Grant Lovell and Bethel
AME Churches

Easter Preparation – Resurrection Message; Sunday Sermon- March 26th, 2023

Scripture: St. John 14:1-27

Scripture: John 16:13-15, Isaiah 53:5

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Topic: Are You Drawing from Your Heavenly Bank Account?

Years ago, a young man graduated from high school and wanted to go to college.

His father died a couple of months before he graduated.

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His father was living in Lagos and the son was living in the countryside.

Because he did not have money, he worked two jobs for a year to save money for his college tuition.

A year after working two jobs, he realized he did not have enough money saved for his first-year college tuition.

So, he called his uncle from Lagos and asked if he could borrow some money to pay his college tuition.

His uncle asked him to come to Lagos.

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When he arrived in Lagos, this young man was shocked to find out from his uncle that his father placed some money in Trust Fund for him while he was still in high school.

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When his uncle accessed the Trust Fund, the young man was shocked he had over a quarter of a million dollars in that account created for him by his father before he passed away.

Today, like this young man, I come to declare that all of you have money in your Trust Bank Account that you do not know of.

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I’m going to expose that secret Trust Fund to you today.

This Trust Fund is bigger than money and sadly it cannot be purchased with money because money can buy earthly things, but cannot buy you true happiness.

About 14 years ago, the Lord gave me a message. Initially, I was of the opinion the message was only for me.

Later, I realized this message was meant for all Christians who believe in Jesus.

On page 195 of my book, Closer Walk with Jesus, I documented the message from the Lord saying, “I will make you a signet to my name.”

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When Jesus made this statement to me, I had no idea what this meant until the Holy Spirit directed me to Haggai 2:23. Even when I read the statement in the Bible, I still did not have a full understanding of the statement until today.

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This statement, “I will make you a signet to my name” is Jesus’ assurance and offer to all those who believe in him not just one person.

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This statement is so important especially as we get ready to celebrate Easter – the Resurrection of Christ in great jubilation, after some of you have been fasting for food or something.

When Rev. Hall was here last Friday, she said her church members were fasting-- no meat and no sugar for 40 days. Different people do different fasts. Some do the Daniel fast, and others just fast for food.

Fasting has great significance in the life of a true Christian believer. I will explain later.

Please pay attention to your history as a believer

Years ago, God had a plan for the children of Israel to be a nation of Priests and show the world how to worship God – Exodus 19:6.

God said to the children of Israel, “But you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a Holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

Unfortunately, as people set apart to serve God’s purpose, the children of Israel disappointed God. We all know the story.

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By setting them apart as a priestly nation, they were to show the world how to worship God. Why? Because God has already manifested his glory through them in the wilderness. They have seen wonders and miracles of God no other nation has ever seen.

When they failed, God sent his son Jesus to go and preach to the nations and take His plan of salvation first to the Jews.

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Again, as you can see from history, the Jewish religious leaders were the ones who not only rejected Jesus but persecuted Jesus to death.

Subsequently, God’s plan of salvation was to make those believers in Jesus, called Christians; a Priestly Nation.

That statement made by Jesus to me 14 years ago documented in my book Closer Walk with Jesus is God’s declaration to ALL believers in Jesus, “I will make you a signet to my name.”

So as Christians, you all belong to a Royal Priesthood of Christ, blessed to live in the Palace of the King in Heaven.

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 Let me prove it to you – Here is the Evidence that You Are a Priestly Nation

I Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him (Jesus) who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

This was exactly the same declaration made by God in Exodus 19:6 over the children of Israel. It was later declared over Christians who believe in Jesus.

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However, it does not mean the church has replaced the nation of Israel, but when God places us in a place to serve him and we choose to reject his assignment, he will raise other people to serve his purpose.

As members of Christ’s Royal Priesthood, we received bankable gifts from Jesus to serve in Christ’s Ministry on earth.

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Ephesians 4:8  When Jesus ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

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The gifts that you are using in the church were given to you by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit after the resurrection for the edifying of the body of Christ on earth.

John 14:1-3 in Jesus’ farewell message, he made Gifts declaration to believers.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, [b]I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

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This is Jesus’ first pronunciation of your Eternal inheritance as members of the Royal Priesthood destined to live in the King’s Palace in Heaven.

As a Christian, you have a mansion in King’s palace in heaven – a gift from Jesus!

John 14:16-20 was Jesus’ second Pronunciation of your Eternal inheritance as members of the Royal Priesthood of heaven in his same farewell message.

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 "And I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  On that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."

This is a shocking revelation by Jesus that each believer is part of the Holy Trinity – meaning – Father – Son- and a Believer held together by the Holy Spirit! Wow!

John 14:26-27 was the third Pronunciation of your Eternal inheritance declared by Jesus in the same farewell message.  

 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus declared Peace and Comfort to all believers except those who want to torture themselves.

John 16:13-15 was the fourth Pronunciation of your Eternal inheritance as members of the Priesthood declared by Jesus in the same farewell message.

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He [c]will take of Mine and declare it to you."

Jesus declared that whatever God the Father has belongs to him, and whatever he has belongs to believers. Jesus gives believers access to his eternal inheritance and prophecy about the future.

To put these gifts declared by Jesus in today’s terms.
 

Jesus gave you and I, and all believers a bank account that many Christians do not know they have.

Caution: You don’t have access to your heavenly mansion until your assignment is completed on earth.

However, you can access your heavenly bank account right now from today on without any reservation.

This bank account is only meant for true Christians. Many who attend churches each Sunday are not Christians. Pastor Adrian Rogers before he went to be with the Lord called these people baptized pagans. Even the Evangelist Billy Graham said many who attend churches each Sunday are not Christians. Some people questioned this assertion. But something happened that proved these statements by these men of God to be true. After Covid, many people who used to attend churches stopped going. We know true Christians as those who are dedicated with love to worship and serve God. Only the true Christians remained in church after Covid-19 while those playing churches according to Adrian Rogers and Billy Graham dropped out. They fell by the wayside because they were not true converts to Christianity, some pastors alluded to this reality. Let’s keep these church dropouts in prayer that they may truly be saved. Otherwise, hell has an open door that never closes!

Question: Do you know what is in your Heaven’s bank account that you can spend right now?

Answer: Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

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Right now, we (true believers) all have access to that love, joy, peace and all what St. Paul said in his letter to Galatians including the spiritual gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit.

This fruit of the Spirit is what is referred to by Jesus in John 15 as the “Secret of the Vine.”

A major challenge in accessing the Divine Bank Account

The reason why many Christians are suffering and unable to access this bank account is that we spend too much time in the flesh and not in the Spirit.

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The more time we spend in the flesh, the more we suffer!

The more time we spend in the Spirit of God, the more we have access to our heavenly bank account and experience the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

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When you overrun your earthly bank account, you will receive a letter that your balance is zero.

In comparison with your Heavenly bank account, the more you draw, the bigger it gets.

You can never overrun your Heavenly Bank account with Jesus’ deposit.

Remember what Jesus said, “Out of your belly shall flow the rivers of living water.” St. John 7:38.

This is in reference to the Holy Spirit.

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And the Holy Spirit is referred to as the down payment of your inheritance – Ephesians 1:14.

 The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory.

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Here is the bottom line.

We fast during Lenten Season to help move us from the flesh to the Spirit realm by crucifying the flesh to strengthen the Spirit within us.

The more time you spend in the Spirit, the more access you have to your heavenly Bank Account with Jesus’ deposit.
 

As believers grafted into the Holy Priesthood of Heaven, we are given the assignment called the Great Commission – to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Christ in John 3:16.

This is the message of the resurrected Christ we will be celebrating in a couple of weeks called Easter.

Your excitement and jubilation to share the word of God with others are based on the realization that you are an expensive cargo purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of Our Living God.

From today on, you will never look at yourself the same because of your Royal Priesthood of Heaven destined to live in the King’s Palace with Jesus. Amen!

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You’re much more than you think you are.

You’re a royalty with a special bank account deposited by Jesus.

Are you letting yourself suffer needlessly, or you are drawing from your heavenly Bank Account?

Let me end this with Isaiah 53:5

But He was wounded[k] for our transgressions,
He was [l]bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes[m] we are healed.

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Jesus carried all the burdens of our pains to the cross, so we won’t have to bear them. But, when we refuse to walk in the Spirit of God, we needlessly torture ourselves. Compared to a person who has food in the house, but was starving to death because he does not want to get the food out of the refrigerator and warm it up.

Or compare to the young man in the first story who took two jobs to pay for his college, because he did not know his father had a trust fund for him worth over a quarter of a million dollars.

Jesus already prepared the food. Remember Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35.

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If you are a Christian and spiritually starving, are you accessing your heavenly bank account? Are you reading your Bible and spending quality time daily with Jesus in your daily devotion and private praise worship time?

All we have to do is warm up the food and eat it. Jesus prepared it!

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When we allow our flesh to get the best of us, it takes us away from the Spirit realm of God causing us to suffer needlessly. We are therefore unable to draw from our heavenly bank account.

But, when we allow the Spirit of God to lead us, he gives us access to our heavenly bank account.

“The Well of salvation never runs dry!” The Wall Street thieves cannot get to your account. Scam artists cannot steal your money.

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Even bill collectors cannot harass you!

Your Heavenly bank account is protected, not by FDIC, but by the Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior. Praise God!!!

With this heavenly bank account, we, therefore, experience the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance.

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Are you drawing from your heavenly bank account deposited by Jesus, or you are still busy torturing yourself?

Invitation – Invite Jesus to your heart – It’s an open invitation to who-so-ever!

Sermon by Rev. Victor Vidal, Pastor, Grant Lovell AME Church and Bethel AME Church, Moberly and Macon MO.

www.glbamechurches.org

African Slogan: Jesus is like a surgeon because “the blade never gets dull in the hands of a skillful surgeon.”

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