Straighten Up! Lift Up Your Head! - Santosh Poonen - August 12, 2018
http://rlcfchurch.org/straighten-up-lift-up-your-head River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The central message urges believers to maintain spiritual alertness and hope, especially when facing difficult circumstances. The speaker warns against falling into self-pity, comparing it to quicksand, and instead encourages focusing on the realities of the world and the certainty of Christ's return. He concludes by emphasizing that when signs of the end times appear, believers must 'straighten up and lift up your heads' because redemption is near.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Looking at Luke 21The speaker introduces Luke 21 to explain how to escape self-pity and discouragement when facing trials.
Standing Firm When the Earth and Heavens ShakeJesus warns of future persecution and cosmic shakings that will leave the world terrified, yet calls believers to respond with faith.
Straighten Up and Lift Up Your HeadInstead of slouching spiritually under bad circumstances, believers must lift their heads toward heaven because their redemption is near.
Knowing Your True BattlefieldEphesians 6 teaches that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, so we must lay down human weapons and direct our fight against spiritual forces in the heavenly places.Ephesians 6:12
Fight for Your Personal Devotion to JesusBelievers must fiercely guard their pure and simple devotion to Jesus against distractions and false teachings, just as Paul expressed a godly jealousy for the Corinthians.2 Corinthians 11:2–4
Fight for a Deeper Foundation of LoveWhen shakings come in marriages or the church, the solution is not to run away but to dig deeper into the enduring, supernatural love described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Fight for the Territory Around UsBelievers must fight against spiritual aging, refusing to coast into retirement, and instead actively reach out to their neighbors by gossiping the gospel.Joshua 13:1
