Synergy: Unity

Series: Synergy
Sermon: Unity
8/22/10
Intro
• Synergy is the combined efforts of all us are better than one individual doing it all.
• Synergy releases others
• The best gift is the one needed at the time.
• We must consider our gatherings in church in terms of team.
Obj
As we start speaking the same language together, and keep the unity, nothing will be impossible for us.
Premise
 If division trumps our unity then Jesus can’t be glorified.
 It is my greatest desire to be used by God and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ on the front lines
 We must keep the unity of the faith by speaking the same things together
Body
Eph 4:1-7 NLT
as believers we are one in…
vs 4-5
 body…..the fellowship of believers-the church
 Spirit…the HS who activates the fellowship
 Hope…the glorious future which we are called
 Lord…As Christians we all belong to Christ
 Faith…our singular commitment to Christ
 Baptism…the sign of entry into the New Covenant into Christ and the Church
 God…God keeps us as our Father for Eternity

 Christians get separated because of minor differences in doctrine
 Paul in scripture shows us areas where Christians must agree to attain true unity
 When believers have this unity of the Spirit, petty differences should never be allowed to dissolve that unity
Eph 4:11-16 NLT
 We must budget out for others faults, weaknesses , and sins.
 The way you grow is to get equipped, and built up
 Do your special work, it helps the other parts grow and complement eachother
 When other parts are complemented because of your gift the whole body is healthy, growing and full of love
Gen 11:1-9 NLT story of the Tower of Babel (Read)
 Babel means confusion
 Now this is few years after the flood and Noah and the Ark, and Idolatry is beginning to settle back into the Earth, and Babylon is leading the cause in idol worship.
 The tower of Babel was most likely what they called a ziggurat, a common structure that looked like pyramids with steps or ramps leading up the sides, built as a temple, standing as high as 300 feet tall, and were often just as wide
 The tower was to be the focal point of the city.
 This tower was built as a monument to their own greatness, something for the whole earth to see
 A monument to people rather than to the creator of the universe
How do we remain effective, involved, and engaged in the work that Jesus gives us?
 A key was given in the story of the Tower of Babel in our favor
 In order to be unified we must build something together, by speaking the same words, by speaking the same language together, they were able to remain effectively involved in their purpose
 God knew they would fulfill the wrong thing in the right way
EX: Rush Hour? you understand the words coming out of my mouf…
 We must speak the same things to be involved in His work
 The Babylonians had the right principles working, their hearts were jacked up!
 What language do we all have in common? Language of the name of Jesus
 We may build monuments to ourselves
 Expensive clothes, cars, houses, important jobs
 Calling attention to our achievements
 Your achievements may not be wrong in themselves, but when we use them to give us identity and self worth, they take God’s place in our lives
 We are free to develop in many areas, but we are not free to think we have replaced God.
 What towers are standing in the way of you and Jesus?
 What towers have you built as a monument to self and not God?
 You need God to change your speech, and the way you communicate, start speaking the plan and purpose of God over your life
 Let go and let God.

Horizons Church Offers Wednesday Night Services Too!!!

I want to invite all of you to our weekly Wednesday night services, every Wednesday night at 7pm located at Joy Community Church 35531 Utica Rd, Clinton Twp MI. Located off Utica Rd, between 15 & 16 Mile. Service starts at 7pm. Prepare yourself to go deeper into worship and the Word. Come as casual as you want, and passionate enough to pursue your creator together with us. God Bless YOU.

As usual, childcare provided.

Dan Mastrogiacomo

Possess the Land: Releasing the Hurts

Series: Possess the Land
Sermon: Releasing Hurts
7-18-10
Intro
 Christians are being tormented by the enemy because of unforgiveness
 Unforgiveness gives the enemy legal claim to come in and oppress and torment you
 Bitterness, the result of unforgiveness, is the seed bed of every evil work
 Satan respects no Christian that walks in unforgiveness
Obj
Release and you shall be released
Luke 6:37 (New Living Translation)37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
Forgiveness is the key to releasing bitterness
Matthew 18:23-35 (New Living Translation)
Forgiveness
1. Apoluo
 To set free, to liberate on from a thing
 Ex: Luke 13:12, woman thou art loosed from your infirmity
 To Let go, to release a captive
 Ex: gospel: come work for me, grow in your influence, steal from me and stab me in the back, leave me, forgiveness says-come work for me again
 To let go, send away, cancel remit pardon
 You are being the most like God when you are hurt, but forgive, release and pardon
Forgiveness releases the hurts of the past
1. the one who carries the hurt is bound to the past
 Unable to live in the present
 Bitterness of the past flows into present relationships
2. the one who carries hurt is bound to people of the past
 You can retain another in his sin through unforgiveness
 John 20:22-23 (New Living Translation)
22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
 By retaining another’s sin you become like them
 Forgive and be like God; retain and become like the one who hurt you
 Unforgiveness is not changed by time, only worse.
3. The one who carries hurt is tormented
 Matt 18:32 called a wicked servant
 Our attitude toward others must be forgiveness
 Prayers of deliverance comes after forgiveness, Mat 6:13 deliver us from evil.
4. Forgiveness releases God
Forgiveness releases God’s forgiveness for you
Matt 6:14-15 KJV
Mark 11:23-26 KJV
Redemption is co-extensive with forgiveness
Ephesians 1:7 (New Living Translation)
7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Forgiveness releases God’s forgiveness for others
 Mat 18:18 whatever you loose on Earth…
 The prayer of agreement
 Matt 18:19-20 KJV
Forgiveness releases God’s healing in you.
 Some need to forgive themselves, and others need to release God
 You have blamed God for your mess.
 Forgiveness is an act of the will
 You choose to forgive
 The feeling will come later
 As you release the person, God releases the hurt and healing takes place
Jesus came to heal the broken hearted, preach deliverance to the captives and to set at liberty them that are bruised.
Conclusion
Be like God and forgive
List the relationships that were bad
Analyze to find the reason
Deal with each relationship and release the person by forgiveness
You may need to ask forgiveness from the person for your unforgiving attitude
With each person what do you need to forgive

Possess the Land: Bitterness

Series: Possess the Land
Sermon: “the land of the emotions: Bitterness”
7-11-10
Intro
 The prime intention of Satan is to bruise
 Bruise create an open door to the enemy to do his destructive work
 Bruises bind the person, but the work of Christ is to set at liberty them that are bruised, Lu 4:18KJV
 Bruises keep the body divided and the enemy dwells in the land
 Fear and distrust separate those bruised within the body
 The body of Christ needs to be healed
 As the body is joined together the fullness of the head will flow down through each member.
1 John 3:8 for this purpose Jesus Christ was manifest to destroy the works of the devil
The Works of the Devil
Gal 5:16-21 KJV
Need the picture of the mind and soul for powerpoint here.
Obj
 When the Northern and Southern tribes separated in Israel it created war and division between brothers
 That strategy is being used by Satan today-Separate and Destroy
 Bitterness is the greatest tool at his disposal today, leaving a path of destruction in the Church all because our brothers and sisters left the principle and command of Jesus to Love others
 Ex: we are like an apple that has dropped off the tree, and bruised, no sign of damage for a few days
 Then there appears a dark spot that turns into rottenness and spoil
 This is the way bitterness works after a hurt
Eph 4:26-27 KJV 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil.
Place=topos position of opportunity
Time does not heal all wounds, Jesus does.
 Time makes it worse like a cancer eating away at you.
Lu 4:18 Jesus came to heal the broken hearted, preach deliverance to the captives and set at liberty them that are bruised!
Hebrews 12:15 (King James Version) 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
1. Bitterness comes from hurts
 Child-parent, husband-wife, other relationships
 Proximity breeds contempt=the deepest hurts come from those closest to us
2. Bitterness pollutes one’s whole system and others.
Speech, actions, attitudes, breakdown in physical health
3. Bitterness builds walls of Isolation
Fear of further hurt, fear and distrust of people, fear of inner hurts and weakness being exposed, loneliness,
4. Bitterness always results in broken relationships
Cut people out of your life, critical attitude toward others
Broken relationships cause blind spots
1 John 2:9-11(New Living Translation)
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister,[a] that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister[b] is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
Blind spots stop us from acting wisely, from seeing ourselves, and others as they really are, meaning created in His image.
Broken relationships cause insensitivity
Life becomes self centered, and no proper regard for the need of others
Broken relationships cause immaturity
 The emotional growth stops at the time of injury
 Personality does not mature with the body
 You need to be healed before you can grow as a healthy individual
 Emotional growth resumes when healing and release comes
Pathway of Unforgiveness
1. resentment becomes bitterness
2. blame becomes hatred
3. deception becomes perversion
Conclusion
Bitterness is the seed bed of every demonic work
It will destroy you
It will make you not love
We must remain in the spirit of forgiveness continually
When satan comes to bruise, do not receive the hurt,
Immediately release hurt by forgiveness
If there are years compacted by bitterness, start with the Lord’s Prayer
Mat 6:9-15 KJV

Possess the Land: The Land of the Emotions

Series: POSSESS THE LAND
Sermon: The Land of the Emotions
7-4-10

INTRO
 The prime intention of Satan is to bruise every born in this world.
 The purpose becomes evident as one sees that bruises give him place to do his destructive work in the life of the individual
 The Scriptures say that bruises bind the person, but the work of Christ is “. . . to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).
 Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, came to undo the work of the enemy.
 Innocent children, who are a target of the enemy, carry bruises throughout their life and are never free to be the person God intended them to be.
 Fears, insecurity, bitterness and rejections are evidences of this work. The oppression of the enemy remains until these works are revealed and undone.
The Body of Christ is suffering from the bruises of Satan.
 Bruises keep the Body divided and the enemy dwells in the land.
 People that are bruised have a difficult time being joined together in a body--fear and distrust separate them.
 The ultimate purpose of inner healing is that the Body of Christ be healed.
 As the Body is joined together, the fullness of the Head will flow down through each member.
Must deal with the hurts and the way to find healing and release from the past.
AREA TO BE POSSESSED: Emotions
 We are a product of our total life experience.
 Our reactions to present situations are determined by past experiences.
 Our perception of the present time can be distorted by past hurts.
 To the extent that we react violently to a simple problem, we must conclude that we are bound to the past and cannot respond normally to present situations.
TEXT: “. . . to set at liberty them that are bruised (Luke 4:18).
I. IT IS THE PURPOSE OF SATAN TO BRUISE
1. It was prophesied from the beginning.
• . I will put enmity between. . - thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15).
2. Job experienced the bruising of Satan.
(1) Thrown down.
(2) Misunderstood by friends.
(3) Mistreated by God?
3. Jesus was bruised.
-“. . . He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5).
Please the Lord to bruise Him” (Isa. 53:10).
(1) Betrayed by a close friend.
(2) Rejected (Isa. 53:2-3)
(3) Accused (Matt. 12:24).
(4) Hated
(5) Forsaken
The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).
II. SATAN KNOWS HOW TO CRIPPLE A PERSON BY BRUISING
1. Innocent children are prime targets of Satan.
(1) Even before birth.
(2) Fear can come in as a child
(3) Rejection can come in as a child.
A rejected child will grow up unable to love and receive love. A child that ha been abused will withdraw in fear or else be destructive through rebellion.

2. God’s children are prime targets of Satan.
(1) New Spirit-filled believers are objects of attack from suspicion and rejection. I
(2) Ministries are damaged by lies and divisions.
- The goal of hurts is to bring retreat.
Satan cripples through misunderstanding false accusation, rejection, and fear
III. THE BONDAGE OF HURTS
Let us lay aside every weight . . which doth so easily beset us (Heb. 12:1). :1
1.Bruises bind
(1) Bruises bind us to the one who hurt us.
(2) Bruises bind us to bitterness from the hurt.
(3) Bruises bind us from loving and receiving love.
Sin is not always the occasion by which Satan occupies a place in one’s life.
2. Jesus came to set free those who are bruised.
(1) Jesus came to set free those bound within
(2) Spiritual bondage is broken by spiritual principles.
- Spiritual principles concerning release and inner healing will be discussed later.
(3) The Head of the Body, desires to be the Healer of His Body
CONCLUSION: Christian growth and ministry are bound by the weights and bondage of hurts.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
List events or actions of others that have left painful and deep bruises in your mind and emotions.

Possess the Land: The Land of the Will

Series: Possess the Land
Sermon: The Land of the Will
6/27/10
Intro
 Today we are dealing with the Land of the Will.
 Jesus was in the Garden of Gethesame it was an issue of His will vs the will of God
 Not my will, but your be done
 Mans will is the essence of what he is
 Choices are made that determine his daily life and his eternal destiny
 Our creator gave us a free volition and never moves to force, coerce, or control us
 Our will is that which stands between good and evil
 When joined to God’s will, that part of man brings a union that brings a harmony between creature and creator and releases the of God in full salvation
 A man can always say no to God and God will always respect his choice
Luke 22:42 (King James Version)
42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
1. Potential of the will
 Our emotion expresses how we feel, our mind tells us what to think, our will communicates what we want. Watchman Nee
 Man’s will is his organ for decision making
 God has given us the freedom of choice, created with the capacity to make decisions
 Man’s will is his real self
 The choices of man reveal the character of man
2. Spiritual Life begins with a choice
 you choose to make the will of God your own will and pleasure
 the will of God becomes the goal of living rather than self
 repentance is turning from self life
 the spiritual life is more than emotions and intellect-God aims at the salvation of the will
3. Spiritual union comes when you are joined to God’s will
 Good spiritual union brings obedience
 Disobedience is to follow your own will, therefore we must cease from our own works
We cannot make provision for self, Mat 10:38
 We must take up our own cross and follow God
4. The will becomes a censor for all thoughts coming from subconscious mind
 Subconscious mind is a reservoir of all past experiences
 Satan uses the subconscious mind to project thoughts to our conscious mind
 The will receives or rejects these thoughts
 When the will ceases to resist Satan in that area, he comes into control
 Renewing the mind brings strength to the will and release of bondages
 Through the renewal of the mind, the source of temptation is eliminated
 John 14:30 Satan has nothing in me.
 Man’s will is brought into bondage by deception.
 The way we are brought into passivity by…
 Ceasing to be active, and evil spirits take advantage of passivity
 God wants you to use all your abilities to be filled with the HS
 Unable to cope, unfinished jobs, can’t concentrate, unable to make decisions or initiate
Freedom of the Will
 Knowledge of the truth is necessary for freedom within the will
 Admit that one is susceptible to deception, and what ground has been given to the enemy
 The enemies involvement determines your degree of passivity
 Break the Passivity by activating the will, by responding to God’s will
 Will is energized by faith, strengthened by truth, truth calls us to freedom, it was for freedom that Christ set us free
 Exercise the will by making decisions,
 You might make wrong decisions, but accept responsibility
Stop accepting circumstances to guide you
 Be led by the HS, Romans 8:14
 Passivity assumes that God is deciding everything for him
1. resist the devil
2. Recover lost ground
3. Work actively with God for the use of every part of your person
 Sometime you think things are getting worse after you take a stand, but they are only because you are putting pressure on the devil and activating your will, like using muscles you haven’t used before or ever…
Ex: gary didia and muscle pain, chiro, used muscles not used in a while make reference to Sr. gary and me being 36
 The will that is in control of the spirit, mind and body guarantees freedom
 You are made up of body, soul, spirit
 Prov 25:28 THE spirit needs the control of the will
 2 Cor 10:5 the mind needs to be subjected to the will
 The body must be the instrument of man 1 Cor 9:27
 An active will is necessary to maintain deliverance in any area of life
 The strategy of the enemy against the will is passivity
 When this happens one becomes complacent and helpless
 The command of the Lord-Duet 1:8 Possess the Land

Possess the Land: The Land of the Mind

Series: Possess the Land
Sermon: The Land of the Mind, “Mind Control”
6/20/10
Intro
Last week we talked about Facing the Enemy and how the Church must rise up in the power and authority of Christ and cast down the enemy
It is the churches job to challenge the hierarchy of Satan and pull down the strongholds of wickedness
The command of the Lord is to possess the land-within.
The mind is a great battlefield
Every thought must be brought under the obedience of Christ, where there is peace.
Obj
Duet 1:8 Behold Go In Possess the Land
 Spiritual growth and the renewing of the mind are definitely connected
 You are responsible to renew your mind
Eph 4:23 Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, this is a command
 Renewing comes as you let God’s truth permeate every part of your thinking
 Break up your fallow ground of your mind and
Josh 1:8 KJV 8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Mark 12:30 Love the Lord with all your…MIND.
Romans 12:2 KJV 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ways by which ground is given to the Enemy- area of battle: Thoughts
1. An unrenewed mind
2 Cor 4:4 the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not
Ephesians 2:3 (King James Version)
3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Colossians 1:21 (King James Version)
21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Romans 8:6 (King James Version)
6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
 Lies and deception admitted to the mind
 Music-breaks down your mind/will to bring you to a place of passivity-the demonic enters
 Emotions- hurts, bruises, pain
 Veil over your mind thru witchcraft
 Sexuality- totally opens you up to demonic
 Transferrance of Spirits-Sexual intercourse
 Evil spirits enter from the outside through the mind, coercing man to take action immediately
 Their thoughts confuse and paralyze man’s mind so that it can no longer think clearly, Watchman Nee
Temptation: thought of evil
 Jesus was tempted, had thoughts of evil, yet without sin
 What makes temptation sin is when you act on a temptation or begin to rehearse its party and act it out
 Mat 26:41- Pray so that you don’t enter into temptation
Strategy of Satan: deception & passivity
Signs of Deception
1. A fanatical Spirit
James 3:15-17 (King James Version)
15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 Comes from the enemy, wrapped in enthusiasm and energy but unwilling to listen to reason or others and say they are hearing from God. (deceived)
2. Revelation or direction coming through a passive mind is subject to deception
Revelation 19:10
for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Prophecy
a. spirit of prophecy
b. gift of prophecy 1 Cor 12
c. office of the Prophet Eph 4
3. Misconceptions of truth
 Truth: I have the mind of Christ- 1 Cor 2:16
 Deception: I do not use my own brain
 Truth: the mind of Christ is not automatic, you must first renew your mind, be led of the HS, And His Word must dwell in you.

 Truth: God speaks to me…
 Deception: I am led by the Spirit, so I don’t need my mind
 Truth: God speaks through my spirit by the Word of God, and my mind must be in tune with my spirit to understand what God is saying.
4. truth not in proper balance with other truths becomes error
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 A system of teaching built around one facet of truth can lead into error
5. a closed mind to light and truth is a sure sign of Deception
 Attitude- I have it all, Ignorance brings deception about God, and yourself
Ex: Homosexuals- I love God, gay church in Dallas, 3000 members, john the Baptist preaching on sidewalk of gay church, called cops, cops got saved.
Symptoms of Passivity
 Sudden flashes of thought, thoughts captivated by certain pattern of rejection worry fear
Demonic notions…
 You are more spiritual than the rest, your work will shake the whole world, you should step out and live by faith
Uncontrolled imagination, inability to reason
Free Mind
Thoughts under subjection to JC
Mind in-tune to your spirit Rom 8:6
Mind is free to make decisions
 To have a renewed mind is to arrive at the highest possibility which God has ordained for one’s mind.
Principle of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit Reveals God’s will in one’s Spirit that he may know what it is, Rom 8:16
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The Laws of the Mind
 What ever the mind sets itself on is what the man walks after
 The leadings of God are transmitted through the spirit, and offer us an opportunity to make a choice
 A disturbed mind is harmful to spiritual life
 Mind is not to be ruled by emotions 2 Tim 1:7
2 Timothy 1:7 (King James Version)
7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
 The head needs to be kept in a humble state acts 20:19 humility of mind
 The Word of God is to be put into the mind Heb 8:10, 10:16
 The mind must not operate independently of the spirit’s rule
God’s Solution
1. Repentance
Acts 3:19 (King James Version)
19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
2. Put on the Armor of God Eph 6, specifically the helmet of salvation
3. expel the deception by truth: the truth will set you free
Discern source of suffering and trouble, wait for illumination HS, resist lies, James 4:7, let truth penetrate every area of life
4. Renew the Mind
1. Examine source of your thoughts
2. Bring every thought into obedience of Christ 2 Cor 10:5
3. Mind set free from the flesh Rom 8:7
4. Believer is responsible to renew his mind Rom 12:2
5. Let repentance have its perfect work Jam 1:4
5. Passivity is overturned by activating the Mind
 Make a decision and not permit outside force to employ or control your mind
 Exercise your mind by taking the initiative, and break the procrastination, do not depend on anyone else
 Exercise your mind by thinking, reasoning, remembering, and understanding

Possess the Land-Facing the Enemy

Series: Possess the Land
Sermon: Facing the Enemy
6/13/10
Intro
Last week I titled it Start Talking, and I was encouraging you that if you would simply start talking to people that you already, “do life” with, we could potentially double our church in a day.
This week we are starting a New Series, Possess the Land, it will simply piggy back on what we are already talking about.
Duet 1:8 KJV 8Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers
• An aggressive church will confront a Kingdom that is spiritual.
• We are living in a spiritual world
• The Word to the church today is to arise from sleep for our salvation is nearer than we believed (Rms 13:11)
• Psa 110:2 calls the church to rise up and rule with Christ in the midst of His enemies
• 1 John 3:8 for this purpose was the Son of God manifested that He might destroy the works of the Devil
Jesus has already defeated the Devil, and now Jesus in you, col 1:27 is the Hope of Glory
• You are fighting a defeated foe
• You don’t have to struggle with someone that has lost, defeated
• Satan works through deception, deceiving you to think that he is winning a fight over your life
• There is not a fight over your life that Jesus hasn’t already won!
• Jesus has just got to get you to believe it
• If you would believe you would see the Glory of God (Jn 11:40)
Be it unto you according to your faith! (Mat 9:29)
• Talking trash, if the Devil knows he can get into your head and get you to believe that you are lost or a loser than he has won.
• But if you know who you are in Christ, than no vomit from the mouth of Satan can punish you, because you know that you have the victory
Ex: Deliverance Liz Dinello, Bobby, gian ruvolo, and a bucket of double virgin olive oil. This guy starts screaming every obscenity when I showed up…
I knew I was in authority because Mark 16:17 in my name you shall cast out devils
o Lu 9:1 1Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
o Luke 10:1919Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
o Acts 10:38 38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
o Isa 10:27 and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
The anointing is the presence of God, when you get the presence of God the Devil flees
• Anointing means smeared on by God
• When God puts you on like a coat, like a garment there is nothing that can stop you.!
• You want the anointing get were the needs are, and the anointing will manifest.
Facing the Enemy is strategic and intentional
• When a quarterback calls a play, it has been thought out carefully, planned during practice, and proven to work, it is strategic and intentional
• God wants you to become strategic and intentional about gaining ground for the Kingdom
• If you just shoot from the hip, or trust in your own strength you will get your clock cleaned
Ex: Mike Harko story, I thought out how I was going to do it, and even waited over a weekend till Monday then whammy!!!
• Paul in Corinth was strategic and intentional about tearing down strongholds
2 Cor 10:3-5 KJV
• Dealing with high things, the systems that Satan sets up
• Ideologies, thought patterns, and systems of the day
• Through Prayer we are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds
• Pornography is a spiritual issue, addiction is a spiritual issue, bitterness is a spiritual issue.
Ex: Brazil healing crusades, street evangelism, prayed for woman, HS told me she had been hurt, but she wanted me to pray for a whooping cough that she had for 25 years, finding out she held bitterness toward her husband…
Were talking about facing the enemy intentionally
Eph 6:12 KJV 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
• The church is to rule in the midst of her enemies Psa 110:2
• Most of the time your issue is with people, but people are not the Devil
• However they are inspired by Satan, or demon power when unsaved
1. Principalities: Archas, pre-eminant ones, first ones
• The leader, the top
2. Powers/Authorities: Exousia, the power of rule or government
• The power exercised by rulers, or by virtue of office
3. Rulers of the Darkness of this World: Kosmokratoras, world rulers of darkness of this age
• Master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness
4. Spiritual Wickedness in High Places: Pnematika poneria: spiritual wickedness
• Spiritual forces that are wicked and inhabit the sphere above the earth
Jesus said, I saw Satan fall like lightning out of Heaven..but not to be excited because demons are subject unto us in His name, but that our names are written in Heaven! Luke 10:17-20
We are the body of Christ joined to Him and seated in Heavenly places with Him, now.
Psa 44:5, 45:6 the Church must extend the scepter of His Kingdom
• The Lord’s Prayer, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven
• The will of God is done in Heaven, all the time, your job is to bring the will of God to earth, through your life, by standing in the blood of His cross and declaring victory here on Earth
The Church must enter to Deliver
• Ja 4:7 submit to God, Resist the Devil, and He will flee
• Must resist the Devil, his attacks, frontal assaults,
• Sustained pressure could be called oppression
• Binding and Loosing Mat 18:18 whatever you allow is permitted
• May need deliverance from a bondage: a siege and blockade where enemy breaks through and resistance is not enough, it surrounds the area of your life
Another helps to relieve the blockage- a spiritual Metamucil
• Casting out devils comes from an invasion and occupation of Satan in ones life
Ex: David, homosexual and witchcraft, came to a deliverance meeting, and halfway down the isle…
• Where the enemy actually occupies an area of life, doors open
• After deliverance that area is no longer under the control of Satan, and you will be free to handle particular issues and circumstances like a Christian
• Deliverance is done by believers who understand authority in Christ, and take authority and cast out spirits
The 7 sons of Sceva Acts 19 chief of the Priests
• They liked the miracles done by Paul, but had no power with God
• They were interested in the gifts without the foundation of the Word of God
• Bible said that the demons spoke to these pseudo exorcists and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?
• They had no authority, the demons leaped on them tore their clothes off them and wounded them, and fled out of the house
You must have discernment, to discern the power of the enemy
Confrontation: break down the gates, release people
Lift up a standard for people, call to righteousness
Conclusion
As Kingdom confronts kingdom, the Church must rise up and stand in the authority of Christ, and be His hands and feet on Earth
The walls of bondage must come down over people lives
Satan has had time to establish his kingdom throughout the earth, but God is almighty
The Church must challenge these authorities and pull down strongholds of wickedness

A New Season: Our Spiritual Armor

Series: A New Season
Sermon: Our Spiritual Armor
5-30-10
Intro
Last week we looked at our Spiritual Weapons as to how it relates to us taking ground on the battlefield
Obj
• An aggressive church needs protection from Satan
• God has given her spiritual armor
Eph 6:10-18 KJV
• The command is to take up the whole armor of God
• Many of us only take a few pieces of armor and then wonder why we are still taking hits
• Ive got news for you that the purpose of the armor of God is to take hits,
• Satan is going to attack, that is his job
• Your job is to put on the “whole” armor of God that you might be able to withstand Satan
Ex: imagine getting ready for work in the morning and just putting on a hat and nothing else…
How about just your shoes, or just your belt…
• You must be fully prepared, to fully win
Let’s look at the strategy of the enemy and God’s plan for protection…
1. Belt of truth- John 14:6: I am the way the truth the life
Form of attack from the enemy:
• Lies against the character of God John 8:44 NLT
• Deception about who you are- Romans 8:1 No condemnation
• Error as to the way you are going- sometimes we think the grass is greener on the otherside, conneticut: no hot water, sleep in bunk beds, square peg round hole, no connection, as soon as we stepped off plane, uncomfortable feeling,
Sin-creates error in your way,
• Rom 16:19 be innocent concerning evil
• Bankers are taught to study the real thing, meaning the dollar bill, and when a counterfeit comes by they spot it by studying the truth, not studying what’s counterfeit
Truth enables us to move into battle, prepare for activity, be dressed in readiness, 1 pet 1:13 gird up the loins of your mind
2. God’s Righteousness- Breastplate
Form of attack from the enemy:
Accusations-Rev 12:10 accuses us before God day and night
Despair comes from believing what satan says rather than what God says
Condemnation- Rom 8:1 no condemnation to those that belong to JC
When falsely condemned declare the truth
Spiritual Pride- trusting ones own goodness
• Protection: a heart that is covered with God’s righteousness
• Pure motives, love,compassion, the glory of God
• You must not stand in your righteousness, but God’s righteousness: rms 3:22,25,26
• Satan cannot penetrate the armor of God’s righteousness

3. Shoes of Peace
• The peace of God that passes all understanding Guide your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
• Attack of the enemy: persecution, lies, compromise, passivity
• Counterattack: feet that always follow the way of peace
o Jesus is our example: Matt 12:18-21 NLT
o Feet indicate one is ready to move with a message
• Rom 8:14 the children of God are led by the Spirit of God, led by peace
• Ex: hotel one time up north, we immediately felt the urgency to leave, got money back and got out of town.
• Ex: didn’t have peace with Lisa
• Ex: in dallas prayed over david, into homosexuality, witchcraft- spirit of peace clothed me like a blanket, God what are you going to do, deliverance cast the devil out of him
• Romans 1:16 the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation!
4. Shield of faith
• Attack from the enemy: flaming missiles
• Doubt, unbelief, fear, the opposite of faith
• Faith protects the whole man, head to foot, extinguishes flaming missiles
• 1 pet 5:9 faith actively resists the enemy
• Mk 11:22-24 NLT
5. Helmet of salvation
• The mind is a battlefield of your thoughts
• Rms 8:6 the carnal mind operates in the flesh
• Eph 4:18 the unrenewed mind remains in darkenss
• Eph 4:23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind
• Memory set free from the things of the past
• Bondages of the occult or cults broken over your mind
• Give no place to the devil eph 4:27 topos position of opportunity
6. The Sword of the Spirit
• Heb 4:12
• Attack of the enemy:
• Hath God said? Twists and distorts the Word
• Takes the Word out of the heart of the hearer Mat 13:19
• Doctrine of demons, 1 Tim 4:1
• Do not be afraid to rebuke Satan Rev 19:15
• Stand your ground, speak the truth
• This weapon is energized the Holy Spirit

Conclusion
• God has prepared His church for the attack of the enemy
• You don’t need to fear his attacks, but stand in the whole armor of God.
• Ask God to show you the attacks of the enemy about yourself, when you are free then you can ask God for the freedom of others

• What are the accusations in your mind now from satan- apply the Word
• What are the doubts and fears that attack your mind?
• If you battle depression, ask God to show you the doors by which despair and hopelessness enter

Remember Duet 1:8 behold I have set the land before you, go in and possess the land I am giving you.
You possess the land by facing the works of the enemy
The land of promise is a land of complete victory

A New Season: Possess the Land

This message is long overdue.

Series: A NEW SEASON
Sermon: POSSESS THE LAND
5/16/10
Offering-Duet 28:1-14 NLT
Duet 1:8 KJV 8Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.
What is enacted and carried out in the OT, in the physical realm, is to be enacted in the spiritual realm by The Church.
Principles:
1. the land God is giving you will not be possessed w/o battle
• Psa 44:4-5: you command victories for your people, by your power can we push back our enemies, and in your name we trample our foes.
2. The giving was God’s part, taking was Israel’s part
3. When the enemy was confronted they always prevailed!
Jesus has broken the power and authority of Hell
• Col 2:15 God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities he shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the Cross of Christ
• Heb 2:14 By Jesus dying , He broke the power of the Devil who had the power of death.
• But Jesus death, gave Him power of death, hell and the grave
What has been given must be possessed!
• Israel’s mistake: they were content to live with the enemy, when God told Joshua to drive out all the inhabitants of the land, even the children
• So it is with the church, taken a passive position against sin, and the things God hates
• As a people we have become passive toward sin, bitterness, and adultery and allowed that stuff to live in us with a retreating /self defeating attitude
• Ex: on vacation with sand in the sheets, sand from the ocean is so fine, small enough get everywhere, can’t sleep, brush it out, or Ashley can’t sleep with messy blankets, always fluffs them up, even after I’m sleeping…
The Church must stand on the work of the Cross and declare His victory!
The Cross gives us position to possess the land.
Faith
 We can only be in faith where the will of God is known
 You can believe for everything, but believe that God will reveal His will on an issue
 God’s Word will never contradict itself
 It takes enough energy just to believe God when we know His will, than when we don’t
 Meaning just to fulfill the will of God sometimes is hard enough, when you know what to believe for let alone trying to believe for something that you may not even know God’s will on
 Faith believes for something, substance
Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, (the will of God) the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Rms 10:17 Faith comes by hearing the Word of God
Faith is for the Word of God, the Word is God’s will.
Faith is for the will of God, not your will.
There is no faith where the will of God is not known, that is why we ask for wisdom, James 1, so we are not vacillating in the will of God
We ask God what His will is, in a matter, and stand on the Word of God, and believe God to reveal Himself
You must know the will of God to be in faith
Where there is no Word, there is no faith.
By possessing our land that they Lord has given us, it will take work, energy, faith, motion against resistance and time
 We are not just going to localize a problem and send you to a psychiatric hospital, but present you with solutions and force feed you the will, purpose and power of God, and you will grow
 We are going to identify the strongholds, cast the devil out, have victory over every area, and possess the land!
Man is a spirit.
 Modern philosophy has taught us to ignore this fact, there are spiritual answers for spirit beings
 Man is a spirit and so is our God, and He can transcend the disintegration of the human race and bring forth a real integration of His HS to cause us to possess our land
 Being a Christian doesn’t automatically solve our problems, but builds a stage for us to receive the Grace of God
 That grace only comes through the proper understanding of the Cross, Satan and his works, understanding yourself, and learning to have faith in God and His provision to meet every need of man.
Then you are free to relate to God and relate to others
Entering the Land
 Satan has established strongholds in the land, especially in your mind, so you can’t wrap your mind around what God has for you
Deut 1:8- the land is before you, go in and possess it.
 A passive attitude will not conquer the land, and that allows the enemy to remain in the land and God’s people suffer
 God’s will is not for His people to suffer from the enemy, Jesus came to discombobulate Satan
 God’s will is victory for you-to rule in circumstances, rather than being ruled by circumstances
 A people that can determine the will of God and take direction rather than being directed by a turn of events
God wants a people to magnify the name of the Lord
 Who has made Him their strong tower, refuge, shield, their covering, and their conqueror.
God gave the land of Canaan to the Israelites
 Giving was God’s part, the taking was Israel’s part-
 The land was theirs, but they had to possess it
What is given is not automatically yours!
Deut 1:21,36 KJV
21Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
 He said that because it would be scarry and discouraging
36Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.
 The promise is given to those that are totally sold out
Like Jesus said, Satan has nothing in me, john 14:30
 Your land will not be possessed w/o a battle
 It’s going to be scarry, discouraging at times, but the land is still yours!
THE CHALLENGE BEFORE THE CHURCH TODAY- POSSESS THE LAND WITHOUT
1. the Church must deal with the presence of the enemy
 Judges 1,2- did not drive out all the inhabitants and went to worshipping others gods
 Jesus- 1 john 3:8 KJV For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.
2. What has been given must be possessed by the Church
A Word to the Church: Mat 28:18-20 KJV all power in heaven and earth given to me
Armor for the Church: Eph 6
A battle for the Church: 2 Cor 10:3-5 walk in flesh, don’t war after flesh, weapons warfare not carnal…casting down imag, every high thing…
THE CHALLENGE BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN TODAY- POSSESS THE LAND WITHIN
Jesus broke the authority of evil over us Col 1:13- He has delivered us from power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, redemption through blood, forgivenss of sins
The works of the enemy must be dealt with in the land of the mind, the will, the emotions, the body.
What has been given must be possessed
Salvation given on principle of faith, must operate on the same principle
Faith extends God’s authority in every area of our living
The works of the enemy must be torn down and his presence driven out
Casting down imaginations and every high thing… 2 cor 10:3-5
THE CHALLENGE OF SATAN-TO ROB THE CHRISTIAN OF GOD’S PROVISION
Satan will challenge you, but Rev 12:11 overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb and the Word of your testimony
The cross is Satans defeat, defeated foe
Conclusion
How do I possess the Land? Facing the enemy and his works
There can be no compromise in any area!!!
The land of Promise should be the land of complete victory
Complete victory only comes if you are willing to deal with all the works of the enemy.
Works of the Enemy
Works of the flesh- Gal 5:16-23 NLT
What are the strongholds of the enemy that you face in personal life?
Do you recognize patterns and problems long existent in your family?
How do they affect you emotionally? Spiritually?
Begin to pray for revelation of the spiritual nature of the problems.

A New Season: Pray for Rain

Series: A New Season
“Pray for Rain”
5/2/10
Intro
 We are serving the Lord now in a new season
 A new season requires new direction, and a new approach to the same old stuff
 Not only are we breaking greed but breaking the seat of disobedience to God.
 A new season isn’t new if you are doing the same things over and over again
 Not only are giving everything as a people but God is calling us to pray for Rain.
 The spiritual rain that only He can send
Obj
 The same God that said it wasn’t going to rain for 3 years in 1 Kings 17 is the same God 3 years later that said it was going to rain again and to prepare.
 God is the author of the faucet of blessing in our lives.
 He can turn the spout on or off, and if you continue to follow God and His ways the spout stays on
Ex: the kids play with hose and leave the water on, but the nozzle is off, but water is available when ready to shoot
Elijah the prophet of God is called to stand before King Ahab
1 Kings 18:1-2 NLT
 Go present yourself to King Ahab and tell him I am sending rain.
Vs 17 Is that you, the troublemaker of Israel?
This is a great story of God revealing Himself
1 Kings 18:18-21
 How long will we waiver between 2 opinions?
 Will you trust God for yourself, or allow your mechanical irrigation to satisfy you?
Ex: Ashley says that people instead of trusting God trust in trees, bricks, metal.
 Instead of trusting God people would rather trust their money, their Homes, or what they drive
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
 Whatever is pleasant and easy isn’t necessarily the Lord
 Please don’t wake up one day and realize that you have been worshipping a false God
Remember…
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
 Elijah stood against 850 pagan prophets
 You take your bull prepare it, but don’t set fire to it
 I will take my bull prepare it, but not set fire to it.
 You call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord
The God who answers by fire is the true God, they agreed.
 From morning till evening the pagan prophets called on their gods.
 Their god, Baal, most popular Canaanite god, often made in the shape of a bull, representing strength, fertility, and reflecting lust for power and sexual pleasure
 Sounds like same demon entities that are worshipped today.
 How often we as Christians have trusted the same junk, being made to think that it is ok.
God loves to set your bull on fire! God mocks and laughs at the gods of this world
 Elijah began mocking as these pagan prophets danced around their sacrifice like a bunch of Indians calling on a pagan princess to appear
 Elijah mocked by saying “you’ll have to shout louder, surely he is a god,
 but maybe he is daydreaming, or going to the bathroom,
 maybe he is on vacation or a long trip or asleep and needs to be awakend.
 They shouted louder, danced harder, cut themselves with sword and knives until their blood gushed out
 But still no sound, no reply.
Then Elijah called them over to him
 He built an altar out of 12 stones, dug a trench around altar to hold 3 gallons water, and piled the wood and the sacrifice on the altar
 Fill 4 large jars with water and soak the altar and sacrifice, 3 times until the water filled the trench
 When things look impossible in the natural, that is when God gets the credit
1 Kings 18:36-40
 The fire always falls on the blood!
 God revealing himself was part of the process for the rain to return to the earth.
 Water wasn’t so easy to come by to soak the sacrifice
 But God was saying, use up what you have because I’m about to set it on fire
 Drought is there for God to reveal Himself to you in a greater dimension
 Drought is there to make you thirsty for the rain of Heaven
 Drought is there so that when the rain comes you can’t say you did it on your own
 You must say it is only the because of the Lord, the one who answers by fire, He is God.



 About time we allow the fire to fall
 Let the wood hay and stubble in our live burn, God come and set it on fire
 That we might be firebrands for you,
 People that have been tried in the furnace of affliction, but have come out not even smelling like smoke.
 Furnace of affliction is what purifies your faith
 Kill the junk in us that is not of faith, not of you, but the spirit of this world, the flesh, the devil.
 Power, status, appearance or material possessions, anything that causes us to depend on anything other than God himself
 When crisis hits these things can’t answer your problems, only Jesus can.
When the fire falls that’s a reason for the rain to come
1 Kings 18:41-45
Remember why it didn’t rain, Israel, through King Ahab was promoting idolatry, and intermarrying women from pagan nations, the people God detested
Vs 44 I saw a little cloud the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea
James 5:16-18 NLT
Seeking God and turning from your ways through repentance is what is going to get you there
Get to the top of Mt Carmel
Start seeking, asking, knocking and don’t stop till the blessing comes
Start praying for Rain, the rain makes the crops healthy and the fruit sweet.

A New Season: Give Everything

Series: A New Season
Message: Give Everything
4/25/10

Intro
 We are invited by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the greatest movements on Earth, The Church.
 Jesus is the builder of His church, the provider, the director
 Process can be difficult, however when you know that Jesus is large and in charge you can trust Him for anything.
Obj
No matter what you are facing, God can work it out
God is teaching us how in a troubled economy not to hoard or be in fear, but to give and be at peace
 The church seems to be in a wilderness right now…
 We are waiting to see what God is going to do for us during this critical time
 He takes you out of bondage and you find yourself in a wilderness
 Egypt you were provided for, work of your hands, in promise land you were provided for, the work of your hands, but in the wilderness God provides miraculously
 But in the wilderness God introduces you to a season of miracles
 Water out of the rock, walk thru red sea dry ground, no weakness or sickness, shoes don’t wear out, cloud by day, fire by night, manna in the morning noon and night.
God wants to make us distinct In this environment by providing miraculously for us on a regular basis;
 I will provide all your needs. Phil 4:19 my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus
 Wilderness in your life is there to show God’s miraculous provision
 Never a wilderness that God isn’t willing to perform miracles
 Wilderness: not in bondage, on way to the promise land, God performs miracles-ask Him
 The nation is in recession, the Kingdom is not.
 The nation needs a bailout, but let the citizens of Heaven know that the Kingdom is secure
 This world is not our home, we are on mission here!
Mark 12:41-44 NLT
1. Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”)
2. Luke 12:21
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
 The important thing to the Lord is not the amount of the gift, but the commitment and sacrifice it represents.
 He judges our gift not by how much we give, but how much is left over after we give
 Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money.
 Not the amount you give but the heart behind what’s leftover.
 What’s leftover is either faith or your own ways.
Ex: Friend of mine giving: $2 million in debt, bank said what are you doing, nobody is selling, building, but he started tithing, and he started his business tithing too. Less than 1 year later he is totally out of debt, paid everyone back, and funding the Kingdom of God.

God begun to transform the heart, and as the heart changed God blessed him
 This woman’s giving was sacrificial and more that what anyone else gave based on what was left over.
 Someone told me that they couldn’t afford to give, and I said you can’t afford not to give
 Sometimes we give cheerfully, other times we give out of our need.
 This is not about money this morning, we are breaking hoarding, greed, fear, worry, the cares of this life.
Remember scripture calls it the deceitfulness of riches…mark 4:19, that make you unfruitful
Take a look at the unnamed woman in 1 Kings 17.
 There is a 3 ½ years of drought, no rain or dew
 God sends Elijah the prophet to this woman and her son
 He sees her and instead of saying hello, says “bring me a drink, and some of that bread in your hand”
 What are you Italian, this guy, who does he think he is? What is he a goodfella?
1 Kings 17:12-13 NLT Read
 Isn’t like an Italian to say all that they don’t have
 I’m Italian and Sicilian, botta bing, botta boom, the best of both worlds.
 She didn’t have anything, and God was asking her to give everything
1 Kings 17:14-16
 When the rain comes you’re not worried about what used to worry you
 When will the church get to the place where they will offer to God first, their best,
 When we offer our best, God in return pours out a blessing that there is not room enough to receive.
 But if you don’t have room to receive now God can’t pour more in till you let some out.
Its hard to give to someone with their hands closed, open your hand to God and let it go.
 This woman experienced God’s supernatural provision because she said yes to God
 What if she would of said no!
 But she didn’t and put God first, and she didn’t lack in times of drought
 God knows how to take care of his own.
 God’s ways are not our ways, His economy is not the world’s economy.
 Put God first in everything and your life will be in order, and God’s provision will flourish in your life!
What if you couldn’t receive a tax deduction for your giving to your church?
 That shouldn’t matter, because we are giving in response to obedience not on the basis of a gov’t tax credit
Giving breaks the greed and releases the funds for your needs
 You can’t buy a miracle, but when you give out of your need, the Lord recognizes sacrifice, and rewards it.
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Be patient and let God work
1 Kings 17:17-24 tell the story
 The womans boy died and she get bitter, starts blaming Elijah
 Elijah says, give me your son, and went to the upper room and prayed
 And raised the boy from the dead and gave him back to his mother
1 Kings 17:24
 The thing that activates your sustains your faith is you going to the upper room with Jesus
 It’s time the church starts praying
 Mat 26:41 pray that you enter not into temptation
 Prayer strengthens you, fills you, gives you God’s perspective and peace.
 Sometimes it seems like your dreams have died, but like Jesus told Peter, I have prayed for you.
Prayer allows things to live again, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
 This woman gave everything and her son died, where is the rejoicing in that?
 But as Elijah prayed life from the Spirit of God came back into him
 God wants to breathe life back into you, your dreams, your finances,
But we must follow God.
 Ex: God told me to give $7500, my wife confirmed it with me, $12,500 was handed to me less than 2 months later
 God will show you what to do in this economy to be blessed, sustained, and bless others
 God wants to breathe life back into you, your dreams, your finances
 But I want to encourage you to give everything of your life to God and not to leave any portion back-
 Give Jesus everything and He will breathe life into everything.
Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

God Cares About Your Donkeys

God Cares About Your Donkeys
4-11-10

We are living in a time where the cares of this life and worries of tomorrow really hold us down
Those elements have the atomic potential to choke the Word out of our hearts and knock us off course
Cares and Worries are what keep you up at night, keeps you on edge with your family, can cause you to use that as an excuse to sin,
Cares and Worries of this life have the kinetic potential to drive you away from God, even causing you to blame God, for your own mess.
However cares and worries, viewed in the right perspective, and handled with the utmost prayer and integrity, can spill you into the reservoir of God’s purpose
Even though you feel like you are free falling into a bottomless pit,
God will float you right into your destiny, where you always wanted to be, His way.
Nothing like a good season of uncomfortableness and worry to lead you smack dab into the perfect will of God
Let’s see what God has to say about Cares and Worry…
Cares-serious attention; caution: protection;
1. Matthew 6:30
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

2. Luke 8:14
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.)
3. 1 Corinthians 6:13b
But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

4. 2 -Corinthians 7:15
Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect.

5. Ephesians 5:29
No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.

6. Philippians 2:20
I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.

7. 1 Peter 5:6-7
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Worry-to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. to seize, esp. by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another. to harass by repeated biting, snapping, a cause of uneasiness or anxiety; trouble
8. Matthew 6:25
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

9. Matthew 6:28
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,
10. Matthew 6:31
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’
11. Matthew 6:34
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
12. Matthew 7:3
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
13. Matthew 10:19
When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.
14. Luke 12:22
[ Teaching about Money and Possessions ] Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear
15. Luke 12:26
And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
16. Luke 21:14
So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you,

17. Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
• Now that we know that God cares about the little things in our lives, consider Saul. Soon to be King Saul
1 Sam 8:10-20 NLT
• make your men soldiers and slaves for him and your women will work as slaves too
• He will take a tenth of your cattle and the best of your flocks.
• God wanted to be their King, but because they had rejected God as the only one to lead them, they wanted a king like the other nations
• God chose Saul to be king on a day that Saul wasn’t even looking for God’s purpose, he was just looking for his father’s donkey’s
1 Sam 9 -10.
Saul was the most handsome man among the children of Israel that stood head and shoulders above all of them-taller than any of them
• One Day Kish’s (Saul’s wealthy father) donkey’s strayed away and Saul’s father asked him to go get them
• God cares about the things that concern you, even the asinine things
The Donkey’s
• Saul’s donkey’s represents our concerns, worries
• Donkeys were all purpose animals, the pick up trucks of Bible times
• Used for transportation, hauling and farming, they were necessities
• Even the poorest families owned them.
• Many donkeys were a sign of wealth, and to lose them was a disaster
• Saul’s father was very rich and evidence of his wealth
Sometimes we think stuff happens, but God uses these common events to lead us into our purpose, where He wants us to be.
• Good and bad circumstances are there for you to consider God’s purpose in them
• Maybe He is building a quality in you or leading you to seek and serve Him in a new area?
• The donkeys straying away were considered a divine appt for Saul
• The donkeys have been lost for 3 days and as far as 15 miles from Saul’s hometown
Saul ends up in Zuph- honeycomb and overflowing
• He is about to give up and his servant says I know a seer, or prophet, and everything he says comes true, let’s go to him
• They brought a sacrifice of Silver.
• Their sacrifice that day unlocked the purpose of God despite their worries and cares about their donkeys.
• Saul stops to talk to some young women, and they give him directions and Saul enters the town
• As they entered the town, Samuel the seer, the prophet was on his way to the high place
1 Sam 9:15-24
• Saul was only looking for his father’s donkey’s
• God is leading you to Zuph, in the face of your journey,
• Get up to the high place
God has a spot at the head of the table for you with the choice cut of meat,
It has been set aside for you, saved for you
1 Sam 10:5-6-7
• God want to take your worries and concerns and turn you into another person as the Spirit of God comes upon you with power.
• What if Saul wouldn’t have listened to his father that day, and said no?
Later Saul runs into his uncle and the uncle says where have you been?
• Went to look for my dad’s donkeys and we went to a prophet and He told us they had been found
• But never tells uncle that he was just anointed to be the very first King of Israel!
• By the way, Saul never actually brings the donkeys home.
• The very thing that sent him on his journey didn’t worry him anymore, He is the King of Israel.
When God brings a revelation of who He is, you are not concerned with money, issues, circumstances, he reveals His royalty, deity to you!
• Is it possible that God allowed these donkeys to stray from Saul’s house?
• Is it possible that God allows your dreams and visions to stray from you for the purpose of you getting in a lifetime journey with God?
• Saul to the Israelites was a picture of what we want but not necessarily what God wants for us
• God wanted to rule over Israel as a theocracy Himself, not a democracy with other men sharing it with Him
• Israel was very disobedient to God and very selfish, they wanted to be treated like the other nations of the world, having a King rule over them
• God wanted those other nations to be defeated in Joshua’s time, and because they weren’t, Israel faced great opposition later in life because of that
• Saul to the Israelites is a picture of selfishness, worry, and concern of the flesh
Conclusion
• Saul was just looking for his fathers donkeys, but God was looking to change his mentality
• It’s time to get to the high place because God has been saving the best for you
• Your greatest success is when you obey God, your greatest failures will come when you act on your own
• Strength and abilities make us useful, but our weaknesses make us usable
• Our skills and talents make us tools, but our failures and shortcomings remind us we need a craftsman in control of our lives
• Who’s in control of you? You or God?
Later on in 1 Sam 10 Saul’s inauguration was taking place and they looked for him because he had disappeared
• They had to ask the Lord where he was, and God said, He is hiding among the baggage.
• They brought him out and said, here he is the man that the Lord has chosen to be your King.
You might hide from God and where He wants you to be, but God knows where you are and will exalt you in due time.
• Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you a brand new life
• That life is filled with different turns and winding roads.
• Don’t be afraid of Him or allow the worry and concerns of this life to get you down
• The Holy Spirit will take the pathway of worry and concern and reveal your destiny to you
• The things that worried you, the things that kept you up all night, are about to change, and God is going to release unto you the Kingdom.
17. Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

God cares about your donkey’s.

Good Friday: "The Life is in The Blood"

I am speaking at Joy Community Church, Clinton Twp MI, this Friday April 2, 2010, at 1pm if you can make it. Here is the message. I Hope you like it.

Good Friday
“The Life is in The Blood”
4-2-10
1 Peter 1:18-19 (King James Version)
ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Pray
Leviticus 17:11 (King James Version)
11For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Genesis 3:15 15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
 First time we here of talk of a substitutionary death, burial and resurrection
Genesis 3:21 (King James Version)
Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, our sin
21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
 1st Blood Sacrifice
 1st time an animal would be used as the substitutionary sacrifice to cover and atone for man’s sin,
 later on with Abraham’s sacrifice, he believed that God, would provide Himself a lamb
 after Adam sinned, instead of immediate physical death, He experienced immediate spiritual death
No longer covered with the Glory of God, but warm, wet, bloody sacrifice of the creation of God, an animal
 this new covering different from the previous one, made through a horrible and ugly occurrence, an animal was slaughtered before their eyes
 the Lord impressing on this new couple the utter ugliness of sin and the wages it pays: death
 In a similar manner our Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, The Christ, The Anointed one, provided our payment for the penalty of sin
 We deserved to drink that cup and experience the power of the curse
 But Jesus death was VICARIOUS, totally for another, than Himself
 His substitutionary death was the great exchange for our sinful lives and eternal deaths
 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh
Isaiah 52:14 14 But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
1. God required the shedding of blood for payment of sin
 Heb 9:22 without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins
2. The sinner must be covered with the blood
3. God provides the sacrifice
4. God Himself covers the sinner
 Not only provides the sacrifice, but made covering of skins for Adam and Eve,
 They did not cloth themselves
 When it comes to that robe of righteousness and the garment of salvation, we do not put it on ourselves
 The Father dresses us, He clothes us with righteousness Isa 61:10
 Talking about Jesus, God is the regenerator, He provides and clothes on the basis of the Blood of Christ
5. The innocent dies for the guilty-the just for the unjust
6. God brings judgment upon the sacrifice-the fire always falls on the blood
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrated His love toward us while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
The life is in the blood!
 Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, while the white blood cells fight disease
 Picture of Jesus carrying life to His Bride, the Church, while fighting the disease of sin and death
The life is in the Blood!
 At Passover Exodus 12
 The firstborn was commanded to die for the sins of Pharoah and Egypt
 they were to apply the blood on the doorposts and sides and bottom,signifying a cross
 and when the death angel saw the blood he would pass-over that house
The blood to us makes our God a living God
 David wanted to build a temple for God, but God told him no, he had too much blood on his hands, his own labors
The life is in the blood
 Heb 8:6 ratified by better blood
 That blood is holy, pure, innocent, living, rare, precious, and incorruptible blood not subject to moral or spiritual degeneration
 Costly valuable highly esteemed, honorable ,beloved, not redeemed with corruptible things
 We are serving an uncorruptable God with incorruptible blood
 David did not want to offer anything to the Lord that didn’t cost him
 His son Solomon had the privilege of offering sacrifices to God when he had built this incredible temple
 The sacrifices dedicating the temple to God cost over $13 million in todays economy-offering 22,000 oxen, and 120,000 sheep
 The blood from 3 oxen would have filled a bathtub full of blood, and there were 22,000! 7,334 bathtubs full of blood.
 When God sent the fire, the power of God was so strong that the Priests could not even stand to minister!
 And that is the power of God that is resident within 1 drop of the blood of Christ
 Jesus was worth more than all the animal sacrifices that Solomon could produce
Highway to Hell
 And then it happened, the story picks up with Jesus rising from the last supper and inviting the disciples to pray with Him,
 That night would truly be His last meal on Earth, and the night before was that was His last night of sleep
Gethesamane-oil press
 Mat 26:41 watch and pray that enter not into temptation, that temptation was going to persevere as all the disciples would soon betray him and run
 Jesus begins to feel the weight of the world on Him and therefore sweating drops of blood because of the amount of stress He is under
 A medical term hemitidrosis, where the capillaries in the brain begin to burst under intense stress and pressure literally breaking through the skin
 From there He is led to Caiaphas the high priest where He is spit on, blindfolded and beaten, by the priests and religious leaders!
 After being handcuffed, beaten, spit on and up all night, He is transferred to Pilate, the governor
 Pilate says I find no fault in Him, who do you want Jesus or barrabas?
 Even Jesus in His weakened state on the way to the cross, saves Barrabas from another painful night in Prison, by taking His place
The Whipping Post
 Pilate delivers Jesus to the whipping post, to be whipped with the cat of nine tails, a whip with 3in pieces of metal and glass sharply arrayed with teeth to literally rip the flesh from the body
 Now Jesus has been up for almost 2 days, sweat drops of blood, beaten, swollen, spit on, and now whipped
 The flesh around His back now blowing like ribbons in a noon day breeze
 After 40 stripes, His bones are exposed and He is delivered to band of soldiers in the common hall
The Common Hall
 Roman Band of soldiers 600 men
 They strip Him of what little He had left on
 The bones of His entire backside exposed, from the shoulders to the ankles are exposes from the whipping post
 Standing naked in front of 600 men, being spit on mocked, punched, kicked,
 They put a scarlet robe on Him, jam the crown of thorns into His head with 3” thorns they have pierced His skull and scraping His brain,
 They mock Him, torture Him, strip Him, beat Him
Via Delorosa
After His torturing He is led into the via delorosa, a 1/3 mile walk to Calvary, the hill of Golgotha, the place of the skull
 Jesus is so weak at this moment, where are the miracles Jesus, where is the power now? He can’t even stand…to hardly bare His own cross.
 He had just about been beaten to death, moments before, so a black man, Simon the Cyrene helps carry Jesus’ cross.
 Angels are crying, God it’s enough, it’s too much, He can’t take this
 But God said that it pleased the Lord to bruise Him Isa 53.
 God was saying just a little while longer, 6 hours to be exact.
The Cross
 At 9am they nailed Jesus to the cross
 12-3pm Darkness covered the entire earth
 While men mocked Him, laughed, even one crucified next to Him mocked and demanded his own way
 But a 3pm Jesus heart began to fail as He began to drown in His own fluids as His heart filled with fluid, all His bones were out of joint from being beaten, whipped and now crucified
He cried with a loud voice my God my God, why have you forsaken me?
 At that moment God turned His head from Jesus, as He became sin for us, every disease, sin, stain of this world was put on Him
 Angels cried, is it enough now God?
 Jesus words echoed in Eternity as He in concert with God cried out with a loud voice, “it is finished” !!!
 At that moment an earthquake hit the world as Jesus descended to hell, sheol hades, preparing His Exodus with the righteous dead, and defeating the daming powers of death and hell
The Veil
 After the earthquake the veil in the temple was ripped in 2 from the top to the bottom, that way no man could say that man did it
 Now Heb 10:19 declares to enter boldly into Holiest by the blood of Jesus with a new and living way, through the veil of His flesh
 The blood gives us cleansing from dead works
 Reason why we don’t enter in is we seek it for ourselves, other than to minister directly to Him
 Before Jesus, we are told enter not, but after the veil was torn we are told to enter in!
Come through the blood
 When Jesus side was pierced, when He ripped the veil ripped
 Ripped not so God could get out, but so we could get in
 Ripped so it couldn’t ever be closed again
 The tabernacle veil kept us out, other than the priest
 But now He has ripped that veil just for you to come in, to enter boldly,
 Now He says to draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.
Enter boldly by the blood of the Christ
 Now we can enter in, not with our own labors, not because our own blood, but because of the efficacious, substitutionary, sacrificial blood of the lamb, of the risen Christ!




He died and rose again on the 3rd day burst forth from the tomb,
 God gave Jesus an exit sign written in red, called the blood
 Jesus burst from the tomb, death couldn’t hold Him down
 Put 1 foot on the crumbling empire of death and hell, and the other on devils
 He declared to be the son of God with power, by saying all power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth
 Lifted up His hands to the Father and said, I am alpha and omega
 Beginning and the ending
 What you call the end is just the beginning.
Revelation 1:5
Jesus Christ loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Conclusion
All I can say is thank you, I am not worthy, but God demonstrated His love toward us while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He calls us to remember His death till He comes again, and before He returns, we need salvation.
That veil was ripped for you. Time to come in.
Look for Salvation/Repentance-
Prepare for Communion-
Read Isa 53:1-12

Growing in God: Visitation

Series: Growing in God
Message: Palm Sunday Visitation
3/28/10


 God uses the burden of Hannah’s heart to bring a surprisingly larger solution to a burden of His own heart.
 Barrenness was not only Hannah’s condition, but Israel’s spiritual condition.
 It was a season of spiritual need with little prophetic activity
 God was looking for a voice to speak to His people
 Hannah could not know that her intense intercession for a child was moving in concert with God-bringing her a son, but also bringing forth the will and blessing of God for a whole nation
 Postponing her years of childbirth was for a purpose
 She believed God
 He moves on her behalf, but also advances His larger plan through her at the same time.

1 SAM 1:12-18
 Develop Hannah’s Faith
 Hannah had been eating she was in turmoil, she was fasting, food didn’t sound good to her
 We want everyone to hear our sob story because we want people to know how bad it is…
 Stop going to your God and tell Him about your mountain, and start going to your mountain and tell it about your God
 You are serving a big God, start believing the Word, go buy your own word
 If you would believe you would see the Glory of God
 God uses the little insignificant things to bring His anointing in on
 She believed the Word of God through Eli- the baby was on its way, there would still be a process, but Samuel was coming
 She was no longer sad, … go prepare for baby makin
 There is a visitation of the Holy Spirit coming to this Earth, the likes of which man has not yet seen, nor cried out for…
 But it’s coming as sure as I am standing here
 Faith takes hold of a Word-you have to get a Word from God and let your faith grow from there
 The Word is found in Shiloh, Go to the Ark, Meet Jesus, find the presence of God and get a Word to believe in.
 When Peter is walking on water…
 Peter wasn’t walking on the water, he was walking on the Word, Jesus said, “Come” so Peter did
 Water can’t hold a man but a Word can
 Get a Rhema, Revelation, apocalypto-uncovering, of Jesus
Joel 2:28
in last days I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions and old men dream dreams, and in those days will I pour out my Spirit upon men and women, and great signs and wonders shall take place, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

 This is the visitation that is coming again, like at Pentecost 2000 years ago
 Hebrew word Visit= Pakad; commit, trust, deposit, visit
 Ex: if you go to the bank with money you are looking to make a deposit
 Jesus is returning to this Earth and looking to make a fresh deposit of His Spirit and His gifts
 When Jesus comes He brings life to dead things, life that sustains
 Hannah’s consistent sacrifice brought the visitation of God to Israel through Samuel
1 Sam 2:18-21 the Lord visited Hannah again with 3 sons and 2 more daughters

The Woman at Nain Luke 7:11-16
 Jesus walks into a funeral procession and raises a boy from the dead, right from the coffin
 You might be in a death process, or the dream might be dead already, but Jesus is about to take that wet blanket and set it on Fire!!!!
 He is ready to re-birth dreams, relationships, that you thought have been dead for years-Jesus is “the way, the truth, THE LIFE”
Luke 7:16 (King James Version)
16And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
Episkope/episkeptomai

to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes
a) in order to see how he is, i.e. to visit, go to see one
1) the poor and afflicted, the sick
b) to look upon in order to help or to benefit, to look in on as a nurse cares for her patients
1) to look after, have care for, provide for: of God
c) to look (about) for, look out (one to choose, employ, etc.)

Visitation is coming, visitation of God’s power, worship, miracles
 you are going to start worshipping where you have mourned, start celebrating where grieving
 God is going to ride in on the back of the things that you have suffered
 He is changing your weakness for His strength, my grace is sufficient for you
Visitation was coming to Jerusalem
Where Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem was held
Luke 19:30-31 NLT
 There is a wave of revival getting ready to sweep the Eastern Seaboard
 It will be a wave never ridden before, but the Lord has need of it, we have need of it, the lost have need of it
 If it were to be something we’ve had on our plate before we would all be fed, and the job would get done.
 But last generations revival was for them, it isn’t meeting the need for today,
 last generations puddle of God’s presence isn’t good enough for me today, if it would have been able to get the job done we wouldn’t need more…
 But have you seen the shape of our economy, our families, our people?
 We are barren, destitute of the prophetic word, and in need of a new anointing, an anointing that will carry us right up to the return Jesus Christ to the Earth again…!!!
 The old fires of revival were good, but are not getting the job done today, we need something fresh from God, for a new generation.
John 12:12-13 NLT
 News that Jesus was on the way spread through the city, and a huge crowd of people ran down the road to meet Him, and shouted.
 The thing that is going to grow our church is that you are talking and there is a buzz that Jesus is on His way, and that others are running down the road to meet Jesus, lines out the door waiting for us to start.
 When people know that Jesus is coming they will run to meet Him
 People flock to the presence of God, People will flock to the real thing
 A visitation of God to our city, is God coming to make a deposit of the anointing and Glory of His presence.
 Some may not understand why, but they will know that they need to get right, and follow God.
Luke 19:36-38 NLT
 Visitation of the Holy Spirit comes as you lay down your sacrifice
 No sacrifice too great to have the Glory of God rest on me
 Visitation comes as you lay your garments down
 Lay your garments down and He will give you a garment of praise for the Spirit of Heaviness
 God will give you as much as you are willing to take
 As much as you sacrifice to God, He will give back to you.
 The entire city was stirred as He entered.
 Jesus said if they keep quiet right now, the stones would break into cheers!!!
 The fire is coming, and the fire only falls on the blood.
Hannah’s faith caused the visitation of God to come to Israel as God birthed His plan for a prophetic voice to be heard,
God will use that little insignificant things, use the foolish things to confound the wise.
ConclusionIf we want Jesus to triumphantly enter our city, our church, our families, our lives, we must lay down those things that slow us down,
Hebrews 12:1 KJV
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
What are you giving to Jesus, maybe just an ass, maybe something insignificant, are you laying aside drugs, alcohol, premarital sex, your ways, your resentment, bitterness? The Lord has need of those things.
Give Him your ways and He will give you His ways.

Growing in God: Hannah's Pain for God's Purpose

Series: Growing in God
Message: Hannah’s Barrenness for God’s Purpose
3-21-10

Intro
Gideon, Ruth with “The Treasure is in the Field”
As you are working that field it takes work, energy, motion against resistance
Show you today how that prayer, and worship are in concert with God’s purpose as you stand your ground and believe what God has said to you.

Obj
 God is getting ready to visit the earth with another great outpouring of the Holy Spirit
 It will be an outpouring of power, healing, and great miracles.
 But not because we are asking for His hand on the Earth only, but begging for His face, He is going to look on us…
 The flipside of what we are facing now, debt, discontentedness, depravity, and barrenness of the presence of God
 The answers are coming, as sure as you are sitting here the prosperity of the power of God’s face is coming to this Earth
 God’s purposes are established through prayer, that the will of God would be done on Earth as it’s done in Heaven!
 And Prayer and Worship are the formula’s to end the spiritual barrenness that is represented in our lives, church, pocket books, and our bodies, in your families, relationships

Hannah’s Story
1 Sam 1:2-7 NLT
Barrenness
 It was customary, though not sanctioned by God, for a man to take a 2nd wife when his first one was barren
 To be barren was viewed as cursed from God, but God can take circumstances that are the darkest and without hope and totally turn them around
Rms 8:28 we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose
 Hannah in her own mind was considered a failure, it was a social embarrassment for her husband.
 Children were important part of the social economic structure, they were a source of labor for the family and it was their duty to care for their parents in their old age.
 If one could not bear children she was obligated by ancient Middle Eastern custom to give one of her servant girls to her husband for child bearing-Hannah didn’t want that
 Elkanah could have left Hannah, he was permitted under the law to divorce a barren wife, but he remained lovingly devoted to her despite social criticism and his rights under civil law.
 But Hannah’s repetition in prayer proved her dependence and humility on God as He remembered her by removing the social disgrace associated at that time with infertility.
 She sought God for only what He could do
James 5:16 the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much
Ps 34:15 the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, His ears are open to their cries for help

Did God remove the stigma of barrenness?
Yes, but not without going to Shiloh…

You must go to Shiloh
You don’t get the blessing of God without going to Shiloh
 Shiloh- bringer of prosperity/peace, with infinite resources and power with which God acts for His people
 Go to Shiloh-the temple-house of the Lord, symbolized the presence of God-It’s where the Ark is..Where Jesus is.
 God is trying to get the Church to go to Shiloh, that’s where they find prosperity, peace, blessing, JESUS
 Ex: Bible college, dorm hallway sign on kids door, “Freshly, fall in love with Jesus everyday”
 It’s where they find the double portion
 Hannah was barren but on her way to Shiloh, taunted by her husbands other wife, reduced to tears, to not even eat.
 1:8 Elkanah= what God has purchased
 What God has purchased for someone else is not enough for me, I have to have the power of God for myself,
 Your blessing will not satisfy my barrenness, I have to have my own, I have to pay the price for my own fruitfulness.
 I have to have my own experiences with God, yours aren’t enough for me
 No sacrifice is too great to have the glory of God rest on me.
1 Sam1:9-14
vs 12 reminds me after HS was poured out to the disciples and 120 in upper room in
Acts 2:1-4 Suddenly there came a sound of a rushing mighty wind, that filled all the house where in they were sitting, there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:13
these men are not drunk like you would suppose, but this was prophesied by the prophet
Joel 2:28
in last days I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions and old men dream dreams, and in those days will I pour out my Spirit upon men and women, and great signs and wonders shall take place, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

It’s time we get beside ourselves, and let the HS take over
You might be in anguish, start pouring out your heart to God
Hannah acted drunk in front of the Eli the Priest

1 Sam 1:15-16
Sometimes we speak out of our pain because we want others to feel bad for us
But God is saying, “You come to Me”.
Keep seeking Him, asking, knocking…God will answer.

17-20
Wait until baby weaned 2-3 years old, and leave him with the Lord permanently
Returns to the temple, 2-3 years later, reminds Eli about the promise
27-28
 The promise of God is the purpose of God
 But the blessing is not just for you
 God always has a greater plan-
 The blessing is through you to others, blessed, to be a blessing.

 God uses the burden of Hannah’s heart to bring a surprisingly larger solution to a burden of His own heart.
 Barrenness was not only Hannah’s condition, but Israel’s spiritual condition.
 It was a season of spiritual need with little prophetic activity
 God was looking for a voice to speak to His people
 Hannah could not know that her intense intercession for a child was moving in concert with God-bringing her a son, but also bringing forth the will and blessing of God for a whole nation
 Postponing her years of childbirth was for a purpose
 She entrusted the longings of her heart to God
 He moves on her behalf, but also advances His larger plan through her at the same time.

Conclusion
God uses our weakness to ride in on wings of His strength
His grace is sufficient for you/must be filled with the HS
Hannah’s barrenness was God’s timing strength and purpose
Hannah’s consistent sacrifice of prayer and worship brought the visitation of God to Israel through Samuel

STOP 3/21/10









START HERE 3/28/10
1 SAM 1:19 God Remembered her request
1 Sam 2:18-21 the Lord visited Hannah again with 3 sons and 2 more daughters


Luke 7:16
episkeptomai

to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes
a) in order to see how he is, i.e. to visit, go to see one
1) the poor and afflicted, the sick
b) to look upon in order to help or to benefit
1) to look after, have care for, provide for: of God
c) to look (about) for, look out (one to choose, employ, etc.)
Conclusion
God uses our weakness to ride in on wings of His strength
His grace is sufficient for you.
Hannah’s barrenness was God’s timing strength and purpose
Hannah’s consistent sacrifice brought the visitation of God to Israel through Samuel