Christmas Service 22/12/2013 sermon notes – Pastor Joseph Prince

Don’t forget that once upon a time Jesus was a baby. Right after our forefathers… Our parents… Fell, Gid have the v first bible prophecy. The woman’s seed that will come will rush your head. Women don’t have seeds. Woman with a seed = virgin w seed planted by HS.

JESUS wasn’t put in Mary’s womb then became God’s son. In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh and dwelled among us.

God and us= like us and the ant. We both have life but diff realm of life and quality of life. Accidentally u squash an ant, u can apologise to it earnestly that ur intention wasn’t evil, the ants will flee from u. And that is like how we supposed God is with us. But this illustration falls short because God doesn’t accidentally squash us.

Imagine a food pyramid. Ps saw a pyramid of life and as he prayed, God showed him the did kinds of life. The most basic is plant life. Then the next level is insect life. Then animal life – bios life. Have a mind but no spirit. Then the next realm is human life- above animal life. But that isn’t the life Jesus came to give. When Jesus came to earth, He said He has come so we will have life and live more abundantly. The Greek word for life there is not bios life but ZOE life. Zoe = eternal life of God. Eternal life isn’t living forever because those in Hell are also living forever. Men didn’t exist until God breathed on men. That breath is what gives life to men. Spirit.

“Beyond Death’s Door” – renown ICU doctor. He wasn’t a believer yet but was a surgeon. Spoke about people who died and he would have to bring them back to life. Usually people who are being resuscitated w the defilibrator, people grab him and say PLEASE DONT LET GO BACK THERE. He realised over time hell is real- a place where the human spirit is stored. Then he began to think back when he was a kid, his mum asked him to say the salvation prayer and he refused. Lived a life of the natural realm and never the supernatural. And one day, he encountered the same situation w a patient and he told the patient to pray the salvation prayer. The guy went and the doc resuscitated him again and this time the guy asked to go back now because it is a beautiful place.

Because God breathed in u, u cannot die. U need to be stored somewhere. All men has to exist forever. Just where will u be housed in.

Men committed high treason. God gave this earth to men. Men had the key. Adam and Eve fell and whole creation fell & all the bad and evil thing that men didn’t knew until that point entered the world. This is not what the Father intended for us.

God gave men a choice. Free will. He didn’t make us a robot. The one tree allows men to exercise the choice. If all is good and u give men free choice, there really is no choice. So God made everything good but one tree, so that men could honour God by his choice.

The devil makes man focus on the thing they don’t have. Man’s heart is always seeking but happiness doesn’t come from seeking things in this world. Fame doesn’t bring happiness either.

Johnny Depp was interviewed and asked if he were happy. He looked at the journalist sadly- I have lived all my life like a fugitive. I have only seen the backs of the hotels. He dreams to be a normal person. Yet many dream they would like to be like this.

This void is a God shape void only God can fulfil. God never meant for men to die. Men obeyed the devil- believed what devil said over what God said. Men chose the forbidden fruit over God. Trusted the devil over God.

But God had a plan- the woman’s seed will crush the serpent’s head. And He chose a lowly woman-

Matt 1:21-25

In Israel, names have significance. Daniel eg is God will judge the enemies of this boy. Yosef eg is Yahweh adds.

Jesus is the first whose name means He Himself will save.

Tidings of great joy- A SAVIOUR (not a judge or a new Moses) is born.

Not that Jesus came to save us from our sin so we never sin again. Sin is what introduces evil days to our lives. Satan is a lawyer. A prosecutor. He uses God’s law to judge us with so we can’t expect the good life because of our sin. A master liar speaks half truths that he is why a master liar. A good liar knows how to intersperse his lie with some truth. An open lie is easy to spot but when it comes w some truth, it is harder to spot.

Your sins are like the landing strip. The devil’s curses- depression, death, poverty etc- are like the planes. If no landing strip, these plans can’t land.

BUT Jesus has come and came to take away the landing strips by taking our sins upon Him on the Cross.

Imm- with
Manu- us
El- power of God, hero God, strong and powerful God

And this God is with us! Literally with us is this strong God, powerful God.

We need saving.

Testimony- KC from West Virginia. Drug addict. Daddy God placed him in the halfway house- whilst there he listened to many preachers but felt weight on his shoulders. Mum told him to listen to Ps Prince but he was unconvinced a Singaporean would be able to preach anything. God removed his drug and cig addiction as he listened. Now an art dealer with a ten fold return within two years. When Jesus enters your life, everything changes.

What are the bad things that follow sin? Slickness, diseases, death, addiction etc.

The worse thing u can do is to be your own saviour. At death’s doors, all your wealth and fame and accomplishments cannot save you. Only Jesus.

Ps Prince uncle used to go to church but then got lost. He was driving to Malaysia and there were ladies in the car who were strong believers. His car skidded and went right over the cliff. The moment the car skidded, the ladies screamed JESUS and as the car stopped in mid air and was slowly put down on the ground. Uncle went back to church. All safe.

Call on JESUS and He will save.

“God be with you” is used like a cliche saying. But why do u think the shepherds rejoiced when told of the tidings of GREAT joy? God advised Ps to study the OT.

Gen 39:1-6 KJV

Those days when you are sold at a slave market (Ps tells us this revelation inspired his Unmerited favour book but revelation was in the 90s), the slaves were stripped naked. He had no money, no family, nothin but the LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH and because of that he was a prosperous man.

Because God is with Him thus He is prosperous. This is how God defines success- the LORD is with u. God blesses u and from u the blessings will flow. The world equates prosperous today with how many zeros ur account has how much fame u have. But God calls u prosperous because He is with u first.

Some people against our church will tell NCCers to read the bible for themselves and if they have prob, to ask them and not to believe everything pastor preaches. God ordained teachers in your life. The devil knows- Smite the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. There have been sheep and shepherd who have tried to smite Pastor. But through the years all have disappeared. It is not a matter of human talent- let the LORD promote u. Don’t be an Absalom to steal people’s heart. Watch it when people try to put down your pastor to get to u. It isn’t about Pastor Prince- “u didn’t promote me so u can’t demote me”. The LORD is the one who opened the doors. We only had four miracle seed Sundays and already we have paid 90% of the cost of our church building.
God is with us. Emmanuel. We didn’t do one year of Miracle seed Sunday because no leading and yet now, within this year, everything will be paid off. God is with us.

Gen 39:3- The master saw the LORD is with Joseph and made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Everything u touch because God with u has made u prosperous.

In Jesus, 5 loaves and 2 fishes, little becomes much!

God loves u more than u love yourself. The devil will put all sorts of doubt in your mind. When Jesus touched the leper, the disease left. When Jesus touched the dead, death left. What a touch! Better than Midas’ touch. Midas was so greedy and full of avarice. Wanted more gold and he touched everything and they became gold. Until when he touched his child, she became gold- cold and lifeless. Wouldn’t u prefer Jesus’ touch? The uniqueness or the need will have the same supply for the need.

Gen 39:5- everything prospers when u place everything in ur heavenly Joseph’s (Jesus’) hand.

Your ministry, your success and career will be evident to all who see when u are prosperous in Christ.

Just being in the presence of someone can rub off something on u. The LORD is never sick, always strong – this rubs off on u. If the LORD is with u, He will do for u.

Three large armies came against Jehoshophat- 2 Chron 2:17

Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD.

Position yourself and look to Jesus. See the Salvation WHO is with u. The LORD is with u.

The LORD is with u. Emmanuel. Go out to hide armies that outnumber u but don’t fight.

Don’t fight
Position yourself.

See v 21-23—- the moment they began to sing and praise, the LORD ambushed the enemies and defeated them. The enemies began to fight amongst themselves and helped to destroy one another. The moment u praise, the devils are confused. They come against u one way and will flee seven ways.

Praise the beauty of holiness – praise the LORD for His HESED endures forever.

“HESED” – “grace”, as seen in the messianic Jewish bible.

Nothing to do with me. All to do with God’s undeserved favour. One of the best revenge is to live a life well lived. When the dog barks at the moon, the moon doesn’t bark back. The moon just continues to reflect the Son. Just keep shining. Keep being a success in God’s definition of success and people can see that.

The Jews didn’t see their King. The wise men from far asking the king of Israel where the King of the Jews is.

Prince George is born to one day become a King. The moment Jesus was born, He was King.

The King walks with you.

Jesus rose and said LO I AM WITH U ALWAYS UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD.

A girl with anorexia was pronounced as dying and too weak to read, she watched Ps Prince preach that when her spirit gets stronger her body will follow. Before Christmas, her permanent feeding tube put in by the doc fell out on its own. She became strong enough for her pastor to position her to minister to others who suffer the same illness.

Grace HYPER ABOUNDS when the LORD is with u. Don’t run after gold. When Jesus was born, gold came after Him. U follow Jesus, not gold. The gold will come to u.

Sin is not the issue. Not understanding the grace of God is what causes some people to fall under addictions. A drug addict was saved from his 5yr addiction in 5 days.

If the locusts are attacking the harvest in the past, the Hebrews under law needed to detect where sin existed in their lives and do an animal sacrifice. If u are under law today u will need to confess your sin in detail and buy a goat or sheep. Thank God we don’t need to go through this because of our LAMB of God.

The moment u are free from condemnation of sin, it doesn’t make u licentious. The power to sin is gone instead.

Once under grace, not in our nature to want to lead a licentious life.

When Condemnation is removed= power to sin is removed.

Whilst hearing, the healing and saving happens.

Celia from Ohio- had scoliosis from young. Spine stuck out from her back. April 30th, heard the sermon increase your capacity to receive your healing. She stood up believing and rcv the healing whilst watching Ps sermon. The healing came upon her and her spine is now straight.

God does prosper. No matter what happened the past year, He is going to prosper you. God doesn’t prosper the company. He prospers u. The blessing for the company comes from u, whatever u touch prospers. You are the blessing. God blesses the person first.

Hebrews 13- I will never leave u not forsake u… This could not be said the OT without qualification or condition. A commandment had to be observed. Only for us under grace do we not have this under condition because of Jesus.

Who would have thought the little baby’s head his mother kissed will one day wear the crown of thorns? This Emmanuel that is with u, loves u. God forsook Jesus on the Cross so today, He will never forsake u.

Martin Luther King used to hate God when he was a German monk because He didn’t know grace yet.

He knew all about u yet He stepped into your life. His grace is stronger than your sin and bad habits. He is with you. God is with us. The hero God is with us.

What is the beauty of holiness? His grace endures forever.

At the cross, Jesus bowed his head and dismissed His spirit when he cried out FINISHED. Christ has glorified God in that very place of sin. At the Cross, when He said FINISHED, the devil has no more landing strip, he has no more rights in the courts of Heaven to exercise any authority over u. The woman’s seed has crushed the serpent’s head.

Today God’s grace is attracted to our weakness… Where there is human strength, his grace is repelled.

Receive His love and the bondage will be broken.