Sermon from 22nd March 2020 Online church Nowra & Macarthur

Sometimes life isn’t fair and it can be so easy when we feel like we are suffering from no fault of our own to fall into a victim mentality.

Perhaps this is one of those times when everybody around the world feels like they are suffering in some way from no fault of their own.

Many are fighting their own fears right now across our communities.

• Some are fighting the fear of losing their health or the fear of someone close to them losing their health.
• Some are fighting the fear of losing their business or their job with the economic impact of this pandemic.
• Some are fighting the fear of facing a life without toilet paper.

Being aware and wise and considerate to others at this time are all good things, however when we give ourselves over to fear and allow that fear to rule our lives, it is never a good thing for us or those around us.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12 to fight the good fight of faith, not to fight the bad fight of fear.

However since fear is faith in the negative it means that if you are finding yourself consumed a little too much by fear, then you need to change the focus of your attention.

There is a big difference between living in wisdom and living in fear:

It is healthy to be aware of the potential dangers in life, it is what stops us from running on to a busy road without looking and from putting our hand on a hot stove.

However if I laid awake at night filling my mind with the potential threats of busy roads or hot stoves to my life, then I am not living the way God intended me to live, I am barely surviving.

There is a powerful principle that has not only helped me personally to overcome both a victim mentality and a fearful mindset, but has also helped me to help others to also overcome a victim mentality and fearful mindsets.

That principle is to become a life giver. Become someone who gives great life to others, rather someone who sucks the life out of the room.

God is the greatest of all life givers, He created the heavens and the earth, including giving life to you and me and He has made us all in His image and likeness.

We are all created to be life givers! Let’s not forget that in this season.

Romans‬ ‭8:5-11
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”‬‬‬‬

Romans‬ ‭8:12-18

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”‬‬‬‬

Remember if you are a Christian, you have the life of Christ within you which has been proven through His own resurrection to be more powerful than even death itself.

And if you are listening to this message and you do not have a faith in Jesus yet, then I am going to give you the opportunity to start a brand new faith in God through Jesus at the end of this sermon.

Here Are Some Key Thoughts From Romans Chapter 8 To Be A Life Giver:

1. Life Givers Get Their Thinking Right

Romans‬ ‭8:5-6
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” ‬‬‬‬

You will always struggle to be the life giver that God has called you to be if you don’t work hard on getting your thinking right.

There are times when we need to all change the focus of our attention.

Remember if your mind is consumed with fearful thoughts it becomes impossible to give life to others.

This next scripture in Proverbs provides us with some great direction to help us keep our thinking right:

Proverbs‬ ‭4:23-27
“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”‬‬‬‬

You can keep your thinking right by keeping these four things right in your life:

A. Be Diligent With Keeping Your HEART ATTITUDES Right.

Proverbs‬ ‭4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”‬‬

If you don’t keep your heart right with all diligence and allow it to keep poisonous things like unforgiveness, bitterness, condemnation, jealousy and anger, then that will affect your thinking, which will stop you from becoming the life giver that God has called you to be.

B. Be Diligent With Keeping Your WORDS Right.

Proverbs‬ ‭4:24 “Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.”‬‬

Your words and your thinking are forever linked.

Wrong thinking creates wrong words and wrong words establish wrong thinking.

C. Be Diligent With Keeping Your VISION Right.

Proverbs‬ ‭4:25 “Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.”‬‬

Let your vision be focussed on your God given purpose in life.

If you are a Christian, you are not just saved, but you are also called. You are called to multiply disciples of Jesus, to help others up into their salvation and calling.

D. Be Diligent With Keeping Your COMPANY Right.

Proverbs‬ ‭4:26-27 
“Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”‬‬

The company you keep influences the way you think.

Be mindful of the voices around you as they will keep your mind full of the words that they speak.

This doesn’t just apply to the voice of people you talk to, but also the voice of the media that you listen to.

2. Life Givers Draw Life From God’s Spirit Within Them

Romans‬ ‭8:7-9a
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…” ‬‬

The carnal mind is enmity against God. This means that the carnal mind is hostile towards God.

At this time be careful that you don’t stay thinking 100% naturally only, drawing your perspectives and thoughts from worldly sources alone, as the fear and negativity of a carnal world can start to bring hostility in your thinking towards God who brings faith and hope to your life and family.

Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

As Holy Spirit filled Christians, the very Spirit of God actually dwells within us.

To be a life giver draw life from the one who gave life to you.

God has an everlasting supply of life for you to use.

3. Life Givers Have Faith In God’s Life Giving Power

Romans‬ ‭8:11
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”‬‬

What an encouraging thought with all the fear of death on the outside of us, we have the exact same Holy Spirit within us who raised Christ from the dead.

The resurrection life of God’s spirit within us is like a bright shining light to a world that is in a deep darkness.

The same power that created the heavens and the earth through God also lives in you, God is with us, what shall we fear?

4. Life Givers Understand They Are Gods Children

Romans‬ ‭8:14-16
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”‬‬‬

It is natural for sons and daughters to receive an inheritance from their parents when they die.

We are sons and daughters of God. When He came to earth as God the Son, He died and rose again and went to sit at the right hand of God the Father in heaven and left us a great inheritance of salvation and the powerful Holy Spirit to fulfil His Great Commission as life givers to a world in great need of a touch from heaven.

5. Life Givers Have An Eternal Perspective

Romans‬ ‭8:18‬
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”‬‬‬‬‬‬

It is so important to remember how short this life is here on earth and how long eternity is.

How much of your thinking will be taking up with the corona virus in one thousand years time?

Just because the world is shaken around you, don’t allow your faith to be shaken.

You have an incredible eternity awaiting you if you choose Jesus in this life and He is available to everyone.

In Conclusion

Remember These Key Thoughts From Romans Chapter 8 To Be A Life Giver:

1. Life Givers Get Their Thinking Right
   A. Be Diligent With Keeping Your HEART ATTITUDES Right.
   B. Be Diligent With Keeping Your WORDS Right.
   C. Be Diligent With Keeping Your VISION Right.
   D. Be Diligent With Keeping Your COMPANY Right

2. Life Givers Draw Life From God’s Spirit Within Them

3. Life Givers Have Faith In God’s Life Giving Power

4. Life Givers Understand They Are Gods Children‬‬

5. Life Givers Have An Eternal Perspective