Let Us Fear: The First Resolution for a Year of Overflow
Dr RJ Sing, 38 min
Originally preached as “Secrets to a Great Year, Part 1”
Sermon outline
A great year starts with the right resolutions made together, and the first is 'let us fear': take care not to repeat Israel's mistake, but learn to hear the Lord's voice and follow Him.
Main text
- Ephesians 4:13-16
- Hebrews 4:1
Opening
He welcomes partners, church family and viewers who have followed the programme since the beginning of the year, and prays for the full knowledge of God's will and spiritual understanding. He reminds them that the theme for the year is Shafat, a year of overflow, and says he will give secrets for experiencing a year of favour, abundance and overflow, taking Ephesians 4:13-16 as his foundational scripture.
Secret number one: make the right resolutions
This series is about making the right resolutions. A resolution is great determination, something you intend to do, and it determines your attitude; your attitude determines your approach, and your approach determines the outcome. The right resolutions keep you on course and help you make the right decisions.
Illustration: As a young boy he remembers the adults around him making New Year resolutions every year; for some they worked.
“The way you approach the new year will ultimately determine its outcome in your life.”
'Let us': resolutions we make together
The Epistle to the Hebrews gives twelve resolutions introduced by the words 'let us', which he will present through the series. Each one is plural, because we are not independent units but depend on one another. Ephesians 4 shows that the ministries Christ gave are for building up the body until we all reach unity, the knowledge of the Son of God and maturity together.
Illustration: It amazes him to see people debating and dissenting all the time when the church needs togetherness.
“We need to bring togetherness and unity because unity is strength.”
- Ephesians 4:11-12
- Ephesians 4:13-16
Don't drift: the warning to the Hebrew believers
The Hebrew believers had great privileges: freedom from idolatry, knowledge of the Old Testament and familiarity with the temple. Yet they were lulled into false security, and Hebrews warns more than any other book against drifting into unbelief through negligence and spiritual laziness. Believers today, facing what is going on in the world, need the same warning: hold on to what you believe.
“So what I'm simply encouraging you to do is not to drift away in unbelief but to stick to the word of God.”
The first resolution: Let us fear
This is not general fear but reverent awe of the Lord: be afraid to distrust God's Word. God brought a whole generation out of Egypt with wonders, yet they did not enter His rest. They had the tabernacle, the commandments, the priesthood and the sacrifices, but they were content to hear God second hand through Moses and missed the one essential: hearing His voice.
“So the words let us fear means let us be afraid not to distrust God's word.”
- Hebrews 4:1
- Hebrews 3:7-14
My sheep hear my voice
Jesus describes true disciples by two traits: they hear His voice and they follow Him, and you cannot follow if you do not hear. Cultivate an intimate relationship in which the Lord speaks to you personally, through the Bible or in other ways. Among the voices of the enemy, the world and the media, hearing His voice will guide your decisions at work, in the marketplace and in your family.
“It's not possible to follow the Lord if you don't hear his voice.”
- John 10:27
Putting it into practice
- Make the right resolutions for the year and stick to them.
- Make them with other believers, walking in unity.
- Guard against drifting, unbelief and spiritual laziness.
- Cultivate hearing the Lord's voice, and let it guide your decisions at work, in business and at home.
Closing
He leads anyone who does not know the Lord in a prayer of salvation and encourages them to find a Bible-based, faith-based church and get a Bible. He prays for viewers facing financial, health, relationship or job crises, speaking to the mountain to be removed, closes with the priestly blessing, and invites viewers back next week to continue the series.
In his words
- “Our approach to a situation determines its outcome.”
- “We are not independent autonomous units but in a real sense we are dependent on one another.”
- “It's not possible to follow the Lord if you don't hear his voice.”
- “Jesus didn't say my sheep read the Bible.”
- “If you cultivate hearing the Lord's voice, you're going to have a better year.”
Every scripture in this message
- Colossians 1:9-12
- Ephesians 4:13-16
- Ephesians 4:11-12
- Hebrews 4:1
- Hebrews 3:7-14
- John 10:27
- Mark 11:23
- Numbers 6:24-26