Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, April 26,

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

Memory Verse 1 Cor 13:13 “ ” Memory Verse 1 Cor 13:13 “But now abide (live forever) faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

John 16:5, “But now I (Jesus) am going to Him (God the Father) who sent Me, and yet not one of you (the disciples) asks Me, ‘Where are you going?’”

John 16:6, “But because I have said (taught) to you all these things, sorrow (inward stress) has completely filled your heart (right lobe of the soul).”

Doctrine of Occupation with The Lord Jesus Christ

L. Occupation with Christ as a Foundation or Basis.

1. It is the basis by which the mature believer contributes to national blessing. Deut 30:15 ‑ 16, 20

2. It produces combat courage and victory in battle. Joshua 23:10 ‑ 11

3. It is the basis for preservation in testing. Psa 31:23 ‑ 24

4. It is the basis of stability and great happiness. Psa 16:8 ‑ 9

Psa 16:8, “I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely.

5. It results in supergrace escrow blessings. Psa 37:1-11

6. It is the basis for strength under pressure. Hab 3:19; 2 Cor 1:8-10; Eph 1:19; 6:10; Heb 11:27; 1 Peter 4:11

7. It avoids soul fatigue. Isa 40:30-31; Gal 6:9-10; Heb 12:3

8. It is both the basis for support and the motivation to pass suffering for blessing tests, (PPS and MT) and it even intensifies during Evidence Testing. Phil 3:7-10

M. Characteristics of Occupation with the Person of Christ.

1. Since Christ is the manifest person of the Godhead, max. love toward the 2 nd person of the Trinity is called OC.

2. OC is the maximum expression of category one love toward God, the objective of all believers in every dispensation.

Deut 6:5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart (right lobe).” See also Mat 23:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27.

3. OC in maturity becomes the means of great decisions and great dynamics in history. Heb 11:27; Luke 22:42 w/ Heb 12:2

Luke 22:42, “…yet not My will but Yours be done…”, Heb 12:2, “…who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…”

4. OC begins with the believer’s entrance into spiritual adulthood. Col 3:15 ‑ 17

5. OC glorifies Christ. Eph 3:19 ‑ 21

6. The means of OC is the daily metabolization of Bible doctrine inside God’s Power system. Jer 9:23 ‑ 24; Eph 3:18 ‑ 19

7. OC eliminates the superficialities of human celebrityship. Phil 3:7 ‑ 8

8. OC motivates the pastor to communicate doctrine so that the royal priesthood reaches maturity. Heb 6:10

Heb 6:10, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”

9. PMA of Bible Doctrine by means of the filling of the Holy Spirit is the mechanics which produce OC. James 1:19-25, 2:20 ‑ 23

10. An illustration of OC is given under the principle of romantic love and marriage. Eph 5:25 ‑ 33

11. OC is related to the strategic victory of the Angelic Conflict. Col 1:13-20 with 3:1 ‑ 17

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, April 26, 2011 Tape # Occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ Upper Room Discourse, Part 499 John 16:6; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:34-46; John 19:25-30 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011