All That God Has Given Us New Year 2012 — Zac Poonen

Well brothers and sisters and all of you who are listening around the world May the Lord make this a good year for you as we begin. It was God who determined Many years ago thousands of years ago that the earth should rotate around the Sun in 365 and a quarter days.

That wasn't our plan. That it come back to the same spot after that time. And it's good for us to See where we are at the end of one rotation of the earth around the Sun. You know just like We want our children At the end of one year in school.

To go to the next higher class All over the world. That's how it is. Children go to a higher class not after six months. Not after two years, but after one year. All promotions in every school around the world is at the end of one year.

Annual Spiritual Self-Examination

At the end of one rotation of the earth around the Sun. There's something about that and it's good for us also Spiritually to have a checkup once a year. It doesn't have to be on December 31st or January the 1st.

It can be on your birthday If you prefer that. But at least once a year It's good to ask ourselves What have we learned. Are we ready to be promoted? You know in our schools here in India more many schools.

They have what's called a final examination at the end of the year and I remember in my days now they have assessed on the basis of monthly or quarterly exams, but in my days. Everything depended on that final examination when I was in school.

If you passed you went to the next class. If you failed you sat in the same class. It was an examination of all that you studied during the year. To see whether you learned it our life on earth is like an education.

Jesus Christ and the School of Obedience

You know that Jesus life on earth was in an education to as a man. It says in Hebrews in chapter 5 Concerning Jesus Christ our forerunner. The book of Hebrews presents Christ as our forerunner one who's gone ahead of us and that's the title given to him in chapter 6 in verse 20, but Before that in Hebrews 5 it says he learned something when he was on earth.

What did he learn? What was his education? What was the school he went through? Hebrews 5 and verse 8. Although he was a son that means although he was the eternal second person of the Trinity. When he came to earth as a man He had to learn something that he could never learn as God.

God never has to obey anyone. There are many things God knows but Obedience whom does God obey? When Jesus came to earth as a man He had to learn obedience. He went through the school of obedience for 33 and a half years.

And he passed not only every year but every day. At the end of 33 and a half years and he cried on the cross. It was the last the highest examination of all. Going to the cross that is a greatest struggle in Gethsemane.

That is a really tough examination. And you know how much he struggled. None of us have struggled in an examination where we sweat blood. That examination was so tough that he sweat blood and he died and he said At last it's finished that meant many things price for our sins has finished.

His education in obedience was finished. He had finished with the entire range of temptations that any human being can ever face. It's all finished. There's a lot in that those three words. It is finished.

He learned obedience. From the things which he suffered or even when obedience meant suffering. There's some things which we obey which are bring Where there's no suffering. There's some things which we obey which involve this self-denial.

Suffering means self-denial. He learned obedience and Thus he became perfect or he perfect means completed his education and Now he has become the author Source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him.

Let me paraphrase those words Hebrews 5 8 and 9. When our Lord Jesus came to earth as a man he had to learn what he never had to learn in heaven as eternal God. He had to learn he had to go through the school of obedience all the way from kindergarten, which was Honor your father and mother.

Honor your imperfect Joseph and imperfect Mary. Even if there are things they tell you to do which you know better. But which are not sinful suffer and obey. He passed the test. We've got to teach our children that How to pass the test when they are children.

Jesus learned obedience when obedience meant self-denial. And all the way in every step when he was tempted as a young boy. And he was tempted as a teenager in sexual matters. When he was tempted When he started earning money as a carpenter and people cheated him perhaps or People broke something that he had worked hard on many things.

He learned obedience all the way and then he learned obedience as a full-time worker never to make his needs known to any human being never to ask for money and Never to depend on man and to be humble enough.

That requires humility to receive money. When people gave him a gift, which he never asked for to provide meet his need. That requires humility. He learned obedience and he completed his education so as us as a man, he completed his entire course of education and Passed out and got his degree and Now he has become a professor.

I'm paraphrasing those words in the same school of obedience to teach all those who will enroll in the school of obedience. And to teach them from kindergarten we can enroll our children in the kindergarten teach them to honor their father and mother and He will lead us all the way in obedience to God.

So that we can also Complete the earthly education God has planned for us and that's why it's the good like in our earthly schools to check up at the end of every year. To say am I going to a higher class?

Am I still I mean you think of a child as we're sitting 10 years struggling with Addition or multiplication 15 years and it still doesn't know how to find the square root of a number. How about someone who after 15 years of being a believer still gets offended?

Offended because somebody said something to him or her. Or gets offended because somebody didn't wish them or treat them right or didn't smile at them. And those are lessons we should have learned in the kindergarten.

15 years in kindergarten. Still getting offended when shall we overcome? There are some things which are tough lessons, you know, like calculus and all in mathematics there are some tough lessons like overcoming Sexual temptation in our mind for men.

Overcoming anger for men and women. Overcoming the love of money. Overcoming seeking the honor of men. Instead of seeking the honor of God alone. Those are a little tougher lessons not kindergarten lessons.

They take a while. So don't get discouraged if you didn't overcome them and they can we got kindergarten but getting offended. That's kindergarten. Because some of those other things are very rooted in our flesh.

Love of money material things. Sexual desire anger. They're all very rooted in our flesh takes a while to battle them and get out. We can't overcome but it may take a little while but Getting offended is only a result of pride.

Pride that makes me think I'm somebody. How can somebody talk to me like that? How can somebody treat me like that? How can somebody not respect me? How can somebody not wish me or smile at me because I'm somebody important.

Those are lessons we should get rid of learn and pass in kindergarten. So if you've been failing in that subject. It's about time we Wonder why we're sitting in the same class year after year. How many times does the earth have to revolve around the Sun?

Before we move on to a higher class. Jesus is the professor in the school of obedience. He learned obedience and he's became the author of obedience to those the author of eternal salvation. Eternal salvation to those who obey him.

We have a Christian world That speaks a lot about faith. I believe in faith. I'll come to that in a moment. But and so they never read verses like this that salvation is for those who obey. I mean if somebody comes to you for counseling and says, how can I get salvation eternal salvation?

How many of you have ever in your life pointed them to this verse? No. Most Christians will not they'll go to some other verse that emphasizes faith. See believe and you'll have eternal salvation. That's right.

But what about? Balancing truth. And pointing them to this verse as well and saying you get eternal salvation if you obey him, is there a contradiction? Is salvation by works not at all? Salvation is entirely by faith but James says Chapter 2 there's a living faith and a dead faith.

Make sure yours is living and the way to know that our Faith is living is by obedience. Faith without works is dead. It's like a body it's got all the members of the body, but no breath and so let's enroll ourselves if you haven't enrolled yourself in the school of obedience and Press on to perfection this year.

The Gift of All That Belongs to God

I want to give you a promise believe this is what the Lord's laid on my heart from John 17 and It's a promise dependent on a condition. Like all promises in the New Testament are. You can't even get forgiveness from God without fulfilling a condition of repent and believe the many gifts of God which are given freely and unconditionally are material gifts.

He makes the Sun to rise on the good and the evil. He sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. They don't have to obey. They don't have to believe. They don't have to fulfill any condition.

They can violate all the Ten Commandments. They can violate every single commandment and still the Sun will rise on them tomorrow morning. They can be terrorists or planning suicide bombings. The Sun will rise on them tomorrow morning.

The rain will fall on them tomorrow morning because God is a good God not because he approves of their evil actions. So there are certain things which are totally unconditional. Sun rain material blessings earning a lot of money.

That God allows a lot of people on earth to earn a lot of money who are godless atheists crooked businessmen cheating politicians. They all earn a lot of money. Those who cheat others swindle others crooked pastors the whole lot of them.

God allows them all to earn a lot of money. One day he will judge those who cheat but that's a different thing. Health. Health is another thing which crooked people terrorists. Atheists all people of all religions have it's not a special blessing that only Christians have or that only Jesus gives.

There are Christians who? Die of cancer and. There are atheists and terrorists who live long lives. There are many blessings God gives to people all over the world. They are unconditional. But when it comes to freedom from sin.

Terrorists and others don't have that atheists don't have that. When it comes to living a life pleasing to God. That only the Holy Spirit can help us. So we need to understand. What is the mark? How do we know whether God's blessed us in this past year?

Is it because you got a promotion in your job? I? Can show you a hundred atheists who got a better hike in pay than you got In this year proves nothing. Doesn't prove that Jesus is the real God. Did you live a healthy life this year without getting sick?

I can show you thousands of people who live healthy lives without getting sick from every religion and atheists terrorists. That doesn't prove that Jesus is the true God. We need to be sober. We need you shouldn't be fooled by what we hear by from television evangelists.

Must read the Word of God and look around us and see. Do atheists get the same thing as this? Do godless terrorists get the same thing then then cannot be from Christ money health all these things so many people get freedom from sin.

That's the thing nobody else gets Except a disciple of Jesus Christ inward freedom from sin. So here's a promise John 17 dependent on a condition. It's the words of Jesus to his heavenly father as he was praying as a man at the end of his life.

Just after the Last Supper Verse 10 all things that are mine are yours. And yours are mine. All that is mine is yours and All that is yours is mine. That's what he said to the father and as the father sent him he has sent us.

We can say the same thing to our Lord Jesus. Our relationship with Jesus is to be the same as his relationship with the father when he was on earth. That we can look at the Lord and say Lord Jesus. All that is mine is yours.

And all that is yours is mine. This is how I'm going to live the year 2012 every day. I'll never claim anything as mine. It's yours all all. You probably need to give a little thought about to that when you go home.

What that word a ll all involves in your life? Areas in your life that you have not Really said are the Lord's. You may be a very religious person going to church every Sunday. But that's not the test.

There are people Christians living in prisons will never go to church on Sunday because in prison for the gospel sake. Who have given all all? That is mine is yours Lord and all that is yours is mine.

I can guarantee That by the time the earth completes another revolution around the Sun in 365 days or 366 days this year. You will be a different person. You may even get a double promotion that happens in some schools where you you have good enough to go to the next class.

The higher class the second class higher you just sincerely say these words to the Lord. Every day even if you don't say it with your mouth say it in your heart Lord Jesus. All that is mine is yours. And show me if there's anything which I'm holding back.

You think that's God's asking too much when God loved us? He gave us all when he gave us his son. He gave us all he gave us heaven's best. He gave us everything and He demands our all Love so amazing so do mine demands myself my all so we say and let me repeat that.

And if you mean it you can say to the Lord right now in your mind Lord I give you my all. All that is mine is yours to the best of my knowledge. We have to say to the best of our knowledge. Because there may be areas in a life.

I don't know. As I walked with the Lord in these 52 years I've discovered year by year that God shows me areas that I didn't know. But because I started with the principle that all that is mine is yours when God shows me something I say yeah, that's yours.

I didn't know it. I didn't know that I was Unconsciously holding it back. You know it's like you decide to deposit all your money in your bank. And then one day you open a cupboard and you discover in one drawer.

Oh, there's five thousand rupees lying here. I didn't know that. You take it and put in the bank again something like that. You didn't deliberately keep it there. Oh, you didn't realize there was five thousand rupees lying in a drawer.

Oh, you won't take and put in the bank again. So it's something like that. Say oh Lord. I didn't realize this area was withheld from you. Thank you for showing me. It's yours when I start with the fundamental principle that all that is mine is the Lord's and that's not a great thing because He gave everything for me when Jesus well walked on earth he Gave everything for me.

It's like a husband who says to his bride all that is mine is yours and the bride responds saying My beloved Lord all that is mine is yours, too. So this is the way we are to live and When we have done our part not only you can decide.

Here's a wonderful promise. All that is the Lord's is mine. I'll tell you It'll even change your Mind it'll give you a better sleep make you healthier and Many things that bother your mind and body may disappear.

I'm not saying this is the solution to all sickness and all problems, but I Certainly the solution to all problems. As long as we live in the world, which is sin cursed we may get sick, but Many sicknesses will be freed from.

If you really give all to the Lord, let me turn you now to 2nd Timothy and chapter 1 and think of What the Lord gives us When we give our all to him. 2nd Timothy 1 verse 7. Now Paul says something to Timothy even though Timothy has been a faithful co-worker of Paul's for maybe 25 years by now.

At least. And he tells Timothy, you know that I need to remind you Timothy God has not given us a spirit of timidity. But God has given us a spirit of power and love and discipline. Now I want you to think of that in relation to as we face the new year in the King James Version.

It says God has not given us a spirit of fear. But a power and love and a sound mind. Those differences in translating those words means that in the original Greek in which the New Testament is written There were more than one meaning to that word and one translator picked one meaning another translator picked another meaning but We're gonna pick both meanings.

Freedom from Fear Through God's Love

We'll only get all of scriptures. Why should we miss out on anything? God has not given us a spirit of fear. He's not given us a spirit of timidity. So let's look at that first we must face this new year and say I'm not going to have the spirit of fear anymore in my life.

Because that is not from God. It's either from the devil or from my flesh. It is not from God. Be convinced of that. Every type of fear fear of the dark fear of death fear of the future fear of sickness.

Fear of harm that other people can do to me fear of losing my job. Whatever fear it is God has not given it if God hasn't given it. It's come from some evil source. The devil or the flesh. Why in the world do I open the door to that snake?

When it wants to come in to my house I don't want it. God didn't send that snake and I'm gonna shut the door to fear. But it's not so easy unless we are established in certain truths. We need to be established.

First of all in the fact that God loves us supremely. I've often told you that the greatest truth in the whole Bible that I have discovered as studying it for so many years. Is that God loves us as he loves Jesus Christ.

John 17 23. If you have given your all to him He I assure you that condition is there. If you've given the best of your knowledge you've given everything to the to God he loves you as He loved Jesus Christ.

That is the greatest truth in the whole scripture, I have never found a greater truth than that. From that flows is dying for me on the cross and rising up giving me the Holy Spirit everything flows from that one thing God so loved that he gave and I must Bask in that sunshine of God's love if I am to be free from fear.

Perfect love Casts out fear it says in 1 John 4 when I am assured that God loves me perfectly. It'll drive out fear. It's like you put on the light the darkness goes away. You don't have to beg the darkness to go away when you switch on the light in a dark room.

It goes instantly. As soon as the light comes the darkness disappears as soon as I'm rooted in God's perfect. Love all fear goes away. It's God's love comes in and drives out fear. So that's one of the things we need to be assured of every single day of this new year.

God loves me. He may not. He doesn't agree with our sin. Just like you love your child, but you hate the sickness your child has. Even if it's a live a cough and a cold that your little child has you hate that but you love the child intensely.

We need to be secure in that and God loves me some of us can condemn ourselves. Oh. But I'm like this. I'm like that. Yes, God hates that evil habit of yours, but he doesn't hate you. You know I was listening to a song.

It's a Little child song. Sometimes we can learn something from these songs. It's a father and son singing together. To his little four-year-old child who is naughty dirty. Makes mistakes plunders and then daddy says.

Your three-year-old face is a dirty disgrace and the child says, but you love me daddy. You scatter your toys and you make too much noise, but you love me daddy. You will wake me up in the morning when I want to sleep on but you love me daddy.

You eat those biscuits when I tell you not to but you love me daddy. When I dress you up you're going to dirty your clothes, but you love me daddy. When I want to use the phone you won't leave me alone, but you love me daddy.

You irritate mommy by pulling her hair, but you love me daddy. You scratch up the floor and you're right on the door you ask foolish questions all that. But you love me daddy and the father says it's so hard to scold you my dear little three-year-old.

Do you think the father wants that three-year-old to grow up with a dirty face and scratching the floor and pulling mommy's hair and not at all. He wants that child to grow up and give up all these things.

But that child is so secure. But you love me dad. Do you have that security my brothers and sisters. That a little child has and a loving father. Jesus came. To show us that God was like that. We love our little children.

We don't want them to grow up dirty. Eve and doing all types of evil things and God doesn't want us to keep on sinning but he loves us and If you can find comfort in that that like an earthly father. Loves his little child.

God loves you, and if you've given your all to him. He loves you as he loved Jesus. That is what drives out fear of the future. I don't know what's gonna happen to me Lord. But dad you love me that. I know.

I don't know how this particular situation in my life is gonna turn out and this particular sickness I have but you love me dad. I don't doubt that. Keep saying that till the end of this year. I'm having a problem with my children Lord.

They're not all following you. I don't know how it's gonna turn out. I don't know whether they'll all get converted this year. But I know one thing you love me dad. I'll never doubt that and you're gonna help me see be an overcomer this year.

That's a wonderful thing. I'm not gonna fear. I'm not gonna live in fear. Things are gonna turn out in a terrible way. No God has not given us the spirit of fear, and there's another Truth which you have written at the back of this hall if you fear God.

You need fear nothing else. So the first is to know the love of God and The second is to reverence God. Fear of God is reverence for God. We I mean God's a loving father, and I like to sit on his lap like a little three-year-old.

Spiritually in my mind I often take that position because Jesus said you're like a little child. It makes me feel so secure. I Don't behave like a grown-up man when I stand before God. I come as a little child.

It's easier to trust him. Grown-up people have so many problems trusting God. I Come as a little child if I slip up somewhere. I come and say dad. I'm sorry I slipped up there. I Really want to take this seriously.

I Don't want to go that way again, but I'm not gonna go away. I cling closer to God if I've slipped up. Take that attitude brothers and sisters. Don't let the devil put all types of hideous thoughts into you.

That God hates you because you slipped up or he hates your sin. Sure. He hates one rude word that you speak to your wife. He hates it. But he doesn't hate you, and he wants you to finish with such things.

Just like I don't want my children to have one teeny-weeny sickness. God doesn't want you to have even one teeny-weeny sin. You're like that's love. The proof of my love for my children is I don't want any sickness in them.

And the proof of God's love for you and me is he doesn't want any sin. To be left in me. Are you in my speech or my thoughts or my attitudes to people or anything? That's the mark of his love and therefore I reverence him.

Reverence for God Instead of Timidity

See God's not some old buddy whom I put my hand around and Some people their songs they sing to Jesus which lacks such reverence. Whenever I hear a song like that I cringe a Lot of these modern half-converted cowboys writing songs they there's no reverence in them.

And I cringe whenever I hear a song like that and say I'll never sing it my life. I I live very intimately with the Lord Jesus as my beloved bridegroom. But I reverence him as my Lord. If you reverence God You need fear nothing else.

Learn to reverence God my brothers and sisters. It's the beginning of wisdom is the ABC of wisdom. And you say God has not given us the spirit of fear. Fear will go away from our life because if we fear God We need fear nothing else.

No circumstance no person nothing nothing at all. Not sickness not poverty nothing. It's so important to see that fear is not from God, please remember that every day of this year and You heard from me now how we can get rid of it.

If we bask in the sunshine of God's love and reverence him. The other word used here in the NASB is timidity. You know that that two words obviously Mean for the meaning of that Greek word has got two English words fear and timidity.

God has not given us the spirit of timidity. Now many Christians mistake timidity for humility. They are poles apart. Humility is given by God timidity is given by the devil. Don't confuse the two. Don't think if you are timid.

That's godly. That's ungodly. Because that's not from God. Timidity timidity you know in Many many areas, but I think particularly of first of all let me think of it in our relationship to God. I Must reverence God.

But I must not be timid and scared. You know and come like a beggar. Wondering whether he'll ever do this for me. There are some songs which As I've got a greater understanding of my heavenly father. I sing a little differently.

Pass me not O gentle Savior. Hear my humble cry. While on others thou art calling do not pass me by. Don't you feel so nice? When you sing that song is how I sing it. You won't pass me by. O gentle Savior.

You'll hear my humble cry. While on others you are calling you will not pass me by. Do you see the difference? One is an expression of faith and the other is an expression of a cringing beggar. Will you give me 50 paisa in my?

Can please God. Imagine if my Five year old son came to me and daddy will you please give me some bread today? I'm very hungry. I Say what's wrong with your son. Do you know that many of your prayers are like that?

Oh God? Will you please heal this sickness? I don't know whether you'll do it. I'm a little beggar. Can you please put 50 pies into my can I? Am I don't blame you. I'm not fit to throw stones because I used to pray like that myself.

He was without sin. Cast the first stone. I was ignorant because I never had a spiritual father to tell me. That's that's not faith. Faith is to say Lord in Jesus Christ. You have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Faith in God's Promises Rather Than Presumption

That's Ephesians 1 3. That's not pride. To confess what God has written in his word is not pride. I want to say to you confess what God's written in his word. I'm not asking you to confess stupid things like God's going to give me a big house or a big car.

All those stupid things that television evangelists tell you to play. I'm asking you to confess what's written in his word. God has blessed me with every blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1 3 he chose me before the foundation of the world to be holy before him.

Ephesians 1 4. All things are going to work together for my good Romans 8 28 instead of me going. Oh Lord. Will you please make all things work together for my good? God say God read Romans 8 28. You see why so often our prayers are not answered because we come like cringing beggars and the way we say it itself Shows us we are full of unbelief.

We don't know whether God will ever do it. Even when the blind men came to Jesus and said, please heal our eyes. Jesus said do you believe I'll do that for you. And many a times in our prayers The Lord is asking us.

Do you believe I'll do that for you? Oh, you're timid. God has not given us a spirit of timidity. So know the promises. The trouble with a lot of Preaching of faith today is they're asking God claiming things that God has never promised.

That's where I disagree with them. But I agree with the boldness which they emphasize we must have but for claiming these God is promised. I Can't go and ask God for things. He's not promised. No amount of faith is going to bring any hair on my head.

But I will have it one day when Christ comes and it'll all be black by the way. You can be pretty sure of that. I got to wait for that. I'm not foolish and stupid to say well, I look nice Lord without with hair and I look nice without glasses.

No. But I do say Lord sin will not have dominion over me. You told me to put away all anger. Ephesians 431, I believe you'll help me to do it. So there's zero anger left in my life. 366 days of 2012. That I want and it doesn't matter if I lose all my hair.

I want to Lose all my anger dear brothers and sisters. What is it you value in your life? Do you value your hair? Do you value your appearance? More than to be godly. How much time and effort. You ladies particularly try to beautify yourself.

I wish you'd spend half that time every day to seek God to be free from sin. Sin is destroying your personality. Come to God in faith not in timidity. Oh, I don't know. I tried so long to overcome the sins been so many years.

This anger my dad added granddad had it. I suppose there's no hope for me. There's plenty of hope for you if you're in Christ. But you my father was a believer, but maybe he didn't have faith. That God would deliver him from it timidity.

God's Care for the Aging and the Lonely

There's a lot of timidity in a lot of prayers. We Must come to God in faith. Are you concerned some of you who are growing old and a lot of complaints of old people particularly in India is Brother Zach my children don't care for me.

I Brought them up so carefully. They've all left and they're all running after their wives and children now and We old parents nobody care. I'll give you a promise all of you old people who have such fears.

I Mean, I'm still young. I'm only 72, but people who are old. But some of you who are old here, let me give you a promise. That's from Isaiah 46. And verse 3 and 4 I've been carrying you on my back from the day you were born.

This is the Lord saying From the day you were a little baby I carried you in the middle of that verse 3 and I'll keep on carrying you when you're old and I'll be there bearing you when you're old and gray.

I've done it and I'll keep on doing it carrying you on my back and saving you. Happy don't look to your children now look to the Lord I I Tell you there are a lot of attitudes even so-called Christians have.

Which are completely contrary to Scripture? We must go to God with boldness and faith. Lord you've written that in your word to Israel and today I'm not under the old covenant. I'm under the new covenant how much more you'll care for me.

When you're sick ask Jesus to heal you when I'm all alone sometimes. I'm sick with something I say Lord I got to get up and speak now I lay my hands on my head and say in Jesus name Lord heal me. Do it when your children are sick lay your hands on them in Jesus name and pray for their healing.

Let your children know. That we believe in asking God to heal us. We trust him that he's a loving father. God has not given us the spirit of timidity and no more timidity. In our life, you know you've got to you got to check some of the songs you sing and there's another song which.

Singing Psalm 25 with Confidence in God

Where's that from. Remember not the sins of my youth. Remember not yeah some 25 remember not the sins of my youth and. With verse 7 you know how I sing it. Lord you won't remember the sins of my youth.