Free From All Fear And Enduring In Love

So there are two words I want to speak on particularly in this session that are important words for the last days, words that Jesus spoke about. So let's look at 1 John chapter 4 and verse 17 and 18. 1 John 4 verse 17 and 18. By this love is perfected with us. And whenever the Bible uses the word perfect it means complete. It doesn't mean perfect in the sense we are perfect like Jesus. It means complete in the sense that all full, like a vessel is full. That means our heart, there's no place for hatred. There's no corner of our heart having hatred. Love fills the whole vessel, the whole heart. By this love is perfected in us and thus we have confidence in the day of judgment. So our confidence when Christ comes again will be if his love, love for him and love for one another is perfected in us, completely in us. And because as he is so also are we in this world. This is an amazing statement. As Jesus is so are we in this world. So you know when we are called the body of Christ, there's a reason for that. The first body of Christ was the physical body of Christ that was born and grew up in Nazareth and ministered in Israel. When he went up to heaven he sent the Holy Spirit and made us together the body of Christ. We are to do the same thing that the first body of Christ did. What is that? Fulfill the will of the Father. Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. That's what Jesus did throughout his life. He said in John 6 38, I've come from heaven not to do my own will but to do the will of him who sent me. In that one sentence he described his entire 33 and a half years. If you ask me why did Jesus come? Many people say he came to die for the sins of the world. I say that's one small part of what he came for. He also came to show man how man should live for 33 and a half years. He's dying on the cross for only six hours. I know that's very important but many people concentrate on that and forget that 33 and a half years he showed us how God wants man to live. How he wanted Adam to live and today we are called the body of Christ and our example is that first body of Christ. As he is so are we in this world and we believe that that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit like Jesus was and that together all of us together are to fulfill the will of the Father. Each one having a different ministry. Jesus did everything because he was the entire body of Christ. He healed, he preached, he raised the dead, he did everything but so many things. He was apostle, prophet, shepherd, teacher, everything but we we are just small parts of that body and each of us has a different function and I cannot manifest the ministry of the body of Christ by myself because I am NOT the body of Christ. I may be a small nail, that's all, or a tongue and a nail and a tongue cannot do anything by itself. So we need one another. It's very important to understand that particularly as we approach the end of time. All these people who try to live independently and don't care about other members of the body of Christ who don't seek to build a fellowship in their local church where they work together and love one another. I see they haven't understood anything about what it means. It says as he is so are we in this world. Anyway that's how we get confidence in the day of judgment. It says here this is connected with confidence in the day of judgment 1 John 4 17. I'll tell you this, if we don't see this we are not going to have any boldness in the day that we stand before the Lord. Then he goes on to come and talk about fear and love. There is no fear in love. Fear comes when we're not sure of God's love of us. You know like a adopted child in a family may wonder does the father really love me like he loves all the other children and there's fear will the father kick me out if I break a plate or something like that and many of God's children we are born of God. We're not adopted. We are born of the Holy Spirit. When the New Testament in some places uses the word adoption it's not adoption as we understand it now not at all. It's speaking about being accepted as a son instead of being a child. It's quite a different thing but we are born. We were not adopted as somebody. We were not born to some other parent and adopted by God. We were born of God. That's being born again and there's no fear. There's no fear that one day God will get fed up of us or no is there is no fear in love because perfect love costs out fear. It means if I'm perfectly convinced that my Heavenly Father loves me there will be no fear in my heart. No fear of that God will punish me as I said the other day. My only fear will be that I may hurt God. Not that he may hurt me. Not the fear that he will hurt me but the fear that I may hurt God and I don't want to hurt him and there is no fear of anything else that's going to happen in the world. Perfect love costs out fear. Remember these two words love and perfect love and fear. A heart full of love and fear is a very important word in relation to the last days because fear involves punishment it says in verse 18. That means fear the wrong type of fear of God means I'm afraid he'll punish me for what I did wrong or that he stopped loving me or some foolish thing like that and the one who lives in that fear his heart is not full of love not at all. He doubts the love of God. I want to tell you this my dear brothers and sisters. If you have any type of fear in your heart there's only one reason for it. You don't believe when God loves you perfect. He who did not spare his own son but gave him freely up for us. I didn't ask God to send Jesus to earth. That was his idea not mine. No man invited God to send his son to this world. You need to understand that and when I Romans 8 32 he who spared not his own son but freely gave him up how shall he not with him freely give us all things and so Romans 8 31 says so what shall we say to these things? If God be for us who can be against us? Very important to have that faith in these last days where faith comes in fear goes out and fear comes in faith goes out. So it's important because we read in Luke 21 we saw that earlier I think Luke 21 it says in the last days men will faint from fear Luke 21 verse 26 Luke 21 verse 26 speaking about the last days men will faint from fear at thinking of all the things that are happening in the world. I mean we begin to see that even now. A lot of people are living in fear right now and we haven't begun to see some of the terrible things that will happen in the future before Christ comes again. I mean what we are beginning to see is only the beginning of these problems and trials. I mean if you can't stand today trusting God you won't be able to stand two or three years from now well it'll be worse. I'll tell you that I'll tell you honestly I'm not a prophet I'm just telling you what the Bible says. So men's hearts are going to faint from fear I mean fear is a grips a person imagine a person fainting not because he's sick but because he's afraid. Fainting from fear when they think what is happening in the world the expectation of things that are coming upon the world and it is then verse 27 they'll see the Son of Man coming in cloud. So when these things not after they have taken place Luke 21 verse 28 when these things begin to take place get rid of your fear straighten up and lift up your heads. A man who lifts up his head is a man who's got no place for fear. People who are afraid are always looking down or looking here and there to the left and right people are looking up are looking at their Heavenly Father no fear there. Where are the other people looking it says they are looking around at the things happening in the world that's why they've got fear and look up and look around your sink it's like Peter when he was walking on the water I really believe that Peter walking on the waters of the lake is a picture of our life on this earth it's very uncertain we don't have solid ground underneath us everything is so uncertain every step as we come to the end of time will be uncertain it'll be like walking on water and the only way to walk on water is to look at Jesus the moment you turn around and like Peter and look at the waves and the wind you're gonna sink I'll tell you that and if you look back in your past life it's when you turned your eyes away from Jesus and looked at the wind and the waves and your circumstances and what people were saying and what you think people will do that you begin to sink you see with all this corona virus going all over the world you know what people are doing in many parts of the United States they are standing outside gun stores to buy guns there's never been such a craze to buy guns at this time now you can't treat sickness with a gun why are they buying it they're afraid there is so much shortage of necessary items for living for food etc that those who are poor or those who don't have any morals and break into your house so people are buying guns to shoot those come into the house a very real danger when people are starving and they see their children starving they'll do anything and then see somebody living in a comfortable house then they'll break into that house and the average worldly person says well you need a gun then what for well if he breaks in I'll just shoot him men's hearts fainting for fear it's happening right now people don't go and buy a gun out of love it's out of fear what do you do as a believer lots and lots of believers buying guns in the United States because it's so easy to get one in that country your brothers and sisters there's only one thing that will hold us in the last days you look up and say our father who art in heaven keep me in the shadow of your wings and that we live there perfect love and we you know we the purpose of our coming together in the church is not just to sing songs and praying but to hear a word that will challenge us and strengthen us and encourage us for the days to come what is prophecy prophecy is a word that prepares us for the future all the prophecies in the Old Testament were to prepare Israel for the future so the Word of God in the church is to be prophetic in the sense that it's to prepare us for the future to strengthen us so there's no place for fear like that verse I've quoted Isaiah 8 verse 12 and 13 in the Living Bible if you fear God you need fear nothing else it's absolutely true and I want to say that the little things that happen in our life are little ways in which God helps us to overcome fear and the small things happen see the Lord says overcome that then we can go to higher classes where we can overcome fear more and more and more and more we can't do that without grace no it's not I'll tell you something it's not the bold person who's going to stand when the times of fear come no see here's a for example a father with two children one one son is about 20 years old and the other is about two years old and some danger comes the 20 year old acts brave he probably gets hurt when somebody comes to hurt them but the little two-year-old he doesn't even try to fight with that person he just clings to his dad and says dad I want to cling to you who's going to be safer one who clings to his dad because the dad is strong enough to protect him so it's because he's weak that he clings to dad his dad the older boy teenager he thinks I can stand on my own and there are Christians today who are quite proud and confident that they can stand on their own I never want to be like that I say to the Lord Lord my flesh is so weak I'm basically a coward I'm not the brave type I'm not gonna stand in front of the battle and say let the bullets come at me no but if you give me grace I'll stand before anything anything but without your grace I can't do it that is going to be that's a strong person a strong person is the one who is experienced God's grace making him strong and to who does God give that grace to overcome fear in the last days run with me again to 2nd Corinthians in chapter 12 where we have a definition of grace here is a good definition of grace 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 whatever our circumstance may be for example our circumstance may be verse 10 2nd Corinthians 12 10 it may be weakness that you have maybe insults from other people it may be distresses trials and distresses in your home and family it may be persecutions it may be many difficulties and difficulties is a big word that covers almost everything for Christ's sake when I'm weak then I am strong that's what Paul said we think of Paul as a brave person who could confront people and not be afraid but he says no I've learned through the years that my human strength will not help me God had to make me weak he gave me a thorn in the flesh to make me weak so that his power will be manifest in me that's what he says in verse 7 a thorn was given me in the flesh so that I will be humble why should I be humble because God gives his grace only to the humble and Paul was in danger of being puffed up I want to say to you my brothers and sisters every one of you and me all of us are in danger of pride so many things can make us proud maybe you're better than some other brother in your church can make you proud maybe you're better than some sister maybe you're more spiritual maybe you know more of the Bible or we can compare ourselves with people in other churches say we are better than them like the Pharisee said Lord I thank you I'm not like that sinner over there a lot of people in CFC can have that attitude and I think they do what I thank you that I'm not like those people in that church over there that dead denomination Church I'll tell you brother sister there are some believers in those dead denominated churches who are better than many believers in CFC I've seen it because God does not look at denominations he looks at individuals and he looks to see at individuals we may have the right doctrine in CFC but that doesn't mean every person in CFC is filled with the Holy Spirit no all that everyone is receiving grace God gives grace only to the humble and it's very very important that we never become Pharisees imagining that we are better than anybody else in our church or better than anybody else in any other church I guarantee if you let that thought come into your mind you will lose the grace of God like that Pharisee who prayed in the temple so here he says God God had to keep all humble and one way he came made him humble was giving him a physical sickness physical sickness is a way of keeping us humble one way or many other ways but in Paul's case it was a physical sickness by which God made him humble and the purpose was God gives his grace to the humble so that God could give him grace and the Lord said to him in verse 9 my power the Living Bible is beautifully translated my grace is enough for you because my power shows itself best in weak people you get that God says my power shows itself best in weak people so my grace the Lord says is my power there's a definition of grace grace is God's power given to weak people people who recognize they're weak and if you think you're strong well you won't get it you probably need a sickness or something to break you and humble you that's why God has to very often break many of his children through circumstances difficulties trials sometimes through a difficult wife or a difficult husband or a difficult child to humble that proud man or that proud woman so that they become small and weak and God can give them grace so accept the circumstances of your life don't complain against them don't say don't envy somebody else their circumstances God has arranged for you are perfect but Paul it was some type of thorn in the flesh I believe it was a infirmity in his eyes which made him sick in his eyes often and he suffered with that I don't have time to go into that you can read about it in Galatians 4 when you get time but Timothy it was a constant stomachache that he had he never seemed to be free from his stomachache you read about it in 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 20 21 he says Paul says you got frequent stomachaches I'm sure Paul prayed for Timothy numerous times Timothy must have I say Paul pray for me I'm having frequent stomach problems all prayed and prayed and prayed nothing happened he never got healed Apostle Paul lays his hands on Timothy and praise and he's not healed yeah Timothy needs a thorn in the flesh to to keep him humble to keep him dependent on God he particularly those who have been used by God a lot and who are mightily anointed they need something to keep them humble I mean the useless believer was just sit in the corner and is not interested in living for God he probably doesn't need it he probably live healthy life because he's good for nothing but a person who's really going to be used by God God has to keep him weak so that he can give him his grace God gives his grace to the humble and then he'd be able to overcome fear because God's grace is like a mighty power that can face anything you have pictures of that pictures like Samson in the Old Testament what he experienced physically is what we can experience spiritually Samson could face a lion he could face 300 Philistines no problem and something like that is true of us spiritually we can face 300 demons or any opposition from anybody if we are we are weak and we get God's grace Samson needed God's power and we need God's grace then we can overcome fear and when men's hearts are failing around us for fear what we need is grace from God to overcome fear so that there's no fear in our hearts and God trains us for this from little little things you know in Philippians 4 it speaks about anxiety anxiety is something that comes to all human beings particularly if you got little children and they suddenly get sick and they don't seem to recover or they are they come back from school on their own and one day they are very late and they haven't come back and you wonder what happened did they have an accident on the way or so many things or a child in hospital seems to getting worse and worse anxiety it can come to anyone and as long as we live in the world we'll be tempted to be anxious for something or the other right now for example with the corona virus do you know how many people are anxious and fearful did I get this did I touch something and is it on my fingers now but to be careful is one thing we must be careful don't be foolish don't be stupid if you're advised to wash your hands wash your hands and if you're advised to protect yourself with a mask do it if we don't protect ourselves saying oh God will take care of me that's as foolish as the devil telling Jesus jump off the temple God will protect you no he won't Jesus said it is also written don't tempt the Lord your God but don't say God will heal me and tempt him by doing foolish things use your common sense common sense is as much a gift of God as faith sure and Jesus used his common sense he said why should I jump there are stairs here I can walk down the stairs why should I say I'll trust God to heal me when I've got a medicine I can take that'll help me oh I can protect myself by wearing a mask it's common sense we're not foolish don't let the devil tempt you to do foolish things saying I trust God there are people who do that and we're not like that there are churches in some countries who defy the government laws and say we don't we're not afraid we'll come and meet together and we won't keep the distance from each other God protect us I think they're stupid there are people who have no fear of God at all you're not showing their faith they're showing their stupidity faith and common sense go together and the Bible says we must obey the authorities the authorities tell you to stay at home stay at home that's the rule here and I stay at home I don't try to both say oh I trust God I can go anywhere that's like jumping off the roof of the temple I won't do it so faith is not stupidity it's not there's a lot of people who do stupid things like that we're not going to do that Philippians 4 says in verse 6 be anxious for zero zero you believe that nothing means zero that means there's not a single thing in the world I must be anxious about that's a command of God in the Old Testament their commands like don't murder today we have commands like don't be anxious the same God give forth commands there's no commandment in the Old Testament which says don't be anxious I'll tell you why because they didn't have the Holy Spirit they didn't have Jesus as an example but today it says don't be don't be afraid don't be anxious I want to take that as seriously as don't commit murder don't commit adultery the New Testament commandments are here don't be anxious Philippians 2 15 it says don't murmur or complain I want to take it seriously just like those Old Testament people took don't murder don't commit adultery seriously I've gone beyond the Old Testament they're not in the kindergarten those are all kindergarten things it's good we must not commit murder and let's not commit adultery we must know our ABCD sure but we're not gonna spend all our life in the kindergarten just saying CAT is cat and BAT is bat I won't murder I won't commit adultery okay fine no but what about moving on to a higher class or you're gonna sit in the kindergarten forever what about moving on to a higher class where you learn new things like not just don't murder don't commit adultery you've gone past the kindergarten stuff don't get offended about that don't get offended with what people do or say about you don't worry about people's opinions throw people's opinions in the trash can are you have you come there are you trying to pass that particular subject oh here's another subject don't be anxious this is in Scripture and the God who gave grace not grace the God who gave power to the Old Testament people not to commit murder even when they were angry not to commit adultery even when they were tempted then give us grace obey the command which says don't be afraid don't be anxious without grace I can't do it and the first person to raise my hand and say I cannot do it even a small thing will make me anxious worried especially if it affects my little children but I can be free from it if God gives me grace I can obey every command of God in the New Testament with the grace of God that's what you must say if God says in the last days people's hearts are going to faint from fear they're going to be anxious and worried about so many things you must lift up your head Lord by your grace I can do it that's the positive confession of our faith so don't be anxious but how to overcome it make your request known to God what it says in verse 6 what is the thing that's making you anxious this particular thing tell God about it Lord this particular thing is worrying me now whatever it is name it and then it says here before you finish your prayer it says add a word of thanks thanks is saying Lord I believe the request came upon your table now you're going to act on it it's like you send a request to some government official to act on some problem you're having in your house and the government official says I've received your complaint ah thank thank you that's what we are saying to God when they pray in the name of Jesus how do I know it's reached God and he's accepted it thank you Lord I believe you heard it make your prayer with thanksgiving and then the peace of God will it says in the word here is like an army garrison you know like you have an army surrounding a city to protect the city the army of God's angels will guard your heart and your mind in Christ and if you want to think about something don't think about things that make you anxious it says in the next verse think about things that are honorable or saint and right and pure and lovely and a good report whatever has got excellence and worthy of praise use your mind to think about these good things that God has done for you look back over your past and think of the numerous things God did for you in your past life that will strengthen your faith many times when I'm tempted to unbelieve you know what I do I first of all I look at the Bible and see how Jesus never failed his disciples whenever they asked him to do something there's no problem Jesus couldn't handle and then I look back over my own past 60 years as a born-again believer and I said boy I can think of numerous situations in my life when God took care of me twice when I fell off my scooter in Bangalore and I could have died once my skull was cracked and it was not my carelessness it was a railway crossing and that chap lowered the railway bar before I crossed it he wasn't looking and I hit it and I got thrown on the railway track this was 1993 27 years ago I was riding my moped and it hit me on the chest and I got knocked out and I was unconscious right lying on the railway track and they closed the gate for the train to come I don't know what happened when I woke up from my unconscious state just a few minutes later somebody had already lifted me up and parked my moped there my scooter and made me stand and I was wondering what happened till today I don't remember what happened I just know this thing hit me and that was I got conked out and that memory is gone from my mind thankfully but they pulled me out before the train came and I went home I had to get a my arm was in a sling for a number of weeks because my shoulder was dislocated but you know what I said 37 years ago I said Lord you did so much for me on the cross my life is a thank-you to you and I have not finished saying thank you to you so far please help me to finish saying thank you to you it's like I was writing a letter saying T-H-A you know thank you is spelled T-H-A I said Lord I haven't finished you can't let me die now no sorry I got a complete saying thank you to you and the Lord's given me 27 years after that a perfect health I still haven't finished saying thank you to you I don't know what point in that sentence I have come but I say Lord I don't want to finish or I say thank you for dying for me I want my life to be an expression of gratitude to you for having given your life for me well God cares for us he protects us his angels are around us taking care of us we don't fear look back over your life and you'll see many many occasions where God has saved you cared for you when when we had financial need God provided for us took care of us without our ever asking anybody we never sent a prayer letter in all these 54 years that I've served the Lord never sent a prayer letter to anyone asking for money or taking a salary from anyone who just trusted God and he's a faithful father and as you get older some of you may be older don't have it don't have to have any fear you know in India a lot of people get fear when they get older that fear is who's going to take care of us when they're old and so they say they say we hope our children will take care of us well yeah that's okay it's perfectly all right for children to take care of their parents but I'll tell you honestly I prefer to depend on my heavenly father I remember these are things that can cause fear for any of you who are older and I'll share with you a word that the Lord gave me many years ago you see you don't have to worry about your children taking care of you I'm here I'm your father I'll take care of you and the word the Lord gave me was in Isaiah chapter 46 and this is what he said to me Isaiah 46 verse 3 and 4 the middle of verse 3 from your birth I bore you and I carried you not only from your birth from the womb before you were born I was carrying you in your mother's womb did you know that the Lord's telling me and then from the time you were born and I want to tell you to your old age I will be the same father who bore you in your mother's womb and when your hair is gray I am the one who will bury you you don't have to trust in any man to take care of you I made you and I will carry you I will bear you and I will deliver you to whom can you liken me with are you going to compare me with your children who take care of you know I will take care of you are you gonna make me equal with whom some idol he says in verse 6 sometimes your children can be your idols oh my children will take care of me that's an idol you have trust in your heavenly father there's so many idols that believers have they don't even realize it it's not made of brass and stone it's made of flesh and blood the Lord says I will take care of you and whatever may happen in the world around that there be no fear perfect love knowing the perfect love of my father that's out all fear and I want to tell you in Jesus name you will need this word in the days to come be rooted in the perfect love of your heavenly father for you he who spared not his own son but gave him freely up for us all want to give you freely all things look back over your life and think of the numerous things that he's done for you other people thought you were doing foolish things but God took care of you I remember when I resigned from the Navy and a secure job I had 54 years ago my colleagues in the Navy thought I was being foolish one of them one of those friends of mine said hey Zack how are you gonna live you're not gonna join any organization or so nobody's gonna pay you how we gonna live I said do you believe I'm going to serve God he says yeah well you say that I said when I worked for the Navy all these seven eight years every single month every single month on the first of the month they gave me my salary they never failed me and I told him do you think God Almighty is less faithful than the Navy then you're an atheist if you believe that you say God God God God and all that but you believe that the Navy is more faithful than Almighty God and you don't believe in a God in heaven I said that's the God I worship he'll take care of me I said that very boldly 54 years ago but today I can say after 54 years of testimony what looked like a foolish step to many people was God's call I don't ask other people to do it I see you must never leave your job if God doesn't call you when he called me but whether he calls you to full-time work or not he will take care of you according to your needs not always in the same way but he does so there's no need for fear the other thing I want to mention is from Matthew 24 Matthew chapter 24 in the last days Matthew and chapter 24 it says one of the dangers in the last days we saw one of the dangers is fear it's going to be there in a lot of people's hearts the other danger here is because there's so much sin and worldliness in the world around today and we are living in that time Matthew 24 12 says let me paraphrase it because there's going to be so much sin and worldliness and sinful pleasures sinful movies and a relaxed easy way of life where you don't have time to read the Bible where you neglect the Bible and you neglect fellowship with God because there are so many other forms of entertainment and relaxation many people's love will grow cold not many but most people's and he's talking about believers grow cold means once upon a time it was hot a worldly person never had any love for the Lord so it's not a question of early people love was dead from the beginning ice-cold but here it says some people who were hot are becoming cold my dear brothers and sisters I want to speak to all of you personally now all of you who are listening to me right now was there a time in your life some years ago when you loved the Lord more fervently when you were willing to sacrifice anything for him when you always began the day with him first always you never started a day without Christ being first and you slackened off in that you feel you're a mature believer now you don't need to do that I've been a believer 60 years I'm helpless if I don't begin my day with God first you have to go to work I know but I'm not asking you to spend one hour reading the Bible you may not have time for that in the morning but putting God first is not a question of reading the Bible the moment you wake up you say I want God to be first in my life I remember Santos using an illustration he spoke to you a little while ago but once he spoke an illustration where he said what does a blind man look for as soon as he wakes up from bed a cane he can't even move without that cane with which he feels his way around that's the way we should because he's dependent on it to find his way he's helpless without it and so we must begin with God say Lord I can't move this day without you I want to depend on I like that phrase in Hebrews 11 the beautiful word Hebrews 11 is a chapter full of people who did fantastic things in faith they split the Red Sea like Moses they pulled on the walls of Jericho like Joshua they shut the mouths of lions like Samson they had a son born when they are 100 years old like Abraham many many fantastic things Moses delivered a whole nation of 2 million people out of Egypt single-handedly and in the midst of all these fantastic actions we find little one little action that doesn't look so fantastic read this Hebrews 11 and verse 21 by faith Jacob what did he do he leaned on the top of his staff and worshipped God while he was blessing the sons of Joseph what did he do while he was worshipping blessing the sons of Jacob he worshipped God leaning on the top of his staff and what's so great about a man walking with a cane leaning on that cane and walking is that a fantastic act of faith by faith Jacob leaned upon his cane and walked but we've seen a lot of old people walking with a cane but for Jacob that came on which he had to lean upon that staff was a picture of his dependence on God he was a strong independent young man till one day God dislocated his thigh is the joint of his thigh with his over there wherever he's leaning upon that his body was was dependent on that dislocated his thigh bone and he had to take a staff to for the rest of his life and that was a day God broke him in a place called pineal they called the face of God and God said today you'll be called Israel you know when he experienced the power of God and he was broken and that cane was a symbol of his dependence upon God that's how we are to be so it says in Matthew 24 that the love of many people will get cold in the last days because sin is increased but Matthew 24 13 the one who endures to the end he will be saved the one who endures to the end will be saved endures in what see that always read the verse in its context people are going to fail in love it's love which is going to grow cold but the one who does not get cold but endures in a fiery love for the Lord and fervent love for one another he will be saved so the other thing the great danger in the last days is not only fear the other great danger is people are going to lose their love for Jesus they're going to lose their love for one another in the church some little thing will happen and they will start criticizing each other they're going to lose their love for their husbands and wives they'll be fighting at home and in the midst of all these husbands and wives who are fighting and losing the love they had when they first got married and you're till the end I want to say to all of you husbands and wives whether you're young or old endure in love till the end bear with one another forgive one another the primary mark of love is patience love is patient ask God be merciful to forgive your partner because you yourself have got many weaknesses you think you have to bear with her she has to bear with you you think you have to bear with him that difficult husband he has to bear with you my dear sister don't look down on each other let God be the final judge of whether he or you are spiritual leave that to God your duty is to love until the end the one who endures in love until the end will be saved and in the last days many people's love is going to be cold that's the thing that's going to determine whether we're going to get into the Lord's presence when he comes in the next chapter in Matthew 25 he looked told a story that illustrated that Matthew 25 he spoke about ten virgins Matthew 25 to five were foolish and five were wise now the interesting thing is the only difference was all ten had lamps it says there verse 1 Matthew 25 1 all ten had lamps that were burning they had oil in the lamp oil in the lamp speaks of the external life but the wise took some extra oil verse 4 in their flasks that speaks of oil in the hidden life so the foolish ones had only oil in their lamp in their external life the wise ones had oil in them plus oil in their hidden life somewhere in their pockets they had a flask full of oil and and for a long time the bridegroom didn't come there was a delay bridegroom delayed in coming first five you know that the bridegroom is delaying we thought Christ would come earlier he hasn't come yet he's delaying and then suddenly this voice comes the bridegroom has come and by the time the lamps of the foolish died out was dying out see it says in verse 8 our lamps are going out that means it was burning up till then but they could not endure till the end they had a little bit of love but it died out before the bridegroom came you endure till the end will be saved he whose lamp is burning until the end will be saved what is this oil oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit anointing oil anointing with the Holy Spirit so when the Holy Spirit fills our hearts and we are baptized in the Holy Spirit and we are filled with the Holy Spirit that's a vessel that is full of oil that's externally and a flask that is full of oil internally that's the fullness of the Holy Spirit inwardly outwardly what is that what does the Holy Spirit fill us with I know most Pentecostals will say speaking in tongues I believe in speaking in tongues but I don't believe that's the mark of being filled with the Holy Spirit I'll tell you what the mark is what the Bible says Romans 5 and verse 5 the love of God fills our hearts through the Holy Spirit Romans 5 verse 5 the mark of a spirit-filled man and never forget this is the love of God and that means three things first my belief that God loves me perfectly the Holy Spirit fills my heart with a deep assurance of the love of God for me that's the foundation of my life I'm secure secondly the Holy Spirit fills me with a fervent love for Jesus Christ my flask is full of love for Christ inwardly it's not what people see yeah people can see a little bit in the lamp burning that means my actions through that come out of the love of Christ they can see but the hidden flask of oil they don't see that's the important thing not just the outward actions that we show our love for Christ all of us go to meetings and do so many things where people see that you love Christ that's great but do you have a hidden heart full of love for the Lord in secret that's the important thing that's the thing that matters when the Christ comes and thirdly it's a fervent love for other believers you love one another as I have loved you so three things one God's perfect love for me the Holy Spirit fills me with that assurance secondly the Holy Spirit gives me a fervent love for Jesus Christ and thirdly the Holy Spirit gives me love for difficult believers there are difficult brothers in every church don't think it's only in your church there are difficult believers it's easy to love a very nice believer who's very kind and generous and good and never troubles you in any way that's nothing great about that but the test is if you can love a person who's really born again but it was a little awkward who's crude he doesn't know how to speak properly maybe he's a bit rude in the way he speaks or I'm not saying that we go to fellowship with all the believers that's not possible but to love everyone sure you see Jesus had degrees of fellowship there was the multitude he loved them then there was a group of 70 disciples he loved them then another circle inside of 11 disciples he loved them inside that there was circle of three that is Peter James and John so we also will find closer fellowship with some believers than others that's natural but we must love all fellowship may be more with some people but our love must be for everyone and he who endures in love till the end is going to be saved now I want to endure it in love till the end I may not have be able to fellowship with all believers as much as with some believers I have to say I do it I do have closer fellowship with some believers than with others even in CFC just like Jesus had more fellowship with Peter James and John then with many others natural those are more devoted but I love even the others my love is not limited to the few people in my inner circle my love is for everyone I can bear with them I can forgive them in love I can correct them you know Jesus said in Revelation 319 those whom I love I rebuke yeah that's also a mark of love if you're a father you will rebuke and discipline your children otherwise you don't love them and if you're an elder brother I've many times had to rebuke and discipline brothers in the church or even elders in a church when I'm an elder I have to do that it's part of my love for the Lord and love for that person to save him from calamity I want to endure in love I want to have a flask that's full of oil I must never do anything out of bitterness or hatred or partiality or revenge oh no that's of the devil if I'm upset with somebody who hurt me and I try to do something in the form of revenge I inspired by the devil if somebody does something wrong to you the first thing you must do is forgive him immediately I have the habit of you know saying Lord I forgive that person as soon as I hear that somebody spoke against me or did something against me I say Lord I forgive him I don't wait for him to come and ask forgiveness from no if he doesn't for us forgiveness I still forgive him but I may not have to be able to a fellowship with him fellowship is based on settling matters but other but love is not dependent on whether somebody asked me or not when Jesus hung on the cross nobody asked for forgiveness he said father forgive them they don't know what they're doing they're all so foolish and we are surrounded by foolish people who don't know what they're doing forgive them say to many people around you father forgive them they don't know what they're doing they're so foolish they don't realize how they're serving the devil when they don't love when they do that foolish thing Lord I want to endure in love till the end oh dear brothers please remember I start all fear make sure your flask is full of love for the Lord and love for one another and you'll be ready for the coming of the Lord when he comes he opens the door we can go and rejoice with him let us pray Heavenly Father thank you for your word help us to endure until the end help us to remember all that we've heard and this weekend and help us to live by what we have heard so that the devil doesn't come and take away the seed that has been sown we want to see a better life in ourselves and in our families as a result of this conference and we have ever experienced in our entire life so far a better husband-wife relationship better father-children relationship better brother brother better sister relationship than we have ever had work that Lord and build these dear little churches in Australia and wherever people are listening to this message we pray in Jesus name Amen