THE CHALLENGES WE FACE

                                 By Pastor Max Solbrekken D.D.

    “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11: 12).

   John the Baptist had preached a strong message on Repentance and Holiness and great crowds had heard him with joy, confessing their sins and were baptized by immersion.

   His message was death to sin and new life through keeping God's commandments. His death dealing, life giving messages didn't spare anyone from the rank and file to the religious pharisees and even King Herod, who imprisoned him.

  The Bible states: “Now when John heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples; and said unto Him, Art Thou that shall came or look we for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:

   “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.” (Matt. 11: 2-5)

    John the Baptist was a CHOSEN vessel sent to introduce Jesus of Nazareth to Israel as the Messiah, the Christ of God. When he had first met Jesus at His baptismal, he had seen the Spirit of God descending upon our Lord and remaining on Him. The Heavenly Father made it clear to him that Jesus of Nazareth was the One which He had sent.

  The Bible records the stunning event: “And Jesus, when He was baptized went up straightway up out of the water: and lo, the Heavens were opened to him and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3: 16, 17)

                          DOUBTS BEGAN TO CROP UP!

   Sitting in the prison and hearing of Jesus' miraculous Ministry, John the Baptist began to have some doubts. For one thing, Jesus did spectacular miracles and healed the sick, while John the Baptist did not have those gifts. There were other things like spending time with people at social functions that brought doubt into his heart. Satan is a Master at spreading Doubt.

     A PATTERN was set here for all who follow the Master and Preach the Gospel of the crucified and resurrected Christ. It only happens through the Word of God, by the Name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. And it still astonishes people!

    John the Baptist did no miracles yet Jesus' Ministry was based on the miraculous. Upon being filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was driven by the Spirit to be tempted by the Devil during His wilderness Temptation. After His victory over Satan, He came back into the arena of human suffering, healing the sick and casting out unclean spirits.

    The Bible declares: “And Jesus returned in the POWER of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And they were astonished at His doctrine: for His Word was with Power.

    “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee Who Thou art; the Holy One of God.

    “And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a Word is this! For with authority and power He commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out.” (Luke 4: 15, 32-36)

                              GO AND SHOW JOHN AGAIN!

    Jesus settled the problem immediately. He said: “Go and show John AGAIN those things which ye hear and see. It is interesting how miracles of healing played such an important place in Jesus' Ministry. which they had again witnessed.

   “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.” (Matt. 11: 2-5)

    Jesus began to commend John the Baptist as the greatest prophet ever born of women. Then, He stated: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt 11: 12)

   What did He mean by that statement? The crowds had thronged his meetings, many of them crushed by condemnation for their sins, had cried out to God for mercy. It was like a battlefield with ungodly men surrendering in droves. 

    The power of God bringing godly sorrow and confessions of the most terrible sins, made them ready for the waters of Baptism. And the shouts of victory from those whom God had cleansed and forgiven rose up everywhere.

   Can you imagine the thousands who attended those meetings where the Baptist thundered out his message: “And now also the AXE is laid unto the root of the tree: therefore every tree that which bringeth not forth good fruit is HEWN down and cast into the FIRE.”

    What a REVIVAL that must have been. And, even today, the Kingdom of Heaven is advancing powerfully and men of faith take hold of the promises of God with an ardour that resembles violence!

    The Gospel of Christ is so life transforming and the baptism of the Holy Spirit so powerful that sins, fears and evil habits are shaken off people and vanish almost supernaturally. Talk about the 'Holy Ghost and Fire'!

                   JESUS: BAPTIZER IN THE HOLY GHOST!

   The Baptist stated, “I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire.” (Luke 3: 16)

    What an introduction John the Baptist gave to Christ Jesus our Lord. John's Ministry had been full of emotion, repentance, confession and baptism. Jesus' would be greater and include the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Himself and His Fire! Isn't that powerful?

    One of the reasons that God the Son was incarnated (God in human flesh) was to bring mankind back to God, to make His Father our Father also! By shedding His pure and holy blood on the Cross, He guaranteed our Eternal Salvation.

   The reason that Jesus could not pour out the Holy Spirit upon the Church until after His resurrection and His ascension was because He had to pour out His BLOOD to satisfy the righteous demands of Divine Justice in the courts of Heaven, to atone for our sins!

  After His glorious resurrection, Jesus promised His disciples: “And, behold I send the Promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on High.” (Luke 24: 49)

   “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you; as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” (John 20: 21,22)

   “And being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father, which saith He, Ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1: 4, 5)

   The BIBLE states: “And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

    “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2: 1-3)

    When the multitudes came together to see what was taking place, St. Peter stated: “But this is that which was spoken by JOEL the prophet; 

    "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 

    "And on My servants and on My handmaidens, I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

  “Ye men of Israel, hear these words: JESUS OF NAZARETH, a man approved of God among you by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

   “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it. This JESUS hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 

   "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2: 16-18, 22-24, 32, 33)

            FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION!

    Let us take Jesus at His Word and like the Early Church, we will be able to fulfill the Great Commission He left us! He said: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

    “And these SIGNS shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover.

   “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with SIGNS following. Amen.” (Mark 16: 15-20)

    This Gospel is for ALL people of ALL the world including the Muslim World! Jesus Christ commanded: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ...." (Mark 16: 15-20)

  King David prophesied: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, AGAINST the Lord, and against HIS ANOINTED, saying, Let us break the bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (Psalms 2: 2, 3)

    The Apostles prayed, quoting David: "For a truth against Thy Holy Child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done." (Acts 4:25-28)

    The whole world was involved in carrying out the will of God in the sacrificial death of Christ for us all. King Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and Israel is a representation of the Entire World that stands guilty in the SIN of crucifying the Son of God!

   And the entire world is invited to receive God's forgiveness, peace, healing, blessing and deliverance which has been purchased for us all through the shed BLOOD of Jesus Christ our Lord and His glorious resurrection from the dead! 

   The Bible says: "Looking for that blessed HOPE and the glorious appearance of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who GAVE HIMSELF for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13, 14)

   "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

   "Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His GRACE, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3: 4-7) All glory to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

    Is God able to save and fill with His Holy Spirit tough, evil, perverted Muslim terrorists? Read Acts chapters 9, 22 and 28. If He can reach a Jewish terrorist He can reach a Muslim terrorist! Nothing is too hard for our God!

                   A GREAT MIRACLE IN NORWAY!

    In late August, 2001, I was preaching in a small town in Norway and learned about a refugee camp where hundreds of Muslim refugees from the Kosovo War were being housed. I asked if anyone was reaching them with the love of Christ. They answered, “No”.

    I challenged the pastor’s wife who was teaching them Norwegian, to invite them to our Revival Meeting. She answered that it was against the new school rules to talk to students about Jesus!

    I countered: “St. Peter said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than man’. It seems rather strange to me that a Pentecostal Pastor’s wife would not have the courage to obey God than rules put in place by some political hack.”

   She said: “O.K. I will ask them.” She did and eight people accepted. The Pastor picked them up and brought them to the meeting. 

   All received Jesus Christ as their Saviour and since August 2001 until now that Church has baptized more than 1,000 Muslims to Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord forever and ever! Hallelujah and Amen.