John 8v58 - "Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am"

Jesus is the One True God

Jesus is the Yahweh

Jesus is the I AM

Luke 8v48 - "But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me."

Jesus showed through His acts of healing that He possessed the will to give life, the authority to heal and that He is the source of power for healing

Colossians 1v16 - "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."

Jesus is God, from before the beginning of time

Luke 19v10 - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost"

when Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, he makes the claim to be the one foretold in prophecy, as one having eternal power and authority (Daniel 7v13-14)

Galatians 3v16 - "16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ"

Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise and covenant of blessing to man. If you have Jesus, you have everything

Hebrews 2v14 - "Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." (NLT)

Jesus was the promised Messiah

Jesus became a man that he might take our place and defeat death

He is therefore the true Messiah and there is salvation in no one else

Psalm 107v22 - "And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!"

1 Thessalonians 5v18 - "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Thankfulness is not just a reaction to something good. It is a disposition of life

Ephesians 1v13 - "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,"

The new life in Christ is a life in the Spirit. We must therefore have a life that focuses on the spiritual

Ephesians 1 vs19 "and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might"

The believer has the resurrection power of God working in him and for him

Ephesians 1 vs15-19 "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,"

We can live a victorious life when we know God, intimately, and when we understand what He has done for us in Christ.

Ephesians 1v11 - "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,"

in Christ we have an inheritance in God. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ

Ephesians 1v3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,"

When you understand what God has fulfilled for us spiritually - we don't walk through life defeated

Ephesians 5v1-2 - "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

The greatest evidence of growth in Christ, is Love

1 Peter 2v2 - " Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation"

Just us consuming milk is sufficient to cause a baby to begin performing required life processes, consuming the Word of God will make us begin to think and act God's way

1 John 2v12-13 - "I am writing to you, little children,

because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.

I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

because you have overcome the evil one.

I write to you, children,

because you know the Father."

What makes one grow to be a father in the faith is not only in overcoming sin, or merely knowing his spiritual strength: it is his intimacy.

Ephesians 4v13 - "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"

Maturity in Christ is shown in how much of Jesus we reveal in the way we live

Numbers 14v9 - "Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.”"

Joshua's personal knowledge of God caused Him to be stirred in faith when others had cause for fear

Exodus 24v13 - "So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God'

There are great encounters we have with God even while we serve others

2 Cor 3v5 - "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,"

Having personal fellowship and encounters with God brings us to a place of complete dependence on Him. That is the greatest preparation for ministry