Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

Join Tim Vince, John Campbell and Derek Walker for a special Christmas edition of Bible Study on Revelation TV as they explore Genesis 3:15 and its implications on the story of Christ's birth. Gain insights into the spiritual warfare between good and evil, the significance of the virgin birth, and the role of Israel in biblical prophecy. The team celebrate Christmas by discussing the first prophecy of Christ, the Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15), who came to defeat the devil and save mankind. It also reveals the ongoing spiritual warfare.

Explore the concept of 'praying without ceasing' as explained through 1 Thessalonians 5:17: "Pray without ceasing.” This insightful video delves into the idea of regular, heartfelt prayer and how it connects us to a divine 'live stream' from heaven. Discover the joy and power of prayer as more than a duty, but a delightful interaction with God's presence, supported by biblical references and historical anecdotes. God Himself is the initiator of prayer. Prayer begins in God and we are all just joining in the Live Stream of prayer that Heaven is already making available. All we have to do is to join it and be carried along with the Stream of Prayer that is flowing from Him. ‘Without ceasing’ means REGULARLY, without any unnecessary gaps, as often as required. The word 'adialeiptos' (translated ‘without ceasing’) was used to describe a tickling cough. A tickling cough is not one where you cough non-stop. It means that you cough without long gaps between coughs! *I. Let's move from RARE PRAYER to REGULAR PRAYER. Regular prayer doesn’t mean that we are praying 24/7, but that we are in a constant flow of prayer. We are constantly accessing Heaven’s Live Stream of prayer, which catches us up into God’s Presence to walk with Him. “Praying at ALL TIMES (in every opportunity) with all kinds of prayer IN the SPIRIT (Ephesians 6:18). This is the key to joining Heaven’s Live Stream of Prayer. We struggle to join it with our head! Our head is too limited. That’s why we have the Holy Spirit living within our spirits, who makes us able to join that Live Stream. He helps us to tune into the bandwidth of Heaven and join in with what’s flowing from God’s Throne. We need to PRAY in the SPIRIT. Praying in tongues is one way we can pray in the Spirit, and join Heaven’s Live Stream, but it is not the only way. Praying in the Spirit is praying from the Spirit within us, depending on the Spirit to lead and empower us in prayer. It is a way in which we pray, and a place from which we pray, more than it is a kind of prayer. *II. Let's move from HEAD to HEART. We will never be able to pray without ceasing, if we pray only from our HEAD. We have to go from prayer that only comes out of our HEADS to praying from our HEARTS, prayer in which we bring up from the core of our being, expressing God's life & heart of God within us. It’s praying from our HEART. Martin Luther: “Prayer is climbing up into the heart of God.” God invites us to pray from His heart - praying from His lap, from His Father heart. We hear His heartbeat, as we put our head to His heart, like the beloved disciple (John) at the Last Supper, who laid his head on Jesus’ chest (John 13:23). We can hear His heartbeat and pray His heart. The Holy Spirit will give us the right word to return to the Father in prayer. Prayer is joining God’s Live Stream, so what pours out of Heaven through His Word & Spirit enters into us, and through prayer we offer it back to Him in Heaven. Then He responds in the Earth with answers: “So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 54:11). Man was never designed to live only from his HEAD. Man was designed to live from his HEART, from the core of his being. And so, let us PRAY from there. *III. Let's move from DUTY to DELIGHT. God wants us to take us from the DUTY of prayer to the DELIGHT of prayer. For many people, prayer is a CHORE, or worse a BORE, when it is so much MORE! Prayer is a DELIGHT. In Matthew 21:13, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 56:7: “I will make them JOYFUL in My House of PRAYER.” There is JOY in the House of PRAYER. Have we found joy in prayer? If not, let’s get into Prayer’s Live Stream. God’s Live Stream will carry you on and carry you up! Psalm 34:5: “They looked to Him (in prayer) and their faces were light (radiant with joy).” When we look to God in prayer, rather than looking to ourselves and our own resources, we go beyond the DUTY and the DISCIPLINE of prayer, and get caught up in the DELIGHT (joy) of prayer. 1Thess 5:17 is the meat in the sandwich: “pray without ceasing.” 1Thess 5:16 & 18 are the bread. These 3 verses are a triptych of simple exhortations: “(1) REJOICE always, (2) PRAY without ceasing, (3) in everything GIVE THANKS” (1Thess 5:16-18). God doesn’t want us in the DRUDGERY of prayer! He wants us to discover the DELIGHT of prayer. So, let us join Heaven’s Live Stream of Prayer that God has made available to us.

Join Peter Hockley, evangelist at Oxford Bible Church, as he delivers an inspiring sermon titled 'Fill Your Horn With Oil And Go.' Drawing from 1 Samuel 16, Peter encourages believers to find hope and strength in God's promise. He shares insights on overcoming grief and moving forward with faith, using biblical examples of Samuel and David. This message is a reminder that God has a purpose for each of us, and even in times of disappointment, He prepares a new future filled with His blessings. (1) Samuel’s Grieving. (2) The Lord's Guiding. The Lord had fresh HOPE, PURPOSE and DIRECTION for Samuel. 1Samuel 16:1: Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go." (3) Samuel’s Going. 1 Samuel 16:13: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward."

Join Peter Hockley from the Oxford Bible Church as he explores the profound message of 'Heaven, Our True Home'. This sermon provides comfort and hope, emphasising the Christian belief in a glorified body and the ultimate union with the Lord. Perfect for those seeking deeper understanding of faith, salvation and our everlasting future. (1) HEAVEN: We will be there (Revelation 7:9-10, Philippians 1:23, 2Corinthians 5:8), for as children of God (John 1:12), we have eternal life (1John 5:12-13). Our citizenship is in Heaven, and God will give us new bodies, so we can live there forever (Philippians 3:20-21, 2Corinthians 5:1-5). (2) HEAVEN: We will be there with Jesus and the Father (John 14:1-3, 1Peter 1:8, Job 19:26-27, Revelation 22:3-4. 3) HEAVEN: We will be there together with all the saints (Matthew 8:11). 4) HEAVEN: We will be there forever in glory (1Corinthians 13:12, 1John 3:1-2).

Join Peter Hockley from Oxford Bible Church as he explores the theme of overcoming weariness through faith in God. Drawing from Isaiah 40, he delves into how believers can find renewed strength and hope amidst life's challenges. Discover the power of praise and the importance of trusting in God's promises to transform a weary soul. The CAUSES of a Weary Soul: (1) WICKEDNESS (Psalm 38:4-6), (2) the WORLD, and (3) WORK. The CURE for a weary soul is the strength of the Lord (Isaiah 40:29-31, John 16:33). The immediate CURE for a weary soul is PRAISE (Psalm 34:1-6, 100:4, Matthew 6:9, Isaiah 61:3, Philippians 3:1, 4:4). We can PRAISE because: (1) GOD IS WITH US (Isaiah 41:10, 43:2), and (2) GOD IS WORKING (John 5:17), and (3) GOD WILL WIN.

Pastor Derek explores the theological and scriptural reasons for supporting Israel. Delve into the historical context and biblical covenants, promises and prophecies that affirm Israel's significance in God's plan. He challenges the concept of Replacement Theology, rejecting the idea that the Church has replaced Israel. God has not finished with His elect nation Israel! He highlights the importance of understanding Israel's role in both past, present and future events. Key biblical passages are examined to show God's unwavering commitment to Israel, urging viewers to align themselves with God's purposes by standing with Israel.

Psalm 2 is a dramatic Messianic Psalm that describes the victory of Christ over His enemies and the present spiritual warfare. Discover God's strategy for victory as the drama unfolds scene by scene. Discover how this Messianic Psalm relates to the Ascension and 2nd Coming of Christ, and learn about the anointing of Jesus as prophet, priest & king. This sermon emphasises the believer's role in this spiritual drama, highlighting the power of prayer, intercession, and the declaration of God's Word. Engage with this profound biblical teaching and understand your place in God's plan.

Join Pastor Derek Walker from the Oxford Bible Church as he explores the profound connections between the Gospel and the Year of Jubilee. Discover how the Gospel message, as preached by Jesus, fulfills the Old Testament Typology of the Jubilee—a time of liberation, restoration, and divine grace. He delves into the origins of the Gospel in the Old Testament, its central role in the New Testament, and its significance for believers today. This enlightening session highlights the transformative power of the Gospel as a 'now message' calling for faith, repentance, and the acknowledgment of Christ's Sacrifice. This teaching reveals the origins of the Gospel in the Year of Jubilee, which took place on the Day of Atonement, when the Jubilee Trumpeters proclaimed forgiveness, release and restoration for all, throughout all the Land, on the basis of the great sacrifice made on that day (Leviticus 25). Jesus initiated the preaching of the Gospel, and commanded us to continue preaching this same Gospel. In Luke 4, Jesus claimed that His preaching of the Gospel was the fulfilment of Isaiah 61, a prophecy of the Messiah fulfilling the Type of Jubilee for all men by preaching Good News to the poor, proclaiming the Acceptable Year of the Lord, on the basis of God's acceptance of His great final Sacrifice (Isaiah 53).

God's mighty resurrection power is available to us and working within us. This is a major them in Ephesians. Discover how the Holy Spirit provides revelation and wisdom to help us lay hold of and walk in God's power within us, the same power that raised Christ from the dead and is now active in our lives. God's mighty power is in us, through the Holy Spirit, and it is available to us, but we need to have a revelation of this power, so that we can draw upon it by faith, as well as the wisdom to walk in that power, for it is released through our obedience. Ephesians 1 gives us a revelation of this mighty power, by describing what it has already accomplished when it was released in Christ, when He was (1) made alive from the dead, (2) raised far above all powers, and (3) enthroned on high. Then Ephesians 2 describes what this resurrection power accomplished in our spirits when we were born again in Christ: (1) Our spirit was made alive with Christ, changing us from spiritual death to being spiritually alive to God. (2) Our spirit was raised far above all opposing powers (sin, satan and the world), for His victory was imparted to our spirit. (3) Our spirit was seated with Christ far above, having been empowered to reign with Christ. This same power is available to us in our life today! (Ephesians 3:20).

We need to know our identity (Prov 23:7). It has 2 sources: our (1) CREATION in Adam (Gen 1:26-27) and (2) REDEMPTION in Christ. Since we’re born in Adam, we share his identity as God’s image, to reflect & express His glory. As part of our identity, He created us male or female. In Adam, we all sinned & are under divine judgment. Our nature, inherited from Adam, is prideful rebellion against God. Man’s collective sin became so bad, God judged it at Noah’s Flood, after which He told man to fill the earth (Gen 9:1). But man rebelled again at Babel (Gen 11:1-9). So, God scattered man over the earth, dividing us into nations. This is God’s will, designed to restrain the spread of sin. It’s God’s idea to create national identities, with different characteristics, that are part of our identity & inheritance in Adam. We embrace & celebrate these aspects of our identity, as we should embrace our God-given sexual identity. As man separated into nations, they developed their own cultures & ways, so certain genes became dominant in populations, creating different abilities & appearances. Though we’re divided into nations, we belong to one human family in Adam (Acts 17:26), and so share a common inheritance (good & bad), so we’re all equal. Globalism tries to override the power of nation states to set up a one-world government. This was Nimrod’s vision at Babel, so he could rule over all mankind. A rebel against God (Gen 10:9), running the world is a worst-case scenario. Satan is trying to rebuild Babel, putting his antichrist in charge of a one-world government (called Babylon). He’ll succeed for a short time before Christ destroys it at His Return, and sets up His one world Government. Although many aspects of our natural inheritance & identity are God-given, the great problem is that we also inherit from Adam his identity & nature as a sinner. So, part of our natural identity is that by natural birth, we belong to a fallen race under Divine Judgment, whatever other natural positive qualities we might have. God has a solution for the Fall. Christ came as the 2nd Adam, to be the head of a new human race in Him, the source of a new identity. He came to bring forth a New Creation, a new family in Himself. In His death as the last Adam, He took on Himself all the fallen aspects of our Adamic inheritance of sin & death, and cancelled it, and by His resurrection He brought us into a new inheritance in the New Covenant, the firstborn from the dead of a New Creation, a new species of humanity, with His spiritual DNA. For those who receive Him as Saviour & Lord, He provides a New Birth of our spirit, making us a New Man in Christ. Thru our union with Him, we receive a new nature, identity & origin-history, for we’ve died & risen with Christ, and now belong to Him. As our 1st (physical) birth in Adam made us an inheritor of Adam, so our new (spiritual) birth in Christ makes us an inheritor of all that’s Christ’s (John 1:12-13, 3:3-7, Eph 4:23-24). We still have the God-given aspects of our natural identity & inheritance (gender, gifts, personality & nation), but our new identity & inheritance in Christ is far more important & dominant. By our union with Christ, all God’s blessings of God are ours in Christ (Rom 8:32, 2Cor 1:20, Eph 1:3). Whoever we are in the natural, the most important truth about us is who we are in Christ (Col 3:9). In this New Creation reality, Christ is all important, and He is in us all. We’re all equal in Him. National & natural distinctions still exist, but are overwhelmed by the greater truth of our identity in Christ – we belong to Him, created in His image, in God’s family & Kingdom. National distinctions & natural differences count for nothing as far as our inheritance in Christ is concerned (Phil 3:4-7). We’re all equal inheritors of salvation & eternal life (Rom 10:12-13). God has no favourites (2Cor 5:14-17). The new overrules and supersedes the old. We don’t just have a new individual identity in Christ, but a new corporate identity. We’re not just individuals; together we form one New Man in Christ (Eph 2:8-15), His New Creation, one People of God, one Body & Bride of Christ, one forever Family, living stones forming a single Temple of God. We’re God’s people, redeemed by His Blood (Rev 5:8-10). We have a common origin in His death & resurrection, a common identity in Christ, and a common purpose to live for (glorify) Him who loved us (Gal 3:26-28). We are all ONE (entity) in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28). As in Adam, we’re all of one blood (Acts 17:26), so in Christ, we’re of one blood (the Blood of Christ). Being in Christ & His family is our primary (core) identity. Our allegiance to Christ overwhelms all other loyalties, and His command is to love one another. We celebrate our natural & national diversity, but most of all we celebrate our identity & unity in Christ, where God has broken down all racial divisions.