He Is At Your Door!, by Brother Tobiloba Akintokun
Text:- Revelation 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
God has made himself available to man, close enough that he knocks, close enough that we can hear him, close enough that he can come in, and close enough that he can eat with us and us with him.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Ephesians 3 12 – In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. OR
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
And vs 20 – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
1 John 5:14 – This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Solomon – 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies–
1 Kings 3:13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for–both wealth and honour–so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
It did not say:
1. If any man hears my voice and opens and close or opens certain parts close certain parts
2. If any man hears my voice and decides to figure the rest themselves
There is danger in knowledge that is not guided by the word of God.
There is danger in 50% or cherry picking what applies to us as Christians
There is danger in comfort zone hearing i.e. hearing what is “bearable”
We also have to carefully watch what we are preaching to ourselves. What I mean here is you can be sincere and be wrong.
There is danger for anyone taking a “casual” approach about the things of God: for example
Group 1- Knowing and partially acting
Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5:3 – Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
Group 2 – acting without fully knowing the ramifications of your action
2 Samuel 6 5-7
Uzzah that wanted to support the ark from falling
Vs 7 and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.
The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 4:15). But they must not touch the holy things or they will die.
It is very common….to have an “independent” attitude that might border on rebellion, i.e., seeing and acting on things from a worldly, rather than a spiritual, perspective;
Over familiarity breeding contempt (lack of reverence)
In the same chapter on the same ark; we saw how Michal reacted to David’s celebration and how God responded.
On what basis are your convictions?
Tithes and how many “Christians” deal with this subject is just an example
Also how people treat or speak to or about anointed men of God is another example
God takes His things seriously; we have to be really careful what we take with levity
Group 3 – danger in knowledge that is not guided by the word of God
Why is it that sometimes the thing that we feel we least need Jesus in are the ones that falls flat on their face? For example
You never had issues with brothers/sisters asking you out and you feel you have this under control and at least in this art you definitely don’t need God; finding a life partner is sorted. Until it is not as straight forward anymore
There are some battles we continue to fight day in day out…however we are fighting on the wrong battle field
James 4:3 – When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
My point being……You haven’t got anything under control unless God has got it with you
(Proverbs 16:3). Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans
(Proverbs 3:5-6). Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight
John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
I pray that anywhere you are experiences darkness you will have the light of life in the name of Jesus.
Group 4
·There is danger in 50% or cherry picking
·There is danger in comfort zone hearing
On what basis are your convictions?
Rev 3 vs 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
Rev 3 vs 15 16
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19’Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent.…
Rev 3 vs 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
Eternal life is a multiple choice question with one good answer however unlimited options that lead to bad result…….
It doesn’t cost Satan anything and he keeps providing “Christians with options”
We have to carefully watch what we are preaching to ourselves. What I mean here is you can be sincere and be wrong
What are you preaching to you?
Rev 3 vs 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
Finally
John 5 39-42
9“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!40Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
41“Your approval means nothing to me, 42because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. 43For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. 44No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.e
First and most important deed that guarantees honour
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
You are the only person that can open the door for Christ to come in to your life. I also go to say you are the only person that can “close aspects of your life” by assuming the expert role.
The whole and absolute responsibility, of accepting or rejecting God’s gracious Word, which comes to you every time lies with you.
Psalm 19:11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honour.
Whatever your reason or reasons are why your door has not been opened I want to encourage you to drop those reason and surrender to Him.
Jesus Christ knocks; it lies in your hands to decide whether you will take or whether you will reject that which He brings.
Unless there be a definite act on your parts it will not be opened, and He will not enter.
To do nothing is a decision to keep your Saviour outside
‘if any man open the door’ Jesus Christ ‘will come in to him,’ ‘I will come in to him,’ dwell in him, be really incorporated in his being,
‘I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with Me.’
‘If any man love Me he will keep My commandments, and My Father will love him, and We will come and make Our abode with him.’
As we have seen in the cases where he comes in
He gives wisdom to deal with whatever life throws at us
He reverses the irreversible
He rights very wrong
He removes errors
He fights on your behalf
He blesses those who bless you.
That’s is why if you are here and you want to open the door for Jesus to come in for the first time I want to encourage you to let us pray together.
If you are here and you want Jesus to fully take absolute control, you don’t want to continue in a situation of hot today cold tomorrow.
Prayers
1. Father, help me to live a life that is completely reliant on You.
2. Father give me what it takes, so that by your grace and mercy I find myself at the centre of Your will.
3. Father let your presence in me affect the lives of others around me positively
He Is At Your Door!, by Brother Tobiloba Akintokun, a sermon delivered on April 17th, 2016.