Foundation on the Word

Matthew 7:24-29 (NLT) -

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash." When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority - quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

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James 1:22-25 (NIV) -

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it - not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it - they will be blessed in what they do.

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Yesterday, we started discussing how we can stand firm against the attacks of the enemy. The first way, as illustrated by Jesus' parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders, is to listen to Word of God and apply it to our lives. Take a look at the story again. Foundations are everything. What we build on will determine the quality, capacity, and durability of what we build. As Paul says when writing to the church in Corinth, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work." (1 Cor 3:11-13)

In other words, testing will come. These trials are the rains, floods, and winds that Jesus was referring to in his parable, and if he said that they would come, then they are coming. That is inevitable, a fact of life, both physical and spiritual. The question is, when the trials come - when Satan is given permission to launch a full-frontal attack on you so that you can be refined - what will you be standing on? Will you be standing on a self-made foundation of wealth, relationships, personal accomplishment, and status, or will you be standing on the foundation of Jesus Christ, dead and resurrected, who alone gives all power to save?

Not only this, but our application of the Word of God is also intrinsically linked to our authority and spiritual identities. The parable that we have been discussing comes at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' biggest and most famous sermon in which he basically flipped Jewish theology on its head and revealed the true heart of the Father for the world. However, I believe that it is no coincidence that this specific parable is at the end of his address and is immediately followed by, "the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority..." Jesus' authority amazed the crowds, because none of their teachers of the law had it. The reason why is because Jesus was the only person in history who could actually apply the teachings of Scripture correctly and consistently, all the time - because he was God. And now, because of his death and resurrection, God lives in us through the Holy Spirit and enables us to live out Scripture as well. Because we're human, we will inevitably fail at times, but that's why we have grace - not so we can make mistakes, but for when we do. When we choose to pursue God, though, and ask for the Holy Spirit's help in living out the truths of Scripture in our day to day life, God gives us his authority to move mountains, cast out demons, heal the sick, break down strongholds, break curses, and so much more.

As for our spiritual identities, take a look at the passage I've included from James. "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." What this says to me is that when we don't apply God's Word in our lives, we forget who we are and what we look like. We forget our heavenly identities. We forget that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God, King of all creation, and co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:14-17). We forget that we have been given authority and grace to overcome sin, death, and the powers of hell (Mt. 28:18; Lk. 10: 17-20; Rom 5:20-21). We forget that we are not just allowed but actively encouraged to enter the throne room of heaven with boldness and confidence and to ask God for whatever we need, because he is our loving and perfect Father, and he always gives good gifts to his children (Heb 4:16; Mt. 7:11; Jms 1:17). We forget that we have access to the Prince of Peace, the Overcomer, the Alpha and Omega, who guards our hearts and our minds, leads us into the victory he has already won for us, and is with us from beginning to end (Is 9:6; Php 4:6-7; Jn. 16:33; Rv. 22:13). We forget that we are forgiven of all our sins and cleansed, and are now called holy ones of God (1 Jn. 1:9; Is 1:18; Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1; Eph 1:1; Php 1:1; Col 1:2; Jude 1:3)

When we build our foundation on the Word of God and on the truths which God reveals in it, we know who we are, we know the authority we have in Jesus' Name, and we become unshakeable. It doesn't matter what storms we face, nor what attacks Satan will launch against us, we can stand firmly with confidence in the immovable, unchanging God. If God is for us, what can be against? What can separate us from the love of our God? Absolutely nothing. (Rom 8:31, 38-39).

Building a foundation takes time and effort. You need to find the right materials, dig deep trenches, lay down the framework, mix the concrete thoroughly, pour it in, and then wait for it to be fully set before you build anything on top. The higher you want to build, the more time it will take, and the deeper you need to build the foundation. If you skip or shortcut any of these processes, your foundation will have cracks and will eventually break, which will lead to the entire building collapsing. So let me encourage you today: if you haven't yet got your foundation fully set on Jesus Christ - on his death and resurrection, the love that he poured out for you on the cross, the salvation that comes through him and him alone, and the filling of the Holy Spirit when you truthfully declare him as your Lord and Saviour - then take the time to do it right. Believe me, it is all worth it in the end, even more than you could imagine. For those of you who have built well, we're in this together. Let's keep digging deeper, and the Lord will continue building higher, until this whole world is full of skyscrapers which glorify his Name - holy ones of God who are completely set on him and determined to weather every storm, trial, and attack that Satan tries to push us through until we come out the other side victorious.