WATCH and PRAY! | Vital Spiritual Principles | Christina Sermon - video Dailymotion

God's Heart TV

Discover the key to remain spiritually alert and avoid the trap of being driven by emotions - taking lessons and vital spiritual principles from the lives of Jesus Christ, Peter and Jonah - in this sermon from Christina at the God's Heart TV Studio titled, 'Watch And Pray'.   "Good decisions don’t flow from a tired, distracted, or unguarded heart." - Christina  To join the next Interactive Prayer Service with Brother Chris through Zoom, simply submit your prayer request here - https://www.godsheart.tv/zoom - and the God's Heart TV Team will be in touch with you soon via email at info@godsheart.tv   ➡️ Receive Daily Encouragement on WhatsApp - https://godsheart.tv/whatsapp/ ➡️ Become a God's Heart TV Partner - https://godsheart.tv/partnership ➡️ Information about Interactive Prayer - https://godsheart.tv/interactive-prayer/ ➡️ Volunteer as a God's Heart TV Translator - https://godsheart.tv/translate/ ➡️ Share your testimony - https://godsheart.tv/testimony ➡️ Join our Live Prayer Service on the first Saturday of every month - https://www.youtube.com/godshearttv/live

Transcript

00:00Emotion driven, impulsive decisions are often destructive.

00:11That is why as Christians, we cannot afford to slip into a state of spiritual slumber.

00:19Because when your mind sleeps, Satan takes the opportunity to attack.

00:24Grace and peace to you all in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

00:32Hello everybody, my name is Christina and I have the wonderful privilege of sharing the Word of God with you today.

00:41And this Word of God is designed to cause faith to grow in your heart.

00:47Because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

00:52And I want to encourage you, first of all, about our approach to God's Word.

00:57We're going to have a look, first of all, at the book of Acts chapter 17.

01:02And we're going to be encouraged by the Berean Jews and the approach that they took to the Word of God when they heard Apostle Paul preaching the Gospel.

01:12So let's turn in our Bibles to the book of Acts 17 and verse 11.

01:16And it says,

01:18Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness.

01:31Is anyone here eager to hear God's Word?

01:36Let me hear someone say at home, great eagerness.

01:39You know, the Berean Jews did not just take what Apostle Paul said to be true because of his good reputation.

02:05But they combined an eagerness for God's Word with a sense of responsibility to go home, to examine the Scriptures for themselves,

02:16to receive their own personal revelation, to see if what he said lined up with Scripture.

02:24And as they did, many believed.

02:28So today, I want to encourage you not to just simply listen to this Word with eagerness,

02:35but take your time to take this message and look at the Scriptures every day to receive your own personal revelation of what God wants to say to you today.

02:48So let us pray.

02:50Lord Jesus, we thank you, Father, for this opportunity to receive the Word of God.

02:56We thank you, Lord, that when we approach your Word with a hunger and openness, it encourages us and builds faith.

03:05So right now, our hearts, let them hear the voice of God.

03:11Our hearts, let us hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.

03:18In Jesus Christ's name we pray.

03:22Amen.

03:24Amen.

03:24Well, people of God, I want to ask you a question today.

03:31Have you ever found yourself in a place of pressure?

03:37Think back to that time, or maybe you're in a place of pressure right now.

03:42Have you ever found yourself responding poorly to the situation because of the state of your heart,

03:49because of the state of your mind in that place of pressure?

03:54You know, as Christians, we should not be emotion-led, emotion-driven or emotion-controlled,

04:06because faith is not a feeling.

04:09People of God, the management of feelings and emotions is so important.

04:17And one thing is clear.

04:19A good decision can never come from a tired, frustrated, distracted or unguarded heart.

04:28You know, many people today regret their financial decisions,

04:35splurging out on items they do not need, impulsive purchases.

04:42They call it retail therapy, only to regret what they have purchased, simply because of the mismanagement of their emotions.

04:52Well, other people find themselves in a time of financial crisis, regretting their borrowing decisions as they take out high interest loans

05:06or enter into informal borrowing lending agreements that they think will solve their immediate problem only to face overwhelming debt, hidden fees and aggressive collection tactics.

05:22Some people have completely tarnished their professional reputation by arguing with their boss in the heat of the moment when they failed to guard their heart

05:36when a critical word was exchanged in a moment of pressure.

05:42Some parents have even withdrawn their children from excellent schools simply after a disagreement with the teacher.

05:52Some parents have only to regret their rash decision.

05:58Emotion driven, impulsive decisions are often destructive.

06:08That is why as Christians, we cannot afford to slip into a state of spiritual slumber.

06:16Because when your mind sleeps, Satan takes the opportunity to attack.

06:22But when your mind is made spiritual, it will be at its best for God.

06:30Let's turn in our Bibles to the book of Galatians, chapter 5 and verse 16.

06:40So I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

06:49For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh.

06:58They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want.

07:06Wow.

07:07This book of Galatians really sets out the conflict between the flesh and the spirit.

07:13You see, everybody has to manage their fleshly tendencies because even though our spirit is willing, our flesh is weak.

07:31So while we are here living in this body, every one of us has a flesh to manage.

07:42You know, many times we are so focused on managing our homes.

07:46We are so focused on managing our careers, our children.

07:52But people of God, are we cognizant of the importance of managing our flesh?

08:03And nobody is above temptation.

08:06Even our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in all ways, just as we are.

08:15Yet he was without sin, as it says in Hebrews, chapter 4, from verse 14 to 16.

08:25This will take us to the title of the message today, Watch and Pray.

08:34Tell your neighbor, watch and pray.

08:38People of God, there is need for us to watch and pray so that we do not slip into sin.

08:45But we can overcome our fleshly tendencies and respond to situations just like Jesus did.

08:53And we're going to take the opportunity to compare and contrast our Lord Jesus Christ with Simon Peter when they were in a place of pressure in the hours before Jesus's crucifixion.

09:09Now, this is a really important part of the Bible.

09:13In fact, you'll be able to see the different accounts in all four Gospels.

09:18But today we are going to have a look at Matthew, chapter 26, and we're going to read from verse 36.

09:28Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane.

09:33And he said to them, sit here while I go over there and pray.

09:40He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

09:47Then he said to them, my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

09:56Stay here and keep watch with me.

09:59Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,

10:05My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me, yet not as I will, but as you will.

10:18What a wonderful prayer.

10:21Then he turned to his disciples and found them sleeping.

10:25Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?

10:29He asked Peter, watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

10:38The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

10:44And he went away a second time and prayed, my father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away,

10:50unless I drink it, may your will be done.

10:53When he came back, he again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy.

11:01So he left them and went away one more time and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

11:07Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting?

11:11Look, the hour has come and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.

11:19Rise, let us go.

11:22Here comes my betrayer.

11:25Wow.

11:27Jesus Christ was most certainly in a place of pressure.

11:33In fact, in the account in the Gospel of Luke, it even says that Jesus Christ sweated blood.

11:39That's a lot of pressure.

11:40But Jesus Christ responded to that pressure spiritually.

11:48Now, let us examine the factors that were causing this pressure.

11:53Well, first of all, Jesus Christ was fully aware of the brutal death that was before him.

12:02Secondly, his disciples were supposed to be watching and praying,

12:07but they were sleeping, oblivious to the importance of the present hour.

12:13And if that were not bad enough, Jesus Christ looked up and coming towards him was Judas.

12:22Somebody that he had loved, that he had eaten with, that he had invested his wisdom, his knowledge.

12:31He had had had as part of his 12 disciples was walking to him to give him a kiss.

12:39And even this was prophesied about in the book of Psalms.

12:52But yes, even my close friend, someone I trusted, someone I trusted, one who I shared my bread, has turned against me.

13:06But yes, although Jesus Christ was not emotionless, he was not emotion led.

13:15He took that place of pressure to a place of prayer and received spiritual strength.

13:25He received anointing for the challenges ahead.

13:30The evidence that his father answered his prayer was evidenced in how he responded in the next part of the story.

13:42You see, Jesus Christ was tempted in all ways, yet he did not sin.

13:47He refused to fight a natural battle.

13:51He refused to respond emotionally.

13:56But instead, he said, let your will be done.

14:01He denied himself.

14:03He took up the cross and pressed on with a spiritual mindset.

14:09Now, let's have a look at the case of Simon Peter.

14:14In the book of Luke, chapter 22 and verse 45, it says it like this.

14:21When Jesus rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.

14:32You know, it's one thing to sleep, but it's another thing to sleep from sorrow.

14:41His sleep was emotion driven, emotion led.

14:46He handled that place of pressure in a completely different way.

14:52Jesus Christ had come to him three times saying, watch and pray, watch and pray, watch and pray.

15:02Perhaps for each moment that Simon Peter would be tempted to deny Christ.

15:09But Peter missed out on that opportunity to watch and pray, to receive spiritual strength.

15:19Then maybe he wouldn't have acted emotionally and started to fight the wrong battle.

15:27Many of us know what happened next.

15:29Simon Peter, triggered by his natural emotions, got out his sword and chopped off the ear of the high priest's servant.

15:41What was Jesus's response?

15:44In verse 52, put your sword back in its place, Jesus said to him.

15:50For all who draw the sword would die by the sword.

15:54Do you think that I cannot call on my father and he would at once put at my disposal more than 12 legions of angels?

16:06But how then would scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?

16:14Jesus was saying to Peter, why are you fighting the wrong battle?

16:18Why are you fighting a natural battle?

16:20Don't you see I have options here?

16:22But I'm choosing to deny myself and take up the cross so that the scriptures can be filled, so that God's will can be done.

16:30Because he saw the picture from God's point of view.

16:33He had a spiritual mindset.

16:35He knew no cup, no crown.

16:39No crucifixion.

16:41No resurrection.

16:43No salvation for mankind.

16:45Jesus Christ continued to encourage Peter to watch and pray.

16:50It was much more than a cautionary conversation, but he didn't seem to get it.

16:55Let's see what happened next.

16:59Well, we know that Jesus Christ had mercy on that servant.

17:05And he took the ear and he healed that servant's ear, practically obeying his own teaching in Matthew 5, verse 44,

17:18when he said, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

17:24Let's see what happened to Simon Peter next, as we go to the book of Luke this time, chapter 22.

17:32Now we're going to read from verse 54.

17:36Then seizing him, that is seizing Jesus, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest.

17:44Peter followed at a distance.

17:45And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.

17:53A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight.

17:57She looked closely at him and said, this man was with him.

18:00But he denied it.

18:04Woman, I don't know him, he said.

18:07A little later, someone else saw him and said, you are also one of them.

18:12Man, I am not, Peter replied.

18:14About an hour later, another asserted, certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.

18:21Peter replied, man, I don't know what you're talking about.

18:26Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

18:31The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.

18:36Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him.

18:40Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.

18:45And he went outside and he wept bitterly.

18:51Wow.

18:53Can you imagine that?

18:55He was not spiritually prepared.

18:58He was not spiritually alert.

19:00His mind was sleeping and Satan took opportunity to attack.

19:04And he even denied our Lord Jesus Christ right in his presence.

19:09And when Jesus looked at him, he remembered the word of Jesus and he wept bitterly.

19:18This goes to show that the cost of disobedience is far greater than the cost of obedience.

19:25Yes, it will cost you something to deny your flesh.

19:32Obeying God at first seems hard until we come to see that all he asks is for our good to make our life full and free.

19:46But you know what?

19:47God's mercy is enough because it is unlimited.

19:51And this was not the end of Simon Peter's story.

19:56No, many of us will know the wonderful reinstatement when our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected.

20:03And indeed, that word of God came to pass as Peter being the rock on which that church of God was built.

20:12And Simon Peter later became the great apostle Peter, who wrote in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 6 to 8.

20:22Wow.

20:52And pray because when your mind sleeps, Satan takes opportunity to attack, but also to humble himself under God's mighty hand.

21:01Because humility is total dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ for everything.

21:07We're not strong in ourself, but as we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, he will lift us up and we can bring our anxiety.

21:16We can bring that place of pressure to a place of prayer and receive divine strength that only God can give.

21:24When we, however, allow ourselves to be in that place of spiritual slumber, oftentimes our conscience is dulled to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

21:40And we find ourselves not understanding or appreciating the impact of our disobedience on ourselves and on others.

21:53Now, the case of Jonah is a good example.

21:58So let us go back to the Old Testament, to the book of Jonah.

22:02And let us just quickly see how Jonah slipped into physical and spiritual slumber and how he failed to appreciate the impact that was having on him and of others.

22:14So in Jonah chapter one, it says the word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Amittai, go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before me.

22:27But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed to Tarshish.

22:30He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port.

22:34After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

22:42Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea.

22:46Such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break it up.

22:50All the sailors were afraid and they cried out to their own God and they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.

22:57But Jonah had gone below deck where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

23:07The captain went to him and said, hey, how can you sleep?

23:11Get up and pray.

23:13Call on your God.

23:15Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.

23:19Jonah's sin caused him to fall into that state of slumber.

23:29But he had no idea that his sin had caused a storm.

23:36He had no appreciation of the impact of his sin on himself and others.

23:43They say love is blind, but specifically, it's the love of the things of the world that blinds us,

23:52stops us understanding the impact of our sin.

23:57The sailor had to come to Jonah and say, wake up and call on your God.

24:02Watch and pray.

24:04So finally, let us turn to the book of Romans, chapter 13, verse 11.

24:14And do this.

24:16You know, when the Bible says, and do this, you should take note.

24:21And do this.

24:23Understanding the present time, the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber,

24:31because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

24:35The night is nearly over.

24:37The day is almost here.

24:38So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and let us put on the armor of light.

24:44Let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,

24:50not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

24:54Rather, clothe yourself with our Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

25:04People of God, our minds should be disciplined to become our servant, not our master.

25:16The only way out is to follow Christ's example, to watch and pray.

25:26There is not enough mental strength.

25:30There is not enough physical strength.

25:33But you have a friend, the Holy Spirit, who is ready to help you.

25:38And I want you to take this message and have a moment of reflection to bring your weakness,

25:47to bring your shortcoming before the Lord and ask our Lord Jesus Christ to manifest his strength in your weakness,

25:57because he's here to help you.

26:01Just play your part.

26:03Watch and pray.

26:04It's not something that's optional for us to live our Christian lives well.

26:11In order to please God, we are to watch and pray continuously and not occasionally.

26:18So this message is encouraging you right now to watch and pray, to stay in faith,

26:26to be spiritually alert and steadfast in your faith.

26:31And as you do, you shall overcome every fleshly tendency and walk as a believer in the spirit in Christ Jesus.

26:42In Jesus name.

27:01In Jesus name.

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27:05In Jesus name.

27:06In Jesus name.

27:07In Jesus name.

27:08In Jesus name.

27:09In Jesus name.

27:10In Jesus name.

27:11In Jesus name.

27:12In Jesus name.

27:13In Jesus name.

27:14In Jesus name.

27:15In Jesus name.

27:16In Jesus name.

27:17In Jesus name.

27:18In Jesus name.

27:19In Jesus name.

27:20In Jesus name.

27:21In Jesus name.

27:22In Jesus name.

27:23In Jesus name.

27:24In Jesus name.

27:25In Jesus name.

27:26In Jesus name.

27:27In Jesus name.

27:28In Jesus name.

27:29In Jesus name.

WATCH and PRAY! | Vital Spiritual Principles | Christina Sermon

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