Supernatural Strength and Long Life
This sermon explores God's desire for His people to live long, healthy lives, going beyond common understandings of longevity. It invites listeners to discover how divine strength and renewal are available through the finished work of Jesus and a deeper engagement with His Word.
This sermon reveals God's desire for believers to live long, healthy lives with supernatural strength, not confined by natural limitations. This is achieved by continually seeing and focusing on Jesus in His Word.
Overview
The sermon begins by emphasizing that God is currently revealing 'secrets of long life' and supernatural strength, encouraging believers to expect to 'be alive and remain' until Jesus' return. It highlights that Jesus' redemptive work on the cross covers not only the remission of sins but also physical health, a truth the devil tries to obscure.
Drawing from examples like the Apostle Paul's choice to remain in the flesh for the benefit of others, the preacher asserts that believers can have power to remain, rather than succumb to early death. He suggests that the devil's aim in bringing sickness and early death is to stop the flow of God's gifts and callings through His church.
The sermon provides historical examples like George Müller, who maintained robust health into his 90s by feeding on God's Word, and Caleb, who was as strong at 85 as he was at 40. These cases illustrate that biblical promises of longevity and renewed youth are available to those who believe, challenging common interpretations of life spans like those in Psalms 90, which is contextualized as a time of God's wrath.
The core secret to this enduring strength and renewal, the sermon concludes, is 'seeing Jesus' in His Word. Just as Moses endured by seeing the invisible Lord and the Emmaus road disciples found their strength renewed by Jesus expounding the scriptures, believers today are invited to look to Jesus with expectation, exchanging their natural strength for His unlimited, supernatural power.
Key points
- God is revealing truths for believers to experience long, healthy lives with supernatural strength.
- Jesus' finished work on the cross covers both the remission of sins and physical healing, delivering from the fear of physical death.
- The devil attempts to cut off believers' lives to prevent the release of their God-given gifts and callings.
- Biblical figures like George Müller and Caleb demonstrate renewed youth and sustained physical vigor through faith and God's Word.
- The Psalms 90 reference to 70-80 years of life is contextualized as a time under God's wrath, not applicable to those under grace.
- The key to enduring strength and renewal of youth is 'seeing Jesus' (Moses, Emmaus disciples) through His Word.
- 'Waiting on the Lord' means looking to Jesus with hope and expectation, resulting in an exchange of natural strength for supernatural strength.
In Joseph Prince's words
“Rest is not inactivity. Rest is spirit directed activity.”
“It was more important for them to see me in the scriptures than to see me in person.”
Outline
- I. God's Revelation of Secrets for Long Life
- A. Understanding the Times and Seasons
- B. God Made Man Last to Enjoy a Finished Work
- 1. Our Part: Rest in Christ's Finished Work
- 2. God's Part: Acceleration of Blessings
- C. Jesus' Redemptive Work Covers Physical Health
- 1. Isaiah 53 and Matthew 8:17: Jesus Bore Our Sicknesses
- 2. Uncovering the Well of This Truth
- II. The Promise to "Be Alive and Remain"
- A. 1 Thessalonians 4: The Rapture and Remaining Alive
- B. The Apostle Paul's Choice to Remain (Philippians 1)
- C. The Devil's Purpose: To Cut Off Full Life and Gifts
- D. Jesus Defeated the Power of Death (Hebrews 2)
- 1. Releasing from the Fear of Physical Death
- 2. The Devil Cannot Call Your Number
- III. Examples of Supernaturally Prolonged Lives
- A. F.F. Bosworth and Passing Without Sickness
- B. George Müller: Robust Health at 93 through God's Word
- 1. Proverbs 4:22: God's Word as Health/Medicine to All Flesh
- 2. Prioritizing God's Word for Inner Joy and Strength
- C. Caleb: As Strong at 85 as at 40 (Joshua 14:10-11)
- 1. God Stops Time for the Faithful
- 2. Caleb's Strength for War Was Physical
- D. Abraham and Sarah: Renewed Youth Through Faith (Genesis 18, Hebrews 11)
- IV. Dispelling Misconceptions About Life Expectancy
- A. Psalms 90: Context of God's Wrath, Not Grace
- B. Numbers 8: Law Limits Physical Strength (25-50 years)
- V. The Secret to Remaining Strong: Seeing Jesus
- A. Moses Endured by Seeing Him Who is Invisible (Hebrews 11)
- B. Psalms 91: Long Life and Seeing Salvation (Jesus)
- C. Emmaus Road Disciples: Seeing Jesus in the Scriptures (Luke 24)
- 1. Seeing Jesus in Scripture is More Important Than in Person
- 2. The Life-Giving Effect of God's Word
- D. Isaiah 40: Renewing Strength by Waiting (Looking) on the Lord
- 1. "Wait" (Kava) Means to Look with Hope and Expectation
- 2. Exchanging Natural Strength for Supernatural Strength
- E. Transformation by Seeing Jesus: Becoming Like Him
Scripture references
- Isaiah 53
- Matthew 8:17
- 1 Thessalonians 4
- Philippians 1
- Hebrews 2
- Proverbs 4:22
- Joshua 14:10-11
- Genesis 18
- Hebrews 11
- Psalms 90
- Isaiah 54
- Numbers 8
- Psalms 91
- Luke 24
- Hebrews 12
- Isaiah 40
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
Insights
God seeks to reveal the ancient secrets of a long and strong life.
True rest in Christ's finished work is spirit-directed activity, not idleness.
Jesus' atonement fully covers both our spirit's health and our body's well-being.
Questions & answers
What is the sermon's main argument about living long and healthy?
The sermon argues that God desires for believers to live long and well, with supernatural strength and renewed youth, a reality made possible through Jesus' finished work and by continually seeing Him in the Scriptures.
How does Jesus' death relate to physical health, according to this sermon?
According to the sermon, Jesus' atoning work on the cross not only paid for sins but also bore all our sicknesses and diseases, as stated in Isaiah 53 and Matthew 8:17. This means physical healing is part of our inheritance in Christ now.
What does the preacher say about the fear of physical death?
The preacher states that Jesus, through His death, destroyed the devil who had the power of death, releasing those who through fear of physical death were lifelong subject to bondage. This means believers are freed from the devil's power to cut short their lives.
What was the secret to Moses maintaining his strength and eyesight at 120 years old?
The sermon, citing Hebrews 11, explains that Moses 'endured as seeing him who is invisible.' This is interpreted as Moses continually seeing Jesus, primarily through His Word, which empowered him with robust strength.
How does 'waiting on the Lord' (Isaiah 40) lead to renewed strength?
The sermon defines 'waiting on the Lord' as 'looking at with hope and expectation' to Jesus. When we attentively behold Jesus in His Word, we exchange our limited natural strength for His unlimited supernatural strength, like eagles renewing their wings.
Why does the sermon say Psalms 90:10, which mentions 70-80 years, doesn't apply to believers today?
The sermon explains that Psalms 90 is a psalm of Moses, describing the generation in the wilderness who were under God's wrath, hence their limited lifespan. Believers today are under God's grace and favor, where God has sworn He will never be angry with us.
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