The Power Of No Part #4 Shake it Off!! 7-26-09
The Power Of No Part #4:
Shake It Off!!!
7-26-09
Review Power of No Series highlights
· Drawing line in the sand
· Conviction/Boundaries
(Part #3 was preached by Jake)
Want to Go to a place in this power of no series that I think is so vital for us to define
· It’s about that place when on the journey of life
· When we’re in the middle of God’s will
· Serving the best we know HOW to serve
· And yet, somewhere in the midst of the obstacles/challenges we face
· We get stung—things get hard
· And we have a choice in the midst of this hardship
o Will we let this moment destroy our faith
o Rock us in a way that will stop us in the battle
o Or will we SHAKE IT OFF
o Will we say, ‘NO’—I’m not allowing this thing to define me
Over the years—seen people walk zealously after God
· Fruitful—blessed
· But there is a testing we all face on journey of life
· That testing is a telling moment
o Will we give in/quit
o Or draw line and say ‘NO’
Turn with me to Acts 28—amazing account out of the life of Paul
· Background: Paul at the culmination of his ministry and life
o After Jesus’ Rez—Ascension—Acts 2—Revival in early church
o Imagine what it was like for them—seen Risen Christ—HS—etc.
o In midst of revival—persecution starts
o Saul came against—Tarsus experience—met Jesus—conversion
o Over lifetime—shared Jesus—Gentiles—Planted churches
· Led by Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem
· Warning—he will walk in chains/tribulation—develop
Acts 20:23
22 And see, now yI go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that zthe Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 3But anone of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, bso that I may finish my 4race with joy, cand the ministry dwhich I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 Then they all swept 1freely, and tfell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
[1] “But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I’m completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won’t be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
25–27 “And so this is good-bye. You’re not going to see me again, nor I you, you whom I have gone among for so long proclaiming the news of God’s inaugurated kingdom. I’ve done my best for you, given you my all, held back nothing of God’s will for you.
· There was the warning—yet Paul compelled to go
So here he is—fulfilling the leading of GOD in His life
· Sounds romantic, doesn’t it?
· What did he face??
Arrested
· Falsely accused
· Testifies before kings
· Plots to murder him
· Ends up on ship
· Heads into storm—many days of storm
· Ship gets shipwrecked
· Goes ashore
This brings us to our FIRST POINT today:
Just because you face trials/testing doesn’t mean you are out of God’s will
Just Because you are walking in God’s will doesn’t mean there won’t be moments where you get stretched or tested on the way
· All that had happened—happened while Paul was in the MIDST of doing the WILL of God
· He was on schedule
· On track
· Spirit led
o OBEDIENT!!!!
· Fulfilling God’s purpose for his life
· But it wasn’t fun . . . .
Anybody here relate to that?
· Is 55:9 God’s ways higher than OURS
· Romans 8:28 But in all things God works together for good
· Because Paul in chains—forced writing of many letters
· Tapestry
· All going to face testing in life
o Wanna get something good out of it?
Acts 28 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
· They showed him UNUSUAL KINDNESS
In midst of attack/hard/testing journey—God will send HIS blessings—Kindness—love notes (DEVELOP)
· Watch for them
· Prophet in desert getting fed
Develop—when in midst of hard journey
· NIKO—going up a hill at night . . . cramp in back . . . friend push the backpack up
· Look for that ‘hand on the backpack’
· Kindness in the midst of the battle
That’s JESUS—right there with you—in the midst of the storm—look for it—watch for it
· Susan Kubanda in midst of suffering
· Watching hands of mercy—holy thing—beautiful—anointed
In midst of test Keep your head
· God’s going to send you that kind of encouragement, mercy and comfort in the midst of your pain
Aaron’s funeral- people reaching out in amazing ways
· That’s God meeting you
3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
Sometimes on the Journey—You will Get BIT
· Smile—Murphy’s Law—Isn’t it ENOUGH that . . . ?
Sometimes—as you are walking on the journey with God
· Pressing IN to the thing HE has for you
o Develop
o Chains—trials—shipwrecks—now this?
o Matt 5:45 RAIN falls on just and unjust
o Everyone will get bit sometimes
· You get bit
· You get stung
The FIRE drives the VIPER out
· REVEALS enemy
· Driven out—bites you
Examples
· Bit when pressing in—doing damage to darkness—backlash
o Examples—Go-Camp testimonies—20+ years of ministry
o Could write a book about backlash
· Fire of suffering—bit you—
o John 16:33 “in this world will have tribulation”
· Our carnal nature—REVEALED in fire
o Sometimes in midst of fire we BITE each other!
o Dross on gold. . . .
The Stings Come Out Of Nowhere: Wishkah School
· Stung by hornet as I was taking Chase on Swing
· Attacked directly
· The Enemy will TARGET you
Develop
· Sting of Death—sting of suffering—sting of loss
· Susan’s death . . . develop
My wife and I after Sunday PM service
· Quotes from Journal
· Etc.
· Doug with Nancy
· Take the hill
· One Friend short—this side of heaven
From My Journal—didn’t use: Susan is absolutely irreplaceable. We don’t like thinking of life without her around. We miss her so much right now, because she was such an important part of the network of friends with which we walked who really helped us on our journey . . . . She was a part of the group with which we ‘clicked’—that group of believers that really made us feel alive and on target . . . .the ones with which we walked that would really help us ‘take the hill’ and move forward in the faith . . . .
But we are one friend short on this side of heaven today, and at our age and stage of life, we’re seeing that from a different point of view . . . . .
And she was our FRIEND . . .
4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
Don’t be surprised if those around you (even those you love) don’t ‘get’ your battle and turn on you!!
· False accusations
· Funny, when suffering, people think—something must be wrong with YOU
Chase accusations—you don’t know how to discipline your children
· Doctor—you raised two obedient girls
· Obviously have parenting skills
False accusation
· False conspiracy
When in moment—STUNG
· Need SAFE boundaries
· Part of NO Position
· Develop
Gotta Say NO—won’t participate in that
· Well meaning people say things
o Need to say—‘Gotta test That’—BIBLICAL
o Too many believers DON’T test—juts absorb whatever is said!
· Won’t be PERMEABLE
· Won’t GIVE MY AUTHORITY AWAY to those words
· Won’t bow to that
· Won’t let that thing INVADE my boundaries
· Won’t give into that
That’s how Paul responded—CRUX
5 But Paul shook the snake off
SHAKE IT OFF!!!!
We need to Shake OFF where we’re stung
Need to UNPACK this thing:
· I’m not in denial—when stung—need to PROCESS
· How many know—you can treat the sting
o But REJECT the POISON?!?!
Yes, Need to PROCESS
· But don’t NEED to let the STING define You!!!
· We have to process of what’s going on
· God’s been teaching me NEW thing grief in this season
· Two big ones in our path—Aaron’s death
· Susan
· Grief dynamic—real—part of getting HEALING/comfort—real thing you have to move through
· Jesus will meet you IN grief—quotes from journal
Nancy and I have been really grieving/processing this week . . . .something the Lord quickened to me this week that I really had never seen before is that comforting us in our grief was a HUGE PART of Jesus’ MISSION when He came . . . “He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows” . . . the Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . to comfort those who mourn and provide for those that grieve . . . .blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted . . . .
In order to get His comfort, we have to mourn. . . . .it’s funny how sometimes we try to run from grief, when in reality, we need to run to HIM in our grief—and then He meets US in the place of our mourning . . . such a tender and amazing thing that our Savior does for us . . .meeting us in that place . . . . we’ve had some amazing places of prayer and worship in this time . . . .
I have found myself using all the message that I preached at Aaron’s service on Saturday for myself as I am walking through the grief . . . the essence of it was, ‘don’t run FROM grief, run TO Jesus in the MIDST of your grief’ . . . . . just as a shepherd would pick up a lamb with a broken leg and carry it close to it’s bosom, let the GOOD Shepherd, pick you up in your brokenness and wrap you in His strong arms of mercy . . . . .I’ve found myself crying out to the Lord to help me—to heal me—to carry me here . . . . it’s been so good . . . . I’ve had such deep times of prayer and worship . . . .
I don’t mind the tears, in fact, I welcome them . . . . . It’s probably my age, or maybe it’s because there was a season in college when I didn’t cry at all, but I’ve learned to welcome grief . . .
Grieving is part of loving and living . . . . no, we don’t need to wallow in it, but we don’t need to gloss over it either . . . . .
It’s time to let ourselves grieve . . . . .
I’ve been struck by how much the Lord addressed grieving as part of HIS mission for us . . . . He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows . . . . the Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . .to Comfort those who mourn, to provide for those who grieve . . . . blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted . . . .
If you want COMFORT—you first need to MOURN—and HE will meet you there . . . .
BUT—as He meets us
· As comfort comes in midst of pain
· Have choice
Other aspect: we grieve the pain—HE comforts
· But WE can refuse to accept the POISON that wants to come in
Will we let ourselves be POISONED by this
· When poisoned—don’t run—Circulates the POISON thru body
· Shake it OFF
· Yes, this didn’t work out like I wanted
· But NO, I’m going to quit serving God
Taking the NO position—when you are stung/bitten SO important
· Big testing moment for us ALL
ONE Day after hornet sting—itching!!!!
· Will we itch/spread toxins—hornet
When sting of betrayal/let down
· When in place of grief/hurt
· When someone DIES after you pray for their healing
o Lord, I’ve seen you answer prayers and heal
o You didn’t heal this time—what am I going to do
o Shake it OFF!!
o RHCF journey—pray for sister church
§ Susan was a big part—worship leader
§ Mike/Jo Lee’s testimony of Paul
§ This week—going to pray for people to be healed
§ Shake it OFF!!!!
NO, I’m not going to stop loving God/serving God/following God
· No, I’m not going to quit following—even when things don’t turn out like I want
· Even when I don’t understand all the ‘whys’
I’ve KNOWN God is Good
· Just because it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to
o I’m not trading IN My TESTIMONY!!!!!!!!!
· Testimony development/debrief
· I know the character of God—develop
Ps 27:13 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
nIn the land of the living.
[2]
I would have fainted, unless I had believed, I would see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living
WHERE do you Shake it OFF???
into the fire . . . . . ..
Send the enemy BACK to the fire from which he came
· Develop
· No I’m not bowing/giving up
Testimony of resisting enemy back to fire—develop
Instead of this STING keeping me from following God
· I’m gonna follow MORE
· Instead of Scratching/spreading poisons
· I’m gonna SUBMIT to God—resist—and he will flee!!
o (Gonna take some HS Benadryl!)
· Drawing the Line: NO!!
Instead of this financial challenge making me compromise
· Not going to bow to poverty/hoarding
· I’m giving faithfully
· I’m giving MORE
Maybe you stumbled in SIN
· Did the very thing you promised you’d never do
· SHAKE IT OFF!!
· I’m gonna Send it BACK to the FiRE
· Cause I belong to Jesus
· I’m following HIM!!
And BECAUSE HE did--
and suffered no ill effects.
Viper
· Snake bites when feel threatened
· When someone is invading territory
Bites hands of generosity
· perseverance
· Develop
If bit by snake—don’t run
· Relax—stay still
· If you run in fear—you will pump poison in body it will poison you
The Lord has done great things for us
· As it bites him—snake in defensive mode
NO ill effects
We say, NO to the ILL EFFECTS of the POISON!!!
· NO way—we’re not bowing to that thing
Shake IT OFF
I refuse to BOW to this thing
· NO, I’m not giving this thing authority over me
o Not gonna Scratch it—Spread the POISON
· Shake it OFF
No ill effects
· No smell of smoke
This is the kind of test we can all face
Job 13:15 gThough He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
· Though you slay me, yet I will trust you
· Declaring—this amazing character/goodness of God
· I will trust in YOU Lord
I say NO to the anger/bitterness
· I will shake it off
· I will TRUST
Develop
6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on
the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
On the other side of the test
Greater MINISTRY was released
· 1/3rd of NT written—many letters in prison!!
· Even while still a ‘prisoner’—he was advancing in FAVOR
· He was advancing in MINISTRY
The enemy tried to KILL him
· On ship
· With Guards
· With Snake
What did he do—shook it off
· Paul took a NO position to the enemy
· A NO position to fear
· A NO position to the fear of death
Susan’s testimony
· Fear of death/hospital room
· If I go, it will be the LORD—not the cancer
----
y Acts 19:21
z Acts 21:4, 11
3 NU But I do not count my life of any value or dear to myself
a Acts 21:13
b Acts 13:25; 2 Tim. 4:7
4 course
c Acts 1:17
d Gal. 1:1
s Acts 21:13
1 Lit. much
t Gen. 45:14
[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (Ac 20:19-38). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
n Job 28:13; Ps. 52:5; 116:9; 142:5; Is. 38:11; Jer. 11:19; Ezek. 26:20
[2]The New King James Version. 1982 (Ps 27:13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
g Ps. 23:4; [Prov. 14:32]