Fight the Flow

Intro:

As we continue our series on revival this week, we have see at what revival looks like thanks to Ezekiel.

We have seen that revival starts in our “Quiet Places” through prayer, thanks to Mark.

Turn to your neighbor and give them the title of today’s message: “Fight the Flow”

I remember several time when I was younger when I would do something dumb or stupid that would inevidably land me in hot water with my dad. I remember one specific time after I had started driving, my dad got me my dream vehicle. It was a 1999 Jeep Sahara that was hunter green, had 33x12.50 super swamper tires, 3 inch rough country suspension lift on it, and what every 16 year old needs; a 12 in sub behind the back seat. This Jeep was BAD.

I took it mudding with friends.

Broke tie-rods, struts, locked my rotors up. $850

Dad asked my why I did it.

Because all my friends went through it, I felt like i needed to as well.

If your friends kissed a dog’s back end, would you do it too?

We have to be willing to fight the flow of those around us if it does not honor God. We are so bent on fitting in when God has called us to stand out.

Matthew 5:14 HCSB

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:

Tonight, we’ll look at a man who took this command seriously and stepped up and showed out.

The New Testament church in Acts has blown up. 3,000 people were saved in on the day of Penticost and the Lord added to their number daily.

There was a need to raise up some men from within the church to help minister to widows so that the apostles could do what they were called to do which was pray and preach.

Enter Stephen

says that Stephen was a Holy man that was full of the spirit.

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Teach

Notice in verse 8 that Stephen was performing great wonders and signs among the people. Stephen was the first person in the New Testament narrative to perform miracles.

We also know that members of the synagogue were so tore because they were attached to the way that things had always been done according to the law. They weren’t willing to accept the fact that Jesus didn’t come to do away with the law, but to fulfill it.

Have you ever tried to argue with someone who is always right about everything? Like no matter what you say, they always debunk it with some crazy amount of reason.

How does that make you feel?

My wife Talor is that person. I get furious because she is always right and it’s usually with the most elegant sense of humility.

The members got ticked because that’s how it was trying to argue with my man Stephen, so they paid someone to lie about the things that He actually said.

Isn’t it funny how the enemy always finds a way to make people doubt the witness of a believer?

I mean Stephen stood blameless in front of these men doing no wrong, but because he was a part of the sweeping movement of Jesus, which was different than how things had been done in the past, someone took it upon themselves to stop him.

Stephen had a different message than the religious elite of the time had grown up knowing. But different isn’t always bad. In fact, different is usually how God works in the bible.

The world HATES different because we thing that everything should fit within our realm of understanding and if it does’t than it’s weird and wrong.

One thing that we must always remember today is that we aren’t called to seclude ourselves from the world, but dive head first in to it for the sake of the Gospel.

John 17:14–15 HCSB

I have given them Your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world. I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one.

John 17:

The Word of God also says:

John 10:10 HCSB

A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

I know that living for God isn’t always the easiest thing to do because acceptance has become one of your Gods.

Satan has whispered in your ear for years that unless you dress this way then you are and outcast

Unless you listen to this type of music you are lame.

Unless you give it up to the guy or girl that “loves” you, you are stuck up and they’ll move on.

Steal, kill, and destroy.

Steal your sense of self worth

Kill your image

Destroy your hope

That’s all that is waiting for you apart of Jesus.

1 Samuel 16:7 HCSB

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

1 Sam

Band come forward

Stephen was in pursuit of God and His only desire was to tell of his God and What he could do. But the people around him weren’t having it because it didn’t fit the mold.

But Stephen never stopped fighting. He was going to Fight the Flow of culture regardless of what stood in his way because He knew people needed redemption that could only come from a Savior.

Acts 7:59–60 HCSB

They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell asleep.

Acts 7:

Stephen gave his life for His God, most of the time we won’t even give our hearts.