Heb 12:1 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,(every thing that would impede
our forward progress) and the sin (or that which causes us to miss the
mark or fail in walking according to the standard of Christ Jesus) which
so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us.
Somebody say:
"We are in a race"
"We are running to win"
"We are laying aside every weight"
"We are overcoming every sin"
"We are running with endurance"
"Because it is bigger than we think"
Last Wednesday evening I brought the first installment of a series of
messages that I will be bringing over the course of the next few weeks.
That first message was called "Running to win" and I apologize that we
weren't able to get that on audio tape for those of you who were not here
to receive it.
The jest of that message was that if God has called us to do something,
then we need to do it. We need to commit ourselves to prayer, the Word, to
worship and to the work in order to not only finish, but to obtain the
prize that has been set before us.
This past Sunday morning, I brought the first in a series of massages
relating to (5) questions that we must ask ourselves before the end of the
year 2000.
The first question was: "Do I have the right attitude towards money?"
How many of you found that you did indeed have some wrong attitudes in
relationship to money? How many of you had to do some personal evaluations
in regards to your own heart regarding your money and what God expects and
promises you in regards to such?
If you missed that message- it was recorded and will be available to those
who would like a copy.
Tonight, the second question that I believe we must ask ourselves is found
in Ephesians Chapter 6.
Eph 6:10-20
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His
might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the
breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being
watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the
saints--
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth
boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak. (NKJ)
You may think from te context of this passage that the second question
that must be asked is: "Am I wearing the full armor of God?" I hate to
disappoint you, but that is not the question that must be asked. Here is
why.
In the past (25) years, there has been more teaching on the subject of the
armor of God and spiritual warfare than in the previous 10 centuries
combined.
There are ministries and ministry centers that have sprung up for one
purpose; to fight it out with the devil.
We have mapped cities and discovered the names of principalities. We have
flown over cities in airplanes and driven stakes into the ground claiming
our rightful ownership over particular areas. We have shouted and danced
in the face of the devil in order to drive him from our midst. We have
developed strategies and programs and initiatives in an effort to win the
lost and free the captives.
? Now, before you think that I am opposed to spiritual warfare- know that
I am not. I believe what the word says in relationship to us "wresting"
against these powers and principalities and spiritual wickedness in high
places.
But with...
All the shouting
All the marching
All the dancing
All the naming
All the conferencing
All the binding
The devil is still "going about as a roaring lion seeking who he may
devour." AND it is apparent that it will continue until
Rev 20:1-2 "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of
the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years,"(KJV)
Which is not scheduled to happen until we have been raptured out of here
for about (7) years!
There has got to be something more that God has given us to claim the
victory here and now.
There has got to be a way for the church to be more effective that we have
been climbing mountains or warfare towers.
? I know that this is getting someone stirred up tonight. That I am
messing with some ones sacred cow this evening. But if you will hear me
out completely, I believe that this second question will have as much an
impact on your thinking as the first one did on mine!
In I Samuel Chapter 17, we have a scene developing between the Israelites
and the Philistines. The armies have gathered and the Philistines have
sent their champion "Goliath" to challenge the greatest of Israel's
warriors. Both of the armies have gather on opposite sides of a ravine;
all attired in their armor and elements of war.
Each day the same scene repeats itself. They gather on opposite sides.
They shout, they snarl, they threaten and they boast; UNTIL the
Philistines send out their big gun Goliath. Then the armies of Israel
retreat in fear and disgust that they were not able to defeat their
adversaries- probably all the while saying to themselves, "Well next time
I will show them!"
I believe that much that has been called "spiritual warfare" within the
church today has more closely resembled the assembling of the troops at
Ephes-Dammin.
One side claims to have the "armor of God" and stands on one side. And the
other clims to have the biggest bully and stands on the other side!
What is truly amazing is that this scenario in 1 Sam 17 lasted 40 days!
This tells me (2) things.
1. That neither side really wanted to fight.
2. What they were really doing is wasting time and putting off the
inevitable.
This is what we do many times. We call the devil names. We shout across
the ravine. We tell him that we are tougher than he is. We are going to
defeat him. But (40) days later we have not really advanced one inch
closer to actual victory.
BUT the argument begins...
David the son of Jesse, was told to take provisions to his brothers who
were there at Ephes-Damin , and when he got there he began to ask question
about what was happening.
1 Sam 17:26-32
26 David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man
who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is
this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living
God?"
27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, "This is
what will be done for the man who kills him."
28 When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he
burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with
whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you
are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."
29 "Now what have I done?" said David. "Can't I even speak?"(Is there not
cause)
30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and
the men answered him as before.
31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for
him.
32 David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this
Philistine; your servant will go and fight him."(NIV)
We had a group of people, assembled together, dressed in armor- but no one
was really fighting!
But Eliab, the eldest of Jesse's sons, said to David, "Why did you come
over hear to our conference, why didn't you just stay away, Don't you have
something that you should be doing!"
He said, "You came down only to watch the battle!" WHAT BATTLE! It's like
going to a fight and card game breaking out! Or going to see a war and
instead get runway models for the defense industry!
THERE WAS NO FIGHT! There were only things disguised as a fight!
The shouting
The dancing
The proclaiming
The conferencing
The mapping
The naming
The marching
Those are all the things that we do to get ready for the battle. They are
not what will win us the war!
Eph 6:10-20
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His
might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the
breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being
watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the
saintsĖ
THEN HE SAID
19 and for me, (Pray) that utterance may be given to me, that I may open
my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak. (NKJ)
The second question that we must ask ourselves before the end of the year
2000 is this
"Do I have the utterance, which will boldly make known the mystery of the
Gospel"
David asked the same question in Ephes-Damin when he said, "Can't I even
speak."
1 Sam 17:45-48
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and
with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the
LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite
thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the
host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the
wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God
in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword
and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our
hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh
to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the
Philistine." (KJV)
It was not the spear or the sword or the sling and the stone that won the
battle that day. It was a heart that was tuned to the Lord God of Israel
and a man bold enough to speak what had previous been a mystery"
The stone in the forehead was merely a period at the end of a sentence!
I remember a question that Pastor Herman asked as we combated the pagans
on the streets of New Orleans. The were blaspheming and mocking God and he
said that he thought to himself, "Were is the power?" We can pour out the
oil and turn up the band. We can march, shout and sing.
But without the utterance to boldly make known the mystery of the Gospel,
we will merely striking our blades against another iron sword. It might be
noisy...but it wont be a true victory.
The church has got to stop relying on their time weary cliches and get the
utterance of God! We have got to ask God to fill our mouths with words of
life that will set at liberty captives and pronounce the acceptable year
of our Lord!
Acts 4:13 "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived
that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." (KJV)
Why did they marvel? Was it because of the miracles? No, they had arrested
them for the miracles. They marveled at their utterance!
We have got to get a word in our hearts that is so bold that it wont get
us on TBN but on Real TV!
The world needs to marvel at the revelation of God's Word coming for out
of His church!
Phil 2:16 tells us that we need to "...Hold(ing) forth the word of life;
that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain,
neither laboured in vain." (KJV)
The race will be won when we pray for the utterance to make known the
mystery of the gospel!
Luke 21:15 "for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your
adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." (NKJ)
What caused Moses to ascend to up the mount the first time?
Something caught his eye that broke all the rules and far exceeded
conventional wisdom. He saw a bush on fire, but not consumed! He said to
himself, "This I have got to see!"
The world is waiting for the church to get on fire. They are not waiting
for another Pentecostal pageant, but rather a life changing WORD, that
will ignite them and free them from the deception death, hell and sin!
The greatest pitfall to the Utterance are the two extremes:
1. The seeker sensitive- offers more of what they got. It's a crossless
conversion and a decision without a death.
2. The legalistic- a message more determined to prove itself right than to
set the captives free.
We must have the utterance that will make known the mystery of the Gospel.
