(2017 Atlanta) 3. Resurrected And Seated In Heaven - Zac Poonen

one of the most important things that Jesus tried to convince his disciples about was the love of the Father for them many times he used illustrations and examples to show the tremendous love that God as a father has for his people for example instead of just saying the father loves backsliders who come back to him which would be just sentence one sentence Jesus told a whole story about a prodigal son who went and wasted everything that his father gave him and when he came back the father ran to welcome him and you know the son didn't send any text message anything to the father saying I'm coming how did the father know I I mean remember there are lot of things you can learn from that Luke 15 story the son says in the park country my father has many servants and they get enough to eat from that one sentence he's many servants teaches me one thing but the father was a very rich man the little little things you must learn from the story now if the father was a very rich man probably a multi-millionaire in today's terms how much would half his wealth have been because he got half the wealth it wasn't just a couple of hundred dollars it was a few million dollars that he got from his father and how long do you think it would take for a person to spend a few million dollars even if he's a spendthrift that doesn't happen in one month he probably was away from his father for a few years to spend all those millions so the point I want to make is that you put all these things together and you discover that he's coming back home after many years and yet the father sees him at a distance and runs to meet him now my question is how in the world did the father know he was coming back there there is only one way and that is every day his father looked out of the window to see if his son is coming back those are the little hidden things that are not mentioned in that story it's one of the results of meditating on Scripture you know you get a lot more if you meditate on Scripture than if you just read it you know what it says in Psalm 1 bless it is a man not who reads but who meditates on the scripture they had light it's one of the habits I've developed to meditate on the scripture day and night it's to me more important than reading scripture is meditating on the scripture more important than reading scripture is obeying the scripture to meditate on the scriptures and to obey the scriptures is a thousand times more important than just reading because I say that because some people ease their conscience saying I read the Bible this morning did you meditate on it no are you obeying it during the day no but I read half an hour in the morning worthless the purpose of reading the scripture is to meditate on it and obey it otherwise you're easing your conscience but many people ease their conscience I read the Bible the morning I'll tell you honestly I would rather not read the Bible in the morning and obey it throughout the day and meditate on something I have already read sometime then just read and not bother about meditating our obey I know this because I myself live by this law that I must read the Bible a little bit in the morning I ease my conscience so you must not read the Bible to ease your conscience you must meditate on it how do you meditate on a day and night it doesn't mean you got the Bible in front of you but in the middle of your work or when you're driving the car or something you think about what you read anytime maybe what you read last month or what you heard in a meeting but what I see there is the tremendous love of the father that keeps looking out for him and not only for him what I see in that story is the great love of the father for that stubborn legalistic older son whom you don't feel like loving you know when I see the attitude of that older son who tells his father he doesn't say this my brother what does he say this son of yours has come back and who's lived with prostitutes how did he know he was living in prostitute imagines all types of you know you imagine the worst possible things of other people now you think you can't love a person like that but the father loves him too I'm amazed to tell you honestly I find it very difficult to love the elder son when I see his attitude but what I see that is the tremendous love for the father the father says to him son all that I have is yours imagine talking like that to a Pharisee because that's what that elder son represents and I see that a tremendous love of God which is way beyond we can even imagine not only to sinful repentant prodigal sons but to stubborn religious Pharisees who look down on other believers who think they are so righteous I did such people who look down on others but the father loves them and I know that my heart has to melt that I have to love them too the love of God is way beyond we can what we can imagine and that's what Jesus was always trying to teach if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children you know that verse how much more should I have any father give good things of the Holy Spirit to those who ask What did he say if you being evil what I learned from that is the best father in the world is evil compared to God that means God's goodness is so great that take the best father in the world and he's evil take all the best fathers in the world put them all together and they are evil compared to God's goodness I feel that even many believers have not seen God like this they have not seen God is such a loving father who cares for a stubborn religious legalistic Pharisee and who is million times better than the best fathers on the earth and it was eager to give it says in one verse let me read Luke chapter 12 and verse 32 don't be afraid little flock for your father has gladly chosen to give you the kingdom he's eager to give us his kingdom the kingdom of righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit Romans 14:17 some people have asked me what is the kingdom of God I said that is defined in Romans 14:17 as righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the kingdom of God and it says here your father is eager to give it to you I say Lord I believe you're eager to give me righteousness you're eager to give me peace in my heart at all times you're eager to give me joy in the Holy Spirit things which nobody could in the Old Testament could have because they did not know God as a father the Wonder of knowing God is a father is something that we must never lose the wonder of that because if you had gone to any Old Testament Saint like Abraham always called God Almighty God FR god almighty etc and even elijah elijah John the Baptist and told them do you know that you can call God dad I said no impossible he can never we are there that's what every Old Testament saint would have said and I feel that many of us we lose the wonder of it that we can look up into heaven and call him dad in my private prayer I always call him dad in public I say like Jesus said Heavenly Father but many people I notice when they pray they call him God Lord I'm not against it he is God he is Lord even Paul sometimes called him Lord but do you wanna pray to the Father when you normally pray what do you call god father you know him like that this means so much to me that I resist even songs that don't address him as father you know there are some songs like guide me o thou great you know that song guide me o thou great Jehovah I never sing it that way I say guide me o my Heavenly Father you say why not isn't his name Jehovah that a song like that Jehovah Jehovah is I I'll tell you why I don't call him Jehovah that is his name if my son came to me and said mr. Putin I'd like to talk to you I said what are you calling me isn't that your name I said that is my name and you don't call me mr. Coonan you call me that if you're angry with me why do you sing songs to Jehovah I'll tell you why is it so many Christians what about that songwriter he didn't know the father I came possible for a man who knows the father to call in Genova but why is it so many people sing it and never think the hell me wrong in it I'll tell you why you don't know him as father I sang it for years in my life the years when I was insecure I did not know him as father and so many problems because of that defeated by same discouragement power is so important a reason I did not learn as father so I'm so insecure and I believe that insecurity is the reason for many of our sins and many of our problems it's because insecure we are insecure that we are jealous of others we are not happy when it goes well with somebody else so many sins we grumble complain because of insecurity and their insecurity is because we don't know him as a father so I want to encourage all of you to know God is your father the holy spirit has come one of his primary purposes we read in Romans chapter 8 let me read it to you Romans chapter 8 the holy spirit verse 15 comes within us and cries out Abba Father Abba is another Hebrew word like amen amen means shall be so Abba means not father Abba means dad daddy father is comes after that Abba Father - not father father means daddy father it is a very intimate name by which we call our dad it's a to me it's a great thing to know that intimacy with God as my heavenly dad I tell you if you ask the Holy Spirit to make that real in your life that it says the Holy Spirit from within us Christ our dad Wow it's not that somebody teaches you you know like you get an adopted son he's grown up somewhere else and then you come to me so now you must call him that call him dad call him dad that's not like that whereas a little kid born into your home just grows up calling you dad so we must allow the Holy Spirit to make this real to us that the one who rules the universe is my dad and he loves me so much that he'd do anything for me even when I sin he doesn't hate me he hates my sin because he's ruining me it's like you're you know the way a mother will look at a child that is sick the mother doesn't hate the child but it hates that sickness because the mother knows that sickness is destroying my child I hate it a father dad will hate the sickness why does the father rush with his little child from this hospital to that hospital and spend so many thousands of dollars to get his son treated of some sickness because he hates that sickness that is how God hates sin in our life he doesn't hate us but he hates that sin he hates those habits that are ruining us why does he tell us not to watch r-rated movies is it because he doesn't love us no he knows that he destroys you your drinking poison he hates it because he wants you to be strong doesn't want you to get sick so it's a wonderful thing when we see in the New Covenant how through the resurrection of Christ United with him we know God is our Father see Ephesians chapter 2 and see what it says there what God has done for us in Christ in Ephesians chapter 2 so you were once dead in your trespasses and sins that's our condition when we were unconverted and in those you walked in those ways according to the course of this world according to the Prince of Darkness and indulging in your lusts but now God wears for who's rich in mercy when we were dead made us alive together in Christ and this is an amazing verse is the only verse in the Bible which teaches this who raised us up here's the resurrection who raised us up with Christ and seated us with Christ in the heavenly places in Christ this is an amazing truth you know that when Jesus died all of us have accepted the fact that he took our sins upon him the punishment for our sins when he died but you hadn't committed those sins yet 2,000 years ago you are not committed any sin how could he take your sins you're committing a sin now in your present lifetime how did Jesus take the punishment and those sins upon him 2,000 years ago for one reason God with God there is no past present future he told Moses my name is I am you got to understand the meaning of that not I was or I will be I am means that God lives eternally in the present tense always there's no past present future with God just like for you and me everything is present before him all the time that's why millions of years ago he knew whether you would accept Christ or not millions of years ago he knew who would respond to him and who would respond to him and he just chose us did God elect us yes but 1 Peter 1 verse 1 & 2 says he elected us according to his foreknowledge that means he knew beforehand who would respond and who would not and that's how he chose us it's not that arbitrarily he shut his eyes and picked a few names no it's according to his foreknowledge he realized some people respond to his call and some don't so because of that he knew all the sins you're going to commit and they put on Christ long before we were even born not only that he took us this old man and put us also on the cross 2,000 years ago and killed it and so that we can be new and so when Christ was buried we were buried with him when Christ was raised from the dead it says here we were raised up with him now don't worry if you can't understand this we don't have to understand we believe it's true Lord I believe that when you raised from the dead in some amazing way I was raised up with you and not only that verse 6 when you ascended to heaven which happened 2,000 years ago in some wonderful way in God's mind I was there in Christ ascended to heaven with him and I'm spiritually because of this I'm seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ now this is such an amazing truth I don't even try to understand it with my mind but I believe it in my heart that spiritually in some amazing way I am right now seated in Christ in the heavenly places even though my feet are on the earth I'm living on the earth my spirit is there in heaven with Christ and the true Christian life is living that heavenly life on this earth because I am there and when I am there I look at everything on earth from that perspective just think of this one were seated with him or in him in heavenly places in Christ if I understand that position and take it by faith don't you take forgiveness of sins by faith did you actually see Christ dying for you on the cross no how do you know your sins are forgiven how do you know Christ took the punishment for your sin by faith the same faith I believe that I died with him and I rose again with him the same faith teaches me I'm seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ and from there when I take that position I see earth and the things of Earth in a completely different perspective a lot of things that look very attractive on the earth and no longer so attractive when I'm seated in the heavenly places in Christ when I realize that along with Christ's resurrection I also rose up that power of Christ's resurrection not only he rose up but I rose up with him and I ascended with him and then it's like you know when you travel in an aeroplane those big skyscrapers look like little toy buildings like Lego toys and that fancy expensive Cadillac car like a little toy car imagine looking at all these things of Earth which other people are chasing after and running out there and thinking that that's what makes them wealthy and big and you see them as little Lego toys it will completely change your perspective to life on this earth that's how Jesus lived and that's how you can live if you recognize the fact that God in is wonderful way raised you up with Christ made you share this resurrection and lifted you up into the heavenly places and just like imagine the higher you up you go in a plane but smaller these things look imagine if you went all the way up to heaven what's the difference between your house your little Hut and that guy skyscraper from heaven almost no difference at all Oh your little Jeep and that guy's Cadillac was a difference these things that mean so much to earthly people the things that make people jealous if somebody else has got a better house than mine or a better car than mine or a better job than mine or better whatever it is you look at it from an earthly perspective it is much bigger and better but if you are raised up with Christ and you're seated in the heavenly places it will not cause the slightest jealousy in your heart I see so many Christian preachers who are jealous of somebody else's ministry and are trying to show that they are doing a greater job for the Lord I tell you before God I stand before God and say I have been delivered from that 100% completely when I was a young Christian I was not free from it and I wanted to impress people finished I finished with it because I'm seated with Christ my heavenly places now the only person I want to impress now is God and I'm satisfied 100% with everything God has given me I don't question anything that he gives or he doesn't give like job said the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away blessed be the name of the Lord can you say that if you if you really allowed the Holy Spirit to transport you into the heavenly places in your spirit and you allow the Holy Spirit to show you everything on earth from Heaven's perspective you'll be completely at rest concerning many things that happen so many things on earth that cause panic to other people doesn't even disturb you because you're watching it all from heaven you know even even on around the earth some disturbance in the air if you go above that clouds you don't even feel like tits there's no disturbance there's imagine if you get up to heaven and look at things down there so many things look so different we're not in a panic concerning the future there's so many things happening nowadays in every country once upon a time people thought the United States was a Christian country it's no longer it has lost that sense of Christian values long ago it's it's like a and if there is some blessing on this country it's because of Christian values that it inherited long ago you know the Pilgrim Fathers came here in the 1600s fleeing persecution from others in Europe they came here and put number of centuries it was like a train leaded by an engine that was leading it along the lines of Scripture but somewhere I think sometime maybe after the Second World War that engine got detached but you know how when a train is moving full speed and the engine gets detached the rest of the train has got a thing called momentum because it is going so for so long it's such speed it goes on for quite some time slowing down and it will finally come to a stop because the engine has been disconnected but the momentum keeps it going and people think hey we're still going on the ride yeah you are but though you can see the momentum slowing down of Christian influence on this country is slowing down slowing down and it's going to grind to a halt I tell you it's going to happen he must be ready for that day if you are seated in the heavenly places you're okay say God is in control of everything there's never anything that will disturb you hi sometimes compare it to watching a sporting event you know in India its cricket hook so let's convert it to here I think here the great game is footballer I can't understand it everybody climbing on top of others I can't understand how people enjoy it anyways whatever it is let's take a game like basketball okay that's a good game and spelling you're crazy about basketball and you watch this intense game between two teams and you're very eager for your team to win and it won a sort of photo finish and it won now say there's somebody else who's a colleague of yours was at work and could not see that match life and he wants to see the replay of it along with you later in the evening and you're both on the same side you're hoping this team will win and it's those tense moments when the other team has gone ahead and he's all tense but you are relaxed is how you so relaxed aren't you on outside and you're disturbed that you're losing no and you don't want to spoil the thing by telling him I see the end but why are you undisturbed because you've seen the final score but he still tense tense tense tense - that he relaxes only when the end comes but you're relaxed from the beginning I have seen the end of this game I read Revelation chapter 22 22 and I know how this whole thing ends so I'm relaxed I know where the devil is going I know what's going to be his so I'm relaxed I know God is in control you got everything in control and that's if you look at it from their heavenly places whether you look at it from an earthly standpoint you're going to be in panic in the days to come and it's going to be much worse so I'm trying to prepare you for it you ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit every day I pray that Lord will fill me with always will every day I want to look at everything that happens in my country in your country in every part of the world you know what Jesus said let me show you a verse this is Jesus who knows the entire future said this in Matthew 24 is an amazing word Matthew 24 verse 9 the last part you will be hated Christians disciples you'll be hated by every nation because of my name because you stand for the name of Jesus and the Word of God and you stand for the principles of the Word of God you will be hated by every nation it's going to be fulfilled because I believe the word of Jesus he said that heaven and earth will pass away my word will not pass away but that doesn't bring us into a panic because we've seen the end of the game we've seen the final result we are living in a sense in the future already so we may go through trouble it says they may kill you it says in verse 9 okay many will fall away they will hate one another they'll betray one another all these things will happen but we've seen the end of the game and we're going to be faithful and Jesus said be faithful unto death and I'll give you a crown of light see that's in Revelation in chapter 3 the Lord said in Revelation in chapter 3 he says here make sure that no one takes your crown Revelation chapter 3 verse 11 hold fast what you have so that no one takes your crown many of these warnings to be a churches a warnings about the future okay you may be persecuted they'll be testing time coming to hold fast what you have otherwise somebody can take your crown that means he's already going to get his crown but he's going to get yours as well I believe that and when Jesus chose his twelve disciples Judas Iscariot was a wholehearted radical disciple and I'll tell you why I believe that Jesus did not choose him saying oh I've got to get somebody to betray me I mean you got to accuse Jesus of evil motives if you say he chose like that no turn with me to Luke chapter 6 and verse 12 Jesus went into the mountain and prayed all night it's the only place in the Bible where we read that he prayed all night and the reason he prayed all night was because he wanted to know who the father wanted him to choose as his disciples and when the day came was 13 he called his two disciples and he chose 12 he had got those names from his father that night in prayer and here was this one Simon James John etc and verse 16 the last name mentioned is Judas Iscariot he doesn't say who was a traitor who became a traitor now if you say somebody became a leper was he a leper always no so when he says he became a traitor he was not a traitor always he became something along the way his attitude changed so Jesus chose him and I personally believe this is my conviction Judas Iscariot was the cleverest of all the twelve he was very smart and I'll tell you why I believe he was smart because he lived for three and a half years in such close connection with the other eleven and they still didn't believe he was a crook you got to be really smart if you live with eleven others and they don't know you're a crook you know I'll tell you why because I'm a Last Supper Jesus said one of you is going to betray me and they didn't all look at Judas ah he's the one no you know what they said Lord is it I and you is also the false when hypocritical ways a lot is it I but because that's why I believe he was the cleverest and so my theory is you don't have to believe it my theory is that Judas was the one whom who is God's original plan to write the episodes a Paul wrote because he was the cleverest and smartest but he lost his crown Paul got it it's possible for you that God has got a ministry for you but somewhere along the way you slip up you are not faithful and you miss the purpose God had for you but God's work will still be done somebody else will do it Paul will replace your this is correct and somebody will replace you and do your the job you were supposed to do that's the meaning of what we read in revelation 3 be careful that no one takes your crown it says hold fast what you have otherwise somebody will take your crown that means somebody else will fulfill the ministry you were supposed to do now that will be tragic I'd say Lord you called me and you plan from the time I was born and I should fulfill a certain ministry and somewhere along the line I ran out for money or married the wrong person or went after something for myself and I missed out on the most important thing I'm supposed to do on this earth however much money I made or however famous I became worthless if I didn't fulfill ministry God had chosen for me I hope you take this seriously it is really going there are many other people who followed in the footsteps of Judas Iscariot the crown which is meant for them somebody else got it so I want to say to all of you hold fast what you have so that no one takes your crown so be faithful in the little things always keep your conscience clear forgive everybody if you hurt somebody going ask forgiveness immediately don't delay it you spoke a rude word to your husband or wife ask forgiveness immediately because I'll tell you what happened you know once you become a little insensitive in your conscience you delay something like that the Lord tells you to do something immediately and you say no I'll wait till tomorrow or do something later you will feel less like doing it tomorrow gradually you'll forget it and then something else will add on to that and after while your conscience becomes completely insensitive it's a danger that I've seen happen to many people so be careful about the first drifting of your conscience to insensitivity you don't feel anything something's wrong very dangerous so keep that conscience clear because that is what prepares you for the resurrection okay we look at his last words today and continue tomorrow Acts chapter 24 in acts 24 Paul speaks about the resurrection the final resurrection of the righteous and the wicked he says in verse 15 acts 24:15 he's standing before Felix the governor and he says I have a hope in God just like these Jews have there will certainly be two resurrections he is convinced there is going to be a resurrection of the righteous and there's going to be a resurrection of the wicked and I want to be in the resurrection of the righteous which is going to come before the resurrection of the weekend in order to be in the resurrection of the righteous what do I have to do I can't just sit back and say well 25 years ago I accepted Christ as my savior so I'm going to be in the resurrection of the righteous that's not what he says that's what a lot of Christians say today I don't know where they got that theology from but that's not what Paul believed and I'll show it to you from here how are you going to ensure that you are going to be in the resurrection of the righteous listen to Paul in view of this what is that in your what that there will be a resurrection of the righteous on the wicked and I want to be in the resurrection of the righteous what do I do I do my best to maintain 24/7 a blameless conscience before God and before men and USA Paul why do you want to maintain a blameless conscience before God in men you know didn't you accept Christ about 30 years ago yaaaaa that's not enough I have to keep my conscience blameless before God and men why fall because I want to be in the resurrection of the righteous if you can get any other interpretation of this verse tell me how it is there will be a resurrection of the righteous on the wicked in view of this I do my best that to keep my conscience clear always with God and with men that's why I say if you hurt somebody asked forgiveness immediately the Bible says if you are angry with someone don't let your anger state of sunset you know Ephesians 4 very clear get rid of that anger before sunset sunset in those days was the time you people went to see don't go to sleep with anger still in your heart against your wife or husband or anybody that is the outer limit a wholehearted person will get rid of it immediately you know in now my wife worked among people with leprosy and I learned something about people with leprosy there used to be many more in India and people with leprosy you are called lepers in those days lose sensation that's one of the results of leprosy they lose sensation somewhere there'll be a patch there and you poke them they don't feel anything they get a thorn in the foot they don't feel anything you get a thought in the foot you'll feel it immediately you stop everything and pull it out but this leper person with leprosy gets ten thorns in his feet and he doesn't feel a thing because he's got leprosy so they had to be taught before you go to bed look at your feet see there any thorns there now you don't need that advice because you don't have leprosy you'll know it as soon as one pond gets into your foot and you'll pull it out but a person with leprosy can have ten thorns in his feet and he doesn't even know it so you must check his feet at night so that that's why the Bible says for such people don't let the Sun set on your anger in Ephesians in chapter 4 and verse 26 that means before you go to bed just make sure the no thorns in your feet but that's the extreme case what about if you're a healthy person you don't need that advice you're going to set it right as soon as you see anger in your heart you don't wait till sunset you get it ready for the medium you ask forgiveness immediately get rid of it immediately that is the person who's got zero leprosy he pulls out at all immediately so Paul says I don't have any leprosy I keep my conscience always 24/7 blameless before God and before men if you owe somebody money don't postpone returning it I tell people in our churches and when I preach I see it see brother I don't have money to return it actually we got some gold in your house sell it I'm waiting for the price of gold to increase ah you're going to wait for the price to go to increase before you sell it and clear your debt the gold price and keep on increasing when are you going to sell you'll never clear your debt sell that gold clear your dad Christ is coming be ready don't live here with your gold and without on the rapture do you know that when Jesus comes they're going to be two groups of believers I'll show you that in 1 John chapter 2 little children verse 28 abide in him abide in him keep your conscience clear always because when he appears 1 John 2:28 there'll be two groups of believers here it is one who have boldness to say Lord I'm ready for you and the others who swing away from him and shame when he comes Lord not ready to meet you there's something I haven't settled that's why Jesus said make sure you don't have to go inside your house to settle something with your wife if you're on the terrace of your roof of your house you should be ready to go from there if you're out in the field today weak say out in the office and you haven't settled matters with your wife and the Lord comes in here and office you shouldn't have to go back home you shouldn't even have to make a phone call you're ready to go from right from there this is what Jesus is saying always being ready because you do not know at what hour your bridegroom will come it's a wonderful life it's not burden is it a burden to take tones out of your feet huh ridiculous to call that a burden it's healthy and I have to clear my conscience is the healthiest thing I can ever do for my spiritual life so that no human being can say I owe him anything for example Jesus said give to Caesar what is Caesar's before you give to God what is God's and if I owe money to people and Jesus comes that man you say Lord you can't take him he owes me some money let him return that money before you take him to heaven you can Day in the heaven but let him return my money first he wants anyone to say that to the Lord no I don't want a single human being to say that I owe him anything not even an apology I want to be ready at all times this is the Christian life I live and if you seek to live like that I tell you your life will be abundantly fruitful you won't waste your life on earth I want every one of you to have a very fruitful life god bless you all let's pray

Channel: AtlantaCFC

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Keywords: bible, god, jesus, christ, zac poonen, atlanta, good news, heaven, gospel, church, hell, resurrection, death

Id: nssS7DDveYA

Length: 45min 20sec (2720 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 06 2017