The Lord Hears the Afflicted Who Seek Him With all Their Heart -- Santosh Poonen -- August 27, 2023
http://rlcf.church River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that the true sign of the Lord's presence in a church is a palpable sense of His nearness, which causes the devil to panic. He argues that the church Jesus is building is not defined by its name or size, but by the authority of its members to overcome Satan. Furthermore, he stresses the importance of personal revelation regarding Christ's identity and the confidence that God hears every prayer offered in faith.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
How does the devil react when Jesus is truly present?When Jesus comes into a place, the devil panics because he knows Jesus has absolute authority over him, as seen when the demon-possessed man bowed and begged not to be tormented.Mark 5:6–7
What kind of church is the Lord building?The goal is not large numbers or a social club, but a committed body of believers who hold spiritual authority to tear down the gates of hell.
Do you have personal revelation of who Jesus is?Just quoting Peter's confession from the Bible is not enough; the Father must give you personal revelation in your heart that Jesus is the Christ.
Can we expect God to hear every single prayer?While God often ignores prayers offered with wrong motives, Jesus lived knowing the Father always heard Him, and we should make that our ambition too.
What is the condition for God listening to our prayers?God promises to listen when we call upon Him because we search for Him with all our heart, rather than treating Him like a Santa Claus for our wish list.Jeremiah 29:11–13
How does God deal with our impure motives?In His love, God sends afflictions to help us when we are incapable of coming to Him with a pure heart on our own.
Why does God send difficult trials into our lives?God constricts us with difficult trials so that we cry out to Him with all our hearts, and He can hear and answer us just like the afflicted man in the Psalms.
