Summary: We battle the spirit of smallness. I am a little person in a little place and I do not matter? God loves little people. God builds his great plans touching us where we are.

MY ALTAR DOES NOT MATTER!

THE BATTLE OF BEING INSIGNIFICANT

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. THERE IS A NEGATIVE CROWD THAT STANDS AROUND AND TALKS NEGATIVE

ABOUT OOTHERS AND HINDERS THE WORK OF GOD... IF I ERR, MAY I ERR TO

THE SIDE OF A SECOND CHANCE AND TO MERCY...

Romans 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise

made of none effect:

Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

A. INSIGNIFICANT:

Unimportant, undistinguished, ordinary, mediocre,

B. VIP... Very important person...

Matthew 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid

his lord's money.

Matthew 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I

knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and

gathering where thou hast not strawed:

II. IF I ALLOW THE FLESH TO DICTATE TO THE SPIRIT I WILL FEEL INADEQUATE

AND USELESS...

Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him,

I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

[19] And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee

have me excused.

[20] And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

WE DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO PALLIATE AND MAKE EXCUSES...

WRONG THINKING PRODUCES WRONG ACTIONS...

III. THOMAS CHANGES HIS LAST NAME, TO BE KNOWN FOREVER AS THE DOUBTER BECAUSE HE MISSED ONE PRAYER MEETING...

REMEMBER THE STORY GROWING UP, WHERE ONE SMALL BOY SAW A LEAK IN THE DIKE

AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WAS IN DANGER?

THE BOY PUT HIS FINGER IN THE HOLE AND MADE A DIFFERENCE...

John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

IV. LITTLE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE...

2 Kings 5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of

the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

[3] And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria!

for he would recover him of his leprosy.

V. THERE IS A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY IN A BACKSLIDDEN, DYSFUNCTIONAL NATION...

AND A SPIRIT OF SMALLNESS ALMOST KEEPS THE DYSFUNCTIONAL FROM RECEIVING

GOD'S BLESSINGS...

Judges 6:12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with

thee, thou mighty man of valour.

A. SURE THE LORD USED TO BE WITH US...

IF THE LORD IS WITH US NOW, WHY ARE WE GOING THROUGH THIS MESS?

Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this

befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord

bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of

the Midianites.

B. IF THE LORD CALLS THE LORD ENABLES...

THE CALL IS CLEAR AND VERY IMPORTANT...

Judges 6:14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt

save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

C. GIDEON CAN NOT SEE WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO BECAUSE HE CAN ONLY SEE

HOW INSIGNIFICANT HE IS...

Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family

is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

D. GIDEON HAD ENOUGH SENSE IN ALL HIS LITTLENESS TO BUILD AN ALTAR...

Judges 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom:

unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.

VI. MOSES HAS AN IDENTIDY PROBLEM THAT WOULD HINDER GOD'S PLAN...

AGAIN LOOK HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL ALMOST STOPS

SOME MIGHTY MEN OF GOD ALMOST ALLOWED THEIR SMALLNESS TO HINDER GOD'S

WORK.

Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I

should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

THE PEOPLE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME BEFORE, I HAVEN'T CHANGED...

Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken

unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

I AM SLOW TONGUED... THINK THIS CAUGHT GOD BY SURPRISE?

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore,

nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

VII. I AM A CHILD... DON'T SAY THAT...

Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

[7] But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee,

and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

VIII. LET THE WEAK TAKE A NEW ATTITUDE...

Joel 2:11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is

strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can

abide it?

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Philip. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

2 Cor. 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect

in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ

may rest upon me.

Ephes. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us,

HEAR THE STORY OF THE KING'S BANQUET...

THE KING HAD A BANQUET FOR ALL HIS PEOPLE, HE PROVIDED THE MEAT, VEGETABLES,

THE BREAD AND THE DESERT.

THE PEOPLE BROUGHT THE WINE, ONE BOTTLE PER FAMILY TO BE POURED INTO THE

1000 GALLON VAT. THEY ALL POUR THE BOTTLE INTO THE VAT.

WHEN THEY SERVED THE KING IT WAS ALL WATER...

NO ONE THOUGHT THEIR BOTTLE MATTERED...

His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

Pass it on?