Enduring In Love Until The End | 10. Judge What God Exposes In Your Flesh - Zac Poonen
Summary
TLDRThe speaker delves into the profound meaning of dwelling with the 'burning fire' from Isaiah 33:14, relating it to the New Testament concept of the Holy Spirit's purifying fire. Emphasizing the need for daily self-judgment and repentance, the sermon encourages believers to continually cleanse themselves of unchristian traits, aiming for a life that increasingly reflects Christ's image. The discourse also cautions against gossip and judgment of others, urging instead a focus on personal spiritual growth and purity, culminating in a call for a renewed commitment to Christ-like living.
Takeaways
- 🔥 The concept of 'dwelling with the burning fire' from Isaiah 33:14 is a metaphor for living with the purifying and judgmental presence of the Holy Spirit.
- 🙏 Many people misunderstand the prayer for baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, thinking it's an exciting experience for ministry, rather than a call for personal sanctification.
- 🌱 The 'fire' symbolizes the judgment that burns away impurities within us, as explained in 1 Peter 4:17, where judgment begins in the house of God, starting with us.
- 🤔 The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and repentance, encouraging believers to daily judge themselves and purify their hearts from anything unlike Christ.
- 🐍 The 'Viper' represents the sinful nature or the flesh that the Holy Spirit's fire exposes and helps believers to overcome.
- 👨👧 The speaker calls for a deeper commitment to becoming more Christ-like, stating that God's purpose in saving us is to reflect His image, as opposed to our inherited sinful nature.
- 👀 The speaker warns against the dangers of gossip and judging others based on incomplete information, urging believers to focus on their own spiritual growth instead.
- 🙅♂️ The importance of not being a 'busybody' in other people's matters is highlighted, with the speaker equating it to the same level of sin as murder, theft, or evildoing.
- 💧 The speaker encourages believers to seek a daily renewal in Christ, striving for a life that continually progresses towards the perfection of Christ's nature.
- 👨👩👧👦 The speaker envisions a revival in the church if every believer commits to becoming more like Christ and to stop engaging in gossip and judgment of others.
- ⏳ The speaker calls for an immediate and ongoing commitment to personal sanctification, with the goal of daily growth in Christ's likeness, rather than complacency or hypocrisy.
Q & A
What does it mean to dwell with the consuming fire, according to the speaker?
-Dwelling with the consuming fire means living in a state of continuous judgment and purification, where the fire of God exposes and burns up impurities in one's life.
What is the significance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire?
-The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire signifies a process of purification and judgment, where God burns away things in us that are not aligned with His will.
How does the speaker interpret 1 Peter 4:17 in relation to the consuming fire?
-The speaker interprets 1 Peter 4:17 as indicating that judgment must begin with the house of God. This means that believers must first judge and purify themselves, allowing God's fire to cleanse them.
What example does the speaker use to illustrate the concept of the fire of God revealing impurities?
-The speaker uses the example of Paul shaking off a viper into the fire, which symbolizes the fire of God driving out hidden sins and impurities in one's life.
What does the speaker suggest is necessary for continuous spiritual growth?
-The speaker suggests that continuous spiritual growth requires daily self-judgment and repentance, allowing God's fire to purify and cleanse one's life.
How does the speaker connect the hope of the second coming of Christ with self-purification?
-The speaker connects the hope of the second coming of Christ with self-purification by referencing 1 John 3:2-3, which states that those who have this hope will purify themselves to become like Christ.
Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of judging oneself daily?
-The speaker emphasizes the importance of judging oneself daily to ensure continuous cleansing and to become more like Christ, avoiding the deception of believing one is already pure.
What is the speaker's view on Christians who engage in gossip and judgment?
-The speaker views Christians who engage in gossip and judgment as aligning with the accuser of the brethren, which is contrary to the teachings of Christ. He urges believers to refrain from such behavior.
What does the speaker believe will result from a church where judgment begins with its members?
-The speaker believes that a church where judgment begins with its members will experience revival, as individuals become more Christ-like and the purity of their lives enhances the power of their ministry.
How does the speaker relate the concept of perfecting holiness to daily life?
-The speaker relates the concept of perfecting holiness to daily life by encouraging believers to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, striving to become more like Christ every day.
Outlines
🔥 Embracing the Purifying Fire of the Holy Spirit
The speaker begins by reflecting on the concept of 'dwelling with the burning fire' from Isaiah 33:14, challenging the congregation to consider the true meaning of seeking a baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. It emphasizes that this spiritual experience is not merely about excitement or gaining a ministry but about the continuous self-examination and purging of unrighteous aspects within oneself. The speaker uses 1 Peter 4:17 to illustrate that the judgment by fire should start within the house of God, meaning within believers themselves. The 'fire' symbolizes the process of self-discovery and repentance, driving out the 'vipers' or sinful tendencies, and aligning one's life more closely with Christ.
🙏 The Daily Commitment to Self-Judgment and Purification
Continuing the theme of spiritual purification, the speaker discusses the importance of daily self-judgment and repentance, drawing a connection with 1 John 3:2-3. The speaker asserts that having the hope of Christ's second coming should motivate believers to purify themselves continually, striving for a standard of purity that reflects Christ's nature. The speaker encourages the congregation to be intentional about identifying and addressing the 'vipers' or sinful aspects within, using everyday situations as opportunities for self-examination and growth in Christ-likeness. The ultimate goal is to become more like Christ each day, with the understanding that this journey requires ongoing self-reflection and commitment.
👨👧👦 The Privilege and Responsibility of Being God's Children
The speaker transitions to the privilege of addressing God as 'Father', a concept introduced by Jesus and the Holy Spirit, which was not available in the Old Testament. The speaker warns against complacency in this relationship, urging believers to actively pursue holiness and purity. Reference is made to 2 Corinthians 6:18 and 7:1, highlighting the believer's responsibility to cleanse themselves from all defilement and to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-judgment over judging others, focusing on personal spiritual growth and the avoidance of gossip and speaking evil about fellow believers.
🗣️ Avoiding Gossip and the Importance of Self-Reflection
Building on the theme of personal purity, the speaker addresses the issue of gossip and the quick judgment of others, which is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. The speaker uses 1 Peter 4:15 to caution against being a 'busybody in other people's matters', equating it with other serious sins and emphasizing the importance of focusing on one's own spiritual journey. The speaker encourages the congregation to judge themselves rather than others, to be introspective, and to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of impurity within their own lives, thereby fostering a more genuine and transformative spiritual experience.
🌅 The Pursuit of Daily Spiritual Renewal
In the final paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of daily spiritual renewal, using 2 Corinthians 4:16 as a scriptural basis. The speaker challenges the congregation to reflect on their own spiritual growth, asking whether they are becoming more like Christ each day. The speaker calls for a commitment to self-judgment and purification, urging believers to avoid hypocrisy and to live out the teachings of Christ in a genuine way. The speaker concludes with a prayer, asking for God's help to enable believers to live out this commitment and to experience a deeper level of spiritual transformation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dwelling with the burning fire
💡Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire
💡Consuming fire
💡Judgment
💡Repentance
💡Flesh
💡Christ-like
💡Viper
💡Gossip
💡Revival
💡Fear of the Lord
Highlights
The metaphor of dwelling with a 'burning fire' from Isaiah 33:14 is used to discuss the continuous transformative work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life.
Many misunderstand the prayer for baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, thinking it's about excitement or great ministry, rather than a call for purification.
God uses ordinary people to plant churches, not just the eloquent or gifted preachers.
Christians today are often more interested in entertainment than in the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.
The fire of God is a symbol of judgment that purifies by burning away impurities within us.
1 Peter 4:17 emphasizes that the judgment or purifying fire should start with believers themselves.
The presence of the Holy Spirit reveals and enables believers to confront and overcome sinful aspects of their nature.
Daily self-judgment and repentance are essential for spiritual growth and becoming more like Christ.
1 John 3:2-3 calls for believers to purify themselves in anticipation of Christ's second coming, aiming for His standard of purity.
The purpose of salvation is to become like Jesus Christ, reflecting God's image, which was marred in Adam but restored in Christ.
Confronting and dealing with the 'vipers' or sinful tendencies within is a necessary part of spiritual maturity.
The church should be a place where judgment begins with believers judging themselves before judging others.
Second Corinthians 7:1 encourages believers to cleanse themselves from all filthiness and perfect holiness in the fear of God.
The privilege of calling God 'Father' comes with the responsibility to reflect His purity and character.
Believers should avoid gossip and judgment based on incomplete information, focusing instead on their own spiritual growth.
The goal of every believer should be to become more Christ-like daily, judging and purifying themselves of anything that does not reflect Christ's nature.
Second Corinthians 4:16 speaks to the daily renewal of the inner man, becoming more like Christ every day.
Isaiah 11:3 teaches that true judgment seeks righteousness and does not rely on superficial observations or hearsay.
The fear of the Lord, as exemplified by Jesus, involves a deep respect for God that leads to self-judgment and avoidance of hasty judgments of others.
Transcripts
so in Practical terms
what does it mean to dwell
with the burning fire
all the time
that is an amazing verse that we just
heard
who Among Us
can dwell
with the continuous burning
with the consuming fire
in Isaiah 33 and verse 14.
to live with the continual burning
and a consuming fire
many people pray
Lord baptize me in the Holy Spirit and
Fire
I pray that too
but do you know what that actually means
to dwell with this continuous burning
fire
many people don't understand what
they're praying for
they think it's something exciting and
they
want a great ministry or something like
that
yeah God will give a Ministry sure
was saying earlier how
churches were being planted so
frequently around there
how many of us see that
churches being planted we think that
we had to be very gifted
we had to be preached profound sermons
to plant churches
God takes very Ordinary People
and plants churches
and all the clever people who preached
so many great sermons they don't see it
there's a lot of entertainment in
Christendom today
a lot of Christians are just wanting to
listen
with itching years
but what is the result of our labor
whether fruit you shall know them
not by how well they can preach
so what does it mean to live with the
consuming fire
in New Testament terms I want to explain
that
simply and clearly
if you turn with me to 1 Peter in
chapter four
we must relate everything practically to
our daily life
and not just live in nice pictures
of being on fire for the Lord or
something like that
in Practical terms it means this
the fire
is always a picture of judgment
the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire
burns up things in us that needs to be
burnt up
and in one Peter 4 17 it says it is time
for this judgment
or this fire of judgment
to begin in the house of God
and it must begin with us first
so what does that mean
in the house of God judgment must begin
in Practical terms it means that if
God's fire is burning within me
I will discover things
in myself that's what my brother were
saying
when
Paul licked a fire that Viper jumped out
couldn't stand the fire
and if the fire is burning in my heart
the wiper will jump out and I will be
able to then
kill it
and what does that mean to judge myself
Lord this was there all along
I thought I was clean
but I wasn't
there was this terrible evil thing lying
inside of the fire of God
drove it out and I thank God I got a
light on it and I can kill it
and if we live in this continual burning
we will live in a continual cleansing
of the things that are unlike Christ in
our life every Viper something unlike
Christ a Viper is a picture of the devil
and there's something that we've all
inherited from childhood called the
flesh
and the Bible says there's nothing good
that dwells in their flesh
it's full of vipers
the fire of God will drive it all out
and so it's one of the things that we
have taught in the church that we must
live in a daily Judgment of ourselves
a daily repentance
and that's also linked with
1 John chapter 3
we have the hope of the second coming of
Christ we read in 1 John 3 verse 2.
and if you really have this hope
we will purify ourselves there again is
referring to fires fire that purifies we
will purify ourselves just as he is pure
if I were to paraphrase it means until I
reach his standard of purity
I will keep on purifying myself
we can stop purifying ourselves when we
have reached
the Perfection of Christ's nature
but he says that will happen worse too
early when he comes again
so if you have a passion and I don't
believe everybody has this
if you have a passion in your life
that I want to be christ-like
Purpose with which God saved me was to
Make Me Like Jesus Christ
the purpose with which God created Adam
was that he might reflect the image of
God
but he didn't
he fell
Christ came to restore that image in US
and say Lord I want to reflect the image
of God on Earth
and all these wretched things I've
inherited
for my forefathers that are in my flesh
I want them all to be exposed and burnt
up
if you're serious about it he will allow
you to see it in some situation
you're dealing with some brother and
you'll suddenly find a Viper coming out
could be at home some provocative
situation at home where something goes
wrong
in the home something goes wrong which
you didn't expect and a wiper comes out
of your heart you think the problem is
out there no God allowed it
to expose a Viper in your heart
now what are you going to do with it
you can look at it and say oh that's no
that's not a Viper okay then it'll
remain there
call it what it is and judge yourself
and
put it to death and purify yourself
you'll be a little more christ-like
that is the will of God that every year
we become a little more
like Christ until he comes again he who
has this hope purifies himself until he
reaches standard of the purity of Christ
so what I want to say to you in
Practical terms my brothers and sisters
is that if we are not doing that
it proves that you are not really
serious of wanting to be like Christ you
may sing whatever you like and think in
the songs and say many things but you're
not serious about following Jesus
the only person who can honestly say I'm
serious about following Jesus is one who
is judging himself about something or
the other every day
every day
I don't want to lose a single day in my
life
without discovering
something
unlike Christ in me
do you do you find that in your life
you find many days going by in your life
with nothing to judge uh-huh have you
already become like Christ or what
nothing to judge
there's nothing for you to judge in
yourself yesterday
or today
don't deceive yourself
you are imagining that you have already
become like Christ I am not
I am the first person to say I have not
yet become like Christ
and therefore God is my witness
I judge myself every single day
and I find something sometimes is
something very small sometimes there's a
little slip up here something to repent
of
every day I'm determined to get rid of
every wretched
Viper that is in my flesh
and that's that is how our ministry also
becomes more pure
if the channel becomes pure the word of
God comes forth with power
we can study a lot and prepare a lot of
sermons
but if the channel is not pure
comes out
it doesn't bring the result that it
should
and that's why I say The Church Must Be
a place where judgment begins here
with us first
in other words in this connection is
second Corinthians chapter 7.
and verse 1.
It's a Wonderful promise when God says
in 1 Corinthians second Corinthians 6
18.
I will be a father to you
and you will be my sons and daughters
says the Lord Almighty
you know we've got so accustomed to
thinking of God as our father that we
don't realize
what a tremendous privilege it is if you
were to go to any Old Testament Saint
Moses Elijah or
John the Baptist and say you can call
God your father he says oh no
call God his father impossible
he's God to be dreaded feared almighty
God
that's how they were in the Old
Testament till Jesus came and the Holy
Spirit came and comes into us and calls
god father
it's a tremendous privilege and he says
I'll be a father to you
you'll be my sons and daughters says the
Lord Almighty so what should we do
okay of course next verse because we
have these wonderful promises that we
can be Sons and Daughters of God
almighty
let us sit back and relax no
many people sit back and say God is my
father I'm okay no if you really believe
that let us cleanse ourselves
there is a cleansing that Jesus does
which I cannot do
that is from all the sins I've committed
in my life
and if I sin today you want to slip up
in one word
I cannot cleanse it without the blood of
Jesus
if you speak one rude word one rude word
or have one bitter thought against
someone
or what is very common among believers
you join the accuser of the brethren
in saying things about somebody
without knowing all the facts
you heard something
and you
say something to that person
you did this
really
what evidence you have you heard it
Christians are so used to us passing
judgment on the basis of gossip
I've done it
I finished with it
I say Lord I will not judge on the basis
of Gossip because then I am holding
hands with the accuser of the brethren
I will not accuse God's people
it's not my business I'm not their judge
God is their judge
it's the past time
like some people watch cricket other
people their pastimes to sit and speak
evil about others
and they are believers and they'll talk
about the New and Living Way
and they will talk about Christ coming
in the flesh and they'll talk about the
baptism in the Holy Spirit and they will
speak in tongues and they will also hold
hands with the accuser of the brethren
it's evil
let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness
of the Flesh and spirit perfecting
holiness
in the fear of God how many of you are
interested in perfecting holiness
in the fear of God
and that is as God shows me something I
say lord it's me I'm to blame
I judge myself
I'm not here to judge others
what will happen
little by little
will become christ-like and the Water of
Life that flows out from us
will bless people and
lead them to the Lord that should be the
experience of every single one of us
can you imagine if all of us sitting
here
what are we a thousand thousand two
hundred people
every single one of us
decides from today
my goal in life
is to be christ-like
I do other things I I work in a job I
earn my living I got to bring up my
family all that but my ultimate goal is
to become more like Jesus Christ every
day
imagine if all of us decide that today
and say Lord as you give me light every
day
I will judge every Viper that comes out
of my heart in some way
through my eyes or in my thoughts or in
my language I'm going to kill it
and finish with it there are many more
but the ones I see I will kill
I believe we will experience Revival in
our churches
if we decide that I'm going to stop
all this accusing of the brothers
all this speaking evil and gossiping
when we don't know all the facts
why do I have to do it God has not
appointed us to be
a high court judge determining what is
wrong with all the Believers is none of
my business the Bible says mind your own
business don't be a busy body in other
people's matters
that's a very important exhortation in
one Peter chapter four
I feel it's one of the most important
exhortations that many of us need to
hear
one Peter 4 it says
it's in the same connection of
judging ourselves
what shall we judge ourselves in we were
reading one Peter
4 17 we must judge ourselves first
what is the context
verse 15 just two verses earlier
don't suffer as a murderer
I don't think anybody here is in danger
of becoming a murderer
a thief
I hope nobody here is going to be a
thief
or an evildoer
I don't think you'll be evildoers or
fourth one
a busy body in other people's matters
there are four evil people mentioned
here
all in the same category all in the same
boat murderer
Thief
evildoer
and a busy body in Affairs that don't
concern you
it doesn't concern you one bit
but you want to poke your head into it
and speak about it and speak about that
person and the other person
you're in the same according to the word
of God you're in the same category as
murderer
Thief evildoer don't Glory that you're
not a murderer Thief he will do it if
you are a busy body in other people's
matters you're in the same category
then it says
let us judge ourselves
verse 17.
and cleanse ourselves
I was challenged when I read the Apostle
Paul's experience
when he said in one p one second
Corinthians 4 16 we'll read this verse
in closing second Corinthians 4 and
verse 16.
our Inner Man the last part
is being renewed
every single day
did you get it
let me paraphrase it
I am becoming Paul is saying I am
becoming a little more like Jesus Christ
every day
I mean if we become a little more like
Christ in one year that itself will be a
great thing
if your wife can say to you darling
you're looking more christ-like since
you in the last one year wow
or if your husband could say that
but every single day
what a radical man he was my inner man
is being renewed into the likeness of
Christ
every single day
the only way that's possible if we see
judges himself every single day whenever
he gets light on something
instead of blaming somebody else or
instead of making an excuse for it Lord
that was me it's my fault
I'm sorry I spoke about things which I
did not know anything about
I got involved in matters that don't
concern me at all and the thing that
concerns me the wipers in my own heart
I'm not dealing with
my beloved brothers and sisters
please take my exhortation
you will thank me when you stand at the
Judgment seat of Christ I believe you
will thank me if you take this seriously
today
that from now on you're not going to be
a busybody in anybody's matters except
your own
you're not going to Give opinions about
things you don't know anything about
even the core High Court judges sit six
months sometimes to pass a judgment on a
small thing but we pass a judgment so
quickly in 10 minutes we have expressed
an opinion what amazing arrogance and
pride and conceit
let's finish with it
says about Jesus in Isaiah 11 he will
not judge by what is I see
or his ears here
because he just could be wrong
you know that verse let me read it to
you Isaiah in chapter 11 it says about
Jesus
that he would never judge
by what his eyes saw
or his ears hurt
Isaiah 11
was
three the middle he will not judge
by what he sees
of what he hears
but he will look for righteousness
to see what is the righteous thing here
we all have a tendency to judge by what
we think we have seen
or we have heard
I believe God allows the sun to rise in
the east every day and set in the west
to teach us one thing don't believe your
eyes
the sun is not moving
the sun is absolutely stationary you
think it is moving don't believe your
eyes
it's like that
don't judge by what your eyes see
or your ears here but there's one thing
we can see clearly what dwells in our
own flesh that we see crystal clear
judge that
and we can progress into the likeness of
Christ This Is The Mark of the fear of
the Lord it says about Jesus in verse 3
he Delights in the fear of the Lord he's
so much of the respect for his father
that he would not judge by what his eyes
saw he would see something and say well
I'm not sure
he would hear something and say well I
don't know
somebody says that how do I know that's
the whole truth and first of all why do
I need to find out the whole truth is it
my Affair at all is none of my business
leave it I believe if we had followed
this principle in the last one year just
this 2019 all of us would be much more
spiritual than we are today
we can start today
to make sure at least in the next 365
days we've made some progress and
gradually we come to the place where
this is my longing that every single day
a renewal takes place in my life
that I want to be a little more
christ-like inwardly that is my goal
I'll honestly confess it the inner man
is renewed every single day
if Paul can have that why can't I have
it
brothers and sisters many of us talk
about New Covenant and New and Living
Way and Christ coming in the flesh and
victory over sin and we live at such a
pathetic standard just like so many
other nominal Christians once he was
looking down upon them
let us cleanse ourselves and stop
boasting about things which are not true
just doctrines and Theology and instead
of a life that manifests the glory of
Christ
let's pursue that with all of our heart
and say Lord baptize me in the Holy
Spirit and fire up consuming fire in
which I live every day
that I can be pure as you are pure let's
pray
Heavenly Father
please help us
I believe many of us are needy and are
crying out to you
and we don't want to just make a
decision right now that we forget
tomorrow
but something that we will live in every
single day
and remind us by your Holy Spirit
as to what we should do the next time we
see a Viper coming out of the fire
through our mouth or our eyes or in our
thoughts or anywhere
to know what we should do
and if we are not seeing them
Lord then baptize Us in fire till we
begin to see them till we are cleansed
thoroughly
we pray in Jesus name amen
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