Outer Court, Inner Court, Holy of Holies: Which One Are You In?

Sermon outline

Most Christians live in the outer court of their own will or the inner court of God's permissible will, but the blessing and the grace are in the Holy of Holies, God's divine will, and the way there is the pressing: giving God everything.

1. The seed that bears fruit is heard and understood

   Seed snatched from the path is the word heard and not understood. Seed on rocky ground is received with joy but has no foundation, so it is lost the moment criticism, gossip or trouble comes. Seed among thorns belongs to those who can quote and argue Scripture with one foot in the world and one in the church. Good soil hears and understands, and bears fruit in every season. To the one who has, more will be given.

   “They can quote the scripture. They can argue the scripture, but there's no substance because they have one foot in the world and they have one foot in the church.”

   • Matthew 13:1-23

2. Wheat and weeds grow together

   An enemy sowed weeds among the wheat, and the master would not let them be pulled early because it would expose the wheat. In every parable of the kingdom something good happens and something bad happens. Christian or not, there will be trials, but what you give up for the kingdom's sake God restores in this life, and your joy must be found in the Lord, not in family, friends or spouse.

   “Your joy must never be found in your family. Your joy must never be found in your friends. Your joy must never be found in your spouse. Your joy must be found in the Lord.”

   • Matthew 13:24-30
   • Matthew 13:36-50
   • John 16:33

3. Jesus opened the way into the Holy of Holies

   In the tabernacle the families came only to the outer court, and one priest alone went through the inner court into the Holy of Holies; if the sacrifice was unacceptable he died there. Jesus changed everything: the veil was torn and through Him we have direct access to the presence of God. Accepting Him as Lord and Saviour is where the journey from the outer court to the Holy of Holies begins.

   “So loving Jesus is not enough. Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior is the prerequisite for us to have access to the Holy Spirit.”

4. Our will, God's permissible will and God's divine will

   The outer court is our own will: we come to church and cell but, under pressure, return to what is familiar, governed by feelings and senses. The inner court is God's permissible will: we tithe, pray a little and have handed God most areas, but keep some parts private. The Holy of Holies is God's divine will, where His word, His Spirit and your prayer life trump everything else, even what your eyes want and your right to hit back.

   Illustration: Permissible will is the parent who lets the son play PlayStation instead of riding his bicycle or going to the soccer field, just to avoid the argument. God permits some things in a controlled environment, but there are things you will never receive there.

   “God's divine will, it means that his very breath dictates where you are and what you do. Not your emotions, not the way you feel, not the way you think.”

   • Matthew 5:14
   • Matthew 5:28
   • Matthew 5:39

5. The three pressings of the olive

   The first pressing of the olive gave the purest oil, used to anoint kings and to light the lamps of the holy place; that is the anointing and fire that fall on you when you come to Christ, and it is your duty to keep fanning it. The second pressing gave oil for healing; in the inner court, as you consecrate your life, generational curses of womanising, drugs or alcoholism stop with you. The third pressing was for cooking and bread; in the Holy of Holies, God's presence becomes your daily bread.

   Illustration: Olives were costly and nothing of them was wasted. A great stone wheel was rolled over them, and each turn of the wheel produced a different grade of oil.

   “Because I overcame that battle, my children will never have to go through that battle.”

6. Gethsemane: the cost is everything

   Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane, the place of pressing, not my will but Yours, so vexed that He sweated blood. David asked God not to take His presence from him rather than his kingdom or money. If this year of double blessing has brought more difficulty than ever, it is a pressing: God is waiting for the sacrifice, not another seed. Get involved without waiting to be asked.

   Illustration: Kathryn Kuhlman was often asked what it cost her to do what she did, and always gave the same answer: everything, the very breath you breathe, every thought, the labour of your hands.

   “He's waiting on you to make the sacrifice. He's waiting for you to give him your heart.”

   • Matthew 26:36-39
   • Luke 22:44
   • Psalm 51:11

In this message