Yielded, Blessed and Broken — Zac Poonen

We know that three quarters of the Bible is Old Testament and even though the old covenant That God has made with Israel was abolished There's a lot of instruction in the Old Testament that we can learn from.

Israel’s Failure to Bless the Nations

One of the things Is the failure of Israel to be witnesses unto God for God on the earth. They were not blessed Only for themselves. When God called their father Abraham What he told Abraham was I will bless you.

Genesis 12 2 and You will be a blessing and Verse 3 all the families of the earth Will be blessed through you. So God's purpose was That Israel should be. Even though they were not called like we Christians are to go to all the nations to make disciples.

They were to be a witness on the earth as a nation. To show the world. What a wonderful thing it was to serve God and to live by his principles obeying his Commandments. And We know from the history of the Old Testament that they failed repeatedly.

Again and again and again and again God would restore them send prophets, but they would fail again. That's one of the things we can learn from the Old Testament and you see that the burden of all the Old Testament prophets was repentance repent and turn back to God in Their failure to be his witnesses.

We see the classic example of Jonah That when God wanted to send him to be a witness to Assyria Nineveh He refused to go. Initially they didn't take their calling seriously, and I believe that that's something that we have also failed as Christians.

Christians as Living Witnesses

And we need to think about that I don't mean just Going and telling people Jesus died for your sins and Jesus never said you shall bear witness to me. He said you shall be my witnesses. Acts 1 8 there's a world of difference between being a witness and Bearing witness.

Bearing witness is like standing in a court and telling people what you saw what you heard and We can be like that telling People what Jesus did for us. But being a witness means that our life our way of life Has to show people.

How wonderful it is? To live for Christ and to serve him and if people don't see that we may not be called to travel all the world. But we have a little world and the neighbors around us that our relatives and people we work at in our offices and they must see.

What a wonderful thing it is in our lives to live for Jesus and the difference that Christ has made in our lives and in our homes and If that if our relatives and our neighbors and our fellow workers in the office are not seeing it We have to say that we have failed just like Israel and in Galatians chapter 3 we read These words.

When Israel failed God set it aside and Chose Those who would respond to him in the nations of the world to be his witnesses. They're referred to as the Gentiles in the New Testament and we read in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 14.

The reason why Christ became a curse for us on the cross verse 13. Verse 14 is so that I Mean, did you know this? Why did Christ become a curse for us on the cross? Christ became a curse for us verse 13 in order that Galatians 3 14 that in Christ Jesus This blessing of Abraham that we just read might come to all the nations of the world.

That we as Christians Are to be a blessing To all the families of the earth. I Mean the ones we come in touch with obviously so that We would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. So we see there that the whole purpose of the gift of the Holy Spirit Was to make us a blessing to the families of the earth.

The Holy Spirit’s Purpose and the Example of Christ

There's so much confusion concerning The gift of the Holy Spirit in the world today we have these two extremes of Those who've gone into fanaticism and extreme teachings on the Holy Spirit on the other side.

Those who react against those extremes and say we want to have nothing to do with that. Well, the devil's happy with both groups. He doesn't matter. He doesn't care which side of the cliff you follow over left side or right side so long as you miss the narrow way and Unlike all those Old Testament people unlike Israel who only had commandments We have an example.

There was no one in the Old Testament who could ever say follow me. They had commandments very good commandments. But no example not even Moses Elijah ever said follow me. The first person who said follow me was Jesus and Then The Apostle Paul follow me.

As I follow Christ and you and I are supposed to say that to others. Follow me as I follow Christ. See what Christ has done in my life. See what Christ has done in my home. See how Christ has helped me to bring up my children.

See how Christ has changed my attitude to money. See how Christ has made me love my enemies bless those who curse me and many other things like that. So this is the purpose of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The power of the Spirit will come upon you and You shall be my witness be my witnesses Unto the uttermost parts of the earth. So that's what I want to share a few thoughts on. You know the it's interesting that Among all those you know that the Jewish people are very clever even today.

There are some of the cleverest people in the world. They're very very clever in Jesus time. They've been blessed with tremendous intelligence. But it's those intelligent people who studied the Bible from cover to cover Genesis to Malachi those days.

Who read it studied it and felt? That Jesus was the Prince of Devils. You know you can be intelligent you can be a Bible scholar and completely miss What God is? Doing in those days. It was the second person of the Trinity on earth and They couldn't understand him in these days.

Is the third person of the Trinity and a lot of intelligent Christians can't understand him so. Very interesting to see how in the midst of these these intelligent Jewish people Jesus picked some simple fishermen Who were not the cleverest.

I mean there was a Bible school run by Gamaliel in Jerusalem. But he didn't go there and pick up any of those students. He picked up people who were just faithful in their ordinary tasks fishermen tax collectors who were despised like Matthew and others who were just laymen and Trained them for three and a half years they were still not fit said You need to go out and be my witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth, but don't attempt it till you're filled with the Holy Spirit.

And when they were filled with the Spirit, you know how they turned the world upside down. That wasn't with cleverness. They were not clever people in fact all the clever priests and all looked at them and wondered how these uneducated people could Manifest such power in one one place.

We read that Acts 4 that 5 ,000 people were saved. How could these fishermen handle this type of situation? The Lord had prepared them for that When he fed the 5 ,000. Turn to Matthew chapter 14 and there we read how Jesus taught them some principles How to handle 5 ,000 believers Who need spiritual bread and food and You don't have much resources to meet that need you don't have the intelligence of some of these other people here.

You don't have the scholarship of some of these other people here. I'll teach you How to meet the need and that's what you and I need to learn. Many of us are not scholars or very intelligent or intellectual but God can Teach us today.

Giving Everything to Jesus

By that in Matthew chapter 14 we read verse 15 When it was evening the disciples came to him and said the place is desolate and the hour is late. Send the crowds away. They may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.

You know when we are overwhelmed by the need of People who are hungry for the Word. It's very easy to say send them away and let them go and read the Bible themselves and let them take care of themselves.

The Lord says no. You give them something to eat. Brothers and sisters if you know the Lord The Lord says to you You give them something to eat. There are people around you Who don't know the Lord like you who don't know his word?

You give them something to eat. It's our responsibility and This is how we can say many of us may be saying this we don't have the resources. We don't have the intelligence. We don't have the scholarship.

We don't know the Bible so much. We don't know it. We don't know any Greek or Hebrew. Well, we've only got so we know so little we have only five loaves and two fish. Verse 17. Verse 18 he said bring it to me and he ordered the people to sit down on the grass.

And he took the five loaves and two fish. We know from another gospel that it was a little boy who had this five loaves and two fish his mom had Packed up his lunch for him. That was his lunch. It's a little boy's lunch.

That's all five loaves and two fish. You know five small little buns and two small fish. That was his lunch and When the disciples he was the only one who had any food there and when the disciples went to him and said Son, will you give that to Jesus all of it?

I think he didn't hesitate. He said sure. That teaches us even little boys and girls God can use them to feed. 5 ,000. You don't have to be a great scholar. You don't have to be clever. But you have to give everything that's important if you hold something back.

I Believe that if even if he had given four loaves on one fish saying at least I better keep some for myself. That miracle would not have taken place. It's the first lesson that we need to learn. If we want to be a blessing to others.

Be the witnesses that God wants us to be. Number one. Give all that you have. I don't mean put your empty your bank account and put it in the offering box. Don't give it to the church. Give it to Jesus.

Don't give it to some covetous pastor. Don't give it to some greedy television evangelist. Give it to Jesus. It's not that guy who's your bridegroom. Jesus who's your bridegroom, and it's not just money.

I don't think God's interested in our money. It's a wrong emphasis that we see in Christendom today. Where whenever you hear the word give? Immediately people think of money, but you know in the New Testament When it talks about give it says present your body.

That's what he wants first of all. When you get married, what do you want? What do you marry your wife for money? I hope not. You want her? Isn't it an insult to Christ? To say that when he Marries you he wants your money.

If a human being I got married. I didn't want my wife's money or her father's money or any such thing. Is Jesus worse than me? He's not interested in our money. He's interested in us. I beseech you brethren present your bodies not your tights.

Like you hear so much in many churches present your bodies. So when I say give all I'm not talking about money first of all that that is there, but it's way down in the list. It's your body. It's your ambitions.

It's your plans. It's much easier to give 10 and think you your responsibility is over. When I gave my life to Christ 51 years ago It wasn't money. I gave my life because he had given himself for me, and that's what changed my life completely and Brought me to a very satisfying Position today, so when we think of giving five loaves and two fish it may be very little you have but give it all.

Give it all. Present your bodies first of all. That's number one. Anybody can do that a little boy can do that little girl grown-up people. Lord here are my eyes. They are yours. I've used it for the devil and myself for so many years.

I've used it to read a lot of garbage and look at a lot of Corrupt stuff on the computer and elsewhere. I Finished with it. It's yours you know it's literally like Taking your eyes and giving to somebody else, and then you're blind.

It's only what He wants to see with the eyes. That you want to see thereafter that is true Christianity. You can feed the five thousand. I'll tell you that God can pick up a nobody and Use him or her or little child to bless thousands, but you got to give them all first.

Take your tongue and say Lord. Here's my tongue. I've said a lot of rude things angry words to different people. Said a lot of things I shouldn't have said. I'll give you my tongue today. Everything I have.

My mind. Whatever level of intelligence you have say Lord. I wanted to use it for you. Some of us have got Good degrees from colleges. In your profession you're very clever. How much do you use your intelligence for God.

Some of you do business and you make money? You're clever. What about using that cleverness for God? God gave me a certain amount of intelligence, and I decided. Of course I was earning my living for a number of years.

Then I decided one that I would while I was earning my living that I would use also my intelligence to study the scriptures. Use it for God. God didn't give you your mind just to make money. That's only to earn your living.

God gave you your mind. So that you might give it to him like that boy. Gave his five loaves and two fish. You may wonder why God uses certain people and not others. The reason is they gave everything.

And the others didn't give everything. The others gave maybe 10 Maybe a little bit here a little bit of there. But it wasn't completely under the Lord's control. A lot of it was for themselves. The great danger is when you keep it for yourself.

It's like keeping Some money in the bank and some money under your pillow at home. The thieves will steal what's under your pillow. That's what happens when you keep some of it for some of your body some of your Abilities and etc for yourself the devil gets a hold of it.

He's the thief so the first step is To give everything Lord. I will not hold back anything and that's what that's the only thing that those Early apostles had that Peter and James and John had which the pharisees didn't have.

Whatever he had he gave up. I mean he was a married man. He was earning his living through fishing. And he said Lord, that's fine. You call me to live for you. I give you all. Now i'm not saying you've got to give up your job that's a special calling.

God gives to a few but Even in our secular job. Paul was in a secular job. He was making tents. He supported himself. But he gave all to the Lord. He lived for God even gave up the desire to get married to the Lord.

That must have been a tremendous sacrifice. You know how we all long to be married. Paul gave up even that. That again is a special calling. Not everybody's called for that. You don't have to feel guilty if you're not called for it.

If God calls you he gives you the grace for it, but 99 of people he doesn't call for that. But even in our married life. Say Lord, I give my home to you. So that's the first principle you can be a little boy boy man woman anybody.

The Burnt Offering and Total Surrender

You give all to him in the old testament. We read that there was a thing called the burnt offering you read in Leviticus chapter one. And you've heard me say this before that they couldn't take that Bullock they brought and put it straight on the altar.

Now they could have done that in fact much easier just take the bullock put it on the altar and burn it out. But there was a reason why everything in the old testament had symbolism. The Lord told the priest you got to cut it up Into pieces and that must have taken a long time.

It's a pretty laborious process to cut up a bullock if I mean each bullock being cut can imagine how hard those priests had to work. The hands would be aching. The Lord said you got to do that because That was there was symbolizing that when we present our bodies.

See the burnt offering is a picture of how Jesus presented his body and how we are to present our bodies To him. It's not a sin offering. It's a burnt offering an offering of worship to God. And romans 12 says when we present our bodies, that's our spiritual service of worship.

It's like the burnt offering in the old testament. You can't say lord. Here's my body. You got to cut it up. Here are my eyes here are my tongue here's my hands piece by piece otherwise We think we have given everything we haven't.

Here's my mind. Here's my passions. Here's my ambitions. Here's everything my body and mind are yours. And it's when the whole Burnt offering every the last piece imagine this priest cutting up piece by piece and he puts the last piece on the altar.

And says lord, it's all yours. The fire would fall from heaven. Let me show you that verse in case you don't know where it is in leviticus chapter 9. It's good to see the symbolism in the old testament of these things.

Leviticus chapter 9. It says here in verse 24 verse 22 Aaron lifted up his hands Toward the people blessed them and the burnt offering after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.

And then when they came out it says in verse 24 the fire came from the lord and consumed the burnt offering. And the portions of fat on the altar. That's a picture of the Holy spirit's power coming upon people.

The fire from heaven Was fulfilled on the day of pentecost and ever since the day of pentecost on all those Who put every piece upon the altar. There would have been no fire that day. If some priest had covetously kept one leg or something for himself.

And that's the reason why there's no fire in the lives of many a believer. Even a 12 year old boy can be filled with the holy spirit. Like that little boy Who gave his all to jesus? And then of course you can't be a blessing you can try and do a lot of good to people.

I mean doing good many people can do. There are A lot of people in every religion who do good to others. But it's usually good in a very temporary way for earthly things. You can give them Food clothing and many things like that.

But to bless a person in an eternal way in the sense of leading him into fellowship with god. That's the greatest blessing, you know, the greatest blessing I can give to another person is not just food.

Of course if he's hungry i'd give him food or if he's naked give him some clothes, but That doesn't that doesn't help him eternally. It's just temporary. The greatest blessing that I can ever give to another person is to lead him into a direct connection with god through christ.

Then I've changed him for eternity. And for that we need the power of the holy spirit. We see here in old testament and even in the story of the feeding of the five thousand the first step is Giving all on the altar and saying lord.

It's all yours. Why do we hesitate to do that? Because we think We can make a better deal with our life Than the lord can we can't. I mean if anyone Recognizes that the lord can do more with my life than I can He would not hesitate to give it all.

I'm very thankful that The lord made that clear to me 50 years ago that he could do Something better with my life than I could. So I gave up my plans. Now the second thing I want you to see is In matthew 14 that when jesus took the five loaves and two fish.

Seeking God’s Blessing

Um The first thing he did verse 19 was it says he looked up toward heaven and he blessed that food. When we surrender all to the lord as I said The lord blesses us and the greatest blessing. We saw that in Galatians 3 the blessing of abraham.

I will bless you the promise of the spirit. Is very clear in galatians 3 14 the blessing of abraham the promise of the holy spirit. Don't despise that. Don't turn away from it because of the extremes and the fanaticism you see here and there.

I remember when I first Came across some people who claimed to be filled with the holy spirit and I went to that church. This is way back in 1963 I I turned away from it. I said lord. I don't want that.

That's just a lot of noise and emotionalism. I'm, not interested in that. And I began to seek god and I said lord I want what your Apostles received on the day of pentecost. That was different from what I see around here.

So I would pray to god in my room. And I said lord if it takes 10 years 10 years, that's fine. But I want something genuine. I'm, not conceited to think that I can be Witnessed to the ends of the earth without the power of the holy spirit.

That means I can do something better than those apostles could because I've got the scriptures and i've studied the scriptures and i've got so much knowledge and I can explain this and explain that no I said lord I can't.

I need your blessing. I need the blessing of abraham the promise of the spirit upon my life. It requires humility to acknowledge that Jesus knew the scriptures at the age of 12. Enough scriptures to confound the greatest scholars in israel.

But yet before he began his ministry We read the spirit of god came upon him even upon jesus. And he was born of the spirit. The spirit was within him all the time. But then he needed an anointing. To serve.

What did jesus do when he was 31. That he could not do when he was 29. I mean he was just as holy when he was 29 as he when he was 31. I'm sure many people in nazareth were blessed. Through this humble carpenter.

Just the way he lived and Spoke to people i'm sure his words. He wasn't just silent all those 30 years. He would have spoken to people and what do you think he wouldn't have been passing on the latest gossip like a lot of believers.

He'd have been talking about the things of god. I mean when he was 12 he was talking about it. And his whole attitude when he was 12 was don't you know, I must be about my father's business. That was his attitude the rest of his 18 years, too.

So if he could talk to the priests about god's word. When he was 12, i'm sure he spoke a lot of people in nazareth about god's word just like you and I are doing. And don't you think a lot of people were helped by what he said?

Sure. Why did he need the anointing of the holy spirit when he was 30? It says in luke chapter 3. It says he prayed. As he went into the waters of baptism. He was praying. Luke 3 says. And I know jesus prayers were always answered immediately.

And as he prayed he went into the waters. He came out the prayer was answered. I know what he was praying for. He's a father. You call me to serve you. I want you to anoint me with the holy spirit. And sure enough when he came up out of the waters the spirit of god came upon him.

What did he do thereafter. He set people free from the power of the devil with his words and by his actions and that's the thing that Made me see my need. Say if my savior who was so perfect. Who knew scripture so well.

Needed the anointing of the holy spirit. How much I need it? We read even in the old testament that there was false fire. In fact in that leviticus 9 passage we read. The very next verse in leviticus 10 says about Aaron's sons bringing a false fire.

God consuming them. Wherever there's the true fire. There's the false fire. Wherever there's the genuine there's the counterfeit. Men do not counterfeit worthless things. Nobody counterfeits brown paper and newspaper people counterfeit diamonds and gold.

And if there are counterfeit Manifestations and gifts of the holy spirit. It proves that the genuine part of the holy spirit must be pretty valuable. Not cheap like brown paper. The devil's determined as I see it today in christendom today.

I don't think there's anything being counterfeited as much as the part of the holy spirit. I can see how much the devil hates that. Counterfeited counterfeited. So that people either go astray. Or some sensible people will react against that and say I have nothing to do with it.

The Spirit’s Power Rather Than Human Cleverness

What's the solution to all this for me? The solution is very simple. I run the race looking at jesus. I don't look this side or that side. I look at jesus and I say lord. You sought and you never had any counterfeit.

You had the genuine power. I want to run the race looking at you. I don't want to be conceited to think that I can serve you for one day. Without the power of the holy spirit. There's hardly a time my brothers and sisters.

I'll tell you honestly. When I get into a pulpit without seeking god. For the power of the holy spirit. I say lord I can say clever things. I've got a lot of bible knowledge, but It's not going to my five loaves and two fish.

I wonder sometimes whether I even have that. If you don't bless it, it'll remain five loaves and two fish. I can give a little crumb. Imagine if I had five loaves and two fish and I tried to distribute it to all of you.

How much will you all get you won't even get a taste of it? I can give a little crumb. Sure, I give something to someone I know you can do something without god's blessing without the power of the holy spirit.

You can give a little bit here a little bit there and satisfied. Oh that guy got a crumb from me. Praise god. He said he was blessed by that crumb. And that other person got a little crumb from me. Is that all almighty god wants to do through you?

Look at the examples in the new testament. Look at the examples in history. How much god could do through one man? Think if you remove the apostle paul out of the new testament. One man that's all. What would be left or out of early christianity?

Or you just removed those 11 apostles of jesus 11 people that's all in a world full of millions. Just take those 11 people out of the early christians. What would be left? There wouldn't be any christianity today.

They didn't bless people with crumbs. The bible says it was like rivers rivers of living water. I want each of you my dear brothers and sisters to believe that god can use one man to influence millions.

And you can be that. If you surrender all give all to jesus. Don't hold back one loaf or half a fish. No, give it all he'll take care of you. He'll take care of your children. You will lack nothing. You won't even lack Things on this earth if you seek his kingdom first and his righteousness.

All that you need on this earth will be added to you. I proved that in more than 50 years. But you don't surrendering all is not enough. You need to be blessed. Jesus took those five loaves and blessed it and cry out to god for that remember how David, I mean not david jacob.

Jacob’s Perseverance in Seeking Blessing

When he was alone with god, he laid hold of god and said I will not let you go Unless you bless me genesis 32. You know when you begin to pray like that and I haven't prayed like that just once. There are many times you need to come back to god and say lord.

I seem to have lost a little bit of that fire. I seem to have lost a little bit of that fervent love for you that I had in my younger days. I got taken up with ministry and work like martha. And i'm not sitting at your feet enough like mary and jesus you said one thing is needful and lord I've lost my first law.

I want to come back to you. We need to go back to god again and again. Say I will not let you go Unless you give me this power. How many of you will do that? How many of you will go back to jesus again and again and say?

Lord, I will not let you go unless you Bless me. You are the baptizer in the holy spirit. Remember what john the baptist pointed to jesus and said only two things about him behold The lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world.

We have seen him as that. Then he said behold He who immerses you. That's the meaning of baptism. He who immerses you in the holy spirit and fire. See him as the lamb of god who took away your sins see him as the one who immerses you.

You don't need to go to a man. A man cannot fill you with the holy spirit because jesus is the baptizer. John the baptist said that he was the most greatest prophet on earth up to until that time. And he said I can only immerse you in water.

Sorry. I can't immerse you in the spirit. You got to go to him. He will immerse you in the spirit. I tell that to people. I can't lead you to be filled with the spirit. I lay my empty hands on your empty head.

What will you get nothing? He's the one who immerses in the holy spirit. Go to him. I can immerse you in water. Seek god my brother sister. You don't have to go to a meeting. You don't have to go to an emotional Meeting where some clever fellow works people up.

Get alone with god in your room surrender all and say lord send the fire upon my life. I do that many times. I Said lord, I can't live without it. I want you to bless me. I don't want so that's the next step eagerly desire that blessing like Jacob, you know jacob had spent all his life grabbing other things.

Grabbing the birthright and grab stealing it from his brother and Grabbing his uncle's daughter. Grabbing his uncle's property. But one day he emptied his hands and let go all of that and said he grabbed hold of god and said lord now I want you and when the day comes in your life, and you say lord, I I don't want these other things.

I want you. A lot of things the world offers me a lot of things the christian world offers me, but I don't want all that I want you. And you lay hold of god. I will not let you go unless you bless me.

God can use you more than People who are more intelligent than you god can use you more than people who are greater scholars of scripture than you are. It's a blessing of god. That we need It when god blessed abraham.

Though it took time His promise was fulfilled and that blessing is for us so that's the second thing we must bear in mind. And then thirdly. It says he you know, we think and this is the mistake a lot of our dear pentecostal brothers have made.

Brokenness and the Way of the Cross

They think that well you surrender all and the fire has come. That's it. No, it's not it. There's something more. And that's where a lot of people can make a mistake who have been filled with the holy spirit.

It says he took the loaves. It's all in verse 19. He took it. He blessed it. And he broke it. There are three things he took he blessed he broke. So when you give yourself to the lord he takes. He blesses.

There's still five loaves and two fish. When he breaks it. It becomes a blessing to thousands of five thousand men alone. There were probably many women and children. Maybe ten thousand. There's no limit to how much god can do if he breaks you.

And that message of brokenness. The way of the cross. Is the thing that's missing in christendom today in every group, unfortunately. When I was a young christian The church I went to taught me I must read the bible every day.

They told me four things. I must read the bible every day. I must pray every day. I must seek fellowship with other believers and I must witness. I did it. I was thoroughly defeated in my life. I couldn't honestly tell people that christ had given me victory.

I couldn't honestly say like romans 6 14 sin shall not have domain. Sin does not have dominion over me. I couldn't testify like paul in philippians 4 4 that I rejoice in the lord always. I couldn't testify like paul in philippians 4 6.

I'm anxious for nothing. These are all verses in scripture. They never told me. The one thing that jesus said I must do daily. These four things are good. Read the bible pray witness fellowship. But those are not the four things jesus said.

Jesus said if you want to follow me take up your cross daily. I'm, sorry to say nobody ever explained that to me. They taught me the meaning of the tabernacle and. So many other things how they could how the gospels fitted in with each other and how this the doctrine of justification and sanctification and glorification, but they didn't tell me what it was to take up the cross.

So I had all this information in my head, but I was defeated by sin. And I knew that jesus didn't come to give me information. His name thou shall call his name jesus the first promise in the new testament because he will save his people from their sins.