November 12, 2023 - Where Do You Stand?
Notes
Transcript
I have to say - before we get into this - that I am a MIXED BAG today...
regarding this sermon.
I feel:
Emboldened
AND - at the same time.........
humbled
And I [have a feeling] that before we finish - you will see all of that…and probably more.
I have a question for you guys - to start:
How many of you - ENJOY - specifically in relation to your walk with the Lord - How many of you ENJOY wrestling with different struggles - of life??
And when I say - struggles - I mean in relation to sin...
How many of you enjoy - the WRESTLING??
fear
doubt
depression
lust
control
anxiety
anger
No - one - ok.
Next question
How many of you are (RIGHT NOW - wrestling?) IN A BATTLE right now?
with fear
doubt
depression
lust
control
anxiety
Whatever?
How often do you find yourself - IN A VALLEY - wrestling with satan?
We - no doubt - OFTEN find ourselves in that VERY place.
If you remember last week - we looked at Pseudo Worship...
We saw Jeroboam - IN HIS HEART - decide that he needed to PRESERVE his own throne and his own life - and we saw him...
Change the object of the people’s worship (two golden calves)
Change the location of worship (from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan)
Change the Authority… (new - NON-Levite priests to oversee and guide the people).
This was DISPLEASING to the Lord…and so we continue today...
This week - in chapter 14, we read of Jeroboam’s RESUME...
7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel
8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes,
9 but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back,
10 therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone.
Nothing here - to be proud of...
The line that stands out for Jeroboam...
v9
9 but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back,
This here would be - i think - an appropriate Epitaph for Jeroboam.
From HERE - what we see next - in the text - from chapters 14-16 - is the account of 9 different Kings - between Israel and Judah
And in a nutshell - what we find - is that of those 9 Kings...
Only ONE - did what was PLEASING to the Lord.
For each of the Kings that did NOT follow God…We read verses just like this...
26 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.
This verse is actually talking about ONE of the kings...
King Nadab
BUT we read this same thing - for 7 OTHER kings as well!
But for the ONE king who DID follow the Lord, we read this… (MaHa = pronounce)
9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah,
10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.
11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done.
12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron.
14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days.
15 And he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.
So this King - Asa - it says - did what was RIGHT - in the eyes of the Lord.
He cleared out the prostitutes from the land...
AND he cleared out the idols that his fathers had made.
NOW - Not only do THESE things - point to his God-honoring actions...
But we also see that King Asa ends up getting into 2 different battles...
And we’ll go to 2 Chronicles to read of these battles.
Let’s look at the first battle...
9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.
10 And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”
12 So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
13 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive, for they were broken before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried away very much spoil.
14 And they attacked all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord was upon them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them.
15 And they struck down the tents of those who had livestock and carried away sheep in abundance and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
Asa here is faced with WAR…!
He finds himself - on the front lines…STARING AT - HOW MANY?
Let’s read it again...
9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.
WOW - a million men!
How does Asa respond?
11 And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”
He says - Help US - for WE - RELY ON YOU!
NOT ONLY THAT...
But how does this verse END?
“O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against… US?
No - against YOU!
write that down / circle that!
That implies something right?
SO - what happens?
12 So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
1 - MILLION men. — Done. - - Read it again!
What does it say - because I guarantee we gloss over it.
The LORD - defeated.
OK - That’s Battle 1.
Things were LOOKING good...
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul,
13 but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.
NOW - Let’s go to Battle 2
1 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
2 Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,
3 “There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.”
4 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.
So here’s the 2nd battle...
What was different?
In this passage here - Did you HEAR any prayers from King Asa to - God?
NO - in THIS battle - we read this...
2 Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying,
Instead of King Asa - RELYING on God for the battle...
What does he do?
He relies on the King of Syria - to help him.
What happens?
Asa wins that battle - BUT… v7
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you.
This was the 2nd battle...
Asa relied on the King of Syria…NOT God.
Next verse - 1st battle
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand.
HERE - King Asa relied on the Lord for his victory.
v9
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
This account of King Asa - tells us that when we RELY on the Lord for our victory… we please the Lord!
BUT that when we rely on OURSELVES - we do NOT please the Lord!
Now - that might seem - pretty BLAH...
Pretty - Christianity 101
NOW - what can we take from this?
I HOPE - that what we take from this is how WE NOW - are called to RELY on the Lord - POST the cross.
And I should start - i think - by letting you know that what I’m about to walk through -
I DON’T THINK - is something I’ve ever connected before - in the way it is for me now.
Remember the question I started out with today?
How many of you wrestle with sin?
How many of you ENJOY wrestling with sin?
NO ONE - of course.
I have - amazing news!
And so let me cut to the chase...
AND THEN - explain what I mean.
We ALL wrestle with sin…different sins...
This past Monday - sitting on the bench at Planet Fitness - at 7:45 am… I realized....
We don’t HAVE to wrestle.
What do i mean by that?
I mean - we don’t have to wrestle.
That’s what I mean!
let’s go to a text that will be my anchor for the rest of our time.
Guys - i FEEL like - my entire VIEW of the Christian walk - has changed.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
What does this say?
According to THIS verse…how does this PEACE - IN Christ…COME?
Here John puts PEACE - up against - TRIBULATION!
And he says - Yes, tribulation will come - BUT PEACE is available...
WHY?
Because - Jesus says - [I] = PAST TENSE - have overcome the world!!
And SOOO - Because of the VICTORY of Christ- WE can have PEACE - NOW - in the MIDST of tribulation!!
Now - is this earth shattering?
We’ll get there.
What did Jesus say on the cross?
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
What was finished?
His (accomplishing of the Law) was finished!
And then 3 days later - He CONQUERED death…!
ALL-In-ALL - conquering - SIN!
He - OVERCAME - the world!
He WON!
NOW _ does that victory ONLY apply to MY SALVATION??
NO - Back to John 16:33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
We ALL HATE - i hope - wrestling with sin!
Even PAUL gives us a glimpse of the Christian WALK...
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
the FAMOUS - Romans chapter 7 - -
WHO LOVES THIS tension in the Christian life?
Paul says here - there are times that he - FALLS…and he does what he hates!
He FALLS - He WRESTLES - and he FAILS!
And he gets SOOOOO frustrated!!
Who’s BEEN there??
He gets to a point where he says this...
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
You can HEAR it here can’t you?
My MIND serves God - I KNOW what i WANT to do…i DESIRE to please God...
BUT - my FLESH does the opposite!!
Next verse?
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Well why is that true?
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
And we heard before that PEACE is found - IN CHRIST...
JESUS - the ONE who OVERCAME the world!
NEXT VERSE...
3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
Tell me is this is typical for you...
*finding myself wrestling in the valley ( CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES)
Length of time (fighting fear, lust, anxiety)
And you FAIL - time and TIME again!
PRAYER - Where ARE YOU God?
When are You gonna COME HELP ME?
*His ANSWER - every time
I ALREADY WON!
That BATTLE is - OVER!
That SIN - is CONQUERED - in a heap on the ground!!
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
We NEED (i need) to do a better job of ACTUALLY BELIEVING the victory of Christ!
And I’ll usually KNOW - IF I believe it - in what my prayers sound like!
*I’m walking through life - I find myself - struggling with FEAR…Anxiety… lack of faith....
…lust - whatever it is...
I’m struggling - and in the struggle - I’m wrestling satan - IN THE VALLEY.
In the middle of that - I cry out to God… WHERE ARE YOu?
When will you HELP ME - overcome this?
In that moment - I should KNOW - I am not fully believing in the VICTORY of Jesus...
I’m not truly believing that the FEAR - the anxiety...
the…lack of faith…the lust…HAS BEEN DEFEATED!
If I can TRULY believe in the VICTORY of Christ - OVER that thing...
Then i can say - wait - this FEAR...
THIS anxiety...
this THING - has already been defeated?
I don’t HAVE to wrestle???!!!
HERE’S the THING!
Remember the account of Peter on the water?
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Let’s dissect v30
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
*EXPLAIN - (order - wind, fear, Peter wrestled fear, lost, sank, cried out)
Question:
Did Peter need to sink?
*The Christian Life - satan hiding in the valleys (psst)
*and I’ve been there. IN the FIGHT…IN the VALLEY
- trying to figure it out… WHY God? HELP ME!
DID i NEED to be in that valley?
***Sunday night worship (last song) - You’ve Already Won
next morning (Nov 6th)
you DON’T HAVE to FIGHT!
Now - you might think- Ok, but what about the Armor of God?
We’re called to ARMOR UP!
Ok - know this:
SLIDE:
The armor of God, without the victory of Christ, is pointless.
The Armor of God - ONLY OPERATES in the victory of Christ...
And YET - WE think - that we’re called to ARMOR UP to go FIGHT the devil!!
NO!!!
How can I say that??!!
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Back to our TEXT TODAY…!
11 And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”
So wait - WE DON’T fight!??
How does that play out in real life?
*Scenario - After church - SLANDER ME
Satan - in the VALLEY - psst
AND SO - here’s the thing - - MY “Fight” - if you wanna call it that - is to DISENGAGE satan - who’s trying to convince me that my ANGER was NOT defeated by Christ…
My FIGHT - is to.... NOT fight with satan.
- My MIND - doesn’t even need to GO THERE!
SLIDE:
My fight in the Christian walk is to avoid walking into the valleys where Satan resides, to not engage him, but instead to truly believe in the Victory of Christ, and stand with Him over it all, knowing it’s already been defeated!
And so - My Fight - is to NOT fight.
And it’s FUNNY - because people (Christians) will respond to this by saying 1 of 2 things ...
They will either say...
1. YEP! It’s already over! Yep! While they continue fighting in the valley...
OR...
2. WHAT? YES we NEED to FIGHT!
Ok, wait - so you’re defending the IDEA - that when SATAN calls you INTO the valley - that you MUST go INTO the VALLEY and engage him???
Putting on the Armor of God - IS TO PUT ON THE VICTORY of Christ!!!!
AND SOO - I contend - that if we find ourselves in a valley - WRESTLING with satan - then we haven’t actually ARMORED up!
I (we) - need to PREACH to ourselves - THIS TRUTH!
The TRUTH of the Victory of Christ!!
Who would say - RIGHT NOW - you’re in a VALLEY - struggling with a sin…in a wrestling match with satan??
Anyone wrestling Fear?
fear for your marriage
fear for tomorrow
fear that Issue 1 passed
fear of the state of our world
fear of that sense that God is calling you into the CRAZY!!
NOW - satan WANTS you to wrestle that fear!
Guess what?
You.don’t.have.to
You.DON’T.HAVE.TO FIGHT!!
The REALITY is - it’s over.
Anyone wrestling lust?
has it been years…and you just keep falling?
Wrecked over your sin…TIME and TIME again?
Guess what?
That fight is OVER.
If you believe it’s over!
It’s CONQUERED!
Anyone wrestling with doubt?
Doubts about tomorrow?
Bitterness?
Apathy?
Anger?
PRIDE?
Whatever it is… You don’t HAVE to fight anymore.
You can ACTUALLY believe in the Victory of Christ...
And when you do - You’ll disengage satan…and you’ll walk out of the ring.
That THING (sin) that you’re wrestling with - is actually ALREADY defeated!
You don’t EVEN NEED to wrestle!!
PLEASE - believe this!
There is - FREEDOM! in the Victory of Christ!
And just to close: This VICTORY - impacts every area of Christianity!
Take every thought captive***
Forgiveness*** (someone wounds you)
Ultimately - forgiveness is about applying the Victory of Christ OVER the hurt that was created by that person.
Sometimes that takes a process...
BUT - never forget the remedy.
NOW -
And listen - I know the responses to this!
You don’t understand Mike - You’re telling us we don’t HAVE to FIGHT…BUT - it’s HARD to STOP FIGHTING!!
My response to that?
NO - It’s not!
It’s HARD - to START believing - it’s really over.
I’m telling you - when you DO!!....
In a moment - OUT of the valley!
CLOSING SONG - New Words (You’ve Already Won)
Let’s pray