What Is the Kingdom of God

 New Lessons About the Kingdom

Book of Matthew Chapter 13

We now get to listen in as the Lord Jesus Christ preached in a new way.

The Lord Jesus loved to use parables.

We may not know as much as we like to about the Kingdom of Heaven, but because of King Jesus and His preaching, we know much more of those things that were once mysteries to those who were gathered, to hear the Lord Jesus preach.

The Lord Jesus uses these parables to describe the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven.

So what is a parable?

A parable is a representation of something that is real in life or in nature from which a certain thing is drawn for instruction.

A parable is a mode of speaking for us to learn spiritual things.

A parable is an earthly truth that expresses a Heavenly truth!

A parable is an earthly comparison to a Spiritual truth!

Let us listen to the Lord Jesus:

*****Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 

Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 

Mat 13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 

Jesus had just preached a sermon and He had healed some who had faith but remember Jesus found not much faith in Capernaum.

Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Since the Lord Jesus had begun His ministry, He had no time to rest so, after a tiring day Jesus just went out to the Sea of Galilee to enjoy a moment of tranquility but it did not last long so, Jesus began to teach some truths of the Kingdom of Heaven.

We should understand that a parable is not a fable.

A fable is just a fictitious story or some legend that may or may not have existed.

A parable was a means of teaching the truth in a fashion that could be easily understood.

We first meet the sower. In the next parable we find this sower is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

These first two parables set the standard for all the remaining parables.

A sower would sow seed. Today we would say broadcast, casting seed out by hand.

Most time the seed of a crop would be cast upon plowed ground, but this was not always the case.

In some soils the seed was cast before the plowing.

In some wet soils the seed would be trodden down by animals.

Isa 32:20  Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass. 

The one thing we should clearly understand is that the seed of the Christian is the precious Word of God, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Gospel Seed that will bring great results when presented the right way!

Pro 11:18  The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. 

Psa 126:1  When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. 

Psa 126:2  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. 

Psa 126:3  The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. 

Psa 126:4  Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. 

Psa 126:5  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 

Psa 126:6  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. 

Now let us hear this great parable of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must be careful where we sow the "Gospel Seed"!

*****Mat 13:4  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 

The first danger in sowing the "Gospel Seed" is to sow it upon prepared ground. If the seed is not placed where it can be covered then the birds will come and devour the seed.

I know birds have keen sight but as one who loves to feed the birds, they must have another sense that directs them to seed.

There was always a foot path to divide one field from another and seed that dropped on that foot path just could not grow into a useful plant.

On the day, this parable was taught, this sower was the Lord Jesus Himself.

He as our example, is teaching some who might become future sowers of the Word of God.

The ground that is plowed with the "Gospel Plow" (Grace) is ready to receive the "Gospel Seed"(Word of God).

What we should know is that these "fowl" represent that "wicked thing" we know of as Satan.

*****Mat 13:5  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 

Mat 13:6  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 

There are many today who claim to have received the truth of the Lord, but their hearts are so hardened by their sin they just cannot accept it as the complete truth.

It is like seed that lands on stony ground where there is not enough soil to provide the nourishment to the seed. That soil will dry and become nothing, but dust and that seed will never produce.

Stony ground is cold like a cold heart. These people have no spiritual warmth because the Holy Spirit has not moved in.

What did God say?

Eze 11:19  And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 

Eze 11:20  That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 

This is exactly what happened to Israel, their hearts turned to stone!

Zec 7:12  Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. 

Zec 7:13  Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: 

Zec 7:14  But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate. 

Remember we serve an unchanging God and stony hearts cannot receive the rainfall from Heaven and they cannot get into Heaven!

Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

They will be scorched by the Sun without having received the Son!

They have no root in themselves.

When we find a Bible believing Church, the Lord teaches us "to put our roots in" so we can grow in Christ.

When we have no root then we cannot grow, we must endure!

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

Just hearing the Word of God preached and taught will not get you to Heaven, you must receive the Word of God as the truth.

*****Mat 13:7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 

Thorny ground is deceptive ground. When we see growth in bare ground, where weeds grow, we think well "anything" can grow in that place, but this is never true.

Any growth from that seed will soon be choked out.

Thorny ground represents those who receive the Word of God but just want to add it to their lives as they exist and not repent of their sinful ways.

This is the theme of the queer and lesbian and the cross-gender movement today and many other sinners. 

They say God made them the way they are, and we just need to accept them for who they are, but God teaches us all that we must be "Born Again".

God forgave me of my sin, but He told me to go and sin no more. It is called to repent!

The Lord Jesus Christ did not come to die just so I could hold on to my sin!

The Bible says:

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  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. 

Those thorns are the cares of this world!

They prick and stick the Word of God, until what God says is meaningless to them. 

Those with their minds on this world do not have their minds upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

This world will hinder, irritate, aggravate and trouble a person from pursuing the truth of God!

The deceitfulness of riches is also thorns, that keep us from the truth of God!

When we become self-confident or self-dependent, we have rejected the truth of God who says we need Him!

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We cannot change the truth of God or it would no longer be the truth!

2Co 13:8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

Some people see wealth as a blessing from God, but this is rarely the case.

God would never put us in a place where we would feel that we do not need Him!

Then there are some seed that lands on good fertile soil that has been prepared by the Holy Spirit.

*****Mat 13:8  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

The tender heart that has been plowed with the "Gospel Plow" will reproduce the "Gospel Seed"!

The Gospel is not hard to understand.

That Seed is not just the Word of God, but it is the Gospel Seed of the Lord Jesus Christ, the "Good News"!

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 

Not every believer is the same:

Eph 4:6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Not all believers are equal.

Some will work harder than others, but we must also realize the location where Christians do that work.

Remember Moses preached 120 years and only his family went with him on the Ark.

So yes, some may produce 30-fold and others 100-fold, but the object is still to be busy about the work of the Lord once we are saved.

The production of the Gospel Seed lies in the hands of our Savior!

As my Pastor says: "the Holy Spirit was not given to us for our enjoyment, He was given to us for our employment" and this is true.

The Holy Spirit gave us all the Word of God and Jesus says we need to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying!

Now Jesus teaches these parables to His disciples!

*****Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 

Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 

We see immediately that the key to salvation and the work given us by the Lord is understanding the Word of God.

What is the "word of the kingdom"? It can be none other than the "Gospel"!

The "Gospel" is the Words of Salvation saved for us by the Holy Spirit!

The Gospel is pure as Jesus is pure and it is the truth of a Holy God!

Jesus teaches these disciples to hear these parables according to the privileges given to them.

Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 

You see it is a privilege to be called of God and then be presented the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

It is these soon to be Apostles who were given the privilege first to deliver the "Gospel" to the world!

We must understand that when we present the "Gospel" to some lost soul who has been called of God, then Satan will immediately come to that person to discredit the Gospel in some way.

The Devil will snatch away the truth of the "Gospel"!

The Devil hates the Lord Jesus Christ and will do his best to keep everyone out of Heaven.

He cannot go himself and he does not want anyone else to get there.

It is easier to understand when we understand the truth of the Devil.

*****Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 

Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 

Rocky ground has not much soil, but it will grow seed until the Sun rises and draws out all the moisture and that seed will die.

In many a person there is an enthusiastic receiving of the truth of God. 

Oh how they welcome the truth at least until the real truth sets in.

As Christians we live in an evil and wicked world where we are hated.

Persecution is real folks.

That old heart that was never broken by the "Gospel Plow" has no real life within it.

They have a form of "godliness, but they know not the reality of God's power and the power of everlasting life.

The Lord says to stay away from these people.

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

The Lord says they are ever learning but never able to grasp the truth of Jesus.

2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

We must understand that being a Christian will draw Satan's crowd near to us to cause persecution.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

This is the place where many so-called Christians go back to their old lives of sin!

But there are still others.

*****Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

We all know that the love of money is the root behind all the evil in this world!

1Ti_6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The deceit of riches does hinder, the growth of the Word of God within us!

In our world today sinful so-called pleasures go unhindered. Free to roam this world to cause destruction.

Plagues such as we have just gone through, will make things even worse.

People will become more dependent upon government, which by the way was probably more involved in the cause than we want to admit.

The cares of this world will come to the forefront.

Anxiety and future uncertainty will rule lives that are not dependent upon God.

The Word of God will be choked out by fear of what tomorrow might bring, because they refuse to believe the God who holds tomorrow in His hands.

There will be a great falling away which we see today!

2Th_2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

God has already told us of all these things.

1) We see that the Devil snatches up and devours.

2) We see the Flesh attempts and fails.

3) We see the World surrounds and chokes.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ could have spoken such a simple parable with such a deep and far-reaching meaning.

But there will always be that true believer!

*****Mat 13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 

There will always be some who hear the truth and cling to the truth for evermore!

What did the Lord our God say?

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

1) There is hearing.

2) There is understanding.

3) There is "faith".

Without "faith" there is no reproduction!

Through "faith" there is fruit bearing and producing!

These things come by a receptive, teachable heart that is prepared by "Grace"!

Amen

Knowing That Man Behind the Pulpit

Identification of False Spirits

Book of 1 John Chapter 4 Verse 1-6

What is our spirit? Our spirit is that part of us that is not flesh and bones!

The words of Jesus: Luk 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

What is the soul? It is our soul that controls the power of our spirit!

Pro 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

This is why the Lord saves our soul and fills us with His Spirit!

Php_1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

In our bodies of flesh it is the spirit that can be said to be the breath of life!

Gen 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

This is why our own spirit must be replaced with the Holy Spirit who has the breath of eternal life!

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Having said all these things to get us started.

What are the traits of the Holy Spirit?

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

What are the fruits of our old spirit?

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

We know that John has been teaching us about false teachers, apostasy, and false doctrine, and we must understand who and what we are and why!

It is in our own actions that we can determine if we truly love God!

It is in the actions of others that we can tell if they love God!

It is in our own truthful confession of the Lord, that we can know the "Spirit of Truth"!

1Jn_4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Joh_14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

When we study the Scriptures, we will understand how the different spirits can influence our life:

On the Good side:

1) Spirit of God

2) Spirit of wisdom

3) Spirit of the Lord

4) Spirit of knowledge

5) Spirit of understanding

6) Spirit of counsel of His might

7) Spirit of humility

8) Spirit of heaviness

9) Spirit of Grace

10)Spirit of truth.

11)Spirit 0f holiness

12 Spirit of life

13)Spirit of meekness

14)Spirit of faith

15)Spirit of your mind (that has been renewed)

16)Spirit of the fear of the Lord

17)Spirit of glory

18)Spirit of life

19)Spirit of prophecy

On the bad side:

1) Spirit of jealousy

2) Spirit of the ruler

3) Spirit of judgment

4) Spirit of burning

4) Spirit of whoredoms

5) Spirit of the unclean devil

6) Spirit of infirmity

7) Spirit of divination

8) Spirit of slumber

9) Spirit of the world

10)Spirit of fear

11)Spirit of the Antichrist

12)Spirit of error

It is very important that we understand the spirit, because all of our functions are under the control of our spirit!

Ecc_3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

*****1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

What is wrong with the modern-day church? The Church is not trying the spirits!

It is easy to say, "I'm a Christian" but the reality of that is, "whose rules do you follow"?

If those behind the pulpits do not speak according to the Word of God, then they are not of God. It’s just that simple!

If those who are teaching do not teach the actual Word of God, then they are not of God. It’s just that simple!

In the Word of God we are commanded not to sit in judgment of others so, instead of being judgmental then all we must do is look at the facts.

To try the spirit is to put to the test the principles they follow!

How can we tell if we really love God? We can tell by the Spirit of the preachers and Teachers we are following!

The "beloved", God's children, will not follow those who are not true believers themselves!

Jesus put it this way:

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

The false teacher will present a way that seems like the truth but by seeing if they live by the true Word themselves, you will see the difference!

We can hear those things that say, "God did this and God did that", but we better hear that God is Jesus Christ!

We had better hear about the Triune God! God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!

A false teacher may seem to preach all the right things without living as if he knows the truth.

They will use Science to teach us the things of nature.

They will teach that the laws of Science are based on facts and are absolutely uniform.

They will teach that the human race is elevated above all animals but in accordance to the laws of nature.

They will twist all these things around until all of a sudden you realize they have rejected a Divine Creator, so they are liars!

They will teach that the kingdoms of the world are necessary to maintain order and suppress violence, and repel wars but none of these things can work without the Church and the Holy Spirit, so again they are liars!

They are the great philosophers, and writers, and thinkers, who speak of great things, many in the mega churches of today, but if you read their works you will see that they speak many things against true Christianity. Very seldom do they teach their thoughts on Jesus Christ because they are all liars!

The religionist will teach great respect for Christianity, but they will be in opposition to Christian principles.

Well known, so called godly men, will say great prayers without mentioning Jesus Christ for fear they might offend someone.

If they are offended at the name of Christ, then they are antichrist. It’s just that simple!

America was once known as a Christian nation, but look what is going on in our streets, in our societies, in our politics and in our Churches, which tell an entirely different story!

Just how does God feel about that false preacher and that false teacher?

Deu 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,

Deu 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

Deu 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deu 13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Has God changed for this stance He took a few thousand years ago? No, He never changes!

Jesus said these people were coming and believe me they are here!

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

So how are we to know them?

*****1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

Jesus Christ is the Messiah! Plant that in your memory!

So many are looking for some messiah and some great movement of God and it has already started!

Not quite 2000 years ago there was a babe born of a virgin in Bethlehem just as the Old Testament Scriptures had declared!

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

His name was Jesus and this name was given to Him by the Holy Spirit, who is also God. The name Jesus means Savior!

Luk_1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luk_2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

You see it is what you believe about Jesus Christ that makes you a Christian or not a Christian. There is no other measurement!

You cannot just believe in Him you must believe on Him!

The Bible says Jesus fed 5000 with two small fishes and five small loaves of bread, you had better believe it!

Mat 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Mat 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Mat 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Jesus said Jonah was swallowed by a whale and three days later, he was spit out to preach in Nineveh, you had better believe it or you are calling Jesus a liar.

Mat_12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The Bible says Jesus died for my sins. I truly believe that this is true! You had better believe that He died for your sins because this is also the truth!

Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Jesus said he would rise from the grave in three days to prove He is God. I believe this is true!

Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Mat 27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Jesus said He is God and you had better believe this is true, because it is!

Jesus said there are no other gods and I believe this is true because it is!

You do not belong to God unless you are a home for the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will never live in a house of sin!

If you cannot believe that Jesus is the Messiah that has come and will come again one day, then you cannot be filled with God, the Holy Spirit!

The only way for you to believe a lie is that you must reject the truth and every "word" about the Lord Jesus Christ is true. In fact every "word" is so true the Apostle John said He could be known as "the Word"!

1Jn_5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Every spirit that confesses all these things are true are the children of God!

All those that reject the truth of Jesus do not belong to God!!!!!!!

*****1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

We live in a world full of counterfeits!

There is no Christianity without there also be hypocrites.

There is no gold without there also be tin.

There is not wheat without there also be tares.

There is no truth without there also be lies.

There is no Christ without there also be Antichrist!

We must understand that we cannot bow down to everything that resembles God!

This is the exact way the Antichrist will take over this world. He will appear to be the Messiah!

This will be in appearance only. If his spirit is tested, he will easily be seen as an impostor.

We already know the truth of the Messiah. He came in the flesh born of the virgin Mary.

We already know the circumstances of the return of the Messiah, our Savior. He will meet His Church in the clouds.

Any other counterfeit that does not measure up is exactly that, a counterfeit of the Antichrist.

Those that confess things other than these are also antichrist! Counterfeit Christians. Hypocrites!

There are many spirits in the world and most all of them are spirits who deny the truth of Jesus Christ!

The false teacher will not commit to Jesus Christ the Savior.

The false teacher will not commit to Jesus Christ the Messiah.

The false teacher will not commit to Jesus Christ, come down from Heaven, taking on the flesh of man, dyeing a sinners death, rising from that death as God and returning to His throne in Heaven, to give us time to believe or to not believe His wonderful plan of salvation for all mankind!

When the false teacher denies Jesus Christ, they have denied God and are bound for Hell!

The false teacher will destroy the truth of salvation when they are given the opportunity to do so!

The false teacher will destroy the hope of a lost and dyeing world if they are listened to.

All those who declare they are made of God but remain in sin are the disciples of false teachers.

The proof remains, are we trying to be like Jesus Christ and know that He is the God of Heaven come down in the flesh to save those who believe Him?

What did Jesus say?

Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Jesus came to separate the Christian from the Counterfeits!

We know for sure these false teachers are in the world and America is already feeling the damage from the works of their lyes.

These antichrists are raising up with a loud voice because it is almost time for the Antichrist to come out from his darkness into the light of man.

Remember our study of 2 Peter.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

There has never been a time in all history that these things have been more truer than they are now!

All the conditions are in place for the man of sin to step out onto the scene but there is another truth also.

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

The Lord our Savior is far more powerful than any Antichrist.

All those He has given victory will remain in that victory!

How is this possible?

*****1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

All these things teach us the answers to our own questions! When we ask, do we belong to God? Then the answer lies in Jesus Christ.

Does Jesus have a home in our heart? Do we believe all the things of Jesus Christ? Do we trust our Savior?

Have we been born again into the family of God?

When we can answer these questions with Jesus, then we know we are in the family of God because we know the truth!

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

These are the very words of our Savior.

When we know these things then we can overcome all the teachings of false teachers and false preachers!

You see the Holy Spirit cannot fail, when you cling to Jesus Christ!

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

You see the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) is much more powerful than the Devil!

The Holy Spirit will assist us in every purpose that is opposed by the Devil!

The Holy Spirit has more freedom to touch the hearts and the minds of man than the Devil can ever have!

There is nothing and no one, who has the power of the Holy Spirit, but He as God will never force His ways upon us!

We can only have access to His power by Jesus Christ!

We have only one thing we are to do, and this is, we must play by God's rules!

Jesus said:

Joh_14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh_15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

The reason we are on the winning side is because we have a Mighty Savior!

The Antichrist is no stronger than just a thought in the Mind of Christ Jesus, and he can be tossed into the Burning Lake of Fire by the smallest Angel in Heaven at any time God so chooses!

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Our enemy has never been those who are lost. Our enemy has always been the Devil and his spiritual followers! His demons.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Those who follow the Devil are those who have fallen into the lyes of the Devil's world!

*****1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

You want to see the greatest test of false teachers? Look at those who follow them and see how they live!

And then see how the world responds to them.

Remember the world hates Jesus Christ and those who love Him.

If there is anything Satan is wise about, he is wise with the wisdom of those who are in Hell.

It is the wisdom of evil that is passed to those principalities, to those powers, to those rulers of darkness (Satan's demons, fallen angels), to those with spiritual wickedness in high places.

These are the voices we hear when we listen to the false news. These are the voices we hear from the United Nations. These are the voices we hear from all those who oppose Christianity. These are the voices we hear that oppose Israel. These are the voices we hear of all those who oppose the Church!

Luk 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

These are the voices the world is listening to and these voices are drowning out the voice of the Church!

Jesus will return to do what the Church has not been able to do!

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

The Bible says Satan will keep them happy with things that affect their senses!

Mic 2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

This is the sort of stuff that the world loves to hear!

Luk_17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

These are not to be the ways of the children of God!

*****1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

After becoming a child of God, the greatest advantage we have over those who reject God is the fact that we can speak directly to God Himself.

God ears are always open to hear His children!

God listens, God convicts, God leads us to do right. God will lead us away from those who choose wrong!

You see whenever we are in doubt, we can converse with God through prayer. We can converse with the Holy Spirit in the Word of God and it can be said we can converse with Jesus Christ through the red lettered words but understanding the Holy Spirit gave us all the Word of God.

You can see that we can know the truth and it is the truth that makes us free from the falseness of Satan.

Those that trust Satan are losers because Satan is a loser!

Those that trust the world are losers because the world follows Satan.

Those that trust nature are losers because God is Spiritual, and the natural world will perish.

Those who follow the spirit of error cannot speak or cannot be heard by the only One who can save them!

Those who trust anything, but God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will never even get a smell of Heaven, but they will see plenty of ever-burning fire!

We should be able to look around at the people around us and see if they follow the spirit of truth or if they follow the spirit of error.

This is the thing that breaks my heart every day when I see some of my grandchildren following the spirit of error!

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Joh 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

While Jesus walked upon this earth, even as God in the flesh, He said "even I follow all the Word of God"!

It is not hard to know the truth it may be hard to do the truth but by Jesus Christ even this is possible!

1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The truth comes by Jesus Christ who then seals us with the Holy Spirit!

There is only one Holy Spirit!

Amen

Let's Pray!