Welcome to Delight in Grace. The Teaching Ministry of Rich Powell. pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. In Deuteronomy 7, God is instructing the people of Israel as they prepare to fight against the nations that God will give over to them. This passage talks about battling enemies and about God's blessing of health, wealth.
and prosperity for the nation of Israel. if the people will follow after him. This is part 5 of a message titled, It is Because the Lord Loves You. It was originally preached on may twenty sixth, twenty twenty four. To hear the whole message or other messages in this series, check out www.delightingrace.com.
What does God think of his people? We who are His, the new humanity in Christ, what does He think of us? Peter tells us, 1 Peter. Chapter two You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. Do you think maybe he might have been alluding back here to Deuteronomy chapter 7?
Yeah, I think so. That you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Do you see your purpose in that statement?
Do you see your purpose in your identity? You who are the elect of God, holy and beloved. Romans chapter 8, Colossians chapter 3, use that term, the elective God, holy blessed, Colossians 3:12. We are a people of God's purpose. We have His privilege, His presence, His protection, and His power.
And his love is not only steadfast, but it is fierce. It is fierce. I mentioned this before. God will repay those who hate him. And he will repay those who hate and abuse his treasured possession.
2 Thessalonians Chapter 1, verses 6 to 9. Since indeed God considers it just to repay with afflictions those who afflict you. And to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us. when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire. inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord, they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord.
and from his glory, and from the glory of his might. Who's he talking about specifically there? Those who abuse. his treasured possession. God's love is fierce.
Not only is it steadfast, his love is fierce. Promise number three. I want you to listen carefully to this now, okay? Promise number three. New New Covenant reality.
The most Prosperous people are those who are most satisfied in God. Stop right there a minute. Where did your mind go when I used the word prosperous?
Sorry, what? I continue the blessing. Hereditude equals magnitude of levers.
Okay? That's good. But naturally, when we hear the word prosperous, because the way it's been used today, where do we go? Big house, lots of cars, fancy cars. Alexis, not just a Toyota, Alexis.
Nothing wrong with Lexis. Oh, there's a good car, right? Don't get me wrong. It's not about stuff. The Bible talks about prosperity in this way: it's not about stuff.
You were not created to amass Stuff for yourself. That doesn't define you. That doesn't satisfy you. The things are okay. They are gifts from God that we can use and enjoy.
So do it. but don't find your satisfaction in them. otherwise you will be like the rich fool. The most prosperous people are those who are most satisfied in God. What did he say to the people of Israel?
You will be blessed above all peoples. Let me give you a glimpse of this, all right? 3 John, 3rd John, shortest book in the New Testament, 3rd John, I think, for shortest. What is he's writing to Gaius, and he says this, Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you. Prosper.
Okay. and that you may be in good health. And what's the criteria as it goes well with your soul? What is he saying? Gaius, I'm hoping that you physically are prospering as well as your soul is prospering.
We kind of have it backwards today, don't we?
Well, my soul is prospering so long as I'm physically in good health. Totally backwards. What is the prosper? What is the prosperous soul? It is the soul that lives and enjoys the fruit of the Spirit.
Love, joy, peace, patience. goodness, gentleness. kindness, self-control. What is success? It's not having a huge bank account with a huge salary.
and a huge house and lots of cars. Those things are good. They're fine and you can enjoy them. but they are not the measure of success. The measure of success is this.
What were you made for? And are you doing that? Are you doing it well? What were you made for? You were made to know God and enjoy Him.
How are you doing? Is your soul prospering? Success is realized purpose. functioning according to design. You were made to know God, to delight in Him, and serve in His goodness.
Ephesians 3. Ephesians 3 verses 19 to 20. And to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. That's A prosperous soul.
Now to him who is able To do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us. The most prosperous people are those who are most. Satisfied in God. Listen to me. I will never forget, I grew up as a missionary kid in Colombia.
I saw some extreme poverty down there. our family was invited to this elderly couple. They lived by a stream. They called it the Jordan. I happen to be baptized in that.
So I can say I was baptized in the Jordan. It was just a little stream, a little creek behind their house. You know what their house was made of? Scraps. whatever they could find.
A two-room house. Didn't even have a bathroom in it. They invited our family over for dinner. And they gave us a ros con koko ikuneho. Rabbit.
and rice and coconut. served on Banana leaves. And they did it. With a smile, these were prosperous people. They had nothing.
But they prospered. And it showed New Covenant reality number four. Very quickly. Got a few a few blanks to fill in here. Delighting in God.
Rescues you. From the dread of those who oppose him. And the distraction. of what competes for your affection. Delighting in God rescues you from the dread of those who oppose him and the distraction of what competes for your affection.
Take that and line it up with The final paragraph of Deuteronomy chapter 7, and that's essentially what the Lord is telling his people. The Lord in your midst, the great and awesome God. The Lord in your midst, great and awesome God. And listen, we can say the Lord is in our midst in a way that they could not. How so?
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Every one of us in Christ individually and corporately. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God in your midst, great and awesome.
So, live as people who remember. This is why we worship. This is why we. Worship personally. This is why we worship corporately.
So I challenge you this morning. To purpose, as you leave here today, to purpose to delight in God. to be satisfied in him that your soul may prosper. To know his love for you that is steadfast and fierce. And remember that there is no force that can withstand God's purpose.
and you are an instrument in his loving and powerful hands. This is what God teaches us, and He teaches us these truths from the whole of Scripture. that are even pointed out in Deuteronomy chapter 7. Would you stand with me, please? Father, we are thankful.
for your goodness and for your love. That you have made yourself known to us so that we can know you and walk with you. and delight in you. Be loved by you and serve you with joy. Farther, rescue us from.
Paganism rescue us from legalism. May we delight in your grace, Father. Because of what you have accomplished for us in Jesus Christ. Father, burn these truths in our hearts and our minds today. that we would be very familiar with our identity and our privilege.
In the Lord Jesus. Thank you, Father. for the joy that is ours to meet together. and to worship you. and to hear from you.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. You've been listening to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. To hear this message and others, check out With the majority of the delightandgrace dot com to discover how to live by grace, Tune in with us on weekdays at 10 a.m.
