Jesus People We are all called to be Jesus people! Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6 Jesus died for the ungodly. John 17:15-21 “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. One of the names of Jesus is DELIVERER = the one who opens the door and releases us from the prison! Matthew 4:24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. Acts 10:38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. John 20:21-23 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.23“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Matthew 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 8:2-4 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” How did we get here? Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Ruth 1:1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the weak hands,And make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” God wants to release you from captivity and restore your strength. Consider some Old Testament examples that point prophetically to Jesus: Abraham: rescued Lot and his family from the burning city of Sodom Esther: rescued her nation, laying her life on the line. Gideon is rescued from his own obscurity and called up to deliver a nation Boaz: rescued Ruth and her future, as a “kinsman-redeemer” Nehemiah: rescued and rebuilt his people and Jerusalem. Moses: rescued his people through the Red Sea and led them to their inheritance. Exodus 2:23-25 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Here is the solution: **1. Recognize that you can't deliver yourself. ** Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Message) You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. Exodus 3:7-8 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 “So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 2. Make some noise! Cry out for help! Exodus 2:23-25 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Judges 3:15 But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. There is a time to meditate, and there is a time to make some noise, to lift up our voice. 3. Don't reject "deliverers in disguise." Acts 7:25 “For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. God uses people, sometimes “unqualified” people, to deliver us! Don’t miss the moment. 4. Wait patiently for the Lord. Exodus 2:23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died, Don’t get impatient with God...He was patient with you! Sometimes God does things instantly and sometimes we are a work in progress. 5. Move out when the door is open. Something needs to come up in our hearts and spirits that says “enough is enough” to a very real enemy! God is gracious and merciful. When He opens the prison door you need to move out. The restoring of your soul is progressive. ** Be Jesus people!**