Whose Report Shall We Believe? God's Report in Scripture or Man's?
Summary: The bible is a rich treasure trove of God’s wisdom and revelation. The prophet Isaiah called it His “report” and lamented people’s failure to believe it. In this sermon we will look at some key biblical issues, and we'll ask, “Whose report will you believe? Almighty God's report or the contrary opinions of man?”
Isaiah 53:1, KJV
- •• The prophet Isaiah proceeds in his God-inspired “report” to speak prophetically of several facets of our great salvation in Jesus Christ.
- •• But the prophet also laments that there will be those who will not believe God’s report that he goes on to share.
- •• And that remains a problem right up into our 21st century. All kinds of “faiths” and belief systems abound. But that which will change your life for both time and eternity is believing God’s “report” in Scriptures such as Isaiah 53 (nicknamed "the 5th Gospel") and throughout the bible.
- •• Our faith is not in generalities, not in man’s wisdom, not in the latest fads or societal customs. No, our faith is to be laser-focused on what I will call in this sermon God’s report — His timeless truths revealed in His holy bible.
- •• How did Scripture come into being? “Men spoke from God ... by the Holy Spirit.”
- •• Men such as the prophets Isaiah (above) and Jeremiah, the apostles Peter, Paul, John, and others heard from God and wrote down these revelations in what we call the bible.
- •• The bible contains God’s “report”, God's multiple revelations to us, concerning which Isaiah asked the timeless question: “Who hath believed [God's] report?” Each one of us must realize that God is asking us that question personally: Whose report will you believe?"
- •• In the rest of our message today, permit me to pose the question:
Do you believe God’s report
in the Scriptures concerning...
• Salvation in Jesus Christ
- •• God has only one plan for the salvation of mankind — repentance and faith towards Jesus Christ, the crucified and resurrected Son of God.
- • Concerning salvation being found only in Jesus Christ, the apostle Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
- •• Many in the world today wrongly believe the saying, "All roads [or many roads] lead to God." By contrast, Jesus Christ said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Whose report will you believe? A nice-sounding but fatally wrong report of secular society? or God's report in the Scriptures? Only God's report leads to eternal life.
•• Have you believed God’s report concerning salvation? If not, there is no better time than now to take these next few minutes and find eternal life through Jesus Christ. Click the blue link and allow evangelist Billy Graham to explain briefly the simple steps to peace with God.
• The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- •• Jesus began His Church with widespread manifestations of spiritual gifts, or “gifts of the Holy Spirit”. These supernatural gifts were never taken from the Church. No, but rather they are “irrevocable”. God has promised that His Church will “not lack any spiritual gift ... to the end”. Click the blue link just above for a detailed biblical proof that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still valid for Christians today.
- •• The New Testament church service was intended by God from the very beginning of the Church Age to include God’s word (“a word of instruction”), worship (“a hymn”), and the spiritual gifts (represented here by “a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation”).
- •• Do you believe God’s report concerning the importance and present validity of the gifts of the Spirit? Or, as so many churches have done, have you properly featured God's word and worship, but unbiblically relegated the spiritual gifts to the first century? Remember, the apostle said that “all of these must be done for the strengthening of the church”. “All” — word, worship, and spiritual gifts — not just the first two.
• Divine Healing
- •• Do you believe God’s report concerning what is variously called spiritual healing, divine healing, or faith healing?
- • Have you, like the leper, continued in the “if you are willing” mindset? Or do you trust in Jesus’ answer concerning healing the sick — "I am willing”!
- • Have you forgotten this wonderful, divinely promised benefit? That is, that the Lord “heals all your diseases.” Has unbelief deprived you of this wonderful promise of God?
- • Or have you relegated spiritual healing to something that may happen to a few “other” people, but not to you? If so, you have forgotten God’s report that says, “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”
- •• Believe for and expect a new wave of divine healing to return to the latter-day church, even as it was commonly experienced in the early church. God has not changed from His self-revealed identity — “I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26, KJV).
• Speaking in Tongues
- •• Do you believe God’s report that there is for you, in the 21st century, a mighty baptism with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues? Do you believe God’s report that speaking in tongues is for you today? Or have you been turned away from this great biblical blessing by preachers who do not have this powerful Spirit baptism in their own lives, and therefore speak against it? Whose report will you believe — God's or the contrary teachings of men?
- • Notice that the verses above (in Mark 16) link speaking in tongues to the Great Commission, which is for the entire Church Age.
- • Notice above also that Peter, in Acts 2, said that this “promise” of Pentecost was not just for those present on that day in Jerusalem, but also “for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call”.
- •• The baptism with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, is for you today. Believe God’s report and turn a deaf ear to the negativity preached by those who would try to convince you to ignore this great biblical blessing. Whose report shall we believe? Reject unbelief and have faith in God's Word, remembering that it was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who promised: "These signs will accompany those who believe ... they will speak in new tongues."
• Answered Prayer
- •• Do you believe God’s report that assures you that He is a God who answers prayer?
- • James corrects the error of so many who do not receive answers because they do not ask! Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive” (John 16:24).
- • We can have confidence for answered prayer, said the apostle John, “if we ask anything according to his will”. Study the bible diligently, for in it you will find God’s revealed will. Ask for those things, and you will be amazed at how consistently your prayers are answered.
- • And don’t just ask hoping; no, but rather ask in faith, believing Jesus’ promise that “if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer”.
• Modern Day Prophets and Apostles
- •• Not just while He was on earth, but “when He ascended” back to heaven Jesus Christ gave five ministries (not just one or two) — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. There is nowhere in the New Testament that shows Jesus stopped giving all five ministries. The apostle Paul, inspired to write by the Holy Spirit, gave God's report that these 5 ministries are for the entire Church Age. Skeptical, Bible-ignoring man says, "No." Whose report will you believe?
- •• I have taught extensively on this topic at Christian Prophets and Modern Day Apostles. These two ministries are vital to and needed throughout the entire Church Age as an ongoing “foundation” to the New Testament church (Ephesians 2:20).
- •• Do you believe God’s report concerning the multiple ministries He has given His Church? Or have you eliminated several of these ministries without biblical justification for doing so, thereby leaving yourself with the more limited ministry impact of just one or two of the “fivefold” ministry?
We have looked at a few major issues of God’s biblical “report” — salvation, spiritual gifts, divine healing, speaking in tongues, answered prayer, and the validity of apostles and prophets today. Choose to believe the Lord for these things, and your life will be greatly blessed!
There is much, much more in God’s word of great relevance to your walk with God. May I suggest that you browse our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Bible, where you are likely to find Scriptural answers to other Bible questions you have been pondering. May God bless you as you continue to pursue the rich truths of His word.
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Check out more of our sermons on biblical "Faith"
See your faith grow from our sermon: Bible Verses on Healing | Faith-Building Healing Scriptures
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©2009, 2018 James H. Feeney.
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Pentecostal Sermons and Bible Studies
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.