TOPIC: SALVATION IS A REVELATION!
You may go through all the processes of religion, be an active member of your church, and still not be born again.
The real question is: Are you sure you are born again?
The most embarrassing thing would be to reach the gates of heaven, only to be turned away because your salvation is uncertain.
Rom 8:16(KJV)16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Salvation comes through revelation.
Acts 2:37-41(NIV)37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
In the Bible, we see examples of individuals who received salvation through direct encounters with God.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus by night seeking understanding. Jesus revealed to him the concept of being “born again” through the Holy Spirit,
John 3:1-9(NIV)3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
You cannot gain salvation through mental knowledge or intellectual argument.
The Spirit must be involved.
if you are born again, You should be thanking God for this salvation.
Paul was an ardent religious person who adhered to the law, but there came a time when he had an encounter with Christ. The encounter transformed him into one of the most influential apostles, preaching salvation through Jesus Christ.
Acts 9:1-12(NLT)Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
V17-20 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
This is what the scripture means when Paul speaks of prayer – Eph 1:17-18 (KJV)“17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
The Samaritan Woman – The Samaritan woman at the well had a revelation of Jesus’ true identity, which led to her own spiritual salvation and the salvation of many in her community.
John 4:24-26(NIV)24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”
V28-30 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Everything you received from God – whether salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity, or anything else – is a revelation.
That revelation points to Christ and His word through the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will take from Christ and reveal it to you. (John 16:14) (MSG) He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you.
This means the Spirit will reveal and make known the truths of Jesus to believers
This is how you can truly grasp it, and once you do, no one can take it from you.
Jesus spoke to His disciples about His death and resurrection, but they went through His teachings without understanding, as they lacked the revelation to comprehend it.
Matt 17:22-23(KJV)22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Luke 24:45(KJV)45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.
At every moment, the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us.
Matt 16:13-17(NLT)13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being,
Can the church pray for the revelation of Christ?
There must be a genuine desire for this.
Can the church pray for the revelation of Christ?
There must be a genuine desire for this.
Ps 27:4(NLT)The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
This revelation is the realization of who you are and the power you possess in Christ.
2 Kings 6:17(NLT) 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
With mere intellectual understanding, you can’t truly get close to Him.
Luke 24:28-31(NLT)28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
It ‘s like saying, “I was blind, but now I can see.”
John 9:25(NLT)25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!
If you are saved, you cannot be compelled to go contrary to your faith.
Acts 4:18-21(NKJV)18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them,”Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
Acts 5:29(NKJ)But Peter and the other apostles answered and said:”We ought to obey God rather than men.
2 Cor 5:17(KJV)17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new
