Overcoming the Enemy at the Gate

Telos: God builds character in us, as we face adversity at the gate to our future

Information

Ephesians 3:16–19 (NKJV) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Romans 8:31–32 NKJV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

The Spirit within you does not agree with giving up.

God wants us to be victors, not victims; to grow, not grovel; to soar, not sink; to overcome, not to be overwhelmed.

William Arthur; William Ward

The righteous might bend, but it is in our spiritual DNA to not break.

psalm 92.12

Psalm 92:12 NKJV

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psalm 92:13 NKJV

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Psalm 92:14 NKJV

They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,

100 mile an hour winds might bend tree to ground, but it is making the roots stronger. When adversity stops the tree bounces right back with a stronger root system. Stress Cells.

Biosphere Experiment. No wind. No strength to stand.

The Cedar of Lebanon is a slow growth tree. 10 inches a year. But lives to 600 years.

Application

Isaiah 37:3 NKJV

3 And they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: ‘This day is a day of trouble and rebuke and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth.

Isaiah 37:6 NKJV

6 And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

Isaiah 37:15 NKJV

15 Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying:

When we pray over the Word God has given us, Revelation will come!

Isaiah 37:16 NKJV

16 “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.

Exodus 25:21–22 NKJV

21 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. 22 And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

Testimony (Eduth) declaration of future action based on past faithfulness

God is not a respecter of persons; if He has done it before, He can do it again.

Isaiah 37:21 NKJV

21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria,

3 Questions:

What is God saying to you?

What are you going to do about it?

How can I pray for you?

Souls, Souls, Souls!!!!!!!!!