(1 Chr 14:13-15) "When thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees..."
David sought the will of God concerning going out to battle.
God told him to go sit under the Mulberry trees, and wait for Him.
God said, "You will know I showed up when you here a sound of moving in the Mulberry trees."
The wind is a picture of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus told Nicodemus...
> [John 3:8] "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
And, in the book of Acts we see the sending forth of the Holy Ghost as a WIND...
> [Acts 2:2] "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost..."
God told David, listen for the rustling in the Mulberry trees...
Then You Will Know That I Have Showed up!
What is the difference between someone who just warms a pew and someone who is sold out for God?
What is the difference between someone who is looking out for themselves, and one looking out for Others?
What is the difference between someone who is easily offended, and someine that’s trying to keep the church strong?
What is the difference between someone who comes looking for a pat on the back, and someone who comes looking for a word from God?
What is the difference between someone who has come to get it over with, and one who has come to get in?
Many who claim to be Christians are just religious people.
They go through the motions...
> Carry a KJV Bible...
> Say Amen at the proper time...
> Know when to sit... Stand...
But, they have nothing solid inside.
> Do you know what the problem is?
> They have never heard the wind in the Mulberry trees.
> They have never had a real encounter with God!
The Wind in the Mulberry Trees
I. (Jer. 10:10-13) When the Wind Blows.
A. When the Wind Blows, it Burdens the Tabernacle.
1. It wakes the preacher.
> Oh how we need a Preacher waking wind to blow through here.
2. It wakes the saints.
> The church is asleep while the world is going to hell.
3. When God’s wind blows through the church...
> When we see the demonstration of the power of God, IT GIVES THE CHURCH A NEW BURDEN!
> Oh Lord, send the wind from heaven, and awaken our souls.
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BURDENS THE TABERNACLE!
B. When the Wind Blows, it Breaks the Tough.
1. Jesus said: "The wind bloweth WHERE IT listeth.."
> God’s Spirit goes where He wants to go.
> There is no power to stop the Holy Spirit of God.
> He goes where He "listeth."
2. There are family members and friends of whom we think there is no hope of salvation.
> But, let the wind of God blow through, and even the most hardened will be broken!
> We cannot convict the sinner.
> We cannot persuade anyone to Christ...
> But, oh that a wind from heaven would blow through this place!
3. The wind of God will drive the wayward saint back to the fold.
> The Lord is our Rock, in Him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm!
> When the storms of life rise up, and the wind blows in our life, then we remember that the Lord is a shelter in the time of storm!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BURDENS THE TABERNACLE!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS, IT BREAKS THE TOUGH!
C. When the Wind Blows, it Bends the Tall.
1. God brings down the lofty.
> "He that exalteth himself shall be made low!"
> "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble..."
2. "The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon."
> The bigger the tree the greater the chance that it breaks during a fierce storm.
> The little sapling just bends with the wind; But the tough resisting cedar is broken!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BURDENS THE TABERNACLE!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BREAKS THE TOUGH!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BENDS THE TALL!
D. When the Wind Blows, it Benefits the Tired.
1. There is a tendency to get weary.
> The heartaches and headaches come.
> The troubles and trials come.
> Its easy to become WEARY!
2. Many who are still in the ministry, are inwardly defeated.
> They are struggling both at church and in their own walk.
3. There is a tendency to grow weary and disheartened.
> Oh, how we need a wind from heaven!
> Just one minute of God’s presence can change years of weariness...
> WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BENEFITS THE TIRED!
E. When the Wind Blows, it Stirs Things Up.
1. It stirs UP the dirt...
> Sometimes God has to send a wind to show us the dirt in our lives.
2. It brings DOWN the rain!
> We need a rain from heaven!
3. It brings IN the visitors.
> A wind from heaven will draw a crowd.
> People are looking for God; they don’t always see Him at church.
> If we had the wind of heaven blowing through here, they would come...
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BURDENS THE TABERNACLE!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BREAKS THE TOUGH!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BENDS THE TALL!
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT BENEFITS THE TIRED.
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS IT STIRS THINGS UP!
II. God Wants to Send The Wind (Isaiah 30:21).
A. God told King David, "Go sit under the Mulberry trees until you hear the wind..."
1. Where are the people who want to hear from God?
2. Many are satisfied to just go through some silly motion of Christianity...
> They do not want anything real!
3. They have no Spiritual life at all.
> Listen to what they talk about!
> They could tell you all about the latest sporting event...
> They know all about the new movie and TV show.
> They know the name of the top music stars...
> THEY KNOW ALL OF THE GOSSIP THATS GOING ON AT CHURCH!
> BUT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD THE WIND IN THE MULBERRY TREES!
B. Notice why they didn’t hear the Voice of God?
1. They had their backs turned to him.
> Remember that the word is to be heard "behind" them.
2. In willful rebellion the wanderer turns his back on a gracious God.
> Yet the Lord follows him, and speaks to him.
3. They walk away from God in rebellion of Hid Grace!
> But, even while in this state, He speaks a word behind them!
GOD WANTS TO SEND THE WIND, BUT MANY OF GOD’S PEOPLE AREN’T LISTENING!
He told King David to Listen for the Wind in the Mulberry Trees...
III. The Danger of Quenching the Spirit (I Thess. 5:19).
A. The danger of letting spiritual things slip.
1. The natural corse of neglect is corruption.
> This means, that if you just let things go, they will corrupt themselves.
> A spiritual life, left to itself, will by nature breed corruption.
2. There is a real danger of letting spiritual things slip.
> If you lose your concern...
> If you stop being diligent in your spiritual life...
> You will soon be a spiritual dud!
B. Spiritual deadness often spreads faster than spiritual life.
1. It takes much time to build a spiritual walk.
> Only after, years, and years of walking with God, do you begin to see victory in some areas.
2. But, an entire life of holiness can be lost in ONE FOOLISH ACT of carnality.
3. Spiritual deadness spreads faster than spiritual life...
> If you let your spiritual life slip...
> If you fall into carnality...
> If you quench the Spirit...
> Your actions will spread throughout the entire church.
C. We need God. We need the Holy Spirit.
1. I NEED GOD!
> I need to hear the wind in the Mulberry trees again!
> I want to have a spiritual life.
2. I want God to help us.
> I’m so tired of the fighting and squabbling...
> I want a spiritual church.
> I am afraid that spiritual things are slipping out of our hands.
> I am concerned that many do not care!
> I want God!
> I want to hear the wind in the Mulberry trees!
IV. Six Things We Must Do to Keep From Quenching the Spirit (I Thes 5).
A. Begin Praising (v. 16).
1. Psalms: "God inhabits praise".
> God dwells in praise.
> Where praise is, God is.
2. God hates murmuring and complaining.
> He continually judged Israel for their murmuring.
B. Don’t stop Praying (v. 17).
1. "God forbid that I should sin against heaven in ceasing to pray for you..."
2. "Yet ye have not because ye ask not..."
> "Praying in the Holy Ghost..."
C. Continue Appreciating (v. 18).
1. Ingratitude is a wicked sin.
2. Shakespear wrote about ingratitude:
Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude.
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That dost not bite so nigh,
As benefits forgot.
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remembered not.
D. Don’t Hate Preaching (v. 20).
1. Nothing will quench the Spirit quicker than not receiving the Word.
> God condemns the fool because he will not receive instruction.
2. It is by the "foolishness of preaching" that God helps the church, and saves the lost.
> Please do not cause that the Spirit of God is quenched in our church.
> Receive instruction and be wise!
> Do everything you can to cause God to come by.
> I want to hear the wind in the Mulberry trees.
Begin PRAISING;
Don’t stop PRAYING;
Continue APPRECIATING;
Don’t hate PREACHING...
E. Start Proving (v. 21).
1. Means to examine, or show discernment.
> Why don’t we act like mature Christians, instead of babies!
> Why do I have to pamper and burp full grown Christian Adults???
2. Its time we DEMONSTRATE (Prove) our maturity.
> Its time we show some discernment in our walk.
> It is because of our powerless, shallow, weak Christian lives that we quench the Spirit.
F. Apply Purifying (v. 22).
1. We are not going to have God near with impure hearts.
2. We are not going to even see God with impure lives.
> "Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD..."
Conclusion:
I want God. I want a Spiritual Church.
I want to hear the wind in the Mulberry trees Once Again!
