“Armed & Dangerous”

Preached:  6/10 & 17/18

Text:  I Peter 4:1, “Therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also...”

Intro.  Can you imagine an army going into battle without...guns, bullets, missiles, war ships, tanks etc.  That would be sure suicide!   It just doesn’t happen!  Nor should we, the body of Christ, go into the daily battles we face unprepared....unarmed.   We must arm ourselves for the conflicts that will come our way...to fail to do so is to commit spiritual suicide. 

In Peter’s first letter he tells the child of God to ‘arm himself’....”So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves…"NLT

 Arm: (3695) (hoplizo from hoplon = weapon) This basically means to make ready or prepare, with a focus upon the process of equipping; or to arm, to furnish with arms or to provide. In the case of soldiers it means to equip one's self with weapons.

With What ...”with the same attitude (to have understanding, to think) he had,” 

Jesus was ready and willing to do ‘whatever it takes’….”be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.” I Pet. 4:1-3 NLT

He was willing to do whatever had to be done to accomplish what He was sent here to accomplish.  It is with this same attitude that we must  arm ourselves for our daily battles. 

 Note: Outlook determines outcome; a believer must have the right attitude if he is to live a right life. Since this is a constant struggle we need to be properly motivated and that is what Peter is doing in this section, teaching that we can be motivated by the truth that our Lord also suffered and also by the certainty of His imminent return to judge the living and the dead.

Victor Or Victim? You Choose:  Too many Christians live with a  ‘victim mentality’. It is used to shed light upon their needs...to produce sympathy for their cause.   The child of God ceased to be a victim the moment he/ she gave their heart to Christ.  At that very moment you became a VICTOR.  ‘Old things passed away all things became new’. II Cor. 5:17

 We Must Arm Ourselves With Facts To Become A Victor Not A Victim:

Fact # 1 - We will face/have difficulties in this life….10 John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation (great trouble or suffering);”  

Acts 14:22, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”  

I Thess. 3:3, “no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”

We will never win without recognizing and accepting the FACT that we must fight....It is extremely destructive to teach a new Christian, or any Christian, that once they get saved everything is going to become easy.  The devil NEVER gives up!  He wants what he claims to be his property back....that is not going to happen if we are armed!!

Fact #2 - Knowing YOU Never Have To Lose….12 ”Listen! I have given you authority, so that you can...overcome all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.”  Lk. 10:19  TEV

Listen!   Pay attention to what is about to be said.  Don’t drift off here...listen closely.

“I have given you authority (exousia: rightful, actual, and unimpeded power to act, or to possess, control, use, dispose of, something)”  Simply put….”I have given you the right to exercise the power I have given you.”

D. Sheets:  Where God and Satan are concerned, the issue has never been power, including over control of the earth.  God is al-powerful.  When Satan tried to pull off a coup in heaven, there was a flash of lightning and Satan was gone (Luke 10:18).  No battle, no time delay, no sweat or exertion on God’s part...just a release of His power and glory.  It is always and only a question of authority.

The same is true with us and our struggle against the kingdom of darkness.  Satan did’t gain any power at the fall and didn’t lose any at the cross.  His power or ability didn’t change at either event; his authority, or the right to use that power, did.  In fact, though Christians often state otherwise, 14 Scripture nowhere says that Christ delivered us from or dealt with Satan’s power at Calvary.  He dealt with Satan’s authority. 

The King James Version uses the Greek words dunamis (power) and exousia (authority) interchangeably, which is unfortunate and creates confusion.  In Colossians 1:13, for example, it translates exousia as power:  “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.“  The verse should read that Christ has delivered us from the authority of darkness, as most other translations actually do.  Likewise, in Matthew 28:18 Jesus didn’t say he has been give “all power, “ as the KJV renders...He already had that.  Christ used exousia:  He was stating that He had taken back the authority for us that Adam has lost. 

This is more than a mere technicality.  If Jesus stripped Satan of his power, as some teach, then we no longer need to concern ourselves with him...he becomes a nonissue.  Or if we Christians have been delivered from Satan’s power, as some teach, then he can no longer affect or control us.  We would be able to ignore him completely, which is precisely what many Christians do.

If on the other hand, Jesus dealt with Satan’s authority...the right to use his power or abilities...then we would need to deal with him as a usurper, a rebel, a thief that has no right to steal kill and destroy but will if not stopped (John 10:10).  If we have been delivered from Satan’s authority and given a higher authority in Christ’s name, then we must exercise that authority over the devil’s works and power.  When we do, God’s awesome power will back up our authority.  Luke 10:19 refers to this...using our authority over Satan’s power:  “Behold, I have give you authority (exousia) to tead upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power (dunamis) of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.”

Jesus said we have authority (keys) to “bind” the forces of hell (Matt.16:19).  The term is deo, and means to “fasten or tie, as with a chain or cord” (Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB).  The word was also used in legal circles to mean “legally or contractually binding,” which obviously conveys the idea of authority, binding or tying Satan legally, and God will back us with His power.  So again, 15 what will determine victory for us is understanding and exercising our God given authority.

 Some Reminders:  Eph. 1:19-20, NLT “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

 I John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

 I John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

Conc:  He has not left us unequipped!  He has given us what we need to win.....it is up to us to arm ourselves and go for the victory!! It is ours for the taking!!  We are and should be armed and dangerous...ready to reek havoc against the enemy of the Kingdom!!  The devil can’t take what we want allow!!

"The Fight Is On"

Excerpts from the series "A Fresh Glimpse of The Dove - The Fight Is On"    4/15/18

   I believe there is an ever increasing number of people today in and even out of the church who are tiring of the glitzy, glamour filled halls of religion we call the church today.  No longer are we satisfied with the religious robotics called worship that does little more than move carnal flesh.  The desire of many is for something that brings a true change to their lives.  A change that builds within them a faith that says life is worth living.  That it can truly be filled with joy, peace, freedom, purity, harmony, success, etc.   

Christianity Today - ‘The Rise of The Nons’:  This is a group of people who since the year 2000 have bailed out of ‘church as we know it.’  Why? many ask.  There are various reasons…I believe one of the main reasons is what is being offered.  The church has become so ‘trend concious’ until we’ve allowed the preaching of a life-changing gospel to take the back-row seat.  

There is and must be a God birthed desire for the reestablishment of a moral compass that will help define and give directions for what is right and what is wrong….what is good and what is bad.  

For to long we’ve allowed outside influences legislate to us, to our children, to the church as a whole, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable.  In truth this is nothing more than the blind leading the blind…the results?  They both end up in the ditch of despair!!  I say enough is enough; it is time for the church to return to preaching / teaching and living a Bible based lifestyle.   Jesus didn’t come to birth a church that is so materialistically controlled until the desire to see the lost converted ceases to be our primary pursuit.   He didn’t come to reveal to a sin crusted humanity a “feel good gospel” that does nothing to prepare man for eternity. He came for one purpose; to give His life as a sacrifice…as a ransom…as a redeemer.  He came to seek and to save the lost!!  He wanted to give man a way out of hell and a way into heaven.  And I say with the Apostle Paul, ”….knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.”  

In short it is time to resist what is wrong and stand for what is right while at the same time shouting to the devil and his minions “The Fight Is On!!”  The Fight Is On for the very core of what we as Christians stand for…no longer will we be dictated to by those who have no understanding of God, His will or His Word. 

II. Fight For It Or Lose It:  Passivity is not an acceptable part of the make up of a child of God.  We cannot and must not just sit back and let the enemy, religious or otherwise, take what God has blessed us with.  To do so is to doom the future of our children and grandchildren and definitely the demise of the Church as God intended it to be.  Part of the great commission demands that we ‘cast out devils’.  (Mk. 16:17)

The Monument Men: In WWII Adolf Hitler  who dreamed of being a great artist, led the Nazis' in the largest art heist in history.  German forces plundered thousand of paintings, sculptures, artifacts and relics.  Hitler’s plan was to house these treasures for himself in a massive and beautiful museum he would one day build.  Had it not been for a group of Allied forces called the Monument Mens, many of these prized possessions of European culture would have been lost with the demise of the Third Reich.  Organized as an Allied military unit during the war, this band of about 350 male and female art historians, museum curators and professors searched out the stolen loot.  By the time the war had ended, the Monuments Men had helped track down (and eventually return) about five million cultural and artistic objects.  The early stages of their salvage expedition, the Monument Mens were given little to no respect by combat soldiers; yet these men and women fought hard.  One man in the task force, Second Lieutenant Rorimer, had incredible resolve.  He once stood in front of a chateau that was on the list of protected monuments.  The building had been set fire and three of its four walls knocked down.  This monument was barely standing.  Rorimer heard a rumble of approaching bulldozer.  The massive machine thundered it's way toward the protected monument on a demolition mission.  Rorimer, jumped in front of the bulldozer and boldly thrust out his hand, demanding the driver to stop.  A commanding officer rushed over and demanded that the Monuments Man had no authority to tell anyone what to do.  Rorimer had not intention of backing down.  He was there to protect a protected monument!! And protect it he did!!

We need some Monument Men/Women today who understand the value of what  we stand for and what God’s Word demands and promises.  Men/women who are willing to fight the hords of hell and their co-horts for the what we know is rightfully ours.  We either must fight for it or lose it.  I say..."The Fight Is On".  What about you?

"It's Time"

5/26/13

Intro.   In the message this morning I want to share with you a word God has given me concerning His people, the church, the message is "It's Time".  

It's Time For....The next move of God! It's Time For....a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. It's Time For....Revival. It's Time For.... Blessings. It's Time For....Peace in our families. It's Time For....Prosperity in our whole man. It's Time For....Hope in what seems like a time of hopelessness.  It's Time for us to rise up and shout, “ It Is my Time NOW!”

There Are Two Steps We Must Take To Possess What It'sTime for us to possess:  #1-Realize That God Will Do What He Said He Will Do….#2-Know The Promises of Things To Come….

Step # 1- Realize That God Will Do What He Said He Will Do “ The moment God says something to you it becomes fact.  You and I are at that time given a choice; we can accept and began walking “ as if  “ or reject it by putting it on hold. “

The Set Time has come!  Ps. 102:13  “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion:  

                                           for the time to Favour (an attitude of approval: preferential  

                                                treatment shown to somebody) her,  yea, the set time, is    

                                            come.   (Set = ready, prepared, primed)

Due season has arrived!  Gal. 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due    

                                            season we shall reap, if we faint not.  (Due = rightful, 

                                            deserved, owed) What you are owed is determined by 

                                            what you have sowed! 

Ga.6: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man  soweth, that shall he also reap.

                                                 

2Co.9: 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly (sparinging=2. Deficient or limited in quantity, fullness, or extent.);  and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.   (Bountifully = 1. Giving freely and generously; liberal. 2. Marked by abundance; plentiful.)

Step #2- The Promise of Things To Come:  Amos 9:13-15,  “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper,  him who sows the seed and the mountains shall drop sweet wine , and all the hills shall melt   And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel , and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof  they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. ¹⁵And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.”

In these verses we see where God is promising a supernatural restoration...a manifestation of the uncommon among the common.... of all that has been taken from His people.  Note with me those events....

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that..........

#1-the plowman shall overtake the reaper, (an uncommon harvest is released)  and 

#2-the treader of grapes (an uncommon prosperity is released) him who sows the seed and 

#3-the mountains shall drop sweet wine (an uncommon flow of the Spirit of God), #4-and all the hills shall melt  (the hills were the places of idol worship. God will break the powers of them off of the nations. Psalm 121:1; 97:5; 18:7; Isaiah 65:7;.)   

#5 -And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel (a strong deliverance released), and 

#6-they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof (Spiritual, mental, and financial productivity released; look at Obededom’s household how they where blessed – 2 Samuel 6:11 & 1Chron. 13:14.  Restoration - Jeremiah 27:22 & 30:17); 

#7-they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. ¹⁵And I will plant them (spiritual land and realms are released ,2 Samuel 7:10; Ps.1:3; 80:15; 92:10; 104:16; Jer.12:2; 17:8) upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.”

Conc. To each person here today who has ever had a rhema Word from God...."It's Time!!!"

The Journey To Pentecost II

Part II - The Process

Nothing just happens.....God demands a process.  Though we all love the promises God want to jump right to the Product of the Promise but we must go through the process.

There are two important words that arise in attaining God's promises of the Spirit...they are hunger anc continue.  Without either we will miss out on what He has for us.

a. Matt. 5:6, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

           For they shall be filled. hunger: Gk. ‘peinao’  to famish, to crave,   starving.

           1. Ps. 42:1, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.” 

                Panteth (yearneth): to long for.   “ The hart is fond of feeding near the waters.  When hunted he will take to the river, stay submerged as long as his breath permits, then swim down stream in the middle so as not to touch the branches of trees on either side. He thus prevents the hounds from finding his scent.  Sometimes he will stay in the water submerged with only his nose out, until he is routed.  In a chase he becomes faint and longs for the water intensely. “

     

 b. Acts 1:14, These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and   

          Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

           1. They continued.  Continuity is a necessity if we are to receive all that God desires for His 

                church.  Never ever give up!   If God said it will come, it will come. Note Deut. 7:9,    

                “Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who  

                keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who 

                love him and obey his commands.”NLT

           

          2. With one accord.  A divided house is a house that is living beneath the fullness of God’s 

               promise.  

Agreement is a necessity if we are to see God do what He has promised to do.  When even two come in agreement it changes the direction of things...from sickness to health...from sorrow to joy...from poverty to prosperity.  Always look for someone to come in agreement with you.  Matt. 18:19, Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

           

         3.  In prayer.  His house is a house of prayer. Matt. 21:13, And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’  

                Note II Chron. 7:14 “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;  then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. “

           

         4. In supplication (petition).

Part III. The Product:

        

        a. Acts 2:1-4

            1. Sound of a mighty rushing wind, it filled all the house.  “No one was left      

                 out!!”

1. Cloven (divided) tongues, like as of fire and it sat upon each of them. “Purity” 

      

     Matthew 3:11-12 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:”

     In Matthew 21:12-16 we find Jesus stepping into His Father’s house.  Upon entering, the first thing He noticed was the disorder that was present.  Men everywhere was busy, but busy doing the wrong things.  Instead of using His house to bring glory to His Father by sharing good news with other men, they were using it for selfish gain.  Gone were the days in which His house was a place of sacredness and respect.  It had become a den of thieves.  Jesus immediately began the task at hand.  “ He threw out the money changers and those that sold doves. “  He purified His house!!  Therein begins the process of becoming empowered For Purpose.  God’s house must be a purified house!

Purity has become a lost word in the vocabulary of many in the church.  We, in our search for what God is saying to His church and our on going goals for successful ministries, have ceased to consider important the message of a pure holy life; a life free from sin and worldly entanglements.  Is it just possible in our search for faith to move mountains and our longing for prosperity-proof spirituality that we have taken on the spirit of the world?  A spirit that refuses to accept “ don’t “ or “ you can’t “ as a part of the Christian life.  All we want to hear is “ do “ or “ you can “.  If this is the case, then may God help us to realize we’re on a journey into mechanical Christianity.  A Christianity that does no more than appease the desires of the self, without concern of what pleases God. 

            

            3. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and begin to speak with tongues as   

                 the Spirit gave them utterance. “Surrendered Control”

                This experience as can be noted here was all inclusive.  All were filled; each  

                 of them received the experience.   The same experience is available for all     

                 today.  The only barriers that keep anyone from receiving this great 

                 experience are self constructed barriers.  

        b. Acts. 2: 11: They spoke the wonderful works of God.  

        c. Acts. 2:14-35  Peter preached the Word  (Jesus).

        d. Acts. 2:37  Conviction fell upon them.

        e. Acts 2:38  Repentance

        f. They gladly received the word and 3000 were saved.

        g. Miracles  Acts 3:1-8  The cripple man at the Gate Beautiful was healed.

Conc.  A church was born..........a church that was nothing compared to the formal, ritualistic church before Pentecost.   Signs and wonders begin to be the order of the day.  Thousands begin to turn to Christ.  The message of the minister ceased to draw attention to himself and begin to preach Jesus and Him crucified.  Throughout this great move the devil didn’t lie down and die.   The church suffered persecution.  It had a different affect than what was intended.  It made men stronger not weaker!  The persecuted became the preserved!!

"The Journey To Pentecost"

The beginning message of a series on "The Journey To Pentecost" preached 4/ 7/13.  I will be ministering on this subject through Pentecost Sunday.  Each Sunday will link up to what was ministered the previous Sunday.  I pray it will be informative and encouraging to you as you pursue His presence daily in your.  Audio copies can be ordered through our messengerwc.com or if you prefer you will be able to listen to them via the web sight.
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Part One: “The Promises”      

Intro.  Last Sunday we celebrated Resurrection Sunday. A Sunday filled with praise and worship because of Jesus’ willingness to die on a cross for our sins and His triumphant victory over the grave.  A victory that snatched the keys of death, hell & the grave  from the devil and for ever and eternity changed the destiny of mankind. (Rev. 1:18, “And I hold the keys of death and the grave. ... he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”) 

The second Adam has undone what the first Adam had so miserable failed at.  Today I want bring to your attention the next event that took place and forever changed the landscape of the religious world.  Over the next few Sundays, I want to take you on a “Journey To Pentecost”.

I. The Promises:  The journey begins with promises....Jn. 14:12-16, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly (Fixed or unchanging; steady. Firmly loyal or constant; unswerving) believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am]. If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever— The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you”

The Greek word translated "another" is crucial to an understanding of Jesus' meaning. The Greeks had two words that meant "another." One was heteros, which means "another kind," as in, "This wrench doesn't fit; bring me another one." Allos also means "another," but it means "another of the same kind," as in "I enjoyed that sandwich; I think I'll have another."

Allos is the word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit: "another [allos] Helper." He is, in effect, saying, "I am sending you One of exactly the same essence as Myself." The disciples would have known His meaning immediately. He was not sending back just any old helper, but One exactly like Himself, with the same compassion, the same attributes of deity, and the same love for them.

The promises of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of all that Jesus had to say to comfort these eleven troubled men. In that hour of turmoil, they feared being left alone. Jesus assured them that they would not be left to fend for themselves, but they would have a supernatural Helper. The Greek word for "Helper" is parakletos, which literally means "one who is called (kaleo) alongside (para)." We sometimes use the transliterated term paraclete in English. The King James Version translates it "Comforter," which is one of the meanings of the word. Jesus is saying, "I am going to send a Helper, a Comforter--One to stand alongside you."

a. Isa. 32:15   Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.” Detail condition of Israel which persisted  and got even worse during the time between the Old and New testament.

     b. Eze. 39:29, I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of    

         Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD." NIV

     

     c. Matt. 3:11, I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. but he that comes after me is mightier  

         than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with    

         fire.

    

     d. Acts 1:8, But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you: and you shall   

         be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost 

         part of the earth.

"Don't Settle"

Preached 3/17/13 in the AM service @ MWC

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Intro.  It is so easy to get weighted down with the daily problems and circumstances that surround us.  To become encumbered with the daily grind of life; paying bills, raising kids to be productive Godly citizens, overcoming the consistent problem of making ends meet.  The danger for all of us is that we “settle” for where we are or what we are going through, never reaching the potential that God had destined us for.  We accept it as the ‘end of the story.’  But it’s not!!  

Today I want to minister on the subject “Don’t Settle!”.  Don’t settle with the pain....don’t settle with the poverty....don’t settle with the frustrations of life....don’t settle with the fear.  Make up you mind today to pursue what God has made available for you.   Note Paul’s words in I Tim. 6:11-12, But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 

No matter what the circumstances, good or bad, things will change.  For the Christian, ethe change should be for the better.  This, in truth, is part of our blessed hope......" the greater things to come ".

We must determine to not allow anything or anyone control or destroy what we are or what we are destined to become.  We must not settle!

Note with me others before us that refused to settle.

I. God Refused To Settle: 

   a. Man had disobeyed.

b. Did what God said he should not do.

c. God kept His Word.  Man suffered spiritual death... separation from Life.

d. The curse was placed upon man.

e. The serpent had won!

1. But God looked beyond the darkness and despair of the hour....looked beyond Calvary and  said in Gen.    3:15, " And I will put enmity (opposed/hostile) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall  bruise thy head..."

II. Moses Refused To Settle:  

      a. Miraculously raised in the home of the enemy of God’s people.  Never lacked for   

          anything.

b. It is easy to become comfortable surrounded by prosperity though they that are around you are living in bondage of sin and moral poverty in a deprave society. 

1. BUT there came a time that Moses chose to look beyond the prosperity and the privilege ( sometimes a problem ) of being called the son of Pharoah’s daughter. Note Heb. 11:25-27  “ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, (grew up) refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God , than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.  Esteeming ( hold in  high expectation ) the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompence ( give compensation to ) of the reward.  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:  for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible “.  

Faith that a better thing was in store for God's chosen!  He would not settle for what others thought was a perfect life!

III. Isaiah Refused To Settle:   

a. During Isaiah’s time Israel was in bondage and control of heathen nations.

b. Time and time again God had sent His Word through the mouths of His prophets 

     calling for the repentance of Israel.  For a season they would return and be 

     blessed but the pull of the world around them would pull them back to the sins of    

     their surroundings.

       c. Isaiah looked beyond and said in Isa. 9:6 , “ For unto us a child is born, unto us   

           a son is  given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name 

           shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,  The mighty  God, The everlasting Father,  

           The Prince of Peace. “ 

    “ And the redeemer shall come to Zion...” Isa. 59:20

    " IN the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high 

      and lifted up, and his train ( glory ) filled the temple.  " Is.6:1

 IV. Jesus Refused To Settle:

       a. In Matt. 16:18 He said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not 

           prevail ( overpower it or be strong to its detriment, or hold out against it ) against 

           it.      

       b. In John 14:3 He said, “ I go to prepare a place for you " also said,  " I will come 

            again receive  you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.“  

V. We Can And Must Refuse To Settle:

     a. Ps.91:2  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge ( the state of being covered or protected: something to which one turns for assistance in difficulty or need in the absence of a usual means or source of supply ) and my fortress ( a place offering resistance to a hostile force ): my God; in him will I trust  ( lean and rely ).

       

Conc. I close today with this admonishment....”Don’t Settle” the best is just around the bend.         

"Revival"

A timely message ministered Sunday morning, Feb. 17, 2013 @ MWC.  You can listen to this sermon @ www.messengerwc.com. in the media section.

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J. Rhodes Sermon                                            2/17/13

Title:  “Revival“

Text: Ps. 85:6, “Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?” (A Request.)

Intro.   I believe there are many within the church that are tired of the uninspired, lifeless meetings that are being replicated across the country that we call having church.  There is being birthed in many a desire for something that gives substance to the time that men are giving on Sunday morning to their God.  Something that will help them have faith in God...faith in themselves...faith in others...that they will be able to overcome the obstacle that inevitable come their way every day.

The church is not producing it!   We have ended up with misdirected pursuits…pursuits that are depleting, diluting and destroying the church instead of reviving it.  

History bears out that there are people who have made a mark on their generation because of a great move of God but through time became so caught up in their own organizations they ceased to be an organism that God could work through to bring light to a darkened world.  I pray today that we here at MWC, and the church of today that God is raising up, will not allow itself to follow the paths of self-destruction that so many have followed. 

Today I want to talk to you about  “ Revival “.  We will note I. What Revival Is & The Promise of Revival

  

 What Is Revival?  Is it a church full of shouting saints?  Is it an evangelist who knows how to entice people to get involved in the latest religious fad that has swept into the church?  Is it getting sinners saved? is it turning Washington and everyone there around and heading them in the right direction? Or is it all of these combined?  Though each of these have their place in revival  neither one nor all together constitute revival.    

    We are surrounded by a harvest field of humanity that needs to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ but there is a difference in harvest and revival.  This has been an area of misunderstanding that has hindered revival in the past.  

    Revival defined is “the process (there are no over-night successes) of....

     

     1. Bringing somebody back to life...  Jn. 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and 

        destroy; I have come that they may have life (zoe-spiritual life), and have it to the full.” NIV   

     2. Consciousness, = is the quality or state of being aware of an external object or 

         something within oneself”

     3.  Full strength“.  Ps. 29:11, “The Lord will give strength to His people;”

    This, in my opinion, defines the need of the church today.   We need to see life and strength brought back into the church.

Conc. Are you hungry for revival?  Is there a burning desire to walk in His presence on a daily,  

            consistent  basis?  Do you long for your family and acquaintances to come the knowledge of  

            Who He is?   If your answer is yes.........then let us purpose this day to “ Pray and seek His 

            face ”  then we will hear from heaven!