holiness is obedience
Dr. Roberto Miranda(Audio: Spanish)
SUMMARY:
The sermon focuses on the importance of holiness and obedience to God. The speaker emphasizes that holiness is not about perfection, but about surrendering one's will to God and adapting one's life to His preferences and desires. The story of Joshua in the Book of Joshua, Chapter 7, is used to illustrate the concept of holiness. The speaker argues that obedience to God leads to joy and blessings, and that God wants us to enjoy the world but within the framework He has established. The devil is portrayed as a force that tries to spoil our enjoyment and convince us that obeying God is enslavement. The sermon concludes by urging the listeners to pursue holiness with joy and desire, and to obey God's will in all aspects of their lives.
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is a cautionary tale about obedience to God. The devil tempted them to eat from the tree of knowledge, telling them that God was trying to enslave them by withholding knowledge. The devil encouraged them to use their intellect and human prerogatives to make the Bible say what they wanted it to say. When they disobeyed God and ate from the tree, they were cursed with conflict, unhappiness, and addiction.
To return to Eden, we must recognize our sin and ask God to teach us how to obey Him. God wants us to approach His word with childlike obedience, doing what He says and avoiding what He forbids. We must remove everything in our lives that does not please God, even if it is attractive or culturally acceptable.
The story of Achan in Joshua 7 illustrates the importance of purity in the face of war. Achan violated God's commandment not to touch anything cursed from Jericho, causing the whole community to transgress. The church is at war against Satan, and we need the supernatural power of God to overcome the culture's walls. The crucifixion of our desires and submission to God's treatment will manifest the power of God. Our children, education, and society are suffering from the poison of the devil, and we must strive for obedience to God in all areas of life.
The author believes that God is offended by the disobedience and sin of humanity, particularly the church. He calls for repentance and a return to holiness, saying that only then can God's glory and blessings be manifested. The author also warns of the power of the kingdom of darkness, which controls the world and seeks to destroy everything that reminds God of his creation. Finally, the author emphasizes the importance of sanctifying oneself and living according to God's will in order to avoid contamination and become a blessing rather than a curse for humanity.
The sermon emphasizes the importance of personal holiness and obedience to God's commands. The pastor acknowledges that holiness is a process and a struggle but calls on individuals to sanctify themselves before God. He warns against hiding sins or redefining them to suit one's desires, as these actions can contaminate the congregation and bring God's curse. The pastor also stresses the need for obedience to God's methodology, even if it seems difficult or goes against personal preferences. He encourages individuals to surrender everything to God and to fight the battle of faith using God's defined methods. The sermon ends with a call to ask God to fulfill his purpose in one's life and to strive for an extraordinary religious life.
The speaker encourages the congregation to fulfill God's purpose in their lives and not settle for a mediocre religious life. They call on the Lion of Judah congregation to live up to their name and do extraordinary things for God. The speaker asks the congregation to sanctify themselves and commit to living according to God's call. They also invite those who haven't given their life to Jesus to do so, and those who want to consecrate themselves to God to come forward. The speaker consecrates the church and people to God and asks for the Holy Spirit to come.We begin this year, New Year's Eve, meditating on holiness and God's call this year, not only this year, but for our church in all its future toward sanctifying ourselves and preparing us for what God has for us.
One of the images that I remember that we used in that call to the holiness of our church and our lives, was the image of Joshua waiting to lead his people, the people of Israel to the promised land. And God calls Joshua, the night before starting his move to finally enter that people, who have waited so long, towards their destiny, he calls them to sanctify themselves. And God says to Joshua, "Sanctify the people, circumcise the people, because tomorrow I will begin to do wonders among you."