Sermon Central
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When Will This Thing Die?
Contributed by Herson Gonzalez on Sep 11, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: I grew up Shadow Boxing. All my life I was taught that whenever something happened to me, it was the devil working against me. So when something would go wrong, I would put up my fists and turn around only to find my own shadow.
When will this thing Die?
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5 My enemies say of me in malice,
"When will he die and his name perish?"
6 Whenever one comes to see me,
he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
then he goes out and spreads it abroad.
7 All my enemies whisper together against me;
they imagine the worst for me, saying,
I grew up Shadow Boxing. All my life I was taught that whenever something happened to me, it was the devil working against me. So when something would go wrong, I would put up my fists and turn around only to find my shadow.
It wasn’t for years that I began to realize that there were things happening against my spirit without the devil’s involvement. It was then that I realized that I was sleeping with the Enemy! The Enemy within HATES you!
He speaks malice of you and want you to die (death of your spirit-man) and your Name to Perish (Spiritual Legacy – son’s daughters ect.) If he kills me and leaves my seed, my name lives on. This thing within me it vicious and is serious about destroying me.
The Assyrian (Nineveh Capitol City) treatment of Enemy once caught was brutal.
1. remove eyes - Vision
2. Remove ears - Can’t react to the word - hinder ability to hear
3. Damage Legs - Cannot carry the message
4. Remove the Tongue - Cannot communicate
4Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
"Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you."
5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
Ever ask yourself, “How did I get back into THIS situation?”
31"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Most often this scripture is said to represent PETER or the CHURCH in general. But as you take a closer look you truly start to see Jesus’ ability to SEE eternity at once glace.
The word “YOU” in the greek is plural in this text.
What he is in effect saying is that the Devil has asked to sift all 11 of you.
The next YOU we see is singular. “ But I have prayed for YOU Peter.”
The reason your entire family is lost, but YOU are still here... is because the Devil asked to sift you ALL but Jesus prayed for you. He saw something in you worth praying for.
He did this because He knew that although Peter would later fall himslef
“that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
He Prayed for you because he knew that even though you were going to fall, fail and deny him for a time or for a season... He knew your FAITH would not FAIL you because of HIS prayer.
And if YOU could just hold on long enough... you would be the one the help restore the 11.
You started out with more than those around you. Some of them fell off, but you stayed... you want to know why? Because He Prayed for YOU! Why you? Because you ARE the Key to the REST of them.
So Pastor Herson, what do I do with the knowledge of my purpose pit against the backdrop of this raging war within me.
For the flesh lusteth (Desires to Conquer) against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Although we are in this perpetual state of being – Flesh Vs. Spirit- it was never God’s intention for us to get comfortable being a SLAVE to this thing. Grace is not just the power of God through Jesus to Forgive us… it is also the power to live a victorious Christian Life.
When we get too comfortable with our Flesh, God “messes” his our theology.
Samson’s Marriage
1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."
3 His father and mother replied, "Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?"
But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She’s the right one for me." 4 (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)
