October 6, 2020
Jude 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Four essential for last days living/ Four non-negotiables of effective last days living
- Building up yourselves on your most holy faith
- Praying in the Holy Ghost
- Keep yourselves in the love of God
- Looking for the mercy of our Lord
Perilous - chalepos (ha-le-pos) - fierce, demonic 2 Tim 3:1/Matthew 8:28
Living by faith in the last days is non -negotiable. This is going beyond saving faith to living faith.
It is our responsibility to build our faith. It is the duty of the believer to build that world overcoming faith.
Definitions of living by faith
1 Living by faith means that you are living like Jesus earthly walk. It means your sojourning on the earth is like that of Jesus. His walk on the earth was a faith walk and was anointed of the Holy Spirit.
2 Living by faith means that you are living by the highest established principle of God’s word.
3 Living by faith means I act on the Word of God like I would act upon the word of a trusted counselor, lawyer etc. If I don’t act upon the Word then I only have mental assent.
One of the greatest enemies of bible faith is mental assent. People with mental assent read the Word and think they believe it. But when push comes to shove, pressure comes, they don't act on it. Mental assenters say, ‘I believe the Bible from cover to cover, im a fundamentalist except in my politics. I put party above principles. The mental assenter affirms that the entire Bible came from God, that it is God’s revelation, and that every Word of it is true. In a Time of crisis comes the mental assenter says, ‘Yes, I believe the Bible for salvation but not for situations.’
What Is mental assent? Mental assent is self-deception, just one step removed from hypocrisy.
James 1: 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Mental assent defends the integrity of the Word but never acts upon the integrity of that Word therefore you make God to be a liar.
4 Living by faith means I take charge of a situation through God’s word.
Many times a situation comes and knocks the wind out of us or knocks us sideways. Take charge like Jesus
5 Living by faith means that you live by the past tense of God’s Word. That is living in the legal aspects of redemption to enjoy the vital aspects of redemption.
Legal is what God has already done in Christ on the Cross of Calvary/ before the foundations of the world. It is revealed in the substitutionary work of the Cross and exposed in the Scriptures specifically in the epistles.
The Gospels - give you the earthly ministry of Jesus/ sacrifice
The epistles - accomplishments, positions of the benefactor
6 Living by faith means that you live by the pressure of the Word of God rather than the pressure of this world.
Luke 5: 1
Hebrews 6:13
- Time tries trust
- Time tries temperament
- Time test tenacity
7 Living by faith means that you slap an injunction against the devil to stop moving in on your jurisdiction.