Sermon Central
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I'm Not Leaving Empty
Contributed by Apostle Bobby Hogan on Sep 21, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: God not only promised the children of Israel that he would deliver them, but that when they came out they would come out with a high hand and great blessings, "that promise is for you too" claim it today, I'm not leaving Empty
“And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.”
God tells Abraham what is going to happen to his descendants. God tells him that they will go through great affliction for four hundred years. But God gave him the promise that after the four hundred years that He would bring them out. In fact, God said, “Not only will I bring them out,” but “I will bring them out with great substance!”
Sometimes when you are in the heat of the battle all you need to know is you will come out of what you are in. Sometimes you don’t have to know how you are coming out or when you are coming out. You just need to know that you are coming out.
Personally I have been through some things that the devil told me I would never come out of. In fact, there has been a time when I was like Israel. If God did not bring me out I was not coming out!
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us.”
Nobody likes going through trials and afflictions. But if you are going to go somewhere you will go through some things. In fact, the thing that qualifies a person for great promotions is great tests. If you want great substance prepare for great afflictions.
A person will never be great until first they are lied on, talked about and falsely accused. You will never enter your destiny with out a fight. In fact, all Hell will break loose against you when you get close to your promise being fulfilled.
But regardless of what you go through you have the promise that God will bring you out. You also have the promise that regardless what the weapon is that Satan forms against you, it will not prosper!
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
If you want to know who is going somewhere and who is going to be great, look at who is going through affliction. Look at who is being persecuted, lied on and slandered.
If you are being talked about, lied on and false accused: get ready; you are in line for a blessing. If people are becoming jealous of you and working against you, what is really happening is God is setting you up for greatness. God is positioning you for the greatest blessing you have ever known. A ridiculous battle means you are getting ready to experience a ridiculous blessing!
I know you may not understand why you are having to go through what you are going through, but God will take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it to your good. In fact, the Word of the God says that ALL things (not some) will work together for your good.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
God is positioning you for a break through. He is setting you up for greatness. Your set back is preparing you for a come back. You are coming out of what you are in and you are going to come out blessed. You are going to come out with more than you had when you went in.
Like Joseph in the Book of Genesis people may be trying to destroy you but remember there is only so much that people can do. There is only so much that people can take from you. There are some things that people just cannot take from you. They can not take your praise. They can not take your destiny and they can not take your blessings. When God says you are blessed—you are blessed! Regardless of what people say or do against you.
