Just SAY No!

Just say No – If it means being in God’s will!

St. Matthew 12:46-50 -While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.  48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?  49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Jesus merely indicated that those that have made a decision to live for him – It is they WHO are his family.  The church represents the family of God – those that are daily saying NO to be in His will.

How often do we put  our spiritual family on the back burner while putting the carnal family before them?  It is as though we do not take the church family serious! It has not yet penetrated  with our souls that the church is God's family. 

SAYING NO TO BE IN GOD'S WILL - EMPOWERS US  FOR THE JOURNEY. 

Matthew 16: 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

1.  Deny yourself- Just say No

2.  Take up Your Cross- Carry your sacrifice (load).  Love can be a tremendous Load! 

3.  Follow Me - In order to follow Christ we will have to live a life of denial.

The more we become accustomed to saying NO to our worldly instincts and Yes to our Spiritual Person in the Lord--It is then that we will experience a Close walk with Jesus.

Acts 4:16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.  17But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.  18And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

The above scripture is speaking of the High Priests.  They did not want the POWER of God in Christ to be accepted or believed upon.  Acts 4:18 -And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:19-21   Vs. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

The Jewish leaders were not so quick to punish Peter and John for Preaching Jesus, because they feared the repercussion of the people that had observed the Miracle of Healing on an impotent man.

Just say No to Carnal thinking -

St. Matthew 26:39And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will but at thou wilt.

Note – Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that 1. good, and 2.  acceptable, and 3. perfect will of God.

Hebrews 12:22 1.(GOOD) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him 2.(ACCEPTABLE) endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down 3. (PERFECT WILL) at the right hand of the throne of God

Jesus saw something beyond the barrier of Life that encouraged Him to give up his life for it. He saw Hope in the future that gave him a reason to surrender his life. He saw His family (The Body of Christ) standing at the entrance of Heaven's gate and this was His Joy.

Jesus Denied Himself - and suffered so that His Eternal Family would have that home and assurance of a place with His Father in Eternity.

Just say NO when you feel that PULL against what God is calling for you to do today. 

Ephehsian 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

• We will have to be strong to Say NO.

Vs. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

• In many cases we are speaking to the devil when we say no! No to adultery, No to cursing, No to being on the outside of church. No to a silent life of a lack of prayer.

 Vs. 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.

 Vs. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

When we say NO to SELF, SATAN AND THE UNGODLINESS THAT IS IN THIS WORLD - We are saying YES to Christ.

Your Season is Approaching

Ecc 3:1 - 1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

Psalm 1:3 - And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth  shall prosper.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  Ecc 3:1.  God has a plan for all people.  We  face many problems yet our problems should not distract us from trusting the Lord.  Our problems should be opportunities to discover that, without the Lord, life's problems do not have lasting solutions.

Seasonal Preparation

It is a good thing to recognize your season and prepare for it before it comes.  When we know that winter is approaching we:

• Be sure to have fire logs for the fireplace
• See to it that we have enough blankets
• Warm clothing for cold days ahead

We also need to be spiritually ready for those seasonal changes that enter our lives.

When is it the right season? Psalms 3:1 -What soever he doeth shall prosper.  We will prosper because God will open doors.  The Lord will make opportunities that can be made only when His divine hand is in our life.

Blessings have their Season - Psalm 84:11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

The Lord does not always allow us to know exactly when He is going to send a blessing our way, but he has promised that he will not withhold any good thing from us.  

We will be able to recognize the approach of our Season:

The approach of our season can represent - a new thing may spring forth.  Isaiah 43:19 - See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it.  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Three ways that we can recognize the approach of our blessed season:

1. God plants us in a stable and secure place.

2. Our inner clock is set for a divine  appointment

3. The enemy comes in like a flood

God plants us in a Stable and Secure Place:

Jeremiah 32:4 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

Psalm Chapter 1 says that the blessed man does not just grow, but he is also planted.  We need to know that the Lord plants the feet of a blessed person.  Never does a blessed person just pop up like a weed.  He or she is planted at a specific time, in a specific place, to accomplish a divine purpose. 

People who always move from church to church never grow well spiritually.  Even a plant in the natural needs a stable, consistent, secure place to grow.  Flowers thrive when they are perched near a window with a great deal of sunshine.  If they are in front of a window one day, behind a sofa the next day, on the kitchen counter top the next day, and in a closet the next day, the plants will not grow very well because they do not receive consistent light.  They always have to adjust and readjust to their surroundings. 

In order for God's children to grow well we need a stable and consistent place.  God is not concerned about how high our trunk grows, he is concerned about how deep our roots go.  Ephesians 3:17 -That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.  Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Are you a Fungi Christian?

The plants called fungi do not have a root system.  A fungus simply attaches itself to the side of a tree and grows.  Because it has no root system the slightest disturbance such as a strong wind or harsh weather, can easily dislodge it or blow it away.

Point:  If we are not  part of a Bible-believing God loving, Christ centered church fellowship, we are like that fungus without a root system.

Your Season is Approaching

Ephesians 1:11 -In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

The Lord has set a predetermined appointment to bring His promises to pass in our lives.  He sets the clock.

God Synchronizes His answers to accomplish His purpose.

• When it is your time to be blessed the Lord will have all things in order.
• All things will work in perfect divine order.
• In our lives when we have completed a time of suffering, testing, storms, trials, set backs, financial difficulties, everything will seem to click and we will begin to come into our best season. 

The Blessings will Come

• People will bless you financially
• Doors will open
• Relationships will become bonding
• Healing will come