5 Minute Lessons on the Kingdom of God
The Astronaut Woman Is Going to Die!
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My wife and I were pastoring a small church in west Texas. One Wednesday night after the service, a lady in the church came to me and said, "I know things before they happen." "What kind of things?" I said. "I know when people are going to die, that sort of thing. Is that the Holy Spirit showing me things to come?" I said, "I don't think you are going to like what I am about to tell you."
There was a girl one time, she was a slave and made her master a lot of money telling fortunes. She did tell some true things even about the Apostle Paul and Silas which were servants of God (Deuteronomy 13:1‑4). She said, "These men show us the way of salvation!" She said this under the inspiration of a spirit of divination, not from the Spirit of God. This grieved the Apostle Paul and after many days of her proclaiming this through the inspiration of the devil, Paul said, "I command this spirit to come out of you in the name of Jesus!" You can read this story yourself in Acts 16:16‑18.
I said to the woman at the church, "I believe a spirit of divination (fortune telling) is speaking to you. But I am not Jesus, so you need to go to Him and ask Him about this. Whatever He reveals to you is fine, He is the Master!" She agreed to pray about this.
Later on I asked her, "Did you pray about this?" She said she did and she thought it was fine. "Whatever Jesus shows you is fine. He is our Lord, not me."
Then one day she was watching television and it was the day before the Space Shuttle Challenger was to go into space and orbit. The lady school teacher was being interviewed. Suddenly a spirit said to our church lady, "She is going to die! She is going to die!"
The next day the eight astronauts and the school teacher went into the sky and before the whole world, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded and all on board died. (You can see this on YouTube if you type in Space Shuttle Challenger. It will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up).
Our church lady friend came to me and said, "I don't believe that what is talking to me is the Holy Spirit. Can you pray for me?"
I was tired and didn't want to deal with this, so I asked God for wisdom and strength to meet this need. I said, "In the name of Jesus I command this spirit of divination to come out of you!" And what happened was... nothing! As this continued my wife said, "It has something to do with her mother." "Ok. Will you forgive your mother?" All of a sudden a voice came out of her and said, "No! She gave me away!" I continued, "Will you forgive your mother?" It took some time for her to make this decision. She forgave her mother and the unclean spirit came out.
Matthew 18 says, if we refuse to forgive others after Jesus has forgiven us, we will be delivered to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34‑35).
Jesus said,
Now Jesus gives a concluding statement, an interpretation of this parable. Are you ready for this?
The Point: Forgive others and be forgiven (Matthew 6:14‑15). Forgive others and be made free.
There was a girl one time, she was a slave and made her master a lot of money telling fortunes. She did tell some true things even about the Apostle Paul and Silas which were servants of God (Deuteronomy 13:1‑4). She said, "These men show us the way of salvation!" She said this under the inspiration of a spirit of divination, not from the Spirit of God. This grieved the Apostle Paul and after many days of her proclaiming this through the inspiration of the devil, Paul said, "I command this spirit to come out of you in the name of Jesus!" You can read this story yourself in Acts 16:16‑18.
I said to the woman at the church, "I believe a spirit of divination (fortune telling) is speaking to you. But I am not Jesus, so you need to go to Him and ask Him about this. Whatever He reveals to you is fine, He is the Master!" She agreed to pray about this.
Later on I asked her, "Did you pray about this?" She said she did and she thought it was fine. "Whatever Jesus shows you is fine. He is our Lord, not me."
Then one day she was watching television and it was the day before the Space Shuttle Challenger was to go into space and orbit. The lady school teacher was being interviewed. Suddenly a spirit said to our church lady, "She is going to die! She is going to die!"
The next day the eight astronauts and the school teacher went into the sky and before the whole world, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded and all on board died. (You can see this on YouTube if you type in Space Shuttle Challenger. It will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up).
Our church lady friend came to me and said, "I don't believe that what is talking to me is the Holy Spirit. Can you pray for me?"
I was tired and didn't want to deal with this, so I asked God for wisdom and strength to meet this need. I said, "In the name of Jesus I command this spirit of divination to come out of you!" And what happened was... nothing! As this continued my wife said, "It has something to do with her mother." "Ok. Will you forgive your mother?" All of a sudden a voice came out of her and said, "No! She gave me away!" I continued, "Will you forgive your mother?" It took some time for her to make this decision. She forgave her mother and the unclean spirit came out.
Matthew 18 says, if we refuse to forgive others after Jesus has forgiven us, we will be delivered to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34‑35).
Jesus said,
"26'But the man fell down before his master and begged him, "Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all." 27Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
28'But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
29'His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. "Be patient with me, and I will pay it," he pleaded. 30But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
31'When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, "You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?" 34Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt." (Matthew 18:26‑34 NLT)
28'But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
29'His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. "Be patient with me, and I will pay it," he pleaded. 30But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
31'When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, "You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?" 34Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt." (Matthew 18:26‑34 NLT)
Now Jesus gives a concluding statement, an interpretation of this parable. Are you ready for this?
"33Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' 34Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
35'That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.'" (Matthew 18:33‑35 NLT)
35'That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.'" (Matthew 18:33‑35 NLT)
The Point: Forgive others and be forgiven (Matthew 6:14‑15). Forgive others and be made free.
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36 KJV)
Questions
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What was Peter's question to Jesus?
Answer
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Why was the wicked servant forgiven in Matthew 18?
Answer
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To not forgive after you have been forgiven is wickedness.Answer
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Something Is Wrong Here!