BLUEPRINT FOR BATTLE

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: ALI/FOREMAN FIGHT IN KINSHASA, ZAIRE ON OCTOBER 30, 1974 AT ABOUT 4A.M. TWO MEN STEPPED INTO THE RING. ROPE-A-DOPE. EVERYONE THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY, IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST CRAZY WAYS TO WIN A FIGHT.

POINT: WHEN GOD SAVED US WE DID NOT GET CALLED TO A LIFE OF EASE. WE ARE ENGAGED IN A BATTLE. CONTINUAL FIGHTS. OFTEN TIMES GOD WINS THE BIGGEST BATTLES IN THE CRAZIEST OF WAYS. GOD IS THE ORIGINAL USER OF THE ROPE-A-DOPE. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES: NAAMAN DIPPING IN THE JORDAN SEVEN TIMES; AARON AND HUR HOLDING UP MOSES’ HANDS IN EXODUS TO GUARANTEE VICTORY; JESUS DYING ON THE CROSS- . AND HERE IN JOSHUA AS THEY TAKE ON JERICHO. WE WOULD EXPECT A MILITARY STRATEGIST TO SAY LAY SIEGE WORKS THAT RUN UP TO THE TOP OF THE WALL. OR STARVE THE PEOPLE. GOD DOES NEITHER, BUT HE SAYS MARCH AROUND THE CITY ONCE A DAY FOR SIX DAYS IN SILENCE, THE SEVENTH DAY SEVEN TIMES, THEN SHOUT. HUH? ROPE-A-DOPE. GOD USES THE CRAZY

CREATING THE NEED: TWO MAIN POINTS ARE IN VIEW: 1. LIFE IS A SERIES OF FIGHTS...TO BE A CHRISTIAN MEANS WE WILL CONSTANTLY BE IN BATTLE…REMEMBER THIS IS BUT ONE OF FIFTEEN CORPORATE FIGHTS. APPLICATIONS- YOU WILL BE IN FIGHTS FOR YOUR MARRIAGE, KIDS, INTEGRITY, HOLINESS...; 2. GOD HAS ORDAINED THAT THE WAY WE ARE TO FIGHT IS TO BE MUCH DIFFERENT AND TO LOOK EVEN CRAZY TO THE WORLD- WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE AREN’T CARNAL; THE ARMOR OF GOD IN . CHRISTIANS LOOK FOOLISH TO GOD WHEN WE USE THE WORLD’S WEAPONS (ANGER, CONTROL); BUT WE LOOK FOOLISH TO THE WORLD WHEN WE USE GOD’S WEAPONS.

SO HOW ARE WE TO FIGHT AND WHY DOES GOD WANT US TO FIGHT? IF BATTLES ARE A CONSTANT THEME OF LIFE THESE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

WORK-

POINT: GOD HAD GIVEN THE CITY TO JOSHUA AND ISRAEL AND YET THEY STILL HAD TO FIGHT. THE VICTORY WAS THERE’S, BUT THAT DID NOT PRECLUDE THEM FROM SHOWING UP. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY, AND HUMAN AGENCY.

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES: . - ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU SUGGESTS YOU DON’T GET UNLESS YOU ASK.

ILLUSTRATION: THE NEED TO ENDORSE THE CHECK STORY TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES.

STRONG APPLICATIONS OF EXHORTATION:

MY PARENTS HAVE THE BEST MARRIAGE. GOD HAS BLESSED IT. BUT THEY ALSO PRAY TOGETHER EVERYDAY. WHAT IF GOD SAID I WILL ONLY BLESS YOUR MARRIAGE TO THE DEGREE IN WHICH YOU PRAY/WORK?

GOD TELLS US TO DO SOMETHING CRAZY WITH OUR FINANCES IN . GOD SAYS GIVE ME THE TITHE AND I WILL OPEN UP THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND POUR YOU OUT THE BLESSING. ROPE A DOPE. BUT WE DON’T EXPERIENCE THOSE BLESSINGS UNLESS WE PUT IN THE WORK. FIRSTFRUITS ILLUSTRATION OF WHEN I WAS IN LA AT FCBC AND GOD SAID GIVE IT ALL TO ME. AND I DID AND EXPERIENCED GOD’S BLESSINGS THAT YEAR.

MAYBE GO ON A RUN OF OTHER SCENARIOS

COULD IT BE THAT YOU’RE ONLY EXPERIENCING MINIMAL BLESSING BECAUSE YOU’RE PUTTING IN MINIMAL WORK?

WAIT-

Explanation: The BATTLES IN LIFE AREN’T LIKE BASKETBALL GAMES WHERE YOU IMMEDIATELY KNOW THE OUTCOME. THE BATTLES OF LIFE ARE MORE LIKE TRIALS WHERE YOU SLUG IT OUT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND THEN WAIT, AND WAIT AND WAIT FOR THE VERDICT OF THE JURY. LIFE’S BATTLES ARE FILLED WITH WORKING AND WAITING.

LOOK AT VERSE 11. PAINT THE PICTURE. SO THEY MARCH IN SILENT ON DAY ONE THEN GO BACK HOME TO GILGAL. NEXT DAY THE LEAVE FOR JERICHO, MARCH IN SILENCE AND GO BACK HOME WAITING. FEEL THE ANGST. THIS IS CRAZY THEY MUST BE THINKING. IS THIS REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. GOD YOU SAID, BUT I’M TRUSTING YOU…WHAT’S MORE IS NO DOUBT AS CHARLES SPURGEON POINTS OUT THE PEOPLE IN JERICHO ARE PROBABLY POKING FUN AT THEM AND JEERING AT THEM. SIX DAYS THEY LOOK FOOLISH. THEY WAIT.

BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION: THE HARDEST PART OF EASTER WEEKEND ISN’T GOOD FRIDAY, AND CERTAINLY NOT THE VERDICT OF SUNDAY, BUT IT IS THE LONG WAIT OF SATURDAY. SATURDAY’S ARE DAYS OF WAITING. DISCIPLES FLEE AND ARE AFRAID. WAITING IS TOUGH.

I’M THE WORST AT WAITING. WHENEVER I ORDER SOMETHING I MAKE SURE TO GET THE TRACKING NUMBER. NOW THE TRACKING NUMBER IS A BEAUTIFUL THING BECAUSE IT WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS AND WHEN TO EXPECT IT…I WISH THIS HEALTH SCARE HAD A TRACKING NUMBER…THIS WAYWARD CHILD HAD A TRACKING NUMBER…GOD DOESN’T GIVE THOSE

THIS IS WHERE OBEDIENCE IS TESTED AND BECOMES THE TOUGHEST. THE CRITICAL QUESTION WAITING RAISES IS WILL YOU TRUST HIM WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE THE TRACKING NUMBER? WILL YOU TRUST HIM WHILE YOU SEEM TO LOOK FOOLISH?

YOU’RE IN YOUR SEASON OF SATURDAY:

WAITING ON CHILD TO COME AROUND AND GET IT

WIN- ,

WAITING ON MARRIAGE TO GET BACK ON TRACK

EXPLANATION: TELL THE STORY ON THE SEVENTH DAY. WALLS COLLAPSE. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE POINTS TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN EARTHQUAKE. TOLD NOT TO REBUILD. TWO QUESTIONS: 1. WHY THE QUIRKY INSTRUCTIONS; 2. WHY NOT REBUILD. ONE ANSWER: THE GLORY OF GOD. GOD IS AFTER ONE THING IN YOUR LIFE: HIS GLORY!!! THIS IS WHY HE USES UNCONVENTIONAL MEANS, AND WHY GOD DIDN’T WANT THE CITY REBUILT SO THAT IT WOULD SERVE AS A PERMANENT TESTIMONY THROUGHOUT THE GENERATIONS OF HIS GLORY, STRENGTH AND MIGHT. LEAVE THE SCOREBOARD ON.

GOD USES THE UNCONVENTIONAL, THE QUIRKY, AND SEEMING IMPOSSIBLE TO SHOW OFF HIS GLORY: SEABISCUIT ILLUSTRATION. YOU ARE THAT LITTLE PERSON, THAT RUNTY LITTLE THING THAT GOD WANTS TO USE IN IMPOSSIBLE WAYS. RUNTY LITTLE THING: THIS WAS MARY, THE DISCIPLES (UNLEARNED MEN), JESUS. SO IF YOU FEEL UNQUALIFIED...

POINT: BATTLES, THEREFORE, ARE NEVER ABOUT YOU, BUT ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DISPLAY GOD’S GLORY CONSTANTLY. EVERY BATTLE IS A JERICHO OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW GOD OFF.

WAITING ON TEST RESULTS

SCRIPTURES POINTING TO OUR CALL TO DISPLAY GOD’S GLORY. CHRISTIANS DON’T MAKE GOD GLORIOUS, WE BRING GOD’S GLORY INTO FULL VIEW.

TELESCOPE ILLUSTRATION. ALL A TELESCOPE DOES IS BRING WHAT’S FAR AWAY INTO CLOSE MAGNIFICENT VIEW!

POINT: PLEASE NOTICE BATTLES ARE WHAT GOD PRIMARILY USES TO DISPLAY HIS GLORY. GOD IS MORE FOR HIS GLORY THAN OUR EASE.

FOR A PERMANENT VISUAL: CIVIL RIGHT’S MUSEUM: I PASTORED IN MEMPHIS…USED TO GO THERE FOR INSPIRATION. THEY TOOK THE OLD LORRAINE MOTEL, RESTORED IT AS A MONUMENT FOREVER INSPIRING GENERATIONS TO COME TOWARDS RECONCILIATION.