This message was shared by Apostle Kathryn Krick, Lead Pastor/ Apostle of 5F Church in Los Angeles, CA, on October 26, 2025. To watch the full video, scroll to the bottom of this post. We pray this teaching blesses you and equips you to walk as a powerful vessel of God. 

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God—It is the power of God. It is not condemnation that leads people to salvation. It is not judgement that leads people to salvation. It is not a critical spirit, and it is not fear that leads people to salvation. It is not the gospel with only words that leads people to salvation. It is the POWER, because the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20). The real gospel includes sharing about the kingdom of heaven being at hand (Matthew 10:7). The miraculous power of God that is in heaven, everything that is supernatural—healing and freedom and abundant life—is at hand, is near, in the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus shares for us to go and spread the gospel, He says, “Preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7), and then He says, “Heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead” (Matthew 10:8). 

When we are talking about spreading the gospel, this is what God is talking about: preaching that the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Not saying that the kingdom of heaven is where you go only when you die, but that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, that Jesus can heal you and deliver you and do any miracle that you need in your life RIGHT NOW. And then demonstrating that power, being a vessel whom God uses to rescue people, heal people, and deliver people, so that they can experience heaven on earth and shine heaven and be the light to this dark world 

I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God.

If you read this carefully, you’ll see that it is saying that THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD. There is no gospel without the power of God. It is the power of God that resurrected Jesus from the grave. That same power that rose Jesus from the grave is the same power that casts out demons and heals the sick. It’s the same power that every believer and every minister should carry in their lives to demonstrate that God can heal and deliver people and reveal His love in power to people. 

If you look at the Gospels, you see how Jesus was ministering, how He was speaking, what He was doing. You see how He always ministered with love and with power. Actually, He demonstrated His love by releasing His power and rescuing people from the devil’s grip and healing people from sicknesses that the devil put upon people. Like people who share that they were once stuck in bondage, in lust, in pornography, in judgement and condemnation and religion, but when they encountered God’s power, like through this ministry, God revealed who He really was and His supernatural, unconditional, merciful love. They discovered a love that’s not conditional, but by His POWER God revealed who He really was, His great love. 

Paul says, “I didn’t come to you with wise and persuasive words, but I came to you with the demonstration of the power of God because if I came to you with words and not power, speaking about Jesus, preaching the gospel without the anointing, your faith would be rested on man’s words” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5). This is so much like hearing about someone amazing. If I told you right now, “There is this guy over here that I know, and He is amazing, He loves me and He actually loves you even though He has never met you. He loves you so much.” This would make you love that person a little bit. But imagine actually meeting that person, looking in the eyes of this person, seeing the true love and feeling the hug and just getting to know that person. Now you are really going to get to know and fall in love with that person. 

When we preach without the power, we are preaching about Jesus, but we are not allowing Jesus to come through us and touch others. 

Even when the word of God is coming forth, the anointing is flowing. Some people are even delivered during the message. Even through preaching with power, the power of God is demonstrated and people are delivered. On top of that, the anointing feeds the spirit man; it actually opens up spiritual eyes and does a spiritual work in somebody, rather than just hearing an inspirational message about Jesus that sounds really good but doesn’t carry the power to transform. 

That’s why Paul says, “I didn’t come with wise and persuasive words without power. I came with simple words and I demonstrated the power of God, so that your faith would not rest on man’s words for it, but would rest on the power of God.” That your faith would rest on God’s power; that is, that you would actually get to meet Jesus and see and know who wonderful He is, how amazing His love is, that it’s a love that you’ve never tasted on this earth, a love that no human can give to you. And that you may be able to fall in love with Him yourself and give your life to Him on your own accord, in your own will, out of a desire with your heart to give your life to Him; rather than doing what people tell you you should do or giving your life to Jesus based on fear that you will go to hell. Because if you become a Christian based on those things—anything that’s not based on the power of God and encountering Jesus and falling in love with Him genuinely yourself; if it’s based on those other things and not the power of God, not meeting God—that is not a real faith; that is not a real surrender. You will never be able to live surrendered to Jesus unless you actually meet Jesus in His power.

What is the main way that God comes in power? It’s through vessels: both in the church and then through the believers as the church, who were equipped by the church, to be the church in the world.

We don’t have time to read all the Gospels today, but this is your homework: to read the Gospels with the lens of seeing how Jesus spoke to sinners, to the unsaved, to the despised, the wicked; how He acted, what He did. What you will find is that He speaks with love and kindness and compassion and mercy. What you will find is that He doesn’t treat people like they are evil and wicked. He doesn’t look down upon them. Though God could very well judge them, He chooses to not. He chooses instead to introduce Himself to them, to show the people His amazing love, because it is the kindness of God that leads to repentance. 

Romans 2:4

God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. 

Once again, it is not condemnation, judgment, or fear that leads people to repentance. It is only kindness! Jesus knows this. Jesus wants all people to repent, but the only way they will repent is through kindness. When people encounter God’s kindness, that is when they will fall in love with Him and choose on their own accord to give their lives to Him.

Jesus keeps showing kindness, graciousness, compassion, mercy, and grace to these sinners, to these people doing all sorts of wicked things. And how He does this is by teaching about the kingdom and introducing them to the kingdom way: “This is a better way. This is a beautiful way. This is a way to salvation.” He doesn’t do it with a tone of guilt, condemnation, or fear, like, “If you don’t repent, you’re going to hell! You better make your decision right now. Let me see your hands!” You will not find that in the Gospels. Jesus teaches about the kingdom. He teaches simply. He doesn’t teach with pressure. It’s so important that you know that God is gentle. He doesn’t force people. That’s part of His love. He’s not a manipulating God. He desires that you would desire Him. That’s what He wants. He wants you to really be in relationship with Him; He doesn’t force Himself on you. He knows that you have to have free will, that He has to be patient with you and be gentle. And it means that He needs to keep showing His kindness, until people’s eyes open up more and they fall in love. 

That’s what Jesus does in the Gospels. He teaches about His Kingdom simply, not in a pressured way. And then He always demonstrates the power of God. It says, “Jesus went from town to town to different synagogues, preaching AND casting out demons” (Matthew 9:35). Not just preaching, but preaching AND releasing the power of God, rescuing His people. Jesus would show His love through this power delivering people, and that was one of the big ways that people fell in love with Him. That was one of the ways that they encountered His kindness, when Jesus would deliver them from their demonic oppressions, from the things that they suffered with. They were in a spiritual prison all of their lives and just that deliverance, that kindness, led many to come to Him, just like Mary Magdalene with many demons, who became a disciple (Luke 8:2). 

Jesus teaches us: the way to really be the light in the world, to lead people into salvation, to lead people into repentance, is by kindness and the power of God; the kindness and love of Jesus revealed through God’s power.

Luke 19:5

When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to Him, “Zacchaeus!” 

Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and in those times, tax collectors were very immoral. They would take advantage of people and make money off of people, basically stealing money off of people in a very wicked way. They were also seen as traitors, Jews who were working for the Romans, the oppressor. The tax collectors were viewed by God’s people, by the Jewish people, as among the most wicked in society. 

Can you picture right now—not with judgment—but think about who you would view as doing the most wicked things in society. Think about this for a second, and picture them: the things that bother you, the wickedness that you believe is going on in the world. 

Those people are like Zacchaeus. 

And let’s see how Jesus treats Zacchaeus. Jesus knew even more the evil, what’s beneath the surface, that Zacchaeus did. He knew the the depths of the evil and the wickedness in Zacchaeus’ heart. But this is how Jesus treats Zacchaeus: 

Luke 19:5-9

When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to Him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately! I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner!” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.”

Meditate on that verse for a second. First of all, he went from being so wicked to being saved very quickly. And Jesus didn’t even have to point out his flaws. Jesus didn’t have to point out his wickedness. He didn’t have to say, “You are doing wicked things! If you continue this way, you are going to hell. You are messing with society. You are bringing corruption in society and that cannot be allowed. This society must be godly! And I won’t stand for this wickedness that’s corrupting the children, your example, what you are doing!” Jesus didn’t say any of that.

He said, “Zacchaeus, I’m going to your house today.” 

Zacchaeus was in a tree looking at Jesus; he was curious, he was open. Jesus was in this crowd; He was a very important person. Many people want to spend time with Him. He had a lot of important work of God to do, but He saw Zacchaeus and He said, “I love you. I want to show kindness and love to you. I want to spend time and show kindness and love to you, just because I love you, because you are God’s child. Not because what you’ve done do I love you, but because you’re God’s child. And I want you to be led unto salvation. And the only way you’ll be led unto salvation, is by you knowing my kindness. Not judgment, not condemnation.”

That’s what was happening. That’s what Zacchaeus felt when Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, I’m going to your house today.” Zacchaeus experienced that love and power—because it was the power of God. It wasn’t a love of this world. As the anointing moved through Jesus, as He looked at him, and as He spoke those words, Zacchaeus immediately repented. The kindness immediately led Zacchaeus to repentance. He repented on his own. Jesus didn't even have to preach anything to him. He just showed love, and that was enough. Zacchaeus repented on his own, fully. Jesus could see that he fully repented, that he wasn’t just saying words that were going to make Jesus happy because he was feeling nervous. No! For Jesus to say, “Today salvation has come” that means that Jesus could see that Zacchaeus had fully repented, had fully decided to turn from his evil ways and turn to Jesus. So, Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house”; meaning, “Zacchaeus, you are saved!” He could see in his heart that it was a full transformation, a full turn to Jesus.

Jesus didn't even have to preach the entire story of the gospel to him—what was to come, his crucifixion and resurrection. He didn’t have to say, “Raise your hand, if you are ready to give your life to me.” He didn’t have to say, “Okay, now repeat a prayer after me. Repeat these words after me and then you will be saved.”

In the Bible, it says, "You will be saved, when you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). When it comes to how people will be saved, that is what it says. It does not say anything about a certain kind of altar call, a repeat-after-me prayer or hands raised. It doesn’t say that in the Bible. The ways of God are simple, but religion makes it complicated.

The simple ways of God are more powerful, because it’s just love, kindness, and free will of people rather than religious condemnation, judgment, fear, and rituals. It confuses people and misrepresents Jesus to people to make them not even want to really want to give their lives to Him. But if we can simply do as Jesus did, showing nothing but kindness to people, not judgment, then they will repent on their own. We don’t have to do so much work, so much heavy lifting. “My yoke is easy, my burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Just do things my way and I will move mightily through you. And many salvations will come through you.”

Now, remember imagining who you view today as the most wicked in society, maybe people who have committed crimes, people in politics in a certain political party, or leaders. They are like Zacchaeus. How should we treat them? If we really want them to be saved, how should we lead them into salvation? This way, by this example of Jesus. No other way! Any other way than this is old wine, the Pharisee way, wicked way that repels people, that misrepresents Jesus to people!

Two days ago, I was on a plane. Everyone was watching the World Series game on the seat backs. The game had just started as we were getting on the plane. The gentleman sitting next to me was coming to Los Angeles; he lives in the LA area. He was in his sixties, and he was so focused on the game. But when the Dodgers began to lose, he suddenly became disinterested in the game, turned to me, and struck up a conversation. He ended up sharing burdens with me for a family member who is very oppressed. He shared that he only talks to God when things are going wrong, but he was so desperate, longing for his family member who had ADD, ADHD, depression, suicidal thoughts, and was just so stuck and couldn’t move forward. His family member couldn’t do anything and would get distracted easily. This man was so desperate for his family member to get help, and I was able to share with him, glory to God, about our Jesus who comes in power to deliver. He was so full of so much hope as I shared testimonies and as I shared about our Jesus. He was so full of hope. He was so excited. I gave him a 5F flyer, and instructions to have his family member watch the deliverance and healing prayer. He was so excited. 

But as I talked about God to him more and more, he started opening up more and told me about his job in law enforcement, and how he had seen so many murders. He had seen so much evil, so he said, “I don’t know why God allows bad things to happen to good people?” As he spoke, I saw what is so common for most people who are not saved, who have heard about Jesus, especially in America, but they’ve heard a partial gospel that doesn’t include the power of God. So that’s not the gospel of Jesus, actually. Because “the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20). So many Christians today are full of judgment. They are acting like Pharisees, and they’re not releasing the power of God that helps people, that delivers people from their wicked ways.

When people have oppression, they don’t want to be doing wicked things. Like the couple who shared here today about how there was lust and pornography in their marriage. People are doing these sinful things, but most people who are oppressed and doing sinful things, if they’re a believer, they don’t want to keep doing these things. But they can’t stop without God’s power because demonic oppression binds you as if you are in prison. And you may be trying to be free with fasting, praying, and everything besides the power of God, besides the anointing. You may be trying all these things in the Bible, which are good to do as the Holy Spirit leads, but you have to have the power of God, because it is only the power of God, the anointing, that destroys the yoke! It’s not fasting and praying that destroys the yoke; it’s not works that destroy the yoke, it’s only the anointing! Fasting helps to diminish the flesh. We all have to deny our flesh, crucify the flesh. We all have to do our part to ignite our spirit, to make our spirit become stronger. We have to do our part, which are these spiritual disciplines that can include praying and fasting. Those are some of the things that make your spirit man to rise. But if you’re bound, you can fast all day, every day; you can pray all day, every day; watch five church services a day, and you’ll still be bound. That’s the testimony of many people here at 5F Church, because it’s only the anointing that destroys the yoke! 

What we see in so much of Christianity today are people being like Pharisees, not doing what Jesus did, not treating these modern day Zacchaeuses as Jesus treated him. And they are full of judgment, trying to get people to repent through judgment and fear. Meanwhile, they’re not even helping people. They’re not even releasing the power of God upon people so that they could stop their wickedness. 

We need to have the eyes of grace for people. People are being wicked because they’re oppressed by demons. They need the power of God, and how do they get the power of God? By seeking God: “When you seek Him with all of your heart, then you will find Him” (Jeremiah 29:13). 

Our job is to be the light, to be attractive, to be the salt, so that people would desire to come to church—that people would see the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are the opposite of judgment, pride, and fear. 

Our job is to have the fruits of the Holy Spirit: kindness, love, compassion, mercy, and joy. Not doom and gloom, saying, “The world is so evil today. All these political people are evil today. All these people are so wicked; it repulses me.” 

That’s not joy! That’s not peace! That’s not kindness! And that’s not going to draw those who are acting in wickedness to want to come and listen to you. 

We need to be the light that makes people want to listen more, to hear about Jesus more, to hear our testimony, to take us seriously, to take us up on our invitation for people to come to church or to watch a service online. That’s how we are the light and the salt. 

The opposite repels, and my heart burns for believers around the world to catch this, to catch that when you’re being like Pharisees, you’re repelling people instead of leading people to Jesus. That’s dangerous; it’s deadly! God will judge you for being responsible to lead people to hell! To judge people, to misrepresent God is to repel people instead of planting seeds in them to lead them to Jesus. You could be planting seeds in people that turn them away from Jesus! That’s serious. We need to take this more seriously and have the fear of God.

There comes a time when we have to speak what the Bible says, even when it’s saying these strong things, not just what’s comfortable to hear. 

Matthew 12:36

“You can be sure of this: when the day of judgment comes, everyone will be held accountable for every careless word he has spoken. Your very words will be used as evidence, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.” 

Matthew 7:1

“Do not judge or you too will be judged.”

These are Scriptures from the New Testament, not the Old Testament. These are Jesus speaking. And the only thing that Jesus says he will judge you for is for judging others. Because for other sins, when you turn to Jesus and you ask for forgiveness, He wipes them away completely. But the Pharisees were doing all the right things outwardly, but they were judging, and they didn’t repent from that judgment. 

That’s why I say so often that pride is the most dangerous thing, because you can be thinking you’re a great Christian, but you’re doing the worst thing, the thing that God will judge you for. Whereas for the other things, as long as you turn to Jesus and ask for forgiveness, He wipes them all away. If you take it lightly and don’t have the fear of God before judging people, it’s dangerous; it’s like inviting yourself to be blinded. That’s why you find that there are a lot of believers today who are so boldly and confidently preaching, speaking, and using their platforms for judgment. They are not afraid to judge! And they speak so sharply and boldly in a judgmental way. It’s because they’re blinded; they’re blinded by pride. 

James 2:13

Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 

This is saying that mercy is shown to everyone. But if you judge people without having mercy and grace for them, judgment will be shown to you. This is also the New Testament! Judgment is so serious because it misrepresents Jesus; it’s why Jesus speaks so sharply like this when we judge people. 

John 7:14-24

Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up into the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” “You are demon possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle and you were all amazed. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath. Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

This last verse is what many believers use to justify judgment. “Judge righteously” is another translation of this.  But do you see the context of this Scripture? It’s in the context of the Pharisees falsely accusing Jesus and judging Him so harshly and wrongly when He was innocent, because in their hearts they were so full of judgment. So the context of this is actually saying the opposite of what many people interpret it to say to justify the judgement that they want to put on others. Even though this says “judge,” it’s important to read different translations to get the correct meaning, the correct revelation. What Jesus is saying is, “You’re not looking at my fruits. Because of the pride and skepticism in your heart, you are not discerning that I am from God and that there are nothing but good fruits in my life. Rather, you have pride and skepticism, a critical spirit, and judgment, when it’s not your place to judge.”

When it says judge correctly, to judge righteously, it’s speaking of discerning between what’s true or false. Discern that this is true, godly, good fruits, or this is not. It is not saying that you should become a judge or that you should be judgmental; it’s simply saying that this is how you should have discernment, whether this is discernment of ministers being true or false, or a big way you will use this verse is discerning who you should bring in close to you. You shouldn’t bring everybody in close; only bring those in close who you can discern have good fruits. At the same time, you need to have compassion for people, to see them with the eyes of grace, and to understand people make mistakes. None of us are perfect. 

We can’t have such a critical eye and judge people. Sometimes people have a weakness that’s not your weakness; it’s your strength. So you can wrongly judge them because of their weakness, forgetting that you yourself have weaknesses or had them, even if God has transformed you now.

Matthew 7:1-5

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

So in verse 1 it says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Once again this is the New Testament; this is Jesus speaking. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.” God wants you to know it is not your job to judge. It’s your job to discern, but it’s for your own spiritual health. It’s never time to vocalize judgement over what you have discerned. It’s never a time to make yourself judge. 

God is perfect. Jesus is perfect. If anyone has a right to judge, it’s only Him. Yet Jesus does not judge. He gives people a chance, and there will be a day of judgment, but on this earth, He doesn’t judge. He shows compassion, He shows mercy, He shows kindness to those that He could judge. He’s not judging, yet Christians are judging others. When you know that every single believer, every one of us, were sinners. Every one of us were sinners, and some still are sinning at times. When you really give your life to Jesus, you’re no longer a slave to sin but you become a child of God. That’s why we don’t call ourselves sinners anymore. We don't say we’re perfect, since mistakes can be made, but that’s not our identity. 

John 8:3-11 

Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the court, and they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?” They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then He stooped down again and started writing on the ground. They listened [to His reply], and they began to go out one by one, starting with the oldest ones, until He was left alone, with the woman [standing there before Him] in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She answered, “No one, Lord!” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

Based on the context of what Jesus did and said to this woman, we can conclude that Jesus did not say, “Go! And sin no more” in a condemning or judging tone. We can conclude that He said it using a gentle, loving tone, without condemnation or judgment. 

So Jesus says, “You are only allowed to judge her or to judge another person if you have never sinned.” That disqualifies every person on this earth, every single believer! God is the only one who has the right to judge, because we’ve all been sinners. Think about it: you may be living a righteous life right now, but there was a season when you weren’t. And so you see other people right now in this season where you are living righteously and they are living your past season. Why are you judging them? That’s one of the reasons why Jesus is saying “You do not have the right to judge.” And you do not know what people have gone through and what has led to them acting the way that they do. 

I honor my amazing, precious parents for raising me right, for training me up well so that I would not depart from the ways of serving God, of loving God. Their example is one of humility and purity. I have never heard any of them judge another person, speak with a critical spirit, or condemn other people. They had such purity in their heart, and they loved God. We never missed a Sunday service, and they served God every week. My mom conducted the church choir, my dad sang in the church choir. I started singing in the church choir when I was in sixth grade or so. They loved God and followed God every day. That was my example. Not everyone had that upbringing. And I really do not think I would be who I am today if it wasn’t for my mom and dad. I could be a Paul who used to be a Saul but I might have had to go through a lot of horrible sins, like Saul did before turning into Paul. 

That is God’s grace. I didn’t do anything when I was born to just deserve them as parents. I had a special grace and favor upon me. If I’m able to be in my twenties and thirties, living righteously and holy, it’s only by the grace of God. Not everybody had that same grace and favor that I did. It’s available for all people, but for some people, it comes later in life if they seek God. So who am I to judge anybody when their upbringing was one of abuse, neglect, sin, parents full of sin and committing all sorts of wickedness to them? How do you think they’re going to turn out until people like you plant seed after seed that draws them to Jesus' light? Where they turn their life to Him and they go from a Saul to a Paul? But in that season where they’re Saul, who am I to judge them? 

God is opening your eyes now for you to understand, to have the fear of God, that it is very wrong to judge, why you should never put yourself in the judgment seat, judging other people. Imagine that the person you are judging is a Saul right now and will be a Paul that you could even learn from someday. That’s the Bible! Paul actually became a leader above the disciples that he was persecuting! It was the light of Jesus that led Saul to repentance. Jesus appeared to him and simply said, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” It was with kindness. He didn’t list off all the evil Paul had done or scorn him. God has the heart of the father of the prodigal son. That’s the heart of God: arms wide open, ready to receive him when he wants to repent. He is void of judgment. Then He opens up Paul’s eyes, and Paul becomes saved. He starts becoming a disciple, learning the things of God, and then ministering, walking in extraordinary power of God (Acts 19:11). 

Matthew 7:1-5 

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

People who judge see a speck in someone’s eye when they have a bigger, a way bigger than a speck in their eye: a log. This tells us that judgment is worse than whatever you’re judging in somebody. The log is bigger than a speck, right? But remember that when Jesus speaks of things He opposes, it’s just the proud. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). That’s why judging is so bad; it’s so severe! And sometimes there isn’t even a speck in anybody’s eye. The Pharisees were judging Jesus relentlessly, when they had a log in their eye. Did Jesus even have a speck in His eye? No, he didn’t. 

There’s a big transformation that God is bringing to the body of Christ now. He is purifying His bride. One of the big ways He’s purifying His bride is removing this pride and judgment that is so prevalent in a lot of the body of Christ today. He’s taking out this ugliness that repels people in the world instead of drawing people to Jesus. He’s showing people the right way to be humble, to be pure, to be compassionate and kind and merciful like Jesus is. You need to understand that we are called to be the light in the darkness. How we are to be the light is very simple. It is by showing God’s love to the world, not showing God’s wrath. We are also to instill the fear of God by releasing the power of God. It’s the power of God that brings the fear of God upon people, not by projecting fear onto people. The fear of God is one of reverence. The fear of God comes from the love of God in your heart towards Him. It doesn’t come from being fearful of God. Fear of God is being reverent, having respect, because you love Him so much, because you respect Him, His Bible, His word, and His ways so much that you do not want to displease Him. We want to be people who lead those in darkness to this great love of God, that they would fall so deeply in love with Jesus, that their biggest desire would be to please Him and not sin and not do wicked things. But the only way is through kindness and through revealing His power. 

I shared with the gentleman on the airplane sitting next me about the power of God and that the reason why people are doing wicked things is because they have not encountered the power of God that leads them to salvation and that delivers them from demonic oppression. And how that will take place is when the church does its part, rises up with the love and power, unashamed of our Jesus and the gospel, for it is the power of God that brings salvation. When believers stop having a form of godliness but denying the power that can transform them (2 Timothy 3:5). When believers will accept God in all of His ways, including His power, we will be vessels of His power, His love, and His light. And people will be changed, person by person. It will affect society. It will affect everyone you’re around. 

The light of Jesus is irresistible. It is so powerful! It is so strong. It conquers all darkness. But a believer without the true light won’t bring change. They can even do damage, like the Pharisees did. Right now, a lot of the body of Christ is in the old wine, not embracing the power of God, being pharisaical and judgmental. But what if all believers would accept God in all His ways? If they were truly the light and shone the light of Jesus, revealing the power and love of Jesus? How many people would be changed? Every sphere of influence would change. Your workplace would change. People would stop, they would repent, they would come into the love of God. In spheres where people have influence and power and money—God wants all of those people. The leaders in government—God wants them to know His love and power. They are His children, too. And the only way they will be led into repentance is by knowing God's kindness, by encountering His power that will deliver them from the oppression that makes them do wicked things! That is the way! That is the only way. 

I want to encourage all of you to take seriously what it means to represent Jesus well. Every seed you plant is so powerful! When you love people well, when you love them void of judgment and condemnation, whether that’s face-to-face or in person or on social media, it is a powerful seed you are planting that will lead to a harvest, that will lead to that person coming to Jesus. But if you do the typical mainstream Christian way that’s popular today in the old wine, you could repel them, even repel them from Jesus. 

I want to encourage all of you, revival warriors, to take seriously stepping fully into the new wine. You have to not be pulled by the allure of what’s popular. I shared last week how there are some who are holding onto old wine that they like. This way of judgment that’s so common in the body of Christ is one of the big areas of old wine that many like to hold on to. It’s time to let that go. It’s time to surrender everything to Jesus and to really be like Jesus, to love people how Jesus loved Zacchaeus and the woman who committed adultery. It’s time to love every person in your personal life, including the people you see in the news, the people you see in the world, the leaders in this world, the leaders in America. I want to encourage you: every time you see them doing wicked things, renew your mind with what I have shared today. Renew your mind that: this is Zacchaeus; this is the woman who committed adultery. How am I supposed to treat them in my heart? With my words? 

I take it very seriously to represent Jesus well. People are watching. They’re watching me, but they’re also watching you, as I shared last week. You have a sphere of influence, even if it’s small. There could be a Saul who turns into Paul in your sphere of influence. Every person is important, and they’re looking at you. They’re looking at your example. God is calling us to win all people. How we do that is by focusing on Jesus, by focusing on being the light, on not getting entangled too much with other passions that we may have. These may be good or godly passions, but we should be focused solely on being the light of Jesus, on keeping our eyes on Jesus. That is how the most people will be won into the Kingdom! If you post something judgmental online, people are watching! People are turned away. Even if they’re not turned away from Jesus, they may be turned away from you, who is the person God wanted to use to bring them to Jesus. That may be what God had planned to do. 

Let’s love people well, people of God, revival army! Let’s love them well. To those who are acting in evil, wicked ways, LOVE THEM! Show them kindness. Show them mercy! Amen? Hallelujah!