Joseph Prince - Discover Where Life Happens

Good morning, church. How y'all doing this morning? Y'all ready for another unveiling of our Lord Jesus, the lovely person of our Lord? You know, the Bible tells us that there is an offering in the Old Testament called, in the Hebrew, minkah, which is a flour offering. Flour is what you use to make bread. And every time they offer, on the burnt offering, a lamb, a picture of our Lord Jesus on the burnt offering, on the bronze altar of burnt offering, there are four corners to the altar, and it reminds us of the cross of Jesus that has four corners. And the lamb is a picture of our Lord Jesus.

And the Bible says something happens before you kill the lamb, you have to lay your hands on the lamb and that is when you transfer all your sins into the lamb, into the innocent lamb. At the same time, something happens in the Spirit. All the innocence, all the spotlessness of the lamb, is transferred into you. So, your sins go into the lamb, the lamb's righteousness goes into you, and then the lamb is killed. Now, the lamb is dying your death. The lamb is now carrying your sins. You are carrying the lamb's righteousness, and you walk away under the spotlight of God's favor and God's blessings, amen?

And as you walk away and you look back as the smoke ascends, that offering is called olah in Hebrew. It means ascending offering. And how it ascends is beautiful. It ascends as a sweet-smelling fragrance to God, and God remembered what his Son has done for you today because of that olah. All the sweetness, all the perfections of Jesus, goes up as a sweet-smelling fragrance, amen, imputed to your account. And you walk and live life as if, as if, you are the best thing, the most obedient person on planet earth. And God favors you, God blesses you, God protects you, God keeps you as if you are Jesus because Jesus died on the cross as if he were you.

And God gave us, not an angel, God gave us the best heaven has, his only Son, people. And God wants us to know when he says to Abraham, "Take your son, your only son, the son that you love," that we will see the pathos of that, that God would give up his Son, his only Son, the Son that he loved, amen? And Isaac carried the wood all the way up and Isaac asked the question, "Father, I see the wood and I see the fire, but father, where is the lamb"? And the father says, "God will provide himself a lamb". And you know the story just before he plunged that knife, even before he brought the knife down, the angel stopped him and the angel says, "Stop. Don't lay your hands on the boy". God says, "Now I know you fear me. Now I know you love me because you have not withheld your son, your only son," so that today you and I can tell God, "God, now I know you love me because you have not withheld your Son, your only Son, the Son that you love".

Hallelujah. Don't you feel loved? So, Isaac, listen carefully, Isaac in that chapter is a picture of the beloved Son. Every story in the Bible, all right, I shouldn't say every story. Most of the stories, some stories are there to typify the ugly side, the evil side, but there are all types in the Old Testament as well, all right? But the most beautiful types in most of the stories is all about Jesus. So Isaac, he is a type of Jesus, the beloved Son. Are you with me? And that's why at the end of the chapter after Abram came down with his son, came down the mountain with his son, his son's name is not mentioned because as far as God is concerned, the boy is dead.

So, the son's name is not mentioned. You know who's name is mentioned at the end of that chapter as they went down the mountain? The girl that her son will marry. And who is that? Rebekah, Rebekah. Her name was mentioned at the end of the chapter. In other words, by the death of Jesus, the church is coming forth. The church is coming forth, hallelujah. That's the love of God. I said, that's the love of God. And all the people said, amen. Now, we are talking about the church, the glorious church. That's how the church came out from the side of Jesus, and that's why God has a story of Adam and Eve. God put Adam to sleep and from his side, everyone say, "side," all right, God took out a woman, all right? That was the first DNA. Not experiment, God doesn't experiment. First DNA operation. God took out of the man's side the rib. By the way, that's where they find the DNA usually, the marrow and all that, from the side. And God closed the side.

When Jesus died on the cross something happened after he died. A soldier, all right, using his spear to see whether Jesus is dead or not, he pierced the heart of Jesus. And the Bible says John says, "I saw blood and water came out". Now, medical science tells us when blood and water comes out after a man has died from his heart, that means his heart was ruptured and the fluid, all right, I forgot the term, the pericardium, goes into that sack, all right? And that sack underneath, that means his heart was broken. He died of a broken heart, all the weight of our sin on him. And his Father turned his back so that the Father can say to all of us, "Welcome, welcome into my loving arms," amen? His heart broke and literally died of a broken heart.

So, when the Roman soldier with the spear pierced his side, out of side came blood to wash away our sins and water to wash away our defilements. The tip of that spear was born in the hands of hatred or else he wouldn't pierce it. But what man does in hatred, God release in grace that abounds overhead, love that swallows up hatred, mmm. Tell you God's grace is greater than your sin. God's love is greater than your hatred. So, here we have Adam and Eve. Why did God make them? To let us know Jesus and the church, all right? Ephesians 5, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her".

Now, we know that Jesus died for the entire world. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son," Jesus said in John 3:16. But here it says, "Christ loved the church. Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church". That's why it's not possible for a husband to love the wife without knowing how much Christ loves him. All right, our love is an overflow. The more I know how much, you know, I'm loved by Christ, the more his love fills my heart, it overflows. And usually the beneficiary is my wife, my children, all those who are close to me because your heart is so full of love, you want to go somewhere to happen. Are you listening, amen?

So, "Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church". So, in other words, you must experience the love of Christ. But watch this, it's as if he didn't die for the world. We know he died for the world but in this verse, Christ loved the church and gave himself for the church. Wow. What is the church? The church is living, breathing, part of Jesus who is at the Father's right hand when Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead. I'm telling you, Jesus bodily right now at the Father's right hand, we are part of him. So, keep on reading. He gave himself. You know, gave himself, y'all. He didn't just give up his throne, the throne of David. He didn't just give up the kingdom that he came to give to Israel. He gave up himself for the church. I love this word "himself".

If you can study the word "himself" in the New Testament you'll find words like Jesus saying to his disciples in the Last Supper, "The Father himself loves you". Actually without himself, it still sounds okay. The English is right. The Father loves you. But when you put "himself," it becomes so warm. The Father himself loves you. Are you with me? For example, the Bible says, "Himself took our diseases and bore our sicknesses". If you just say he bore sicknesses, it's enough, but himself. It's so beautiful. In the original Hebrew, all right, they read their Hebrew with an emphasis. They know where to emphasize. There are indicators for them to emphasize. They say in Isaiah 53 about Jesus's suffering where it says, "Surely he has borne our diseases," the "he" there, the pronoun "he" should be emphasized.

Surely, he, the one that left everything and came down to save us, he, the one who loved us, he, the one who holds everything together, he, whom the Father loves, he, whom all the angels bow in worship, he, when the angels filled the night sky in Bethlehem and says, "Glory to God in the highest on earth, peace, goodwill to men, he, whom all the prophets spoke about and prophesied, he, surely he bore our diseases". Sometimes when you take Communion if you have a sickness in your body, don't rush, "Thank you, Lord, by your stripes I'm healed". You're not a parrot. Sometimes I don't even want to, you know, I feel like the pastors are doing their best to lead you and all their words are scriptural, but sometimes I think that you need to make sure you don't just parrot them. Know who you're talking to. He's the heir of all things.

He's the one the Father says, "This is my beloved Son. Surely he...", and that's why in the Greek, Himself took our diseases and bore our sicknesses. When you say, "he," the emphasis, he. Isn't God good? So, God sent his Son, and guess what. With his Son came the dream that God has hidden in his heart. That's why the Bible calls the church a mystery. Mystery in the Bible, mysterion from Greek, mystery is not like your Nancy Drew mystery and your Agatha Christie and your, you know? Mystery in those novels are mysteries to be kept. God's mysteries are actually at one time it is kept in the Old Testament, but now it is revealed.

So, that secret that even the devil himself doesn't know, that even Solomon in all his wisdom doesn't know, but God revealed to Paul, the Apostle Paul, is the church. The church is the most powerful thing there is on earth. The church is the place where healings take place in the future. Even this year, there are new strains of viruses and the hope is found in the house of God. Only God can conquer these things, whether it's financial like this year, whatever it is. "My children are going astray, Pastor Prince. They're learning the things of the world". The hope is in the church. You know, all your prosperity is in the church. Look at this, this is a prayer, all right? And notice, oh man, it's so rich, I'm afraid I'll lose you. Can you follow me?

Step by step, talking about Jesus, what happened when he rose if the dead. You know, the Bible says, Paul says, "I pray that you will know what is the exceeding greatness of God's power towards us who believe". The same power he raised Jesus from the dead, all right? "I pray that you will know this power towards us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power," watch this, "which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places". You know, the right hand is the place of power and authority. When a king says, "Sit on my right hand," man, you have just been honored far above everybody else in his kingdom. So, the Father says, "Sit on my right hand".

Now, he didn't sit down at the Father's right hand because he is the Son, that he always is. The Bible says he sat down because he did a complete work in putting away all your sins. "Having purged our sins," Hebrews 1 tells us, "he sat down". Why did he sit down? Having finished our sins, he sat down. He paid for it all. If you believe in him, no one can be lost. If you go your own way and don't trust in him, no one can be saved. So, Jesus is at the Father's right hand. Watch this, watch this, all right, his right hand. What is that place? What is this place? Right hand in the heavenly places? Next verse, "Far above". Our Lord Jesus is right now far above. If you just say, "above," it's good enough, but far above all principality.

I see people still scared of demons, devils, evil spirits. Jesus has been exalted and that's why when you say, "Jesus," evil spirits flee. Church, many a times you do not know people, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, against principalities and powers. There is a force driving people to overeat, to not eat until they become so skinny they must run around in the shower, the small shower, to get wet. It's a force. Drinking is also another one. It's an alcoholic demon, I'm telling you. But all this is subject to one name, the name Jesus. But where do you find this release? Look at this, "Jesus has been raised far above all principality, all power, and far above all power, far above all might and dominion, and every name that is named".

Medical science has given many names or diseases that you don't even know of, some that you can't even pronounce. Every name that can be named, Jesus is far above. "Not only in this age, but also in that which is to come". So, this power is gonna go on and on and on in the world to come. And watch this, watch this, watch this. Are y'all with me so far? I told you it's so rich but watch this. "And God put all things under his feet and gave him to be head". Head instructs. Head tells you, "Don't go here, don't go there". Head over all things, but where is it found? Where is this headship, this power that rose from the dead, this power that put everything under his feet and he's far above them all? Head over all things to the church, the assembly. He's head of all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Wow, he's head of all things to the church. You know what it means or not? To the church is for the benefit of the church. Look at the New Living Translation, it's beautiful. "God has put all things under his feet," which means under the authority of Christ, "and has made him head over all things," shout it out, "for the benefit of the church". And he's been made head of all these elements, circumstances, for the benefit, not of the world. The world will still see all the havoc and that kind of thing, but you are the church. I said, it's for your benefit. Are you with me so far?

I want to show you something here, all right? He's made all things for the benefit of the church. Remember the Bible says in Ephesians 5, so as husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. Some of you, you look at your body. When you are hungry, "Wah, Pastor Prince, you know this place very good to eat, Pastor Prince". That's how you must treat your wife. Must tell your wife, "Wah, this place, got sale, want to go or not? Good food, okay"? The Bible says you must love your life like your body, you know, your own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. You know that means or not that line? He who loves his wife loves himself means you are doing yourself a favor.

Don't think you are doing her a favor. "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it". Nourishes is nourish but cherish is very nice word. It's the word for keep warm, keep warm. "Just as the Lord does the church". Sometimes our wives want our arms, they don't just want our mouth, lecture, you know? Many of us our arms like that, our mouth lecture. They want our arms like that, our mouth shut up and then just keep them warm. Jesus does that for the church. Many of times we don't deserve it. Yes, we have made mistakes but we just holds us, right? "For we are members", now watch this, this is the part I want you to get, "We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones".

We are members, the church are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Is his bones sick? Does he have a problem on his flesh? We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones and that's why when Saul, who became Paul later on, when he was breathing out slaughter and murder against the disciples of the Lord, the Bible says he got letters from the high priests to bring all these people into prison. All right, the Apostle Paul, before he came a believer. Remember what happened? Go to Acts 9, "Saul, still breathing threats and murder", we'll finish with this, "Went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem".

Next verse, "As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. He fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'" Next verse, "And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?'" Who are you, Lord? Isn't that interesting? He knew he was the Lord. "Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' So he, trembling", go to something sharp, "So he, trembling and astonished, said, 'Lord, what do You want me to do?' The Lord said to him, 'Arise, go into the city, and you'll be told what you must do.'" One fell swoop, poom, he fell off his high horse literally, blinded.

Now watch this, go to verse 4, "Jesus said, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'" But, if you read the verses before this, he was actually bringing Christians, believers, into prison, breeding out murder against them, asking letters from the high priest to validate his right to capture them. He was persecuting the church but Jesus says, "Why are you persecuting me"? Now, I know it's a bit late for English lessons but he did not say, "Why are you persecuting what is mine"? Now, if he says, "What is mine"? We are his, right? That'll be true but not the full truth. He didn't say, "mine". "Mine" indicates a people who belong to him. He says, "Why are you persecuting me"? That's the full truth.

Now, he did not say, he did not say, "Why are you persecuting us"? Us would also mean a company of people with, associated with you. When you're together, you can say us. But they are not part of you, they can also be with you and they're us. It's deeper than that. He said, "Why are you persecuting me"? The weakest member in the body of Christ to Christ is himself. That's why you gotta learn to identify yourself. You are one with him. When you are the branch and he is the vine. You cannot separate. By the way, for me I heard this idea because I showed branches you start thinking like a tree and the branch. But the vine, those who know vine tree, the vine tree is a clinging vine. It is a not a trunk with branches. It's even closer, deeper than that. All the branches is the tree. Are you listening?

And then they climb the trellis like a cross. That's how they put the cross. You go to Italy, you see this in their fields like a trellis, a cross. It climbs because of the cross. All of you branches, you make up Christ. Can you understand? So, the same life, the same resurrection power, the same health, the same wisdom, the same glory that flows into that vine flows into all of you. Go somewhere and expose yourself where he needs that wisdom. Go to areas of darkness and let the branch bear out the light. Your part is not to produce. This is powerful. Your part is not to produce. It's his part. Your part is to bear. Rest, relax, and manifest. That's the Christian life, amen?

Today, I walked out here and I think I'm one with Jesus. These people, they don't need to hear Joseph Prince, they need to hear their head from heaven. So, I just rest and let him speak and manifest. That's the part. No branch struggling, can't produce anything. One little grape. No, no, not even that will happen, all right? But when God flows, it's beautiful fruit. And all the people said? So, listen. There was a time in Israel's history when the people said, "God, how come we get celery, put it in a bag full of holes? We clothed, we got clothes, but we are not warm. We eat and eat and eat, but we're not full". Then God sent a young prophet by the name of Haggai.

Haggai says, "You know why? Because all of you care about your own houses. You don't care about my house". So that house there back then was a literal temple, but the message is for us today. The Old Testament is not outdated. It is a message for us today. God is saying, "If you want to know how to meet your needs in the best way, get lost in the church. Get involved in the church. All the wisdom, all the authority, all the fullness of his body, which is the fullness of all, is in the church. This is the church, embrace it".

This is your church, amen? If you're not studying, find a place to serve. I'm telling you, time given to the church will never be lost. But time given for yourself, you'll find that it's not enough time. You eat, and you're still not full. It's a kind of mystery that God has placed in the church that you lose your life for Jesus's sake, and you find it. You try to save your life, you lose it, amen? The church is where Jesus has put all his fullness, all the blessings, all the graces, and he's the head over it.

Every head bowed, every eye closed all across this place. Give him praise, church. Come on. Hallelujah. All right, if you are here, my friend, and you've never made Jesus your personal Lord, I want to give you this opportunity right now. Wherever you are, Christ died for your sins. If you will say, "Jesus Christ is my Lord," from your heart, believe it and believe that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved, the Bible says. So follow me in this prayer right now. Just say this from your heart:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for this wonderful gift, this unspeakable gift, this glorious gift, Jesus Christ. You sent him to die for my sins and on that cross, he shed his blood, washing me clean of every sin. You raised him from the dead. He's alive today. Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior and my God. All my sins are forgiven. I am greatly blessed, highly favored, and I'm deeply loved. In Jesus's name, amen, amen, amen.