The Truth You Do Not Know Is the Thing Killing You

Sermon outline

Everything Christ paid for is already available, but a believer who never grows past the milestones of a spiritual infant cannot access it; the truth you do not know is what is killing you.

1. Healing is the children's bread, but it takes maturity to take it

   Christ has already paid the price; Jesus is not slaying the dragon afresh every time we need deliverance or healing. It is available to every believer to claim, speak and prophesy over themselves and their families, but that comes with a level of maturity and a responsibility to grow.

   “Healing is a children's bread, but if you don't know it's a children's bread, if you don't understand that truth, how do you access it?”

   • Matthew 15:26

2. God expects us to reach our spiritual milestones

   We celebrate a baby's first steps and first words, but a fifteen-year-old still cooing is a problem, and a twenty-five-year-old on the PlayStation all day calling for food needs correcting. God loves us the same way and expects growth: the first victory, discovering that our words have power, applying the word and seeing change, learning to move in the power of the Spirit. The first step is a milestone; after that, walking is everyday life.

   “Christianity is a marathon. It's not a hundred metre sprint.”

   • 1 Peter 2:1-5

3. The space between salvation and heaven is called life

   The Christian life is not being born again and waiting to die. In between is life, and God wants us to enjoy healing, safety and total-life prosperity in it. Ephesians 4 calls us to the full stature of Christ so we are not tossed by every wind of doctrine, running from prophet to prophet for a word. Many Christians are as sick as their neighbours because they repeat the stories of the times, petrol prices and politics, instead of standing on what God says.

   Illustration: If many Christians were put on trial for being Christians, the case would be thrown out of court for lack of evidence, because they know the word only by hearsay.

   “That space in between is called life.”

   • Ephesians 4:13-16
   • Esther 4:14
   • Psalm 91:10-11
   • Philippians 4:19

4. The truth you do not know is killing you

   His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through knowledge. If something is not working, it is a knowledge problem, a word problem, and you must dig until you find what you are missing. Truth is only truth to you when it is in you: someone delivered from cancer knows it cannot come near their dwelling, and when they share that testimony they speak from power.

   Illustration: A stranger phoned him, having heard that God moves in this church. Another pastor had prayed him free of torment without asking him to change, and now it was returning. The Lord told Pastor Wesley that if he did not tell the man to accept Jesus, he would be withholding the truth from him. He told him gently; the man said he would get back to him.

   “The truth that we don't know is killing us.”

   • 2 Peter 1:3-4
   • Hebrews 4:12

5. Leave the first principles and go on

   Hebrews rebukes believers who still need milk when they should be teachers. Once you have accepted Christ, being a good person who does not drink or smoke is not the goal; God wants you to develop the truth until you can share the gospel with everyone you meet. You cannot keep laying the same foundation of backsliding and coming back.

   “You can't keep going back to the same thing over and over and over again.”

   • Hebrews 5:12-14
   • Hebrews 6:1-2
   • Philippians 3:7-8

6. Four keys to maturity, beginning with a living sacrifice

   He gives four keys for the coming weeks: becoming a living sacrifice, renewing the mind by the word, the power of the Holy Spirit, and understanding your identity in Christ. The first means total commitment: you cannot mature until you stop serving yourself, because God is not a genie. Paul urges this by the mercies of God, because God is not an angry figure waiting to mince you up; He sent His Son and gave us direct access through Jesus our intercessor. Romans 12 is for every believer, and to prove God's will means to see it manifest in your hands.

   Illustration: A man in the congregation wearing a striking black hat can carry it off because he knows who he is. A policeman does not question who he is when he puts on the uniform, and a believer should not question who he is when he puts on his armour.

   “God's plan for you is better than your plan for you.”

   • Romans 12:1-3
   • Hebrews 4:16
   • Psalm 37:4
   • Galatians 2:20

7. The way up is down

   Victory comes through submission to God, not self-promotion. The devil is a defeated foe who can only work through our cooperation, which looks like engaging his narrative of lack, gossip and slander. Get off the throne of your own life: at home, at work and in business you are the manager and steward, not the boss, and God will never force Himself on anything.

   Illustration: You cannot keep both hands on the handlebars and shout, God, help me.

   “I can't say God bless my business if I don't give him control.”

In this message