Sermon Central
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Get Off The Fence #4 - Change Your Garments Series
Contributed by Stephen Noel on Dec 5, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Part 4 in series on compromise. Get off the fence, and change your clothes. A Change of Clothes brings on a change of attitude oftentimes. We need to change our attitude toward God, and begin to obey Him!
Part four: GET OFF THE FENCE!
Change Your Garments!
In the scripture found in Zechariah chapter 3, we see a vision at the time of the Rebuilding of the Walls of Jerusalem, and you must know that at that rebuilding, the enemy was doing everything in His power to defeat, slow down, or stop the rebuilding of the walls.
Now I know that we have NEVER, I MEAN NEVER, faced opposition from the enemy, so this just simply could NOT represent the church, or God’s people in any way, right?
Check this out!
This vision is a two-edged, power-packed, promise for the CHURCH!
Folks, receive the Word of the Lord as the Prophet Zechariah envisions the RETURN OF THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S CHURCH, AND THE RULING AUTHORITY THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CHURCH WITH CHRIST AS OUR GUIDE!
Watch as the changing of the garments
brings on a change of destiny!
I believe we are standing at the point of realizing destiny
at The Sanctuary, and I receive this as the promise
that God will be with us and
BUILD THIS CHURCH FOR HIS GLORY!
If you believe that with me, would someone please stand to their feet and give God the mightiest ovation of praise that you are humanly capable of?
Zechariah 3:1-7 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (2) And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? (3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. (4) And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (5) And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. (6) And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, (7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
Joshua was represented in this vision as being filthy. He was filthy from the sin of the people, and of the deplorable and the sinful condition of the Levitical priesthood.
· As THIS HOUSE OF WORSHIP continues to grow, and minister,
· there will be times that the sinfulness of this world will be all around us,
o because of those to whom we minister,
o and because of where we will minister.
· As we pursue Christ,
o He will continually wash and cleanse His people and His church,
§ But it is ONLY as we choose to stay off of the fences of worldliness, sinfulness, and compromise.
We must not forget that Christ is coming back for a ‘spotless bride’ one without ‘spot or blemish’.
Ephesians 5:26-27 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
As we pursue Christ with all our heart, soul, and strength, He will do as He did Joshua in this powerful Prophetic vision.
· In verse 4, The Lord cleansed him with NEW GARMENTS.
(4) And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
· In verse 5, He put a fair mitre on his head.
o A Fair Mitre - is a Pure, or a clean covering for the head.
(5) And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
· Then, in verses 6 and 7, He challenged him to walk in God’s ways, do what He says to do – (be obedient),
(6) And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, (7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
