Bethel Church LJ Podcast

Matthew 25:35-37

 

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

 

Faith is not genuine unless it involves surrender. To truly have faith, one must let go and trust completely.

If you only follow the parts of faith that you like, or surrender only to what you agree with, then you are not truly following Jesus. Instead, you are simply following your own preferences.

True discipleship requires surrendering all aspects of oneself, not just those that are comfortable or agreeable.

Jesus took upon himself our sins and paid the ultimate price for us, motivated by his love for humanity.

All that is required from us is to surrender our old selves—our old ways, desires, and habits.

When you surrender, you do not lose your life. Instead, you discover the true purpose and fulfillment that comes from following Jesus wholeheartedly.

Jesus is God with us. He’s not distant and not waiting for you to get your life together before He steps in. He steps into your formless places, your emptiness, and your dark realities, and He does what He has always done— He brings order where there is chaos, life where there is emptiness, and light where there is darkness.

Because He is here, He knows, and He can and will do something about it. When He speaks, light comes—and when light comes, darkness flees. So, if your life feels formless, empty, or chaotic, this is not the end of your story; this is where God works best

Paul’s journey begins in Resistance, convinced of his own direction. Revelation breaks through, and Recognition dawns as his eyes are opened to the living Christ.

Response leads him into surrender, and Restoration reminds him he is not alone. Redirection reshapes his purpose, Renewal prepares him in hidden seasons, and finally Release sends him into the work God had already prepared.

Paul’s story reveals God’s work in restoring what is broken, realigning what is misaligned, renewing what feels hidden, and releasing people into their divine destiny. The same God is here today, and as with Paul, He still walks people through that journey from resistance to Kingdom purpose.

Prayer increased, unity strengthened, and truth was proclaimed, leading to noticeable changes. Violence decreased, and the atmosphere shifted. The enemy's ability to operate freely was restricted, much like establishing a no-fly zone for a church.

The church does not retreat; it leads. The environment reacts to the authority of a people confident in their identity in Christ, aware of their authority, and ready to set boundaries that embody heaven's rule. The question is whether the people of God will rise, take their place, and establish what is allowed to operate within it.

Paul’s story reminds us that transformation does not begin with better behavior — it begins with divine encounter. He started in resistance, convinced he was right, moving forward with passion yet pushing against God’s purposes. Then revelation broke through. Heaven interrupted his certainty, and what Paul once thought was truth began to unravel. Recognition followed as his eyes opened to who Jesus truly was, and finally response emerged — a posture of surrender that replaced control

Acts 19 shows us that God is not looking for spectators, He is forming a people who advance His Kingdom. You were not born again just to stand on the court. You were not empowered just to feel something. You were not established just to know more. You were called to be engaged — to live as ambassadors of the King wherever He has placed you. So now go as citizens of heaven, ambassadors of Christ,
as a people fully equipped to advance His Kingdom wherever God sends you.

So whatever you are facing today—if you need healing, provision, clarity, or breakthrough—you can receive. But to receive, you must pray. And when you pray, you must pray with expectation, believing that God hears and responds. And if the answer does not come immediately, you must persist. You must continue praying, believing, and expecting until it does.

The question isn't just whether you pray, but whether you pray with expectation and keep praying until heaven responds. Because prayer isn't optional; it's a vital part of God’s plan for His people. And those who do this are the ones who see answers come.

Discipleship becomes real through our relationships, embodying truth in love, unity, and connection, with each part working together properly. We celebrate empowerment. We ask for empowerment. We receive empowerment. But then we do what Ephesians 4 calls us to do: we grow up. We get established. We learn truth. We learn love. We learn unity. We learn to function as part of the Body. And we become the kind of disciples who can carry the Kingdom mission for the long haul.

The power was present for all three. Only one experienced it. Luke tells us that Jesus is the fully wired house. The Spirit is present because of and through Him. The power is real. God has already said, “I am willing.”

The core issue isn't God's ability or desire but our openness to receive. Will we, like Nazareth, foster an environment of offense? Will we, like the people of Capernaum, simply observe and judge? Or will we, like the crowd in Luke 6, actively draw on God’s power as we, in faith, press in and receive?

The truth is, Heaven is prepared. The power is active, and the Kingdom is near. The only remaining question is whether we will connect.