Embracing the Cross — Special Good Friday Message from Pastor Benny Hinn ((music playing)) And a blessed glorious Good Friday today to you. A most glorious Good Friday. Wonderful Jesus. We give you all the praise. We give you all the glory. We give you all the honor. Lord, I pray bless your wonderful people today. Bless that one watching, that one listening. meet every need in that one's life. And Lord, as I teach your precious word, open our hearts to receive your precious word in Jesus precious and wonderful name. And God's wonderful people said, "Amen and amen." And today, Good Friday, we celebrate the victory of Galatha, the victory of the cross. I want to teach on embracing the cross. and what does it mean to embrace the cross? I want to begin by talking about Romans chapter 6 because in Romans chapter 6 there's some powerful portions but I want you to understand something as I begin the moment you were saved and I was saved. We were saved from the penalty of sin. As we continue living the Christian life, we begin to be free, we are now from day to day being liberated from the power of sin. And when the Lord returns, we will be free completely from the presence of sin. So it's through the cross that we have been saved from the penalty of sin. And then it says in Romans 5:10, let's just actually read it. Let's go to John, the Gospel of John, chapter 5. I'll go back to Romans in just a moment. And verse 24 it says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is pass from death to life." So through the cross, we that that believed have been saved from the penalty of sin. Now, in Romans, in Romans chapter 5, let's go to Romans chapter 5. We're going to look at verse at verse 10. It says, "If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." All right? So we go from free from the penalty to now we are going to be free from the power of sin. So this is what you see as you read the Bible and you see the clear details in it. One of these days when the Lord returns we'll be free from the presence of sin and that is in Revelation 21 verse 23 and 27. In fact let's go read it together. That's Revelation 21 verse 23. It says, "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did light in it, and the lamb is the light thereof." And then verse 27 says, "And there shall no wise enter into it anything that defileth neither whatsoever workketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the lamb's book of life." So a lot of uh uh believers today when they think about the cross and salvation, they think past tense. They they know the cross has cleared their past account. They incorrectly think that they can now leave the cross behind and press into the blessings of the Christian life. But the Lord made it very very clear in Luke that we must take the cross with us on our journey. In Luke 14, in Luke 14:27, and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So we take the cross with us. Salvation is so much more than a free pardon from the past. So because it deals with those temptations that come from within. The cross deals with the temptations that come from within. So what the cross signifies and this is important. the cross. Uh you know people today you you see people were in the cross and we all love that because it's our you know de declaration of faith that we are believers and you see crosses on on buildings and churches and so on. But the cross uh biblically speaking has to do with the execution of a criminal. Today we would compare it to an electric chair, to a hanging man's rope. In some countries, the cro the cross represents three things. Number one, shame. all that that that that were crucified like when the Lord was crucified. Uh think about how shameful, how painful the the condemned man was whipped and mocked and sped upon. And the Lord in Matthew, let's go to the Gospel of Matthew 27 26 through31. Then released Ibarabas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. That's 600 men by the way. And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet's robe. And when they had planted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed their knee before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews." And they spit upon him and took the reed and smoked him on the head. It's it it speaks of shame. The cross speaks of shame. the the the procession to the execution to the place of execution was through a a mocking crowd. A prisoner had to carry his own cross and Jesus carried his own cross. The Bible tells us in John. So today we celebrate the victory of Calvary but we see how he suffered. how he suffered in our place in ourstead and he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull. He bearing his own cross. He bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull which is called in the Hebrew Golgatha. And and it says he was stripped. He was nailed naked for all to see. That's in the Psalms. Psalm 22. Let's go to it together. Psalm 22 verse 17, the last portion. I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me. He hung naked on the cross. The wonder is not that the son of God became obedient to death, but to the death of the cross. The death of the cross. Was there ever a death more more shameful than the death of the cross? Embracing the cross, saints, means coming to terms with the offense of the cross. Paul mentions that in Galatians 5:11. The offense of the cross is the shame of the cross, the weakness of the cross, the death of the cross. A lot of people don't want to even hear that. It represents not only shame, but weakness. Weakness. So when people are persecuted, they're mocked. And so the Lord said, "When they mock you, when they persecute you, rejoice. Rejoice because they persecuted the prophets and the Lord himself and the apostles." Great is your reward in heaven. 300 million believers today are under persecution in the world. Think about that. And we read the stories of people getting killed for their faith joyfully, joyfully. It represents weakness. Not just shame and mocking, but weakness in Psalm 22:14 and 15. Because that's what happened to the Lord 2,000 years ago on the cross. He says, "I'm poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It's melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potshed. My tongue leaves to my jaws. And you have brought me to the dust of death." Weakness. People are getting healed right now listening to this. Receive your healing while I'm teaching on this because there's healing in the atonement. That's right. Accept your healing today. He died for your salvation and your healing. Never forget the back of the cross because the front speaks of our salvation. At the back of the cross, he was whipped for our healing. With his stripes, we are healed. Remember, the cross puts a man into a place of appalling weakness and helplessness. Paul tells us that Jesus was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. In 2 Corinthians, we read these words. Chapter 13:3 and 4 since you seeketh proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you word is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God towards you. The cross is designed to bring us to the end of our own resources. The the cross brings us to a place of total dependence on the Lord because we discover our weakness and now we throw ourselves upon his strength. It speaks of death. Three things that represent shame, weakness and death. When the Lord spoke of bearing the cross, he spoke of death to self, to the flesh, to the desires of the flesh. The cross lies at the very heart of our of our Christian message. The gospel, the gospel, and the gospel was never intended to give you and me a spring cleaning. or to brighten you and I up or or or to make us a little more acceptable to the Lord. The gospel came to finish us. The gospel came to bring us to the cross so that we would become new creatures in Christ Jesus. In second Corinthians, we all know that wonderful 2 Corinthians 5:17. Let's look at it together. Once in Christ, we're a new creature, new creation. Hallelujah. I give you praise, Lord. Give you praise, Lord. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creation, new creature. All old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. The cross offers a final solution to the problem of sin. Ongoing sin, ongoing sin. It opens the way to our resurrection. Frankly, which is on always on the other side of the cross is resurrection. Now, the Lord in Hebrews 12, someone has just been healed. By the way, someone has just been healed of cancer. The Lord just told me somebody is being healed of cancer. Receive that healing in Jesus mighty name. You feel tremendous heat just went right through your whole body. Right through your body. I was teaching in Brazil and and people were were getting healed while while I was ministering the word. Just ministering the word, they were getting healed. It's happening now because your your faith is in the right place today for healing. Receive it in Jesus name. Looking unto Jesus, it says in Hebrews 12:2, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So Jesus was looking beyond the cross. He was seeing what what it would accomplish, what the cross would accomplish. And he was filled with joy because it spoke of victory. Victory through suffering. Do the same for you. Now, four tremendous accomplishments the cross will do for us. The cross will break the dominion of sin. Remember, I began with uh Romans 6. So, let's go back to it since I didn't get the chance to read that portion earlier. But it says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? The cross means death to sin and death to sin is the only solution to the problem of reoccurring sin. Shall we? No. Continue? No. No. Never. God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Debt to sin. Now, think about this. Paul does not say to us, we are to die to sin. He says we are already dead to sin. We're already dead to sin. So, he says, don't continue in it. You're already dead when you accept the cross. You're already dead to sin. You don't have to live being controlled by it because it says in in Romans 6 verse 6 very clearly knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin. God gives us the power to live a new life in Jesus. The the the power of the cross brings us out of weakness. So not only number one it breaks the dominion of sin. Number two brings us out of weakness because the cross signifies weakness but it's the path to power. It's the path to power. And we read that earlier in 2 Corinthians 13. Paul now says to us that the cross that through the cross we will live by the part of God. And number three and number three the cross makes us fruitful. Do you remember in in in the Gospel of John chapter 12 when they came to the Lord and I'm going to read beginning at verse 23. And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." So they came and said earlier to Philillip, certain uh Henistic Jews came and said, "We would see Jesus." And so we would see Jesus and and then they came to the Lord. And the Lord's response was, "And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say to you, except a con of wheat fall into the the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it died, it brings forth much fruit." And then he explains what he means. He that loves his life will lose it. He that hates his life in this world will give it unto life eternal. If any will serve me, if any man will serve me, let him follow me and where I am, there shall my servant me. If any man serve me, him will my father honor. So the Lord was talking about his death, bringing fruit, souls into the kingdom, but also showing the path to fruitfulness is through the cross. We too must be willing to fall into the ground and die. If we're to bear fruit and we have to put the flesh to death by the spirit. By the spirit. Like it says in Romans 8:13. All these things are are possible only by the work of the Holy Spirit in your life and my life. Romans 8:13. For if you live after the flesh, you'll die. But if he through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body shall live. This this is important. If you live after the flesh, it's possible to go back and live after the flesh and die. But through the spirit, it doesn't say the spirit through you. It says you through the spirit, you surrender to the spirit. And that's how you can mortify the deeds of the body. Then you live the the cross. Number four is a pathway to glory. This is not something we experience only in heaven. We we we may know it in measure, but now we have to embrace it. Embrace it. Not just know it in measure. It's the path to glory. And now we begin to experience it by embracing it. And God gives us a taste of it. We don't have to wait for heaven to even experience the the beginning. You can experience it here. First Peter 4:14. This is something amazing. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you. For the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. So, we begin to experience the glory of God on us when we're being persecuted. The Lord chose the way of the cross to glory. No shortcuts. Precious people, no shortcuts. The cross is the only path to glory. Wonderful Lord, I thank you for touching your people right now. Stretch your hands towards me. I'm I'm sensing the anointing. Lord Jesus, I pray right now. heal everyone that is watching and listening and believing this wonderful Good Friday. Oh, bless the Lord. I rebuke that sickness. I rebuke that disease. I rebuke that infir I rebuke that infirmity in the name of Jesus. Heal your precious people right now. There's a lady named Lisa. You have a blood condition. It's a disease in your blood. God is healing you now. Lisa, you feel the power of God on you like a gentle warmth. There's a man with a very serious infection in your right ear. God is healing you. Your name is Jimmy. I rebuke that infection in the name of Jesus. There's a spinal problem. Somebody's spine. A lot of pain in your spine. You were in a car accident recently. Oh, the Lord is healing you beautifully. You feel his wonderful power. Stand up and begin to move. Release your faith. Release your faith right now by standing up. When the Lord healed the sick, you always asked them to do something physically. Take a step of faith right now and begin to move. Do it slowly. Do it easily. And you'll see the pain will go now. The pain will leave. There's there's a skin problem also getting healed. There's a lady named Linda. Linda with a skin infection. God is healing you. Linda, receive it. Receive it in Jesus wonderful name. I see someone with glaucoma. I rebuke that glaucoma in the name of Jesus right now. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank just don't wait for me to call out your your your healing. Lift your hands and ask Jesus to heal you. As many as touched him were made whole. The Bible says receive your healing right now in Jesus. Wonderful name. Receive that blessed touch of healing from the hand of the master in Jesus precious name. That arthritis is leaving right now. That tumor is leaving right now. Lord, I give you the praise and the glory and the honor. Severe migraines, severe migraines are being healed right now. Somebody, thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Salvation is the greatest miracle. Salvation is the greatest miracle. If you if you don't know the Lord, this is the the time to to to surrender to the Lord Jesus. Accept him as savior and lord. Say, "Dear Jesus, I believe you are the son of God. I believe you came to earth. I believe you died for me on a cruel cross. I believe you shed your precious blood for my salvation. And I believe you rose from the dead. Oh wonderful Jesus, I need you. I'm a sinner. Lord, I'm a sinner. Forgive my sins, dear Jesus. Come into my heart, dear Jesus. Save my soul, dear Jesus. I surrender. I surrender now to you completely and totally, Lord. Come into my heart. Live your life in me. Live your life through me. I give you all the praise, Lord. All the glory and honor, Lord. I pray right now that you'll seal that precious one with the Holy Spirit, baptize them in the Holy Ghost. I pray in Jesus mighty name. Let them know they're yours in Jesus name. And God's people said, "Amen." Amen. Go to church on Sunday. Have a blessed Easter. Blessed Good Friday today and a blessed Easter on Sunday. And go to church. And yes, you can give today to the Lord's work. Thank you. Thank you for your love and thank you for giving and loving. Thank you for your partnership and your support. You just follow the information on the screen. Thank you again for being my wonderful family. I'll see you Monday for some powerful teachings next week. Much love. Bye-bye. >> What a time to become a partner with Beni Hinn Ministries. Right now, a wave of revival is sweeping across Africa and around the world. From the staggering crowds in Uganda where over 1.5 million people gathered to crusades in Zimbabwe, God is shaking the nations with his power. And Pastor Benny is traveling more than ever under a greater anointing than we've seen in decades. Multitudes ((music playing)) are being saved, healed, and delivered by the power of the gospel. These are last days. And we're seeing the prophetic promises of Joel 2:28 ((music playing)) come to pass. I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. And as you partner with this ministry, you're not just sewing seed. ((music playing)) You are participating in the harvest. Every soul reached, every healing witnessed, every life changed, you are a part of it all. Jesus said in Matthew 6:20, "Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven." And Philippians 4:17 declared, "Not that I desire a gift, but that fruit may abound to your account." When you give, God himself becomes your rewarder. He will multiply your seed sown, and you will walk in the supernatural blessings of a gospel partner. This is your moment. This is your day. Join us and let's take the gospel to the nations together.