THE PERSON GOD USES

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

That no flesh should glory in his presence.

INTRODUCTION

This text tells me what kind of a person God uses. It is evident that God’s measuring rod is different than ours.

He has the ability to look inside and see what we can not see.

Notice how many times Apostle Paul uses the words but God has chosen.

It is apparent that God does not choose men for their wisdom as men count wisdom, or at least wisdom from human standpoint.

God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise. God has chosen what the world counts poor and insignificant.

He is the only One that can take what world cannot see and put their strongest to flight.

Look at Verse 29:

That no flesh should glory in his presence.

So there is no place for human pride in the presence of God.

A quick look through history will reveal that the people God chose and used were different from the norm.

For instance: John Wesley who was the founder of Methodist Church was such a person. It was said of him, that he rode 20 miles a day for 40 years.

He preached 40,000 sermons, wrote 400 books. In those early days of John Wesley’s ministry, one man wrote that he seemed to pray all the time.

In the early days of American frontier, the Methodist church had the foresight and devised a plan to reach the settlement on the edge of the wilderness.

They started what was called the circuit-riding preacher. The circuit rider normally had a broken down swaybacked horse given to him by a farmer.

His library consisted of a Bible, hymnbook, and the Methodist discipline.

One writer said that the preachers in that day had only one verse that they used and it never grew old.

That verse was:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Peter Cartright was described in this book called Sons of Thunder which was title Pulpit powers of the past.

The man of God who were rough, masculine, courageous and crude but at the same time they were gentle, kind, humble, and considerate toward the men and women to that preached the Word of God.

It was said of D.L. Moody that he was preaching in the Fifth Avenue Church in New York City. And the people of this time and cultural were refined, and sophisticated church and they were on the edge of their seats when D.L. Moody preach.

He called Daniel, Dannal and Gideon “Gedgen” and he pronounced Jerusalem in two syllables, but the writer said that he had not gone far in his sermon until they were sitting on the edge of their seats in waiting expectancy.

One man summed it all up in one sermon, that D.L. Moody had what made the difference: That he dared to be used by God.

So the question tonight is very simple: Are you a person that dared to be used by God?

I believe that if you are that person then you will have some quantities.

1. God uses a person who is not afraid.

God uses a person who is not afraid.

There is a fear that is good and the Bible speaks of this kind of fear many times.

You must fear the LORD your God and serve Him.

"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Now understand this: There’s a fear that brings torment and cause one to pull away from obedience to God.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Everyone who has ever been used by God has had to conquer his fear of man and his fear of failure.

In , we find the most unusual story of a young shepherd boy, probably in his mid-teens, who stood up to the giant Goliath, while all the armies of Israel hid in their tents afraid to show their faces.

David had been sent there by Jesse, his father, to bring some corn and bread to his brothers,the giant Goliath began to call insults to Israel.

The Word of God said that when the men of Israel saw the giant, they run away from him, and that they were afraid.

David asked the soldiers standing nearby, "What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?"

And these men gave David the same reply. They said, "Yes, that is the reward for killing him."

But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!"

Now this is what I want you to see, David never let the accusation of his brother, nor the size of the giant, scare him.

There are three reasons why David was not afraid.

1. David had spiritual insight.

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

David had the spiritual insight to see that there was something greater going on there than just a giant.

He sense that it was a struggle between good and evil, and that God needed a champion.

David had the spiritual vision to see what needed to be done.

It is easy in these days of trouble to lose our spiritual vision to be caught looking at the problem and the difficulty and not at the magnificent size of our Savior’s power.

You will lose your spiritual vision if you are staring at the giant in your life and not at the great I am.

What are you looking at?

What is your eyes on, God or the giant in our life.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

This was a period of time where the church of Laodicea had been totally destroyed by an earthquake and it had so many wealthy people in the city that they rebuild the city without any help from the state.

Because of their wool industry they were very self-dependence and that bring you to why they had become very prideful people.

They were blind to the fact that it was all that God had blessed them with and that was the reason why they could rebuild.

Understand the giant doesn’t have to be a hardship but it could be a blessing and we are looking at the blessing and not the Blessor.

Many today need their eyes anointed so that they can have a spiritual vision again.

2. David had spiritual hindsight.

And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

David tells this story that while he was watching his father’s sheep, there came a lion and a bear and they took a lamb out of the flock.

David said, I went out after him and killed him and pulled lamb out of his mouth and when he arose against me, I caught by his bread and killed him.

What I want you to understand that we that be each and everyone of us need to had spiritual hindsight.

You know the old saying hindsight is better than foresight. Because if look back to what you been able to do in the past, then you will have confident that you can do it again.

Now I want to picture this:

Young David had such great confidence because of his experience of the Lords previous deliverance’s on his behalf.

Behalf, God wasn’t going to allow his reputation to be damaged by this Philistine.

God wasn’t going to allow his reputation to be damaged by this Philistine.

God wasn’t going to allow his reputation to be damaged

by this Philistine.

David had great faith that God would again deliver him from the evil SNARE!!!!

David had already been through an EYE OPENING, Faith building experience,- when he went up against a Lion and a Bear – and the Lord delivering him from both, He now had the confidence that he would be VICTORIOUS!!!!

Faith builder,- with him going up against a Lion and

A Bear – and the Lord delivering him from both, He now had the confidence that he would be VICTORIOUS!!!!

Goliath was the champion of the Philistine Army – and he was known as a great warrior.

Goliath was the champion of the Philistine Army – and he

Now the way I understand this from my studies – back in these days it was a normal occurrence that when two Armies were in position for battle – but dared not to attack but a champion from each side would meet and battle it out in single combat.

Was known as a great warrior.

These days it was a normal occurrence that when two

Armies were in position for battle – but dared not to

Attack – a champion from each side would meet and

Battle it out in single combat

And it was agreed that victory would belong to whoever champion won.

Every day Goliath marched out on the plain between the two armies and challenged the Israelites to send out their champion to fight with him.

Every day Goliath marched out on the plain between the

Two armies and scornfully challenged the Israelites

To send out their champion to fight with him.

For Forty days he ridiculed the Armies of the Israelites – he taunted them telling them they were cowards – because they didn’t have anyone with enough courage to send out in battle.

Armies of the israelites – he taunted them telling

The Israeli soldiers all fell back in fear but young David was ticked off at this Philistines actions – some of the Soldiers told him that this had been going on for forty Days and forty nights!!!!

Them they were cowards – because they didn’t have anyone with enough courage to send out in battle.

Was ticked off at this Philistines actions – some of the

Soldiers told him that this had been going on for forty

Days and forty nights!!!!

Ain’t that funny??? It rained 40 days and 40 nights Noah opened the window of the ark after 40 days

Noah opened the window of the ark after 40 days

Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness 40 days.

In Moses in the mountain 40 days

the 10 commandments 40 days and nights

In – they returned after searching land 40 days

1st Kings Elijah went in the strength of meat 40 days

Ezek chap 4 says: And thou shalt bear the iniquity of the House of Judah 40 days

Jonah chap 3 says: Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown and now the giant Goliath boasting for 40 days and nights.

The number forty has great symbolic meaning to the Jews and today among Christians. 

The number forty to the Jews is a number that, when used in terms of time, represents a period of probation, trial, testing, and chastisement (not to be confused with judgment which is represented by the number 9).

Be overthrown

As the product of 5 and 8, it also signifies grace (5) ending in revival or a new beginning (8). 

So when 40 is referencing a period of probation, it coincides with the meaning derived from the factors 5 and 8. 

if you want to related it to the factors of 4 and 10, with 4 representing the creation of something and 10 representing perfection and completeness.

Today, God is still testing His saints but often this testing is seen as a punishment but as in the case of Job, this testing is not always for reproof or correction but to see if they will seek God and still praise Him even in the storms of life.

And now The Giant Goliath Boasting for 40 days & nights

Due to the lack of faith, today many giant Golaiths of this world have killed a lot of dreams and hope because nobody would say I remember what God has done and if God has once then He will do it again.

Do you stand it faith, that God is the same yesterday and today and forever.

3. David had spiritual foresight.

David had this spiritual foresight not trying to use Saul’s armor. That was not God’s way for David.

Man will give you all the wrong answers, the world will give you all the wrong advise. But because of the spiritual insight, and the spiritual hindsight then I can now have spiritual foresight.

Making the right decision for my future victory depends on those things.

David would not go any other direction only the one he knew and that was how God won the battle for him in the past.

No armor, no sword, no spear, no shield but just his trusty old slingshot and five smooth stones. Just the power and strength of God.

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.