Unimpressed

 Isaiah 58:3–4 (LEB)

3‘Why do we fast, and you do not see it? We humiliate our soul, and you do not notice it?’ Look! You find delight on the day of your fast, and you oppress all your workers!
4Look! You fast to quarrel and strife, and to strike with a wicked fist. You shall not fast as you do today, to make your voice heard on the height.

Fasting was a requirement for Israel on specific days. Though they did fast, it was not done with the right heart attitude and treatment of the people that were part of the nation. They thought that God would honor their fast and be delighted that they were doing it, but he was not impressed because of the way they were treating their fellow man. Quarreling and fighting and oppression of their workers was happening at the same time they were fasting. This was not the correct way to fast, and God was not going to hear their prayers or bless them unless they changed their behavior and started to care for people in need. Religious activities done with the wrong attitude and unchanged behavior that is contrary to what God has required become meaningless activities.

A lost vision

 Isaiah 57:15 (LEB)

15For thus says the high and lofty one who resides forever, and whose name is holy: “I reside in a high and holy place, and with the contrite and humble of spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Israel had wandered away from God and began serving the gods and idols of the heathen nations. They lost their vision and understanding of who God is and who God would honor. When we do not regard God as one who is far above us who transcends all things we diminish him into something and someone inferior. He is the eternal God who always has been and always will be in contrast to the man-made gods who are temporal and will pass away. God is holy, separate from all of creation, there is none like him who is pure and righteous in all his ways. God brings life to those who are humble and contrite of heart. Those who willingly admit their need for him and are truly repentant for their sins that have separated them from God.

All nations

Isaiah 56:6–7 (NRSV)
6And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant—
7these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Though God has specifically called the nation of Israel to be his chosen people, he always welcomed other nations to become part of his kingdom. He welcomed all who would choose to follow his ways and keep his covenant. He would accept their sacrifices and invite them to temple, the house of prayer for all nations. We see the heart of God for every person to be a part of his family and experience a joyful life of service and devotion to him. He is not a respecter of persons but has open arms to everyone who desires to become one of his adopted children. The gospel message is the message that will unite all believers in Jesus. As this message is proclaimed throughout the earth everyone will have the opportunity to join God's family and receive the gift of eternal life.

Seeking God

 Isaiah 55:6–7 (NRSV)

6Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;
7let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

God has promised that if we seek him with our whole heart, we will find him. He is not so distant from us that he cannot be found, and he wants us to seek him. When we seek him, it demonstrates our need for him as he is the only one who can forgive us as we turn away from a life of sin. God is merciful and when we confess our sins, he is faithful to abundantly pardon us. God wants us to be in right relationship with him. When we seek him and call upon him, we are pursuing him and desiring to be made righteous before him. Living a life of alienation from God is vanity and can never be compared to living in harmony with God allowing him to transform our thoughts to conform to his way of thinking and responding.

Intimidation

 

#1  Intimidation

One of the main tactics of the enemy to keep us from sharing to the gospel or doing anything for the advance of God’s Kingdom is intimidation.  He has used this tactic in many situations in the Old Testament as well as in the life of the church since its inception.  He continues to use this tactic today to keep believers silent and limit their ministry and effectiveness.

#2  The definition of intimidate

1.  to make timid; fill with fear.

2. to overawe or cow, as through the force of personality or by superior display of wealth, talent, etc.

3. to force into or deter from some action by inducing fear

 We will look at some of the Old Testament examples how intimidation was used as well as what was the response or the result.

#3  Goliath and the Israelites.

We are all familiar with the story of Goliath and the stand down battle with the Philistines.  His stature was very intimidating roughly ten feet tall depending on what standard was used to measure him.  He was covered from head to toe with armor and had another person with a shield in front of him to protect him.  In addition to his intimidating physical presence he taunted the Israelites.

1Sa 17:8-11  He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." And the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together." When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

#4  Goliath defied Israel, he reproached them, stripped them bare and exposed them, railed against them.

His tactic worked but Israel’s response was one of fear, they were broken down like they were prostrate on the ground as if they had feinted.

#5   Only David was willing to take up the challenge.  He was not intimidated by Goliath’s stature or his words.  He did not take Goliath’s words to heart but responded in faith and assurance that His God would deliver him into his hands because he had defied the God of the armies of Israel.  The battle was not up to David, it was the Lord’s battle and he would be victorious.

The enemy would like to overexaggerate the problem. He intimidates by trying to cause us to think he is more powerful than our God and we are helpless.  He always wants to bring fear because fear will cause us to be paralyzed or feint in the battle.  He will speak words to us to tell us how incapable we are of defeating him.    We cannot listen to his threats or intimidating words and take them to heart.

We have to stand against him knowing that God is the one who will fight the battle with us and give us victory.  David was confident while the rest of Israel was cowardly.  He had faith in His God that his God would defend his name and not be defied by Goliath or any of the Philistines. 

When people come against us they are also coming against God and God will defend his name.  Goliath was defeated just as David proclaimed he would be.  His death mobilized the army to charge into battle and defeat the Philistines.  Our faith response, our stand against the enemy and our prophetic proclamations when realized will be an inspiration to others in the battle.

#6  A second example of intimidation is found in David’s life when he became King of Israel and set out to take the city of the Jebusites, Jerusalem.  When the Jebusites saw David and his army coming to take the city they tried to intimidate him by saying: "You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off" 2 Sam 5.6

In other words David’s army was no match for the Jebusites.  They were so pitiful that the blind and lame could defeat them.  They thought that their words would intimidate David and keep him from invading.  These were not wise words to say to someone who had led Israel in many victorious battles.  It was an insult to David and his army and it has the opposite effect. 

2Sa 5:8  And David said on that day, "Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack 'the lame and the blind,' who are hated by David's soul."

The Jebusites became odious to David by the words they spoke to him.  He challenged his men to take the city via the water ducts going into the city.  He was not at all intimidated by the Jebusites.  The words spoken against him and his men became fuel to inspire the men to take the city.

#7  I think we need to learn from David’s example that when the enemy tries to intimidate us and belittle us or make us think we are blind and lame, incapable of taking on any initiative by rising up and using the very words of the enemy against him.  We cannot sit back and take it, there has to be a holy rising in us to come against the very words of the enemy and take what belongs to God.

It seems today that the church is under more attack than it ever has been for its stand against moral issues that do not reflect the values of God or His Word.  We have allowed the enemy to take ground because of our lack of action or lack of standing for the truth and denouncing the words of the enemy.  We have been labled “bigots, haters, judgmental, closed minded, intolerant,biased”, and a list of other things by people who do not agree and even hates Christians yet these same people are guilty of having the same attitudes as they accuse us of having.  If we say nothing in our defense what message are we communicating?  Are we in agreement or are we just unwilling to take a stand to come against these untruthful accusations?

David was pretty upset with these words to the point that he made a policy that no blind or lame person could enter the house.  He did not want to be reminded of these demeaning words by seeing the lame and blind in his house.  These words offended him deeply and he responded accordingly.

#8  Nehemiah faced intimidation when he was building the walls of Jerusalem that had been completely destroyed by the Babylonians when they invaded Jerusalem and took Israel as captives.  There were some people who had been living in the area of Jerusalem during the captivity and they were trying to stop Nehemiah from building the wall.  Sanaballat and Tobiah were leaders who spoke against the work of Nehemiah and the people who were doing the work.

Neh 4:1-3  Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?" Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building--if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!

They spoke against the feeble Jews who in their minds were not able to accomplish the huge task.  The also spoke against them by claiming the quality of their work would be so inferior that a little fox could easily jump upon the low wall and cause it to crumble when it walked on the stones.    The walls of the city were thick walls not simply one stone place on top of another so this insult as to the quality of their work was pretty demeaning.

#9  The enemy would like to make us think that we don’t have what it takes.  We don’t have the right people working with us to get the job done.  He wants us to think that we and they lack the qualifications and abilities needed so why even attempt to do anything? God knew what he was doing when he called Nehemiah to the task and he supplied the right people to get it done.  God will put each of us on a team that will work together to accomplish his mission if we allow him to and are willing to go.  He will supply the resources we need and will give us the resolve to get it done.

 #10  The enemy likes to do whatever he can to delay us from taking action.  I am not opposed to training and education to prepare you for ministry but there comes a time when you have to step out in faith and be willing to take on things that seem to be beyond your training or abilities.  We can rationalize ourselves out of doing anything if we listen to the intimidating words of the enemy.  I don’t know that Nehemiah was a professional wall builder, I don’t know if he had any training at all but he had a calling from God and a desire to see his people restored and was willing to move forward to get the job done.  He faced the naysayers who tried to discourage and intimidate him and the people he brought with him to do the work and settle in the city.  The wall was erected in 52 days to the surprise of the enemies.  The people were motivated and obviously had the skills needed to do what was needed and do it well. 

The enemy will always fight progress.  He does not want the Kingdom to advance.  He wants us to just stay where we are and do as little as possible.  I love the words of William Carey who is called the “Father of Modern Day Missions.”  He went to India called by God to reach the people with the gospel.  It was a huge task and he experienced many setbacks in his ministry but he persevered and did not allow the intimidation of the enemies of the cross to keep him from his call.  He said, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”

William Carey and Nehemiah had this in common that they were willing to attempt great things for God.  They were not content to let things stay as they were but took action as led of the Holy Spirit to do what was in their hearts.  God came through for them and gave them the people and resources and knowledge of what to do and how to do it.  They both accomplished great things for God because they did not allow the enemy to intimidate them and cause them to stop what they were doing.

This past week I was at a YWAM Conference in Nicaragua and I was able to see the work the God has done through the leaders of the base in Nicaragua.  They have had tremendous challenges through the years, having begun the work during the civil war in the early 80s.  They have faced opposition from the government, from their neighbors, health issues, staff issues, financial challenges that would cause most people to give up and go home.  But they have stayed faithful to the call and now have a great YWAM Base that is impacting many lives.  They have not allowed the intimidation of the enemy to cause them to stop doing what they have been called to do and God has honored and blessed their lives and ministry.  They have accomplished great things for God and they have seen God come through time after time when they have faced the challenges of the enemy.

#11  A final example of not being intimidated is found in the lives of the apostles during the early days of the church.  Peter and John after receiving the power of the Holy Spirit were constantly going to the temple to tell people about the Messiah Jesus who fulfilled the prophesies in the Old Testament and is now seated in glory with God.  This message was burning in their hearts and they would not be stopped from sharing it.  The Jewish leaders were upset with what they were doing and what was happening to the people they led.  They were losing thousands of people who were becoming Christ followers and they did not know what to do to stop this mass exodus.  They only solution was to try to silence them and throw Peter and John into jail and hope that this would end the problem.

Act 4:15-20  But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name." So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

#12  Peter and John would not be intimidated by the demands of the religious leaders.  What they knew to be true could not be contained or restrained.  Their obedience was to God and not to man when given the choice between the two.  They were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the message they preached was the truth.  Imprisonment was not enough punishment or intimidation to stop them from speaking. 

Peter was not soft peddling the gospel message.  He told it like it is and did not hold back.  He wanted the Jews to know exactly what they had done in rejecting the Messiah Jesus.

Act 4:8-12  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Peter was addressing the highest leadership of Israel.  Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he made some hard statements…”who you crucified…was rejected by you, the builders”  Peter spoke the truth, he did not make it soft for them but spoke clearly and directly to their actions against Christ.  There was a boldness in Peter to declare the truth.  He did not let the status of the Jewish leadership hinder him from declaring the truth of what they had done and the truth that Jesus was the cornerstone and the only way for them to be saved.

We can never be intimidated by the threats of prison, punishment or even death to keep us from speaking the truth.  We have to make a stand for the truth and believe that God is always on our side to defend us and if we are martyred for our faith it is only a testimony of its power and truthfulness.  Jonathon Goforth was a Canadian missionary to China in the early 1900s.  He told a story of a group of students who were arrested for being believers.  The officials told them that they would not punish them if they would deny their faith in Christ.  As an act of their denial they placed a cross on the ground and told those who wanted to recant their faith to walk on the cross to despise it and denounce their belief in Jesus.  The first few students were intimidated by the demand and the fear of punishment.  They walked out one the cross and renounced their faith, several more students followed them.  But then one student refused to trample upon the cross and renounce her faith.  She walked to the side of the cross in defiance of their orders.  Her act of bravery inspired the others to do the same thing.

We are living in a time where the darkness is growing darker and the light is growing brighter.  There is a clearer separation between good and evil as we see the world moving away from the truth of the Bible and embracing the philosophies of man based in human desires that are in opposition to God.  The acceptance of homosexual marriages is one act that is helping clarify those who believe God’s word and those who distort it to make it mean what they want it to mean.  We are clearly entering an era where Christianity is going to be opposed and we will be intimidated to not speak the truth.  But we must be like Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, led of the Holy Spirit to speak the truth and confront the actions of those who are opposing God’s truth.  We cannot be silent but we must be submitted to the Holy Spirit to speak as He directs us.  We need not apologize for our obedience and our directness in speaking the truth.  Truth is on our side and if we remain silent we give ground to the enemy.

#13  Intimidation is a primary tactic of the enemy to keep us from fulfilling our calling.  We must constantly remind ourselves of the truth of who God is and his desire for us to stand strong in the face of intimidation.

1.     God is greater than any enemy of the cross.

2.    God will defend his name, he will fight the battle for us and with us.

3.    False accusations to intimidate must be confronted.

4.    God will supply, we will have what it takes to accomplish his work.

5.    We cannot give in to compromise, give up the battle or get out of the calling to be the messengers of the truth to a lost world.

A Life of Submission

 Isaiah 50:4–6 (LEB)

4The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil, to know how to help the weary with a word. He awakens morning by morning, awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.
5The Lord Yahweh has opened an ear for me, and I, I was not rebellious. I did not turn backwards;
6I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spittle.

These verses describe Jesus during his life on earth. He daily sought the counsel of his father, spending time in prayer listening to his father. He did nothing apart from the instructions of his father. His obedience was complete; rebellion was never an attitude or action during his life. He courageously faced his opposers who abused him and insulted him. Yet he stayed steadfast on his mission and accepted the consequences of his obedience and persecution. His life is our example to follow and imitate but it is only by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do it. Our lives must be lived in submission to the will of God and dependence upon him to be able to accomplish what he has planned for us.

The man God uses

 

The Man God Uses

Acts 3:1-16

I.                Introduction

A.    Desire of Each Person to be used by God or be useful

1.     God has created us for good works, He has a plan and purpose for each of us.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Eph. 2.10

2.     Personal illustration of wanting to be involved in sports, teaching, job at motorcycle program, missions.  Being a spectator is not fulfilling when you know you can be in the action and making a difference.

B.    God is looking for people whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.

1.     When God finds the right person at the right time miraculous things will happen.

⁹“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him 2 Chronicles 16.9

2.     History is full of people who were “God’s man or woman” for that specific time.

a.      Biblical Examples:  Joseph, Moses, Deborah, Esther, David, Paul etc.

3.     Example of Peter and John being used by God in Acts 3

a.      Learn the principles of being used by God through them.

II.              The Person God Uses

A.    Peter and John had been with Jesus

1.     Jesus invited them to be with him before He sent them out.

2.     Our first and most important ministry is ministry to Jesus, spending time with Him.

3.     They saw Jesus in action, they learned from him for 3 years before they were sent out on their own.

4.     Developed an intimate relationship with him

5.     Witnessed the compassion and power of God.

6.     We must be filled with the knowledge of the Word of God and the ways of God.

B.    They were filled with the Holy Spirit  Acts 2.4

1.     Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem to receive the promise of the Spirit.

2.     Their lives were radically transformed after receiving the Holy Spirit.  Revelation of the Truth, Boldness in their witness, Faith, to believe God’s promises, Action compelled by obedience and compassion.

3.     Our ministry must be empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit.

4.     If we are not being led by the Spirit then we are not operating in the power of the Spirit.

5.     The Holy Spirit must empower and lead us in ministry.We have to be cued into the H.S. who is in charge of the work on the earth today.  He is the Divine, initiator, motivator and administrator for the work of God.

C.    They lived with a Sense of Expectation

1.     Peter & John had seen Jesus do the miraculous on a regular basis.

2.     They had seen God use them to heal the sick and cast out demons. (sending out of the 70)

3.     On this “one day” God invaded time and space and change happened.

a.      God can take the mundane daily rituals and perform miracles.

b.     God can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.

c.      God can take the hopeless situations and bring transformation.

4.     We must always live with a sense of expectation of what God can and will do through us on a daily basis.

a.      Satan wants us to be hopeless, lacking in faith, unbelieving, doubters, destined to repeat the same errors, never seeing change, accepting of anything less than God’s best.

1.     Alma with her back problems.  Wishing for death.

b.     This could be the day a miracle will happen!

D.    They had a Spirit of Cooperation/Unity

1.     Peter & John were going up together to the temple.  They were opposites who had being united by Christ.

a.      Peter-impulsive; John-contemplative

b.     Peter-quick to speak; John leaned on Jesus’ chest

c.      Peter stood from afar in the courtyard; John stayed close to Jesus.

d.     Peter was a man of action and was called on to preach the first sermon after Pentecost.  John was the apostle of love and intimate revelation of Christ.

2.     Men and women God uses have learned to overcome their differences.

a.      The Mission is greater than my pet peeves, preferences and pride.

b.     Our differences can not serve to divide us.
Delight in our differences!

3.     The synergistic effect of 2 being in agreement is woven throughout the Bible.

a.      No lone rangers, hi ho silvers or hermit crabs allowed.

b.     One can chase a 1000, 2 can chase 10000.

c.      70 were sent out 2 by 2.  Security, synergy, solidarity.

d.     Remember even the Lone Ranger needed Tonto.

E.     They were men of prayer, “they went at the hour of prayer”

1.     Regularly scheduled time of prayer.  They had seen the example of Jesus’ life of prayer.

2.     The gathered to pray for 10 days of constant prayer before the Holy Spirit was given. Acts 1:14

3.     they devoted themselves to prayer Acts 2:42

4.     Prayer must be both scheduled and spontaneous.

5.     John Hyde, “Praying Hyde” was greatly used of God to reach the nation of India.  “Give me souls or I will die” was his battle cry.

6.     Hudson Taylor was a man of prayer who changed the course of China.

7.     George Mueller was known for his faith and his life of prayer.

8.     People of prayer are often more in tune with what God is doing and wants to do.

9.     Be ready for anything.  Pray throughout the day and ask God what you should do in situations that you see.

F.     They had a Sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit  “And Peter looking steadfastly upon him with John said, Look at us.”

1.     Something happened to Peter and John to change their normal encounter into a supernatural encounter.

2.     We must live with an expectation of God’s intervention but we must also develop a sensitivity to the winds of the Holy Spirit.  A lot of ministry happens “on the way.” To do ministry

a.  Jesus was interrupted by the woman with the issue of blood.

b.      Witnessing to the Muslim at the Gopher game.

3.     Develop spiritual eyes to see what God sees.

G.    They knew  the power and authority of the Name of Jesus.

1.     They knew their financial limitation but also understood the unlimited power of the Name of Jesus!!!

2.     When we operate in the Name of Jesus and re-present Him to the world, we can expect the miraculous to happen.

Mark 16:17-18

17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

     Colossians 2:9,10

     9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

     Philippians 2:9-11

     9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

     James 5:14

     14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

 

 

3.  I wonder if Peter had a flash back to the time when Jesus rescued him in the water by extending his hand to him.  Peter was so convinced that he pulled him up and commanded him to walk.

H.    They quickly gave Jesus all the credit for the healing of the lame man.  They knew who deserved all the glory because they recognized that without Jesus nothing would have happened.

“John 15:5

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

 

 

     God has good works waiting for me.

     He desires to use me each day.

     He wants me to be full of the knowledge of His Word and His ways.

     He has given me the power of the Holy Spirit.

     I will live with expectancy each day!

     I will strive for unity with other believers.

     I will be a person of scheduled and spontaneous prayer.

     I will be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit

     I will act in the power of the Name of Jesus and give him all the glory.

      

 

III.  Conclusion:  God is moving in these days through His people who are living in expectation of His intervention.  He delights in the unity of His body and desires that we reconcile our differences and stay focused on the mission He has given the Church.  He is calling His people to become people of prayer because people of prayer are ready to hear His voice.  He wants to make us sensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit so we can respond in faith and obedience when He gives us the inner witness of the Spirit.  Finally, God is desiring to work through people who know the authority of the Name of Jesus and will be quick to give Him all the praise.