Sermon Notes 3/24 – The Power of God

ISCHUS – – – means STRENGTH – SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH

John 18:1-2 – The Garden of Gethsemane – means oil press & is a place of pressure

         a. everyone will enter into times of pressure – John 18:2 – often

         b. there are all kinds of pressure

         c. Jesus is the lifter of pressure

              What can we do when the pressure is on?

1. GUARD YOURSELF FROM THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY – John 18:2-6

-The enemy knows we are going through times of pressure

-v2 – Judas represents the devil

-v3 – the troops & officers represent demons – they pile on

***Speak the Truth, but also Speak the Word of God

2. GATHER BELIEVERS AROUND YOU – John 18:1-2

-Never isolate yourself from other believers

***When we go through times of pressure, we must gather believers around us so we will not allow our emotions and wrong decisions to dominate us

-Emotion means to move away from

-Believers help to keep us in line and encouraged

-The word disciples is used 3 times in John 18:1-3

3. KEEP GOING – John 18:4

-do not stop following Jesus

-be like Jesus who kept going forward

-John 18:15-18 – Peter backslid

4. YOU ARE NOT ALONE – Luke 22:39-46

-angels – there are millions of them on our side – we are surrounded

-Hebrews 1:14 – angels minister to us

-Jesus is the bright and morning star – this is a star that appears right before dawn when the night is coldest and darkest

5.HAVE A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS – Mark 14:32-42

-this is prayer

                1. Prayer casts all of our cares upon the Lord – 1 Peter 5:7

                2. Prayer reveals to us why pressure has come  – James 1:5