Hearing Right

Many of you were probably raised like me, in a church that was constantly preaching about sin. So many sermons were about an angry God that was waiting to slap you down because of your sin.

We heard “turn or burn” every Sunday. To an extent, that is true. If you die without receiving Jesus that is exactly what will happen.

As a youth I accepted how bad I was, but there were some sweet saints of God that didn’t need to be harassed and told how bad they were. To be called black-hearted sinners every Sunday was not “good news”. As a result, we saw very few people walking in victory.

The message that Jesus brought us was so diametrically different from that. What we hear about God is so vitally important. It could be the difference of remaining in debt, lack and bondage, or receiving your healing, deliverance or your miracle. What you are hearing can either bring health, or sickness, healed marriages or divorce, prosperity or poverty. It can draw you closer to God in joy or drive you away in fear.

Most churches are preaching law instead of Grace. I’ve heard preachers say God will put sickness on you to teach you something or punish you for your sinful life. Why seek healing from God if He is the one who put it on you?? Why seek God for your broken marriage if He is punishing you? Why ask for prosperity if God is making you poor to keep you humble?

To walk in love, joy, peace, and all the promises of God, you must shut off those that describe God as angry, wrathful, and the “great punisher”. Stop listening to that garbage. Your victorious life is dependent on what you are hearing about God. Let me paint you a word picture of what God is like, the picture of JESUS!

John 10:30 reads, “I and the Father are one.”
John 14: 8-11; verse nine says, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.”
Jesus carried the character, the love, compassion, the ability and power of God. He demonstrated who God was.

Acts 10:38 reads, “…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

Seems to me if God was the great punisher, Jesus would be doing the same things. Did He condemn the harlot caught in adultery? No, He forgave her. Did He judge the tax collectors? No, He ate with them. Now, did He eat with them to become like them? No, He was with them to change them and do them good.

If you are hearing that on a regular basis, about God being this great punisher, and that He is angry with you, then you are in the wrong church. Colossians 3: 16 reads, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” You must be hearing this on a regular basis for faith “cometh by hearing…”

Now, I want to add this in here for you. I see many people that are getting saved by grace through faith but then they start trying to maintain their salvation by works. They have learned those things at church, and that, too, is very wrong. We must understand that salvation is by Grace and it is a gift – something we don’t work for. Very few churches are actually preaching Grace. Salvation which is saved, healed, prospering, being blessed, and every promise of God is all received by Grace through faith and if you are not hearing that you are in the wrong church. This kind of teaching does nothing to build you up in your faith or ability to trust in a loving Father.

I will close with this. Acts 20: 32 reads, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His Grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”
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