Oakwood Church

The Dangers of this world:

• Physical: Persecution, suffering, oppression, death

• Spiritual: Accusation, condemnation, separation

So fear Nothing and use Everything you have for Jesus

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it.”
Mark 8:34-35

If you choose to primarily pursue Physical safety and comfort, you will forfeit the Spiritual security and eternal blessing that is found in Christ.

“But whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
Mark 8:35-36

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

“Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:39

The Protection we have in Christ:

• Reconciliation - Jesus’ death fully satisfies the just wrath of God

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all…”
Romans 8:31-32

• Reconciliation - Jesus’ death fully satisfies the just wrath of God, so the believer is no longer God’s enemy but has become God’s child

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
Romans 5:10

• Justification - Faith in Jesus connects the believer with the infinite grace of God to not only forgive all of your sins but to give you credit for the perfect righteousness of Christ

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”
Romans 8:33

• Representation - Jesus serves as personal high priest and advocate for every believer

“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died… who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Romans 8:34

The Provision we have in Christ:

• Affection - As an adopted child of God, the believer enjoys the same status as Jesus

“Nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:39

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
Romans 8:35

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39

• Affection - As an adopted child of God, the believer enjoys the same status as Jesus

“Nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:39

• Abundance - Union with Jesus gives the believer “every spiritual blessing” in Him: life, power, the Holy Spirit and the love, joy, peace, etc. He brings with Him.

“How will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
Romans 8:32

So fear Nothing and use Everything you have for Jesus

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.”
Romans 12:1

“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on Earth.”
~ John Wesley