KEYS TO OPEN HEAVEN ... KEY NUMBER 3: BEWARE OF FAMILIARITY WITH GOD

SATURDAY 04.11.2017

TEXT : LUKE 1:36/ MATTHEW 3:14

TOPIC : BEWARE OF FAMILIARITY WITH GOD

If there is something to know and to say about Jesus and John the Baptist, we should know and say that Mary and Elisabeth were cousins as the Bible says in Luke 1:36 

"And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren..."

  

Though Jesus and John were siblings, something amazing we discover in Jesus is that he never fell into the trap of familiarity. He never considered his family relationship with John the Baptist as an hindrance for him to not be baptized by him.

For rising above familiarity, the consequence was that the heaven was opened for Jesus and he was empowered to the next level of his ministry.

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF FAMILIARITY?

1^st danger: Friends, know today that familiarity is one of the subtle and dangerous hindrances to the open heaven experience in our life.

We see for example in Matthew 13:54-58, that Jesus came into his own country and was teaching in their synagogue.

They were so familiar to Jesus that instead of receiving and believing in his Word, they were astonished and were wondering: "Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?"; "Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?"; "And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?"

As a matter of fact, the Bible says in verse 58: "Jesus did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."

2^nd danger: Familiarity with God, with the servants of God and with the things of God can kill you.

For example, Uzza became so familiar with the Ark of the Covenant that he thought that he could handle it anyhow. He was hit by God and died on the spot. (Read 2 Samuel 6:6-7)

Again, Nadab and Abihu who were the sons of Aaron became too familiar with God and with the things of God. They thought that being sons of Aaron the High Priest entitled them to behave anyhow in the sanctuary. They offered strange fire at the altar before the Lord and fire went out from the Lord, devoured them and they died instantly. (Read Leviticus 10:1-2)

WHAT TO DO?

1) Don't confound closeness with God with familiarity with God.  BE CLOSE TO GOD BUT NEVER BECOME FAMILIAR TO GOD.

2) Don't lose sight of the fact that though God is the God full of love he is also the consuming fire. REST ON HIS LOVE BUT NEVER TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

3) In your relationship with servants of God, learn to draw boundaries and don’t fall into the trap of becoming too familiar with them. BE CLOSE TO THEM BUT NEVER BECOME FAMILIAR TO THEM.

4) In whatever you do for the Kingdom of God or in the house of God, always be moved with the fear of God and with great reverence to Him.

= PRAYERS = = PRAYERS = = PRAYERS = = 

PRAYER 1 | Pray the Father to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you will know more of him.

Pray with Ephesians 1: 18-19

PRAYER 2 | Pray the Father to enlighten the eyes of your understanding so that you may know Him like never before.

Pray with 1 John 5:19-20

PRAYER 3 | Pray the Father to make you able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is.

Pray with Ephesians 3:10

PRAYER 4 | Pray the Father to fill you with the Spirit of the fear of God so that He will not turn to be a consuming fire against you.

Pray with Isaiah 11:1-3

Ainsi soit-il

🔃🔃🔃🔃🔃🔃🔃🔃🔃

Jésus est Seigneur!

Pasteur TD KASUKU KK

THE WORD OF LIFE CHURCH INTERNATIONAL

Nairobi / Kenya