Kingdom Domination part 10 - FAME
Matthew 4:24
24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
AKOE - hearing, especially inner hearing, spiritual hearing, discerning.
This is different from the root word akouo that means to hear a report or comprehend something.
It means something that is spiritually discerned, felt, grasped, hungered for…
John 15:26
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Jesus was constantly careful that the attention was on GOD and not on POPULAR JESUS!
Genesis 12:2
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Proverbs 22:1
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
A good name does not mean your perfect but being perfected by the one who is!
Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly possess - The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear. – Socrates
- A good name speaks for you.
- A good name inspires others.
A TALE OF TWO TROUBLES -
JESUS HAD FAME! ~ He did not allow fame to have Him.
- His fame did not come from BEING ACCEPTABLE BY THE WORLD.
- His fame came from the anointing OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ~ WHO PULLED AT MEN’S HEARTS!
Success does not just kill ministries, success kills Christians.
1 John 2:15 - 17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
SUCCESS brings with it greater lusts.
Lust of the Flesh - any wicked desires brought about from emotional or physical needs. This is not just sexual (but it can be) it is also
- the desire to tell someone off…
- the desire to fight…
- the desire to air your issues or gossip with others. Gossip in fact is a poison that slowly eats away at the flesh of a church…
GOSSIP = discussing with someone else your issues with a leader, a pastor, a church, etc. even with the guise of “praying for them”. It is airing your grievances with someone else in order to make your FLESH feel better.
LUST OF THE EYES - desire to have what others have. It’s comparison and pride.
PRIDE OF LIFE - tempted to make yourself into the focus.
- I need to be praised. I need to have a high sounding title.
- I need others to know who I am.
IF WE KNOW THAT GOD WANTS TO MAKE OUR NAME GREAT…
IF WE KNOW THAT FAME IS A PART OF JESUS’ MINISTRY AND IT MUST BE OF OURS AS WELL…
HOW DO WE COMBAT THE LUSTS THAT COME OUR WAY?
Integrity
To fight against the “lust of the flesh,” you need integrity.
You need to put parameters in your life that keep it pure.
Generosity
There is only one antidote to the “lust of the eyes” (or materialism) – and that is generosity. Every time we give, we break the hold of materialism in our lives.
Humility
Humility and humor come from the same root word?
Humility is not taking yourself seriously.
When you’re able to laugh at yourself, that’s a sign of humility.
If we get too drunk on pride - we start becoming Savior in our own stories.
WE ARE NOT AGAINST FAME.
WE ARE AGAINST FAME THAT COMES FROM ANYTHING OTHER THAN FOCUSING ON JESUS.
JESUS FAME WAS COMING FROM:
SYRIA as THEY BROUGHT HIM -
- THOSE WHO HAVE RECIEVED
- TELL AND BRING OTHERS TO RECEIVE
- AND THEN TELL AND BRING OTHERS TO RECEIVE.
5 CATEGORIES:
Disease - incurable ailments.
Torments - basanos - torture. a touchstone used for testing metals or for torture.
THIS IS REFERRING TO mental, emotional or physical TORMENT that messed with people so much that they would AGREE WITH THE ENEMY ABOUT WHATEVER HE WANTED THEM to say or do…
possessed - daimonizomai
This Greek noun daimon initially described a lesser kind of intermediate god, a ministering or guiding spirit, or the spirit of a deceased person
Some Sadducees - Jews who followed and aligned with Romans accused Jesus of being demon-possessed
John 10:20 - 21
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
MODERN POSSESSION = not always spinning around cursing and things…
ARTISTS say that they have “guiding spirits” that give them inspiration or perform for them when they get on stage.
Beyonce - sasha fierce
Taylor Swift - sayonce to get her spirit guide that helps her write and perform
when you see CRAZED POSSESSION - it is because the person is fighting against the demonic form.
WELCOMED POSSESSION - is when someone is inviting a demonic force to work through them - it is not chaotic.
Lunatick - seléniazomai
Literally “moonstruck”… can refer to several things.
Epilepsy - to shake and convulse and not be able to control it.
Acting like a crazy person - but you can’t help it… it takes over at times… (multiple personality disorder)
One who cannot control their thoughts - hears thoughts and concepts and voices in their head.
THE TERM seléniazomai refers to someone who can sometimes control themselves and at other times be entirely out of control without an ability to change until the episode is over.
Palsy - paralutikos
Disabled; No feelings in limbs
HE HEALED THEM!
Paralutikos - He fully restored them by caring for them.
This is different than the Greek word iaomai which means to be healed. To no longer have the sickness, disease.
JESUS NEVER JUST TOOK CARE OF THE ISSUE
HE CARED FOR THE PERSON AND RESTORED THEM FULLY.
Matthew 4:25
25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.