The Resurrection Power of Christ

2 Corinthians 12 : 7 - 10, And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. NKJV 

Have you ever gone through something as a Christian that you thought you would never be able to bear, much less overcome? Can I tell you, by the authority of God's Word, that there is something far more destructive to your soul than anything you have faced in the past or will ever face in this life while walking by faith? SELF is a far greater enemy to our own soul than Satan, suffering, and even death. 

In order to keep us on guard as His children, God has given every person both a measure of faith and His Word (Romans 12). With this portion of faith, we can choose to resist the works of the Devil that cause us great horror, anguish, and pain. As we stand in defiance to Satan's attacks through our faith in Christ, the grace of God will come upon our hearts and will empower us to overcome our flesh nature (self) and trust the Lord. The end result of this type of battle against our faith will cause us to know Christ and will also cause us to become conformed into His image... as long as we stay the course.  

In John 3, Jesus tells us that He wasn't sent into the world to condemn the world, but that THROUGH HIM the world might be saved. He goes on to say that many will reject Him, because their deeds are evil, and they hate the LIGHT. It is the will of man that will send people to hell to live eternally in the lake of fire... not God. In order to become a child of God, we had to submit our will to Him as our Lord. Now He is the Lord of our lives, and we are the earthen vessels that are to bring Him glory and honor through a holy life. Since self has been and will continue to be our worst enemy, God uses our faith in His Son to overcome the world.  

Do you remember, in Daniel 3, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three Hebrew men that were threatened with being burned alive in a fiery furnace if they didn't bow their knee to the King's idol? They told the king that their God was able to deliver them from the fire, but that, even if He didn't, they would still be delivered in the fire from the wicked king. You see, they didn't allow the threat of being tortured and killed by fire make them go back on their faith in God. Here's the clincher! Since they chose to suffer for their faith, God kept them with HIS resurrection power while they were in the furnace. When we choose to suffer for the sake of Christ instead of giving into the will of our flesh (self), then God will give us, in exchange for our trust, His mighty power to confront, endure, and conqueror our enemy. Then we will know our God and be strong.  

As we are conformed unto the death of Christ, in order that the body of sin might be done away with, we are at the same time, through our faith, partaking of His resurrection power. As we partake of God's resurrection power during the furnaces of our life, we also know that death has no power over our souls either. You might be asking, "Why does God put us through all these trials and afflictions? Does He want to kill us?" NO! He wants us, through faith in Him, to crucify the flesh nature so that we might become partakers of His DIVINE nature and overcome the last enemy which is death.  

Hebrews 2 : 14 - 15, Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. NKJV 

Through our faith and God's amazing GRACE, He empowers us to live a life of spiritual freedom in spite of Satan's attacks against us. He sent Jesus to set us free from sin through His death and to liberate us through His life in us from the fear of death so that we can obey His Word. So the next time you're faced with an unthinkable horror, remember this: You're a child of the Most High God, and He is with you to empower you with resurrection power. His power will carry you through if you will submit to His will as Paul did.   

Submitted to His GRACE, 

Pastor Asa

Sharing Your Testimony

Exodus 4: 19, Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead." NKJV 

There are two principles of grace that I want to share with you today. Since all of us have sinned and come short of God's glory, we all need God's grace to save us. In order to be saved (become born again), we must access God's grace through our faith in Christ. Everyone that has confessed Jesus as Savior and Lord should already know about this side of God's grace. But once we become born again, we must continue to walk by faith; then, through grace, we can obey God's will and serve His purpose in our new life in Christ.

The first principle of grace is given to us when, as a sinner, we become broken over our sins against the Lord. Because Jesus has already paid the price for our sins with His blood (the cross), through this principle of grace, we are empowered to overcome Satan, sin, and receive the Spirit of Christ into our hearts. God gives us "saving" grace so that we can walk away from our past life...a life where sin held us captive. 

After we become born again, we are then able to receive the second principle of grace; this grace offers a different kind of work in a Christian's life. Through this grace, we now have the dunamis power of God to live a holy life and obey His commands... especially when He tells us to go back and face our past (this time through faith). 

In today's passage from the Word, God told Moses to return to Egypt and be His mouthpiece to Pharaoh and Israel. If you're not familiar with Moses' story, he is a fugitive who is on the run from Egypt, because he killed an Egyptian. Moses was hiding out in the plains of Midian near Horeb, the mountain of God. It is at this point in Moses' life that God appears to him and calls him to deliver His (God's) people, Israel. Now put yourself in Moses' shoes for a moment. God is commanding Moses to go back into his past in order to serve His purpose in Egypt. Obviously, if Moses obeys, God's purpose will cause him to have to face his past mistakes. Would you not agree that this might be a little intimidating to say the least... even though God reassured Moses that those who sought to kill him were dead? 

After the Lord gave Moses his marching orders and announced to him that he didn't have to worry about those who sought him, He told Moses that He was with him and not to be afraid. You may be asking, "But what does this have to do with me as a Christian?" You and I have a past, and the Lord won't allow our past to keep us from fulfilling a glorious future in Christ; so He will use our testimony of the grace of God that saved us from our past to inspire others to believe in Jesus for themselves.

As you share your testimony, you are being like Moses in that you are going back into your past life; but now you have a good ending, because of God's grace. BUT GOD!!! In order to have the boldness to share your testimony about your past with others, you will need the grace of God to empower you to face your fears, confront them, and conquer them. So while God is using your testimony to deliver others, like Moses delivered the children of Israel, He is at the same time building godly character in you as you confront your fears. In conclusion, once again, as Moses ran from his past, we also ran. Now we no longer run from our past, but through grace, we are confronting it. It is through our willingness to share our testimony of God's saving grace with others that God saves others and liberates us from fear. God doesn't miss a beat. That's why He's God.

Walking in My Future,

Pastor Asa

Rise up Church!

2 Chronicles 20 : 14 - 17, Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you." NKJV

It's time for the church to array ourselves in the whole armor of God, and then get into our positions in Christ. We must be careful to seek the Lord about this battle that we are fighting, lest we run ahead of God and suffer loss. Since the battle belongs to the Lord, it is imperative that we go to God first, asking Him for instructions, timing, and wisdom. By seeking the Lord and obeying His commands of advancement, we are bringing ourselves into alignment with His authority. This will assure the victory for the kingdom of God and His saints. If it is God's battle, then don't we need to ask God how to win it? Absolutely! Consequently, we need to position ourselves (or get into agreement with) the mind of God about moving forward. 

Why does the Lord repeatedly have to tell us, His people, to position ourselves? It is because we are easily distracted from our mission of fulfilling God's purpose because it takes TIME to see it accomplished. We often grow weary, discouraged, and become distracted while waiting on the timing of God. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has to call us back into position before He can advance us in His plan. After we get into our spiritual position in Christ, we must give the Lord our undivided attention; and then, we are commanded to "stand still." 

When we bring our hearts into submission by choosing to obey the Father's heart, we will need to shut out all distractions and voices from the world. If we turn off the noise and chatter of the world for merely a week, it will amaze us at how much better we can discern and listen to the voice of God. When He tells us to be still, it means that we are allowing outside forces to have an influence in our lives, consequently, we must listen only to His instructions. We are living in very dangerous times; therefore, it is essential for our spiritual well-being that we hear the Lord clearly.

Once these two phases of our preparation (positioning and being still) are carried out, the Lord can show Himself strong on our behalf; and then allow us to secure the victory. We will see with our own eyes the unveiling of His plan to win this spiritual battle... for His glory. This is a clarion call to the children of God: Get into position and heed the voice of God as never before. As you do, you will begin to hear the Holy Spirit give you specific instructions that will equip you to engage in the battle. We must be careful to do ONLY what God has shown us for us to do, lest we invite warfare into our lives unnecessarily.  

If we listen to God and carry out His instructions, then we have gained the victory in the biggest part of the spiritual battle because we are giving the Lord His rightful place in our lives, to oversee and to protect us in His battle. Even though God has called us into battle, we must not take it personally because that is a trap of Satan. We are to keep our hearts and eyes on Jesus, doing what we are told. Stay in step with the Holy Spirit, and He will keep you from the adversary's devices. It's time for the church to rise up and take its position. Like Jesus, we must be about our Father's business. 

Being Led by the Lord,
Pastor Asa Dockery

It's Friday, but Sunday Is Coming

1 Corinthians 15: 22 - 26, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. NKJV

The validity of the entire Bible rests upon one event... the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Paul uses different terminology; nevertheless, the sentiment is the same. If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and our faith is also empty (or in vain.) Let's take this discussion to a deeper level. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead proved that He was, indeed, the Son of God. It also demonstrated that He had authority over death, hell, and the grave. His resurrection also attested to His sinless life. By these, we know beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus pleased the Father and redeemed us from the curse of sin. 

Let's digress for a moment. God warned Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge, lest he die. However, since Adam didn't heed the warning of God, he sinned; and consequently, brought death upon all mankind. From the time of Adam until the time of Jesus' resurrection, humanity lived under the bondage of fear and death. Outside faith in God's promises of the coming Messiah, no one had any hope of defeating death and leaving the grave. 

The result or consequence of sin was, and still is death. Death symbolizes the cessation of life or the separation of mankind from God, who IS life. In order for someone to have power over death, they would first have to overcome sin completely. The writer of Hebrews says that our High Priest (Jesus) was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. There was no deceit in His mouth. Nevertheless, the scribes, the Pharisees, and most of the Jews refused to believe that Jesus was their Messiah. They couldn't accept the truth that Jesus was the Son of God, and that He lived a sinless life, even though He gave them many infallible proofs. 

As the day drew closer for Jesus' passion, He warned His disciples of what would transpire when He returned to Jerusalem for Passover. When they heard what the elders would do to Him, they tried to prevent Him from going because they wanted to spare Him from suffering and death. These men understood the finality of death more than they understood that Jesus was the Son of God. Had they understood and accepted the truth of Jesus' identity and of His mandate from God to give Himself as the ransom for the souls of mankind, they would not have tried to stop Him from going to the cross. It was very difficult for them to believe that Jesus actually had the authority of God to overcome death, hell, and the grave. 

The DAY finally arrived for Jesus to make His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. A multitude of worshippers laid down palm branches to welcome their King. However, a few days later, the same crowd that had ushered Him into town with worship, and praise turned on Him and demanded that He be crucified. What caused the people to turn their hearts from worshipping Jesus to becoming angry and demanding His death? We know from what Jesus had previously told His disciples about the elders, scribes, and Pharisees that they were the reason for the revolt. Nevertheless, they were fulfilling the reason for Jesus' arrival on earth. 

Questions were flooding the hearts of those who secretly believed Jesus' teachings. Was Jesus really the Son of God? Did He actually tell them the truth when He taught them in their synagogues? There was only one way to lay their concerns and doubts about Him to rest, and that was through Jesus' crucifixion. On the dawn of the first day of the week, the two Marys came to the tomb to finish preparing Jesus' body for burial. However, when they approached the entrance of the borrowed tomb, they saw that Jesus was missing. Later, Jesus appeared to Mary and told her that He was raised from the dead and instructed her to tell His disciples the "GOOD NEWS."

The moment of vindication and authentication had finally arrived. Jesus overcame death, hell, and the grave. This was the proof that all of mankind needed in order to know, beyond any doubt, the true identity of Jesus. There would no longer be any need to question Him or to look for another man to be their Messiah. The truth that Jesus had come back from the dead and walked among His people for forty days before His ascension was proof positive He was the Son of God; and that He had pleased the Father. It also gave the Jews and all of mankind the hope that there is life beyond the grave. 

God, our heavenly Father, used death, which was the result of sin, to prove that He has all power over sin and death. Had it not been for the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, no one would have ever known the love that God has for humanity. We would have never known that God has authority over sin and death; and through His Son we can have victory over them as well. Aren't you thankful today that Jesus didn't listen to His disciples, who told Him to stay away from Jerusalem? Thank God for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We shall live and not die, if we have placed our hope and faith in Him.

Happy Resurrection Day, 

Pastor Asa Dockery

Fit For the Kingdom of God

Luke 9: 56 - 62, For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." NKJV

In the context of today's scripture, Jesus tells us that He didn't come to destroy men's (women's) lives, but to save them. Later in the passages, Jesus asked some men to follow Him. However, they all gave an excuse why they couldn't follow at that moment. Do you realize that same mindset is still alive and well in the church today? People want to be saved; nevertheless, they aren't concerned with following through by serving the purpose that God has saved them to accomplish.

In the western world, we have made Christianity all about being saved. Unfortunately, we have omitted the key component to walking in salvation, which is following the commands of Christ. In Matthew 10: 38, Jesus tells us that if we don't take up OUR cross and FOLLOW Him, then we are not worthy of Him. Notice in both scripture references today Jesus' focus isn't on salvation. His attention is on us following His lead and doing what He says, when He says to do it.

The men who "wanted to follow Jesus" didn't want to do so on Jesus' terms, but on their own terms. When you and I came to Christ, it was because we didn't have life; and we desired that He give us His life. However, now that we've accepted His life, does it mean that we are free to do as we please, or do what He requires of us whenever it's convenient for us? According to the verses that I've given you today, the answer is NO!

Jesus also instructs His followers in Matthew 16: 24 that we are to deny self. This is depicted in today's text by Jesus rejecting those who said they "desired" to follow Him; nevertheless, they excused themselves in order to do something they esteemed "more important" at the time. We may tend to think that this teaching is harsh. However, we need to remember that hell is eternal, and the rejection of Christ's invitation to follow Him is too serious to be taken lightly. 

Throughout his epistles, Paul teaches about being a true disciple of Christ. He tells us to crucify self by dying to the desires of our old man; when we are dead to our fleshly ways, we can then live for Christ. Paul also teaches us that our life in Christ is not ours; it is His, and we should live "the life" that is pleasing to Him. Christianity isn't based on convenience; it is based on commitment. If we aren't committed to following Christ, then Jesus tells us that we're not fit for the kingdom. 

Finally, in Matthew 6: 33 Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Placing Jesus and His will before our own makes it easier for us to forsake this world and its pleasures for an eternal reward. 

Throughout the gospels, you will find that Jesus was always very gracious and longsuffering with people's ways so that He might gain their trust. Even so, whenever someone came to Him, or when He called on them to do something, you will see that He was harder on them than those who just sought Him for a miracle. It is better not to make a vow to the Lord than it is to make one and then break it.

Deuteronomy 23: 21 - 23, "When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth. NKJV

Let's be doers of the word, not just hearers; and then we can all fulfill Hebrew's 10:39, But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. NKJV

Following Christ and Denying Self,
Pastor Asa Dockery 

Walking in the Overflow

Genesis 1 : 27 - 28, So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." NKJV

When you received the Spirit of Christ into your heart, God blessed you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It might not have seemed like you were blessed the minute you were saved. Nonetheless, you were because you were reconnected to the Vine. When you received the love of God into your heart, you also received the life of God. The life of God empowers us to grow spiritually so that we can become who God intended us to be. However, although we have the life of God dwelling in our hearts, we still need to make the time to be in God's presence. In God's presence is FULNESS of joy (Joy is the fruit of the Spirit).

In John 15, Jesus tells us that apart from Him, we can do nothing. He also warns us to abide in Him (the Vine) so that we will bear fruit. If we don't abide, continue, and dwell in Him, we will wither spiritually. It's not enough for us to have the life of God; if we desire to be filled and produce fruit in the spirit, we must also live in the presence of God. 

In Christ, we are indeed blessed, but are we filled? Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 6 that if we hunger and thirst for His righteousness, we will be filled. After the Lord blessed Adam and Eve, He gave them instructions. He commanded them to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. Even so, it's impossible to fill something if we're drawing from an empty vessel. Therefore, if we're going to be blessed enough that we are able to bless others, then we must first be filled. As we abide in the Vine and bask in the presence of the Lord, He begins to fill us with Himself. Consequently, because of the overflow of our communion with the Lord, others can partake of the blessings that are released on us. 

Abraham walked with God; and as a result of his persistent faith, He was greatly blessed with physical things. Because Lot walked with blessed Abraham, he became blessed as well. Do you see how the overflow is supposed to operate? When we continue to walk with the Lord, others become blessed by the overflow of our communion with Him. Nevertheless, we must remain connected to the Vine long-term, if we want our abundant blessings to spill over onto the lives of others. 

There can be times in our walk with God that we may feel as if we have been uprooted. Sometimes it seems as if we have found momentum in our walk, we begin to produce, and suddenly the flow gets disrupted. Consequently, we may find it difficult or impossible to be faithful in our walk with the Lord long-term.  When this happens, the enemy is trying to prevent us from being filled; if we are not filled, how can our overflow bless others? It is certain that Satan does not want us blessed; however, neither does he want us so blessed that we're able to bless others who walk with us. 

Like Abraham, there will be those times in your life where distractions and attractions to "good" things have to be left behind. We must always keep God first in our hearts and in our walk, if we want to be a blessing to others. Your heavenly Father wants you to be so blessed that others become blessed just being around you. It's time for the children of God to be filled and to walk in the overflow of God's presence and blessings.

Abiding in the Overflow,
Pastor Asa Dockery

Lose the Condemnation and Find Freedom

Romans 8: 1 - 4, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. NKJV

Paul was having a great day in the Holy Spirit when he wrote these passages on freedom in Christ. When Jesus came to earth, it was to save us from our sin, not to condemn us. If we have accepted Christ as Savior, we have been born again. However, we were born the first time as sinners, and as a result, we still have some residue from our old flesh nature that spills over into our new lives. When we have a sin conscious, it makes us feel guilty; and when our flesh nature gets into the mix, it makes us feel unworthy or less-than.

If we struggle with FEELINGS of unworthiness, and we're in need of a touch from God, the unworthiness can be a stumbling block to us receiving our answer. Therefore, we must overcome any feelings of guilt and/or unworthiness so that we can freely receive what Jesus has already paid in full for us to have. It's just a matter of us being able to receive the love of God into our hearts.

It's time we get past the old mindsets of the sin and flesh nature and begin to walk in, and declare our new identity in Christ. If we are in Christ, then we are a brand-new creature in Him; old things must now pass away, and this includes feelings of inadequacy. We all have weaknesses and blind spots that the enemy of our soul will try to hold over us. Nonetheless, if we look to Jesus and realize that it's not Him condemning us, it is our old man who is accusing us; we can overcome and receive spiritual freedom.

The best and quickest way to grow past any negative feelings or weaknesses of the flesh nature is to be certain that we are living according to the Spirit and not according to the dictates and desires of our flesh nature. We can overcome the flesh nature daily through our obedience to the Holy Spirit. Once our obedience is matured, we will have confidence over the voices of the flesh nature and begin to enjoy our new-found freedom in Christ. (The key is being persistent and consistent until we get the breakthrough that we need to silence the lies of the enemy.) 

If this word describes you, and you have struggled to walk in the freedom of Christ as a child of God, then start practicing your liberty in Christ today. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any areas in your life where your flesh has control instead of God. When you have identified these areas, then you can begin the process of crucifying the flesh through obedience... until condemnation is no more. You can do this! Christ will give you the strength to face any fear, guilt, or shame that may stand in the way of you walking in total freedom.

Walking It Out, 

Pastor Asa Dockery