THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
The year 2014, the year of our Lord, continues to roll in to my life as a mighty rushing wind bringing change and upheaval, even trouble. However, I have walked with the Lord through many troubles in my life time and I know that pressing through tribulation brings us into a greater measure of the Glory of Christ.
This past Wednesday I spent 13 hours of travel time (mostly waiting at airports) to travel from Houston to Missouri, via Orlando, via Memphis. I left Houston dealing with crisis after crisis and was going in to a crisis situation concerning my Mother. In those 13-hours of being totally helpless to move the airline transportation system; the severe winter storms affecting travel; do anything to help my Mother; or solve the crisis concerning our church building; plus other areas of responsibility; I came to grips with my helplessness and softly fell into the arms of Faith, casting all my care upon Jesus. Each situation was beyond my power to do anything about. In that 13-hour detour, I got an attitude adjustment.
“Faith ‘toward’ God is literally faith “upon”, casting all your care upon Him (1 Pet. 5:7): Faith for provision; Faith for divine healing; Faith for the infilling of the Holy Ghost; Faith for divine timing; Faith that the Lord lifted me far away from all my cares to remind me to rest in His Omnipresence; and to cast all my care on him.
As I cautiously drove my car the 100 miles from the Memphis airport to my mother’s home, the fields and trees were covered in ice and snow. Suddenly I was transported back in time to happy childhood memories of other winters when the Missouri country side became a winter wonderland. I knew I was on a very special journey ordained by the Lord and I could totally rest in His Omnipotent care for His Church and any other responsibilities I have on my plate.
Matthew 16:18: “…upon this rock (Christ, the Son of the Living God) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
The key to life is a right spirit in whatever circumstances we face. Deut 1:7: “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the works of your hand; He knows your walking through this great wilderness; these forty years the Lord your God has been with you; You have lacked nothing.:
God can furnish a table in the wilderness (Psa. 78:19). In the presence of my enemies my cup will run over (Psa. 23:5). God is faithful in the wilderness. He knows every step that we have taken. He knows the way we take. We must mix the Word with faith... (Heb. 4:2) “…the word preached does not profit, if it is not mixed with faith…”
We must maintain a right spirit and a right attitude at all times.
God is preparing a people who cannot be moved or upset by anything. When I use the word “upset”, I mean perplexed, overwhelmed, defeated, fearful, worry, bitter, resentful, angry, frustrated, etc. The cry of Jesus’ heart is for a people who can share his throne and shepherd the nations with a rod of iron (Rev. 2: 26-28). Our testing will last as long as it takes to change our mind and attitude. Can we walk around in the furnace without complaining? Can we sing in the fire? The key to God’s whole program in our life is our Spirit and attitude of response to His Word in our lives.
Isa. 24:15: “Wherefore glorify you the Lord in the fires”.
Jesus is our pattern.
“If our ministries are to be effective, we must center everything that we do and teach in Jesus (Col. 3:17)”. Our message must be Christ-centered. Do you want to be like Jesus? Do you believe that He is the Pattern Son? Then we also understand that Jesus went through the wilderness!
First, Jesus was born of the Spirit. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God” (Lk. 1:35).
Second, Jesus was baptized in water. “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized…” (Lk. 3:21).
Third, Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:38). What He received at the Jordan was more than what we received in the Pentecostal experience, which is but the firstfruits of the Spirit and the earnest of our inheritance (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1: 13-14). Jesus received the Spirit without measure; the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Jn. 3:34; Col. 2:9).
Jesus was born of the Spirit, baptized in water, and filled with the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:38: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
However, there yet a fourth preparation before He went into His public ministry.
Fourth, “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…and immediately the Spirit drives him into the wilderness”. (Lk. 4:1; Mk 1:12).
The gospel of Mark states that Jesus was driven into the place of testing. Jesus is the Pattern. He was tempted and tested and overcame in three areas or dimensions:
1 Jn. 2: 15-17: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father; but is of the world. The world passes away, and the lust thereof; but he that does the will of God abides forever.”
Like Jesus, we will be proven in these three principles. We are saved. We are filled with the Holy Ghost. Yet there is still the journey throught the wilderness. What is on the other side of that wilderness?
Luke 4:14: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee; and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about” (Lk. 4:14).
Acts 1:8: “You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
You shall receive POWER “after that.” After what? Follow the Pattern in Luke 4 and we will know the answer. He “returned” in the dunamis of the Spirit from the place of being proven. Dunamis is found 120 times in the New Testament ---compare with the 120 in the upper room. It is rendered as “ability, abundance, mighty deeds, might, mightily, mighty, miracle, workers of miracles, power, strength, violence, virtue, mighty works, and wonderful works.”
Why are not seeing more of the Dunamis Power of the Spirit in the churches? Because nobody wants the wilderness experience that will produce it.
The Pattern was tested in the area of the lust of the flesh (Luke 4: 1-4). This deals with the realm of self-satisfaction. Some use the anointing for their selfish gain. The devil said, “If you are the son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.” Jesus mixed the Word with Faith and quoted Deut 8:3 and overcame in this realm.
Jesus was tested in the area of the lust of the eyes (Lk. 4: 5-8). This speaks of materialism and the love of money (1 Tim 6:10). Some use the anointing to make money and merchandise of God’s people. A true son cannot be bought. Jesus refused the glitter of the world systems. He quoted Deut. 6:13; 19:20, and won the second round.
Thirdly, the Lord was tested in the area of the pride of life (Lk. 4: 9-13). Some use the anointing to be seen of men and to receive man-worship. They want to be popular. Jesus quoted Psa. 91:11 and Deut. 6:16, overcoming the evil one by the Word of God.
Jesus made himself of no reputation (Phil. 2: 1-11). He was not interested in being seen of men; therefore, He could not be hid (Matt. 5:14); Mk. 7:14).
The Church is the light of the world. It is to be made up of people who are radiating Him so that men can’t see anything or anyone else but Jesus.
“There were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast; the same came to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, “sir we would see JESUS” (Jn. 12: 20-21).
Follow the Pattern. Jesus was proven in the three realms and was an Overcomer by the Word. The Lord went into His home town, and His “home church, and said,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Lk. 4:18”).
Every Year of the Lord since he took captivity captive and delivered creation is the acceptable year of the Lord. I don’t give Satan a Sunday. I don’t’ give Satan a year. Every year is holy and separated unto Yahweh. In the light of present truth, man is going to inherit the earth. (Mt. 5:5) “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” Every year is a year of liberty. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty”. This is the ministry of Jesus on the other side of the wilderness experience. Only a free man can set a man free. We are called to be proven, and then to deliver the creation.
The Lord Jesus came to deliver and liberate in five dimensions:
- Beggar (“the poor)”
- Brokenhearted
- Bound (“the captives”)
- Blind
- Bruised
Ministers of the gospel, if we are to teach the beggars to throw away their cup and beggar’s garment, then the Ministers of the New Covenant must not be beggars either.
If we are to deliver the brokenhearted, then we must be dispensers of Jesus’ life, joy, gladness and strength to others.
We are called to deliver the bound. Many sit in a prison of their own making. Their own conceit, self-pity, rebellion, resentment and bitterness have shackled their mind and spirit. Let us set them free by standing in the name of the Lord.
We are called to deliver the blind. This is both natural and spirit. We are to deliver the bruised and be gentle in ministering life to those who have been wounded.
God wants us to own every year as holy and separated unto the Lord. We must know what it is to press through the wilderness to be overcomers. On the other side of the wilderness is a great ministry. There is a partaking and a sharing of the ministry of Jesus.
The winds and storms are blowing this year. We have been led by the Spirit into the dealings of God. Everything that God has worked into us has been deposited for His Glory to be revealed. We have been and are being delivered from our selfishness in the wilderness.
In the midst of the storm is the peace of God that passes all understanding. The Kingdom of God is not for half-hearted people. We love not our lives unto death. The joy and privilege of sharing the nature and ministry of Jesus becomes a reality on the other side of the wilderness.
You may say, like me, “I have already come out of Egypt, been through the Wilderness, crossed the Jordan and been to the Cross.” The truth is none of us can bear the deposit of the Cross in our lives at one time. Each experience produces the nature of Christ within us as we share in his sufferings. It is not something for which we volunteer. We are to be willing, obedient and yielded. However, unless the grace of the Lord carries us through the wilderness, across the Jordan and on the Cross, none of us can make it.
Jn. 5: 3-4: “For the true love of God is this, that we do His commands---keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching. These orders of His are not irksome---burdensome, oppressive or grievous. For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our Faith”. (Amplified Bible)
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. and the Amplified Bible as indicated. I entered into the labors of Kelly Varner, Prevail, a Handbook for the Overcomer. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the view of Prophet Kelly Varner.