Am I denying the power of God in my life? LADY ELDER OSIE L.HILL, SR. August 31, 2011 September 3, 2011

Titus 1:15-16 15 Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

Titus 1:15-16 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Here is what he calls sound doctrine:

Titus 2:2-13 2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Titus 2:2-13 3 The aged women likewise, that [they be] in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Titus 2:2-13 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Titus 2:2-13 5 [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus 2:2-13 6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

Titus 2:2-13 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine [shewing] uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Titus 2:2-13 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Titus 2:2-13 9 [Exhort] servants to be obedient unto their own masters, [and] to please [them] well in all [things]; not answering again;

Titus 2:2-13 10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Titus 2:2-13 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Titus 2:2-13 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Titus 2:2-13 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

  The second Scripture which I wish to read is part of the third chapter of the Second Letter to Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2 Timothy 3:1-5 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2 Timothy 3:1-5 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2 Timothy 3:1-5 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

  The text which I have selected is the fifth verse of the third chapter of the Second Letter to Timothy: “Having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof.”

Everything in this world takes on a form, and the form serves an excellent purpose; it is by no means to be despised, but the form by itself is nothing.

The apostle here declares that in the last days there shall be a class of Christians who have the form of Godliness, but who deny its power, or, as he expresses it in the first

Scripture read, they profess that they know God, but in works they deny it, and that there may be no misunderstanding about this class, he describes their characteristics.

They are selfish people;

They love themselves;

They love silver; covetous -- that is what the word in the original means, lovers of silver

They are proud, heady,

They are unthankful people;

They receive favors and are not grateful for them.

They have no respect for the relations of life; as children,

They are disobedient to their parents;

As wives, they are disobedient to their husbands;

As those who have entered into a covenant, they break the agreements that they have made with other people’; nothing binding; no sort of an agreement that is made with them will hold.

They consider not that they are bound by obligations into which they enter with other men;

They are treacherous;

They are blasphemers;

They love pleasure more than they love God.

Now, those are some of the characteristics of these people Now, those are some of the characteristics of these people. He says that when this class prevails it makes for perilous times, hazardous, dangerous times; when those who claim to be Christians are only shells,

empty shells; when they have the form of Godliness and deny its power; when they profess to be Christians and in their lives go directly contrary to the teachings of Christianity.

If he is an old man and a Christian, he will be sober, grave, temperate, sound in the faith;

If she is an old woman, she, too, will be sober and grave, and a thoughtful teacher of younger women,

And if she be a young woman and a Christian, she will be chaste and discreet, and love her husband, and love her children, and will regard it as a religious obligation to take due care of her home;

If it is a servant and a Christian, that servant will be impelled by his Christianity to do faithful, honest service for the wages that are paid; not answering back to his employer, not stealing little things, purloining;

Not one who serves as under the eye of another, an eye servant, but one who, whether the master is present and looking on or not,

For conscience’s sake renders a faithful amount of work for the compensation which is paid.

II Tim. 3:5 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

No true Christian would ever say they did not believe the Holy Spirit has power...but by our actions we do exactly that. Denying the power therof.

When something goes wrong in our lives, do we immediately turn it over to the Lord, or do we try to handle it in our own power? Denying the power therof.

Once we have prayed for something according to the scriptures, do we release it and know in our hearts that the Lord heard us and that it is done? Or do we continue to worry about it and try to find ways to fix it? Denying the power therof.

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, abides in every born again Christian. So why are we not walking in power as the Lord did?

He knew His place in the Father and never doubted it He knew His place in the Father and never doubted it. With this faith He was able to move any mountain that dared to get across His path.

He always fought His battles with the written Word.

If what we speak into our situation does not line up with the Word, it very well could be causing us not to receive the answer we are praying for.

Rom. 4:17(b) 17b ....and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Speaking negatively about our situation brings about negative results Speaking negatively about our situation brings about negative results. We reap what we sow.

Matt.12:34 34 For out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart...the mouth speaketh.

If our heart is full of doubt that is what our mouth speaks If our heart is full of doubt that is what our mouth speaks. We need to speak what is of sound doctrine over our situation. Just ask yourself who is getting the glory from what is coming out of our mouth?

We need to find scriptures that fit that situation and speak them over it until we see it come to pass.

Mostly we need to believe God.

When we pray without faith we are denying the power thereof.

When we pray and then speak as though the prayer has not been answered we are denying the power thereof.

When we pray and then try to handle it ourselves, we are denying the power thereof.

Denying the power thereof..........is calling the Lord God a liar.

That is why those who have a form of godliness and deny the power thereof will be cast into hell.

He says in II Tim. 3:7 that they are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

What steps can we can take to keep this from becoming our reality.

Step 1: Have a personal relationship with Jesus Step 1: Have a personal relationship with Jesus. That does not mean only at church.

It is not enough to just pray when we want something It is not enough to just pray when we want something. We need to pray constantly. God says without ceasing. We often worry without ceasing....so we can pray without ceasing.

I Thess. 5:17 17 Pray without ceasing.

Step 2: Get into the Word.

The Lord says to study to show thyself approved.

II Tim. 2:15 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Step 3: Control our mouth. Do not allow the devil to do it.

Proverbs 18:21 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Step 4: Forgive everyone that has ever hurt you or someone you love Step 4: Forgive everyone that has ever hurt you or someone you love. We cannot allow unforgiveness in our heart. It stops prayers from being answered.

He said. "I forgave the world even as they tortured and killed my son He said..."I forgave the world even as they tortured and killed my son...had I not...the world would have been destroyed."

He never said that we had to forgive only those that asked for it He never said that we had to forgive only those that asked for it. Or only those that deserved it.

He said we must forgive EVERYONE. if we want forgiveness He said we must forgive EVERYONE..if we want forgiveness. That also means if we want the Lord to hear our prayers.

Understand that when God saves you,

He breaks the power of sin in your life. He gives you a new heart to love Him and your neighbors. He gives you His divine nature so you may worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

He gives you the mind of Christ, so you will follow after righteousness and true holiness. He gives you His Spirit to indwell you, to fill and to overflow you, and to work God's glorious and gracious salvation in you by His mighty power!

You have new desires, new hopes, new ambitions, yes, a new life You have new desires, new hopes, new ambitions, yes, a new life. "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor5:17).

Be not deceived by the god of this world into believing that you can have heaven when you yet stay chained to your sins and your hateful way! Your only hope, you who are caught in this false

gospel, is to honestly face your true condition and lay down your arms of rebellion in repentance, turning to Christ by faith, and pleading with Him for mercy for your never-dying soul, based upon His redemptive work for you.

2 Timothy 3:5 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away

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