Heavenly Words Strengthen Us
An all-creatures Bible Message

Heavenly Words Strengthen Us
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
20 May 2018
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Psalm 104:24-35
John 16:1-15
Romans 8:18-27

Heavenly words strengthen us so we can stand against all the corrupt and evil ways that surround us here on earth.
 
Worldly words spiritually weaken us, because they separate us from the Lord, and can actually lead to our destruction.
 
Unfortunately, many people say that they are true believers, but have no idea how spiritual words strengthen us, because they still desire to live in the ways of this corrupt and evil world.
 
We can’t have it both ways; we are either a part of God’s heavenly will, or we are a part of the devil’s corrupt and evil ways; there is no middle ground.
 
In Psalm 104:24-35, we see the words of a person who knows the ways and will of the Lord.

24. O LORD, how many are Thy works!
In wisdom Thou hast made them all;
The earth is full of Thy possessions.

This is true, but most people have either directly corrupted the earth or gone along with the corrupt and evil ways of this world.
 
Heavenly words strengthen us to remain in the heavenly will of God and reject the evil ways of this world, but most people reject God’s heavenly will because they like the way things are on earth.

25. There is the sea, great and broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.

Unfortunately, worldly people have killed most of the sea’s living beings, and polluted the waters through their ungodly acts.

26. There the ships move along,
And Leviathan, which Thou hast formed to sport in it.

We don’t really know who Leviathan is, but if he is some unknown sea being, there are far too many worldly people who would love nothing more than to kill him rather than love him as we are to love ourselves.

27. They all wait for Thee,
To give them their food in due season.
 
28. Thou dost give to them, they gather it up;
Thou dost open Thy hand, they are satisfied with good.

The animals may be satisfied, but most humans seem to be never satisfied with what the Lord has given them, for they want more and more and don’t care how many others suffer in the process.
 
This is why it is so important for us to stay in the heavenly will of God and stand against all the evil that continually tries to corrupt the world.
 
We are to help free creation from its present corruption.

29. Thou dost hide Thy face, they are dismayed;
Thou dost take away their spirit, they expire,
And return to their dust.

God only hides His face when people reject Him and His word and insist on living in the ways of this world.

30. Thou dost send forth Thy Spirit, they are created;
And Thou dost renew the face of the ground.

This is what the Lord will do when He returns, or when we who are true children of God begin to free creation from its present corruption in a large enough number to overpower the corrupt ways of this world.
 
Heavenly words strengthen us to have the power to accomplish this, if we allow it to happen.

31. Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;
Let the LORD be glad in His works;
 
32. He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

This happens because most of the people are not living in His heavenly will.

33. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
 
34. Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.
 
35. Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD!
NASB

The Lord has given us the power to help accomplish this by pushing back against the wicked worldly workers of evil, which is exactly what the Lord desires us to do.
 
“Heavenly words strengthen us” could actually be a theme of John 16:1-15; let’s take a look…

1. "These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling.

The things that Jesus has told us are to strengthen us in the Lord so that we don’t fall for the tricks of the devil and his minions in the world around us.

2. "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.

This is what Saul (Paul) was doing when he was persecuting the early Jewish Christians.
 
Jesus is very clear in explaining that there are evil and worldly people in our houses of worship who desire to destroy any of us who are living in the heavenly will of God, for we are a threat to their worldly ways, and they will do everything in their power to convince others to join them.
 
And why do they do this?

3. "And these things they will do, because they have not known the Father, or Me.

No matter how much some people profess to believe in God, if their lifestyle doesn’t reflect the teachings of Jesus and the heavenly will of God, we shouldn’t believe them and we should be cautious of them.

4. "But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
 
5. "But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'
 
6. "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
 
7. "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit who will indwell every true believer, as it is to this very day.
 
If we are truly living in the heavenly will of God, it is the Holy Spirit who is helping us do this, both for our own benefit, and as a witness against the devil and his followers here on earth.

8. "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;

And hopefully we become a part of this witness, because we are living examples of God’s heavenly will here on earth as it is in heaven.

9. concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;
 
10. and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me;

We may not be able to see Jesus or the Holy Spirit, but we should be able to feel His presence within us.

11. and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Heavenly words strengthen us in the heavenly will of God, so that if we live in His heavenly will we won’t be consumed in this judgement of the world.

12. "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

If we think about this, we should easily see that the vast majority of people don’t even seem to want to receive what Jesus has already offered us, for they prefer to live in the corrupt and evil ways of this world with all its violence, pain, and bloodshed, which causes millions of humans and billions of animals to suffer and die every year.
 
We are not to be a part of any of these things.

13. "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

This is also why we really don’t have an excuse for not living in the heavenly will of God, where there is no pain, or mourning, or death.

14. "He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.
 
15. "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.
NASB

And we hope and pray that we all receive it.
 
Heavenly words strengthen us to take action as we are told in Romans 8:18-27…

18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
 
19. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

If heavenly words strengthen us, then we should also feel these anxious longings of creation, because as children of God we have a strong desire to resolve the problems in accordance with the heavenly will of God.

20. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
 
21. that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

If we are hearing God’s message to us, then we are also the ones who will do everything in our power to help free creation from its present corruption.
 
This is what it means to be children of God.

22. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
 
23. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

We do this because we are filled with God’s perfect love and have empathy for the whole of creation and feel its pain and suffering, and sincerely want to do everything in our power to end it.

24. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?
 
25. But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

This is both for ourselves and for the whole of creation which is presently suffering because most people are living in the corrupt ways of this world and following the devil instead of God.

26. And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

This is really another way of saying that heavenly words strengthen us.

27. and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
NASB

This is also what happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to truly guide us in God’s heavenly will, for He speaks to our soul and spirit.
 
Heavenly words strengthen us to be the children of God that He desires us all to be.
 
Amen.

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