christ Jesus. The Bible says old things have

passed away. All things have become new.

So now I enter into a living, vital relationship with Jesus

Christ. But just 'cause you're in that

relationship, are you actually in Christ?

I'll put it this way when you get married to your spouse.

You enter into a relationship, but you realize there's a legal

side to that and there's a vital side to that.

Legally, you went through the ceremony before an ordained

minister for those of you that are believers and in front of

witnesses and family and friends through the ordained.

Minister words are spoken, a covenant is made, and legally on

paper before the Kingdom and then civilly right through Saint

Johns County. If that's the county you got

married and it's recognized legally, right?

But you realize that that doesn't mean it.

Makes a house a home. There's a vital side.

Vitality means life to actually enjoy the legal side.

Of the marriage covenant are you with me?

So I legally could be married, but my marriage is in shambles

because I don't have vitality or life in it.

Maybe you're not in Christ, and what what I say in Christ is

you're born again, but you realize you have a soul and a

body. 1st Thessalonians 5 says that that your whole spirit,

soul and body be preserved blameless until the coming of

Lord Jesus Christ. So you are a spirit.

You have a soul. What's your soul, your mind,

your will, and your emotions? When you become a new creature

in Christ, guess what? Your mind, your will, and your

emotions don't change like that. And guess what?

Your flesh does not change quickly.

What do you do when you're training up a little baby the

right way? If they're reaching for the

outlet, this is what we did. We would say no.

If they continue to reach for the outlet, guess what?

Put your seatbelts on. We would smack their hand.

Say that's good parenting, not good parenting is.

Oh, that's cute. No, because I don't want my baby

getting shocked. So guess what God does when you

get born again, He's going to tell you no to some things.

Don't do that. Then you may get some words from

the pulpit and you feel like you got your hand slapped.

Say Hallelujah. Say God loves me so much He will

tell me no and give me a little spanking.

Hallelujah. Just smile, Amen, Amen.

So the word in in means this. It's a preposition that denotes

a fixed position in place, time or state.

That's what the Greek definition of it is.

The Merriam Webster says in defines a as a function word,

not passive, functional to indicate a position or a

location. So my challenge for you as we

enter, come out of 2023 into 2024, are you going to be in the

vital side, not just the legal side, but the vital side of your

walk with God for this year? That means I'm not moved.

I'm firm, I'm resolved. I'm determined to stay in.

I'm not going to be moved, Paul said.

None of these things move me. I'm not going to be moved out of

position. I'm going to stay vitally in

him. When I go to church, I'm going

to be all in. I'm not just going to wait for

this sermon. Pastoral says it like this.

The first sermon you get on Sundays.

Really, let me We should back up to 930 corporate prayer and be

all in not just the legal side. I did my duty, but I'm coming in

to receive and to participate. But he said the first sermon is

actually worship. A lot of us sometimes are

waiting for it to get over so the sermon can start.

But you need to be what all in, in every phase of service be all

in, in your devotional reading. For those of you that listen on

audio, I'm going to spank your hand right now.

You get so busy Hallelujah because I'm guilty of this too.

Doing things. You don't really receive

everything that's being said because you're doing something

else when the narration is going on.

Hallelujah. But be all in when you do your

devotional reading Hosea chapter 4 verse number let me actually I

Hosea 4 · chapter mention

want to go to Ephesians chapter one.

This is 23 verses I'm going to give you this and the word in in

the New Testament is mentioned over 2700 times.

So do you think it's important to be in Christ?

Absolutely. I just want to point out some

highlights because I want to really quicken you or challenge

you as you're reading the Bible this year.

Look for that term in because we're talking about in Christ

realities or being in truth or being in something important

that's going to break you out of the routine or the mountain

you're facing so you can go on to fulfill the plan that God has

for you. So Ephesians, chapter one man,

he talks. I'm just going to highlight some

of the things he talks about being in Christ in and verse one

he says we're faithful in Christ.

Verse three says we're blessed in heavenly places in Christ.

Verse four says we're chosen in him before the foundation of the

world, that we should be holy and blameless in love.

Verse six says we're accepted in Him.

Verse 7 says we're redeemed in Him.

Verse 8 says we abound in wisdom and prudence in him.

Verse 9 says there's a purpose in him.

Verse 10 talks about the fullness in him or the

dispensation of the fullness of times.

Verse 11 says we have an inheritance in him.

Verse 13 says it's in Him we trusted and in Him we are

sealed. Verse 15 says we have faith in

Him. Verse 16 says we pray in Him.

Verse 17 says there's wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of

him. Verse 18 says there's an

inheritance again in him. Verse 23 says he fills all in.

All that's just one chapter of in him realities.

So as you're reading here's a good goal.

We need goals going in 2024. Look for those in Him realities.

The Holy Spirit will quicken what you need in this season of

your life. There's so many wonderful and

precious promises and truths in the word of God.

He will speak to you about what you need to be in vitally to see

breakthrough this year and fulfill the plan that God has

for you. Hosea, Chapter 4, verse #6 says

Hosea 4 · chapter mention

this. My people are destroyed from a

lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge.

I will also reject you as my priest because you've ignored

the law of God. I will also ignore your

children. What is it that you don't know

that you're not in that's hindering you?

What is it that you don't know that you're not in that's

hindering you? What are you not have the

knowledge of that you're not in that's hindering your race?

His people what destroy destroyed for a lack of

knowledge. In in Luke Chapter 11, verse

Luke 11 · chapter mention

#52, Jesus says this woe to you experts in the law, because

you've taken away the key to knowledge.

You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who

were entering. What is it that you're don't

know about God that you're not in that's hindering the race for

you? They took away the key of

Knowledge, these religious people, and it kept them out,

but it kept others out. So ignorance will keep you in

darkness, which will keep you in bondage.

Hallelujah. There are dumb Christians.

Hallelujah. I don't mean that derogatory.

I don't mean that to slam anybody, but I say that to

encourage you to get an education.

Hallelujah. There are dumb Christians you

can come out of stupidity. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Sorry.

I'm thinking of Reverend John George right now.

If you've ever experienced his ministry with us at Anchor Faith

Church, I forget exactly how to say that's two kinds of stupid.

Or he has a saying about stupidity.

But guess what? God wants you to come out of

ignorance. Ignorance is an absence of

knowledge. Listen, foolishness is you don't

want to learn. Ignorance is you don't know.

So the Bible. Talks some proverbs about

scorners, those that make fun of truth.

Foolish people, those that don't want to learn.

One verse in prover says you're stupid if you don't want to

learn. Titus Clay quoted it to me when

we're serving in kids a couple years ago.

But ignorance means there's an absent of truth.

So what do you need to know this year in Christ to have

breakthrough and have a fresh season?

The keyword in Luke 1152 is you want to enter in.

That's. And I didn't even realize when I

read this verse and I got an impression or an inspiration to

my spirit. When Pastor Marcos is leading us

in worship, not everybody's entering in.

So you need to enter in. There's some things you need to

know in order to enter in. Now I want to look at one in

Christ's reality that's really going to help launch you in a

2024. So this is examination time.

This is a serious time, a somber time for evaluation.

You know, at work for those that work for a company, guess what

they do? They do annual evaluations to

meet your job description. Right?

Evaluate what's a job description.

This is what you're supposed to be doing when we hired you on.

And guess what? There's usually a scale, whether

one through 5, one through 10, you know, satisfactory.

Unsatisfactory needs improvement.

So I'm asking you to evaluate your life.

Hey man, there's and guess what about there's a two way

conversation with God and an evaluation.

Guess what? You get to give some input back.

As the employee, you know God doesn't mind you asking them

questions now he'll give you the answer.

It's now. Don't be foolish and not receive

what he said because that's going to keep you in the same

God, how do I get out of the situation?

Oh, you need to serve your wife. Nah, so stay in the same boat in

2024. Or do you want to breakthrough?

Do you want to enter in to all that God has for you?

So as I'm going over this one in Christ reality, I want you to

really evaluate, Lord, where do I fit in at or how does this

speak to me or in what areas maybe is this hindering my

advancement? Now listen, there's blatant sin,

sins of Commission, right? We talk about pornography, drug

addiction, spousal abuse, that kind of stuff.

But there's also sins of omission.

You just know what to do, but you're not doing it.

And so when I say evaluation, it's not that you're in some

blatant sin, but it's oh, I just need to tweak that.

That's all I had to do. And all of a sudden bam, what we

call breakthrough because you surrender and you submit to what

God's saying about being in him. So I want to open up with Luke,

Luke 17 · chapter mention

Chapter 17 verses one through 5. The Bible says this.

This is Jesus speaking to his disciples.

Let me say that again. This is Jesus speaking to his

disciples. Let me ask you this question.

Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Raise your hand real proud. If you're a disciple of Jesus

Christ, I'll raise it because I'm sweating.

I had to shed my coat. I was like, it's cold outside

and all the put my have my coat on.

All of a sudden it's I'm hot. So he's speaking to who?

Us. Now listen to what he says.

Are all things possible with God.

But listen what Jesus says about this.

It's impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him

through whom the offensive come. It would be better for him, if a

Millston were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the

sea, that he should offend one of these little ones.

Take heed to yourself. If your brother sins against

you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

If he get sins against you seven times a day, and seven times in

a day returns saying, I repent, you shall forgive him, the

apostles said, Lord, increase our faith.

Hallelujah, they said, increase. You better add what you're

asking me to do. You better put some.

More in me. Because this seems like a

difficult saying. All things are possible with

God, but Jesus said it's impossible.

Offenses will come. Impossible means it can't be

undone. It can't be changed.

It can't be altered. It's going to happen, right?

Listen, I like Peter and all of this sanguinish because he was

all in. Jesus said when he went to wash

their feet, Peter's like, no, Lord, don't do it to me.

He said if you if I don't do this, you have no part with me.

So Jesus said, Lord, give me a whole bath.

Wash everything Lord. So I can see Peter talking to

Jesus when because we get the we get this account in Luke, but in

Matthew we get Peter side of the story.

So I can just see Peter in all of the sanguinness talking to

Jesus about this because he was all in.

He's the one that was in the boat and he said, Lord if that's

you bid me to what come you know out of 12 disciples he's the

only one that was all in. He said I want to do something

impossible in 2024. Well and that day.

So Peter in Matthew chapter 18 he says this about this account.

Matthew 18 · chapter mention

Peter came and said, Lord, I could see him pulling him aside

and say Jesus, I just when you said if he comes seven times a

day, I got to forgive him seven times a day.

Let me talk to you about this Jesus, He said Lord, how often

if my brother sins against me should I forgive him?

Jesus answered. Peter said up to seven times.

Jesus said I did not say up to seven.

I say up to 70 * 7. Peter's mind was blown.

Was that the OMG? I'm not savvy when it comes to

technology, by the way. If they're bad dad jokes, please

forgive me. I got yesterday and I didn't

bring it with me because I got goals on jokes every year.

I may double up this year and do six.

I actually got a calendar from a friend that had dad jokes.

I'm not saying any. My wife's shaking her head, but

he said up to 70 * 7. Now I did the math on this

because that's 490 times in a day, so I just did over 24 hours

and that's about every 3 minutes.

But I thought, Lord, we sleep and usually you're not thinking

when you're sleeping, So let me deduct 7 hours from that on

average. And that came down about every

two minutes say Lord, increase my faith that says somebody's

hurting you, done you wrong, disappointed you talk bad about

you perceived wrongs. Really it's not saying every two

minutes, it's saying be in a perpetual state of releasing or

it will hinder your journey. Let's look at Mark Chapter 11

Mark 11:20

verses 20 through to 26. Reverend Randy brought this up

on Wednesday night as he ministered on.

Faith and I want to read this from two different translations.

The message says it like this, starting in verse 22 of Mark 11.

Reading through verse 26, it says Jesus as a matter of fact.

Embrace this God life. Or we could say this in Christ

reality, right? Really embrace it.

Be all in and nothing will be too much for you.

This mountain, for instance. Just say go jump in the lake.

No shuffling or Hemming and hauling, and it's as good as

done. That's why I urge you to pray

for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large.

Include everything as you embrace this God life and you'll

get everything. You'll get God's everything.

And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember it's not all

asking if you if you have anything against someone,

forgive, only then will your Heavenly Father be inclined to

also wipe your slate clean of sins.

The passion translation says it like this.

Jesus replied, Let the faith of God be in you.

Listen to the truth. I speak to you.

Whoever says it's mountain with great faith and does not doubt

mountain, be lifted up and thrown in the midst of the sea,

and believes that what he says will happen.

It will be done. This is the region reason I urge

you to boldly believe. For whatever you ask in prayer,

be convinced that you have received it and it will be

yours. And whenever you stand praying,

if you find you carry something in your heart against another

person, release him and forgive him, so that your Father in

heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults.

But if you will not release forgiveness, don't expect your

Father in Heaven to release you from your misdeeds.

Man, if you're not in forgiveness, you're going to

have a frustrating prayer life. You have really bound the

omnipotent, all powerful, mighty God from working on your behalf.

And you think, Lord and evaluate your life.

Why are my prayers seem hindered?

This is one of the first places I would check.

You know there's things that can hinder your prayer life.

First, Peter, 37 says, husbands, treat your wife with honours the

weaker vessel, lest your prayers be hindered.

There's another hindrance, but this one is one.

I would definitely start off with an evaluation.

If you feel like or seems like your prayers are bouncing off

the ceiling and coming back down to you, am I in forgiveness now?

The term mountains means obstacles or hindrances or

things that are in your way that prohibit you from advancing

their barriers. But the Strongs says of

mountains are symbolic of countries or people.

So just for relational, we'll go with people.

What person may you be harboring something against that's

offended you? That's a mountain in your way of

advancement this year? Hallelujah, you're the Bible

says you're to forgive them. This is not a invitation.

God doesn't give invitations. This is not a birthday party

where I can either accept or decline your invitation.

God gives commands and commands are either obeyed or disobeyed,

and if you're not experienced God's best or pathway for your

life, then you're not really lining up with his command.

He didn't give Moses A10 suggestions, and there's even in

the Old Testament. If you followed those, there's

guess what? There's a blessing in keeping

with the truth in God now. Forgive means this.

To drop it, release it, let it go, to send it away.

To let it depart, to give it up and don't keep it any longer.

It's really a separation. So when I forgive somebody, I'm

dropping it, I'm releasing it, I'm letting it go.

I'm separating from me. I'm sending it away.

It's not part of me. The love of God is greater.

The love of God is greater. Hallelujah.

So it's so important to forgive. I want to look at 4 studies in

forgiveness for you. We need to be in forgiveness #1,

#1. And most people run to this.

It's it's God's forgiveness towards me, right?

And this is proper. This is right obviously if if

sin is missing the mark of God, right?

So any sin is missing the mark of God, whether it's Commission

or omission. If you're not forgiving

somebody, guess what? You're in sin.

So what do you need? Is there a remedy?

Is there a solution? Is there hope?

Yes, in Christ there is. Matthew chapter 3, verse #1

Matthew 3 · chapter mention

through 2 says this. In those days, John the Baptist

came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying repent, for the

Kingdom of heaven is at hand. You know, the very first

declaration publicly about the Kingdom was repent.

So when I come to God for forgiveness, guess what's the

first thing is repentance. You know what repentance means?

It means a change of mind, a reversal, a change of direction.

It means you were thinking one way.

Now you've completely reversed that, and you're thinking along

the line with the Word. The flesh will say they did you

wrong, take vengeance, But God's spirit said no side with my

word. Repent of that thought and go to

Matthew 5, it says. Pray for them if they speak

against you, if they persecute. You.

If they are talking all manner of evil against you, you know

the sons of Thunder. When persecution came against

Jesus, they said, Lord, should we caught down fire from heaven?

These people are bugging me, Lord.

They're talking about me posting stuff up on Facebook, Instagram,

Instacart. There's another bad dad joke for

you. Just making sure you're all

awake. The Bible says what?

Not to get back on there and counteract what they're saying,

but what? Forgive them, the Bible said to

What if you get slapped on one side of the cheek?

What? Thank you for strengthening my

love walk. Right now my love muscles are

getting really big is what you should see and say.

So repent is the first one. Listen, there's works of the

flesh. Galatians chapter 5, verses 19

Galatians 5:19–21

through 21 says this. Now the works of the flesh are

evident Now Galatia, this is written to a church.

Let me read this. They are adultery, fornication,

uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contention,

jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions,

hearsays, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the

like. Of which I tell you before, just

as I also told you in time past, those who practice such things

will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Why do I bring this up? Because Paul wrote this to the

church, the next verse tells them what they should get out of

and tells them what they should be in The in Christ's reality is

the fruits of the spirit, which the first one of that is love.

But he said these are works of the flesh.

So even though I'm born again, guess what?

My mind and my body can say some things to me.

My mind could say eat Donuts. I got Peppermint York patties

for Christmas. I also got chocolate covered

cherries. I know that's an acquired taste,

but I like them now. I learned last year, right

before I got my annual blood work done, that I was a fool,

'cause I think I got three boxes of chocolate covered cherries

and I ate them all before I did my blood work and my doctor

called and said your glucose is up.

Have you changed anything? Yeah, I was foolish 'cause I had

junior mints too, but that's a work of the flesh.

Guess what? This year I repented of that I

had blood work again this week. And guess what?

I really tapered back. So I expect the doctor reports

say, oh, your glucose is back. Yeah 'cause I learned to say no

to some things and yes to others, right?

Hallelujah. Why'd I bring up works of flesh

'cause it's anything in your life.

And listen, I'm not being legalistic.

Are you? With me?

I'm not putting a restraint on you.

I'm not prohibiting you. But there are certain things you

can do physically that'll hinder your purpose.

And for me, eating too much sugar for too long can affect my

health, and I can't blame that on God.

That's a work of the flesh. You know your taste buds will

talk to you. I mean, you don't get real

excited about spinach, Not usually.

But you know, you get some Ben and Jerry's ice cream or

something, or some banana cream Chip and Joanne Gaines recipe

and your taste buds will talk to you.

But those little things. Guess what if God, if the Holy

Spirit's dealing with you, you know, early my walk, there was

no dealing man. It was McDonald's other things.

But as I've gone on with God, guess what?

He's kind of said for the purpose and your health to be

there, you need to taper this. And if I don't do that, guess

what? It's sin.

And if I repent of that, I reverse it.

Oh, I can't think like that anymore because I got a purpose

in Christ. I need to be well and strong for

that purpose. I need to.

I need to go to God. And what?

Ask for forgiveness? First Corinthians chapter 6,

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

verses 9 through 11 says this. This is from the amplified.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or

have any share of the Kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters,

nor I adult adulterers, nor effeminate by perversion, nor

those who pract or participate in homosexuality, nor thieves,

nor the greedy, nor drunkards. No revelers whose words are used

as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or

slander, nor swinders, will inherit or have any share in the

Kingdom of God. Such were some of such were some

of you before you believed, But you were washed by the atoning

sacrifice of Christ. You were sanctified, set apart

for God, and made holy. You were justified, declared

free of guilt in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the

Holy Spirit of God, the source of believers, new life and

changed behavior. I bring up these two things from

Galatians in first Corinthians because if you fail or fall in

anything, whether it's Commission or omission, you need

to get right with God. It's not hopeless.

It doesn't that mean that change can't, can't come.

It doesn't mean you're stuck in a rut or in a grave.

What God is saying. It's time for you to repent of

what you were doing. That's against my will and my

word and get up and get on. Matthew 38 says this from the

amplified produce fruit that is consistent with repentance,

demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart and a

conscious decision to turn away from sin.

So if you blow it in any arena, I'm giving you 2 scriptures #1

for forgiveness that God has towards us first.

John 19 says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to

forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin.

Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin.

Confessed sin is forgiven sin which leads to the cleansing

power of God. Proverbs 2813 says he who covers

his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes

them will have mercy. So for all that God has for you

in 2024, stay right with him #2 Forgiveness towards family.

Hallelujah. I want to look at one man as a

case study. Joseph Genesis 37, verses 18

Genesis 37:18–19

through 19. Now before I read this, you got

to understand that God gave Joseph two dreams.

He told both of them to his family, who was ecstatic about

it. They were really excited that he

had a dream from God. I'm being really sarcastic right

now. They hated him.

His brothers hated him because of the dreams and their father's

favoritism towards him with the coat of many colors.

So they were upset with him. The father sends the boys out to

do some shepherding and he wants to check on them, so he sends

Joseph to see what their status is.

And so we picked this story up in Genesis 37, verses 18 through

Genesis 37:18–19

19. Now, when his brother saw Joseph

afar off, even before they came near to him, they conspired

against him to kill him. They said look to, they said to

one another look, the dreamer is coming.

And then so they wanted. His family wants to do him

wrong, right? They're out to get him.

They're not excited about his dream.

They literally want to take him off the planet.

And so they're discussing what to do.

They put him in a pit. The birders, the brothers, most

of them really had murder in their heart.

They really wanted to kill him. They were.

They were premeditating a plan. This is a dysfunctional

relationship and I know in some of our families we have

dysfunction. Hallelujah.

Just look straight ahead if your family's with you.

No elbows. But thank God for Reuben,

because Reuben had enough wherewithal to have some

compassion, said let's not kill them, let's sell them right.

So for money, for money there could be money issues in family.

For money they decide to sell them.

We find that in Genesis 37 verses 25 through 28 when they

Genesis 37:25–28

the brother sat down to meal. They lift up their eyes and

look. There was a company of

Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels.

Bearing spices bomber on their way to carry them down to Egypt,

So Judah said to his brothers. What?

Profit is there if we kill our brothers and conceal his blood.

Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our

hand be upon him for his our brother and flesh.

The brothers listen, and then they end up selling Joseph to

these traitors who took him to Egypt.

So Can you imagine? Can you imagine Joseph in this

story? He goes at his father's request

to check on his brothers. Brothers, apprehend him, don't

greet him, throw him into a pit. He's waiting anxiously what is

going to happen with my life? And then not only that, but

distance relatives were involved in this story.

This points back to Abraham who had a promise from God, whose

wife got impatient and said I'm going to give you a concubine,

an Egyptian concubine, and I want you to go into her because

God said this is going to happen.

And so guess what happened out of that Hagar gave birth to

Ishmael, which is a relative of Joseph, a distant relative.

So not only his immediate family but distant relatives, he got

sold to them who took him and actually sold him to into in

Egypt. Can you imagine the frustration,

the disappointment, the discouragement, the anger that

would want to well up in you? Listen, we deal with things with

family, but I don't think anybody's room to the point that

you were apprehended and taken to a different country and sold.

So how bad do you really have it?

And then spent 13 years? Think about that.

We read the Bible sometimes from Genesis 37 to 50.

Is the life of Joseph really and the patriarchs?

But we read it pretty quick within our 234 day span.

But this is 13 years to meditate, reflect, and review.

I know that Joseph forgave. Why do I know that?

Because he would have never got to the purpose according to the

word of God, the destiny, if he had harbored ill will in his

heart. And how do I even know this?

Further, because he would if vengeance was in his heart after

he spent time in Potiphar's house was wrongly accused again,

God just kept giving him opportunity after opportunity to

exercise his love muscle. And it wasn't God doing it.

The devil is working through people, but in the ultimate end,

God was glorified, if you handle it right.

So when his brothers come back to him because there's a famine

and they thought he was dead, I like it because Joseph kind of

toys with him a little bit. He sends him away but puts the

platter in and oh, you stole from me.

I feel like he was still wrestling a little bit, right?

Like I could if I wanted to. I mean, they were nervous of the

brothers, and he's probably having a little bit of fun

thinking I got him sweating. But ultimately he said I'm not

going to do what I could, which is actually execute him or put

him to death. How do I know that?

Because he didn't do it. But in Genesis 50, when his

father, we have Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, when Jacob passed

away, he was able, out of forgiveness, listen to end up

saving his whole family. You want to save your family?

Walk in forgiveness with him. It'll open up doors to minister

to them. You want your family to be

unsaved? Just harbor Real will walk in

vengeance. You walk in forgiveness.

It'll give you an opportunity to minister.

Does that mean that we condone or put or agree with everything

they're doing? No, it's wrong.

But the same way that God had mercy on me and saved me, I want

to see that hand extended to them and pulled up out of the

pit. Now they said, listen, the

brothers were really nervous because they they realized that

their father passing away Joseph may want to take vengeance on

him. So in Genesis 50, verses 15

Genesis 50:15–21

through 21. Joseph's brothers saw their

father was dead, they said. What if Joseph carries A grudge

against us and pays us back in? Full for the wrong which we did

to him. So they sent word to Joseph,

saying, Your father commanded us before he died, saying, you're

to say to Joseph, I beg you, please forgive the transgression

of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.

Now please forgive the transgression of the servants of

God, of your Father. And Joseph wept when they spoke

to him then Then his brothers went and fell down before him.

In confession they said, behold, we are your servants, your

slaves. But Joseph said to them, Do not

be afraid. Do not be afraid.

Am I in the place of God? Vengeance is his, not mine.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for

good. In order to bring about this

present outcome, that many people be kept alive as they are

to this day. So now do not be afraid.

I will provide for you and support you and your little

ones. So be comforted.

He gave them encouragement and and hope, and spoke with

kindness to their hearts. I want to say this about before

we get to the third one. Genesis 49 is a beautiful

picture. Keep on going to family because

you need goals in 2024. You need spirit, soul, body,

family, goals, financial and social goals.

But Genesis 49 is a beautiful picture because it's at the end

of Jacob's life. He has his twelve sons with him,

but he prophecies over each son before he passes away.

I think that should be an end of life goal for every parent in

the home. What word are you going to leave

to your kids at the Lord Terrace of their destiny in the earth?

But he said about Joseph. In chapter 49, verses 22 through

24, it says Joseph is a fruitful bow, a main branch of the vine,

a fruitful bow by a spring, a well, a mountain.

Its branches run over the wall, influencing others.

Why did I bring that up? Because any barriers, any

hindrances, anything that somebody does that's a

trespasser or wrong answer. I like what Jacob said about

Joseph cuz a vine doesn't let a wall stop it.

Vines are tenacious. You pull a vine.

I put some vines at my old Oakbrook house, cuz they were

growing up, the windows and up, and I put them down and guess

what? Within weeks and months they

started growing back. And that's what Jacob said to

Joseph. You're like a vine.

Nothing's going to stop you if you walk in.

Forgiveness, any mountain, any barrier and a hint that you're

going to overcome. Doesn't matter if people try to

uproot you, try to discourage you, you can overcome anything.

Third Point, forgiveness towards religious people.

Hallelujah. I want to look at Stephen as a

case study for this in Acts chapter 6, verses 8 through 15,

Acts 6:8–15

and I believe Pastor Earl preached on this several

Wednesdays ago. Somebody did.

Maybe it was a Sunday, it was sometime in a recent sermon

somewhere. So it says in Stephen, full of

faith and power to great wonders and signs among the people.

Then there arose some which is from the synagogue of the

freedmen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom of the

Spirit by which Stephen spoke. And they secretly induced men

saying, We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against

Moses and God. They stirred up the people, the

elders, and the scribes. They came, and they seized

Stephen and brought him to the council.

They also set up false witnesses who said this man Stephen does

not cease to speak blasphemous words against the Holy Place and

the Law. For we have heard him say that

this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change

the customs which Moses delivered us.

And all who sat in the council looking steadfastly at Stephen

saw his face as the face of an Angel.

Now religious people are going to talk bad about Kingdom

people, people that are going after truth.

But guess what? We still need to forgive.

Forgiveness creates an open door of an opportunity to still

minister life to people. I know when I was growing up, I

didn't grow up in a charismatic, Pentecostal tongue talking

church. I grew up in what you call

liturgical church or a traditional church.

I'm not going to name the denomination, but we went to

church every Sunday. And listen, I got born again in

1997, really redeemed because a friend of mine was persistent.

He would not let go of one to see me saved.

And that changed the course of my life.

He he was hounding me in those days.

He kept calling, was relentless. Finally I surrendered to his

determination and we went to a thing called the divine

revelation of hell. And that scared the hell out of

me. It was at the Columbus

Convention Center, and I thank God I got plugged in a wonderful

church. You know, God is good.

He just plugs you into the right place.

Thank God for Anchor Faith Church and the churches I've

been a part of because they were real churches.

But I did have ABC before church experience, before a real church

experience. And I I grew up and I remember

when I was sitting in 1997 in a in what I call a real church,

one that taught this, the Bible just taking notes.

And I remember being so frustrated, not at the message,

but where has this been my whole life?

And it reflected me back to how I grew up.

And I was like, I got mad. I spent all that time I was

going to hell and thinking I was going to church.

And never once at this church was there an altar call to

repent, to give your life to the Lord.

So you could imagine I was like, I could have missed it.

Matter of fact, the church I grew up in, I had to confess my

first sins before the minister. And I was young, but they got

it. They thought that you had to go

before a I'm kind of giving away some things, probably, and

confess your sin. Well, the Bible says if you

confess your sin before I can go before I confess, confess my

wrong to you. That's scriptural, but it's not

exclusive. I can go before the throne of

God right now. So I remember I was so scared

when they opened up that little divider, first time ever doing

it. That's made-up something.

I lied about my sin. So it was like a a double sin.

But you know, that came back up like it kind of got me mad.

These are the people that were supposed to be the experts,

these Pharisees, these scribes, these sad you CS and they're

supposed to be bringing the word.

But it brought no deliverance. It brought no redemption.

I brought no change. Life, it was routine.

It was religious. It was a cycle, was the same

thing over and over, but no real vital life.

I didn't know about Christ. I wasn't in Christ.

But thank God. Guess what I forgave and let it

go. I can go right now to that.

We'll call denomination with no ill will.

I'll say this as we come to the 4th point.

You know you have ought against somebody if you see them.

I'll just go with Walmart in the aisle and they didn't see you

turn the corner and you buck out of the corner aisle before they

see you right now some of you do it because of time restraints

and you know that person's a talker.

But Hallelujah, that's a 20 minute conversation.

Nope, I'm not even buying what I needed.

I'm going straight home and then you can ask God for forgiveness

about your impatience after that.

All right, 4th 1:00, but I forgave Amen.

I do want to say with Stephen, I'm not going to read it, but

they can reference it up there in Acts Chapter 7 verses 54

Acts 7:54–60

through 60. He gives a great sermon.

In Acts Chapter 7, A Great Powerful sermon on the

Acts 7 · chapter mention

redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ and Messiah.

Now guess what? After he got on speaking, the

religious people were not excited that he just preached to

them. They were mad and they end up

killing him as they were stoning him.

Though he makes his powerful words, he said Father forgive

them. Ignorant people don't know.

Foolish people won't learn. Religious people won't learn, he

said. Forgive them.

They are fools. They don't know what they do.

And then it said he saw Jesus standing.

The reason Jesus stood because he said that's my boy, he's

Listen, eternity is too long to live with unforgiveness.

One thing you want to settle before you die is ought with

anybody. Eternity is too long to live

with unforgiveness. Listen, Stephen got it right and

released those religious people and he had a glorious entrance

with Jesus standing to greet him.

Last point we talked about for God's forgiveness towards us,

forgiveness towards family, forgiveness towards religious

people. Last thing I want to cover is

forgiveness towards our self. And I want to use the Apostle

Paul in this illustration. Why?

Because Paul, we can find him overlapping Stephen's story, the

one that was just killed from the religious people in Acts

Acts 7:58

Chapter 7 verse 58 it says and they cast Stephen out of the out

of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses lay their

clothes, laid Stephen clothes at the feet of a young man named

Saul. In Acts chapter 8, verse #3

Acts 8 · chapter mention

asked for Saul. He made havoc of the church,

entering every house and dragging off men and women,

committing them to prison. Acts Chapter 9 verses one

Acts 9 · chapter mention

through 2 says Then Saul still breathing threats and murder

against the disciples. The Lord went to the high priest

and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus,

that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women,

he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

As as Saul journeyed, he came near Damascus.

Suddenly a light shone around him from heaven He fell to the

ground and heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why are you

persecuting me? And And Saul said, Who are you,

Lord? The Lord said, I'm Jesus, whom

you're persecuting man. He took it personal when there

came persecution against the Church.

But Saul is Paul. When we find in Acts 13, not

only do you have a change of heart and a change of name, you

can't see yourself as you were. You need to see yourself as he

sees you in him. But we see a change of name.

But he asked her letters to Damascus.

Do you realize Damascus is about 150 miles north of Jerusalem?

Listen, they didn't have cars in those days.

You know, the average journey I read was usually about 9 to 19

miles depending on what you had, if you had a donkey or if you're

going by shoe sandals. So he was determined to kill

believers right? Now let's go to 1st.

After the conversion, he becomes the apostle Paul. 1st

Corinthians. 15 verses one through 10 says this.

Can you imagine after he got redeemed, what the devil tried

to bring up about his past? Not only have you now listen, he

was pretty self-righteous, but the devil could have brought up

you helped incite the murder of Stephen, you brought havoc on

the churches, which means ruin and destruction.

And then you were getting letters to Damascus to make your

way to a town that's 150 miles away to persecute other

churches. Can you imagine the devil

replaying that in his mind? Now listen to what he says in

Corinthians, though after he spent some time in the Lord, he

says. Now, brothers and sisters, let

me remind you once again of the good news of salvation, which I

preach to you, which you welcome and accepted, on which you stand

by faith. By this faith you are saved,

reborn from above, spiritually transformed, renewed, and set

apart for his purpose. If you hold firmly the word

which I preach to you, unless you believed in vain, just

superficially and without complete commitment.

For I passed on to you as a first importance which I

received, that Christ died for our sins according to that which

was the Scriptures foretold, and that he was buried, that he was

bodily raised on the third day, according to that which the

scriptures foretold, that he appeared to Cephas, which is

Peter, and the 12 After that he poured, He appeared to more than

500 brothers and sisters at one time, the majority of whom are

still alive, but some have fallen asleep.

Then he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and last of

all, as to 1 untimely, prematurely, traumatically born,

he appeared to me also Listen to what Paul says about himself,

for I'm the least worthy of the apostles, and not fit to be

called an apostle, because at one time I fiercely opposed and

violently persecute the Church of God.

But listen to his resolve and forgiveness.

But by the remarkable grace of God, I am what I am, and his

grace toward me was not without effect.

And in fact I worked harder than all the other apostles, though

was not I. But the grace of God is

unmerited favor and blessing with which was with me.

I close with this Philippians chapter 3 and and many of us

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

know this verse. Pastor Marcus, you can come, but

I want to read it in context of what the Apostle Paul lived

before he came into Christ. Philippians, chapter three.

We all say and quote this verse a lot, but we need to think in

terms of what he came out of and what he came into.

So verse 12 says, not that I've already attained or I'm already

perfected, but I press on that may I may lay hold of that for

which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one

thing I do. What's he do?

Forget those things that are behind, and he reaches forward

to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal, the

prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

It's important that you forgive yourself, he said.

One thing I do, I forget those things that are behind.

You know, Satan's called the accuser of the brother.

And I'm sure that Satan tried to bring up to him like a replaying

a movie scene over and over again what he did to Steve and

what he did to the church. But he said this one thing I do

forget what lies behind. If you're going to reach all

that God has for you in 2024, you need to be a person that

forgives and let goes of what happened in 2023 or prior.

Why is this so important? Last scripture, Galatians

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5, verse #6 says that faith works by love.

One translation says faith is energized by love.

Another translation says faith is made operative through love.

You're never going to have a strong faith if you don't have a

strong love walk. Romans 117 says the just shall

live by faith. If we're to live by faith, we

got to make sure we live by love 'cause our faith is only going

to work in proportion to our love walk.

And your faith and your love walk are not going to be strong

in 2024. If you're not in forgiveness,

'cause if you're not in this in Christ Reality, then you're not

in love and ultimately you're not in faith and ultimately

you're not going to please God. Cause faith please is God.

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