Zac Poonen - The Spirit of the Bride and the Spirit of the Harlot

Zac PoonenOctober 14, 201951mWatch on YouTube

In this collectionZac Poonen379 messages

Speaker: Zac Poonen Title: The Spirit of the Bride and the Spirit of the Harlot Date: 10-13-2019 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The sermon contrasts the ideal Christian life—being a pure bride prepared for Christ—with the spiritual state of a harlot, representing compromise with the world. Drawing from Malachi's critique of offering blemished sacrifices, the speaker argues that Christians often give God only what costs them nothing, mirroring the Israelites' failure. True devotion requires offering something costly, reflecting the purity expected of the Church.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Why did God reject Israel?Just as the Israelites declined after Joshua, modern Christians have declined into an Old Covenant mindset by failing to take God's higher call seriously.

Presenting defiled food upon the altarGod rebukes the Israelites for bringing blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifice—giving Him only that which cost them zero effort or expense.Malachi 1:6

God's search for a pure offeringGod rejected Israel's hollow worship, declaring He would raise up a pure offering from all nations, which became the founding burden of CFC.Malachi 1:11

Babylon and Jerusalem as two types of churchesRevelation presents Babylon as the mother of harlots operating like a business, while Jerusalem is pictured as a bride adorned for her husband.

Babylon as a religious-business systemBabylon trades in cargo, wealth, and commercial enterprise, contrasting sharply with the temple in Jerusalem which is grounded entirely in sacrifice.Revelation 18:11–13

No businessmen in the house of the LordZechariah prophesies a day when holiness covers everything and no merchants or people with a business spirit remain in God's house.Zechariah 14:9

The spirit of business versus the spirit of sacrificeThe business mindset asks what one can get out of a church for personal gain or for children, whereas the spirit of sacrifice asks what to give.

The message of the cross and the origin of SatanSatan fell because he wanted to get honor for himself, whereas Jesus came not to get, but to give through the ultimate sacrifice of the cross.

David's refusal to offer that which costs nothingDavid insisted on paying full price for Ornan's threshing floor because he refused to give the Lord an offering that cost him nothing.2 Samuel 24:24

The warning of Ananias and SapphiraAnanias and Sapphira died because they lied to the Holy Spirit by pretending to give everything while keeping half back for their own honor.

Mount Moriah and the true place of buildingGod chose the exact site of Abraham's sacrifice and David's threshing floor to build His temple, anchoring the church in absolute sacrifice.2 Chronicles 3:1

Praising God at the fall of BabylonThe shout of hallelujah in the New Testament is uniquely linked to the ultimate destruction of the great harlot system of Babylon.Revelation 18:2

Examining motives to build the true churchBelievers must purge all self-seeking motives from their hearts, seeking to glorify God alone rather than looking for personal comfort or status.

Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortableThe prophetic ministry aims to disturb those who are comfortable in their wrong motives so they can find true comfort in God's love.

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Zac Poonen - The Spirit of the Bride and the Spirit of the Harlot

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