Untitled Sermon (18)

This morning we are going to be talking about vision, but not as you would think of when someone talks about vision.

Vision is essential to life. OIt is hard to function when you have no vision, both being able to see the physical, but also the metaphorical.... that is when you are trying to ask those questions about your life… where you want to go and what do you want it to look like.

You know in order for you to see properly you must have light. I am reminded of the importance of light every time im in a dark laundry room working on someones washer or dryer. In fact sometimes Im doing something like trying to attach a wire connector or trying to mount something up under there and I have noticed that when I do not have my flashlight on the area in which I am working, I will fiddle around and take ten times as long as it should take because I am operating off of instinct and feeling my way around, compared to when I wisen up and shine a light on it, Light is essential to seeing

Jesus said

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

This morning I am not going to lead you into ten things on how to love your life more in 2020, this morning I want to shine a light in the darkness, not a darkness like I experience every time im under a washer, I want to shine a light into spiritual darkness, and I want to help you to see the unseen this morning.

Let me share a couple of experiences that I've ad just the last couple of weeks. I have been experiencing a lot of heaviness here lately, battling some depression, and it is not just ordinary stuff. A few weeks ago I was trying to take a break and refill, enjoy some personal family time, by the way pastors are entitled to that, but I got a text message at 9 PM on Christmas Eve, form a guy, saying that he was never going to darken the doors of this church, all pastors are the same, and really cut into me. Now listen I could get hard hearted about it and say you know whatever, but I didn’t it bothered me for the next several days, and A time that was supposed to be refreshing, festive, full of laughter, turned into a break that bothered and discouraged me.

A year or two ago

Last week in fact on New Years day, I wake up to a cousin that called me and told me that my grandfather had taken a bad fall and it didn’t look good. And good it was not, he broke seven ribs and one had punctured his lung, and We had to go all the way to Athens hospital to see him. About 30 minutes before we leave, I get a text message from a guy that he was about to take his life, and that by time his family found him it would be too late. I call this gentlemen and finally get him on the phone and he tells me the police are about to take him to the hospital, and then gets mad at me and hangs up because I tell him that I have to go see my grandfather.

These types of things are not all that uncommon for someone in the ministry, but what is uncommon is the time placement.... Someone told you if the devil cant stop something from taking off, he will sabotage its landing. I And if he cant stop the start, he will help you to hold the foot on the gas where you can’t break. Do you know what the devil wants modern Americans to believe, that he doesn’t exist and that everything can be boiled down to poor decisions and time managment. I me that is it.... He doesn’t want educated Americans believiing in the existence of evil and a real Kingdom of Darkness. And I have seen him hinder this ministry so many times with calculated attacks.

From what Paul calls false brethren that are secretely brought in. I have seen people get buckled down to serve the Lord and misterously come down with some kind of sickness tht they can’t seem to kick. I have seen great victories that the Lord has one to only minutes later get some discouraging news from someone that should be rejoicing and instead serves as that wet blanket on a hot fire.I have seen so many left field and bizzare things

I saw a facebook post the other day that said something to the effect of Pray for those in your circle because when He can’t get you he wil test everything around you

So tihs morning I want us to go into this new year not only seeing the things that is before us but to see the things that are unseen. I want you to have VISION

I struggled with which passage of scripture to preach from this morning because I have preached from so many times before I didn't feel like I really had anything knew to say about that. so I chose another passage from the book of Revelation.

So if you have your Bibles open up to Revelation chapter 9

I chose this passage because its descripes the nature of demons so well. And you need to know what you are up against because as

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

So if you believe the Word of God and I trust that you do, beacause as

Psalm 119:105 ESV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

So you need to believe the Word that is a light unto your path so when the enemy crosses your path you do not begin to fire at everyone around you.

Now in Revelation chapter 9 we are just kind of diving into it, but this is one of the judgement that fall in that time known as the Great Tribulation. Now we are not in this time period though we are probably really close. Now you will notice in this passage that there is a blow of the trumpet and it is the fifth trumpet, There are four others before this, with each trumpet blast getting worse and worse. Now the question is when will the time of the Great Tribulation start. It will start with what is called the rapture of the church

1 Thess

1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV

17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

And when that time comes, the restraining force of evil will be removed and Hell will have a holiday. And this invasion from the bottomless pit will take place and the darkening, dewfiling spiritus will cover the earth and inflict mankind, this is a judgment against lost humanity. Now the reason I want to go through this passage this morning is because there are many things that we can pull from these passages that we can use equip ourselves for spiritual battle. Are you ready?

Revelation 9:1–12 ESV

1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. 12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

Revelation 9

Degenerate Spirits

Revelation 9:1 ESV

1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.

Now notice in verse 1 it describes a star falling from heaven, but it is not speaking of a celestial star that’s in outer space, because God gives this star a the personal pronoun of He, was given a Key that opened a shaft of the Bottom less pit. Now what is this bottomless pit? It is a prison, a sort of super max prison for demons. It is the ADX FLORENCE Supermax for demons,

You say well I thought that demons were running around all of the place. Well Two things with that type of statement

1. they are not running around all over the place like kids on halloween night. The bible tells us that they are an organized army who hold different military ranks. They are very calculated.

2. But are some demons that are so vile, so vicious and degenerate that God in his kindness and mercy has imprisoned them for the appointed time. Now every demon is wicked but these are in a class of their own. You think of some of the sick and twisted things that we see, you haven't seen anything yet.

Now if you are questioning this super max for demons, you need to go reread the passage where Jesus runs into a demon possessed man named legion, they begged Jesus not too throw them into the pit.

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive A. Degenerate Spirits

Can you imagine—can you imagine—what would happen in the world if worldwide all prison doors were flung open, every rapist, every murderer, every drug addict, every arsonist, every child molester, every thief, every pervert, every wicked person was just let loose, all the doors open? And then, can you imagine there being absolutely no police force to control them? How would you like to live in a city like that? How would you like to live in a world like that? Well, refuse Jesus Christ and you’ll see what it’s like, only worse, when the very pit of hell is opened, and the bottomless pit is opened. I say, number one: they are degenerate spirits.

Darkening Spirits

Revelation 9:2 ESV

2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.

Revelation 9

When these things are released there will not only be times of physical darkness but of great spiritual darkness. IOn fact the Bible tells us that when the Lord returns the time that precedes his return will be times of incredible darkness. Now I know that many of us constantly here all the horrible things that happen all the time. There was just a church shooting last week in White Settlement. Is is easy for us to get weighed down with these things that we will usually have one of two responces,

1.) we will allow it to consume us, that goes with that dog piling tactict of the enemy

2.) We will constantly be escaping all the bad that goes on the the world. We put our haeads in the sand and cross our fingers that nothing unfortunate will happen. Both of these approaches are dangerous to a disciple. The one you will get your focus on the darkness and that is all you will be consumed with that you devlope a negative mindset that you will always just curse the darkness and forget to love and shine your light. With the other appraoch of ignorance and passicvism, you will never get into the battle and fight for souls, and one day darkness will touch your life and you will be unprepared

Devouring Spirits

Revelation 9:3–5 ESV

3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.

Now notice that God is using symbolism to describe the dark spirits, and he likens them to locusts. There is a swarm of them, only these locusts are not feasting on the grass they are feasting on the souls of men, women, those wo are not saved.

There are historical records of locust swarms in the middle east, such swarms that they actually block out the sun in midday. And they devour everything in sight. Farmers tell us that the sound of these locust sound like chariots going into battle. Now on this day it will be too late to help people suffering this type of affliction. But can I tell you there are people that are suffering in like manner now and I believe whole heartedly that many times demons are involved.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

1 Thessalonians 1:7 ESV

7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

Do you know what the devil wants to do? He wants to devour our thought life, He wants to devour our strength, because without it He knows that he can get us to a place in our life where we are no nonger filled with faith but with doubt. You see he understands that if he can cause our resting state to be unbelief, he knows He has us

Debilitating Spirits

Revelation 9:5–6 ESV

5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.

Let me ask you a question, have you been to a place where you feel like your thought life is destroying you, are you often paralyzed by irrational fears and dreams.

Do you find that often times you are wanting to blame, and get angry at othres for no apparent reason, none that you can quite place your finger on? Do you find yourself being overcome with fear?

Do you know what Paul called fear? He called it a spirit.... For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Do you know what the devil wants to do? He wants to devour our thought life, He wants to devour our strength, because without it He knows that he can get us to a place in our life where we are no longer filled with faith but with doubt. You see he understands that if he can cause our resting state to be unbelief, he knows He has us

Dauntless Spirits

Revelation 9:7 ESV

7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,

Rev 9:

The Demons are dauntless, the are fearless and they are determined. Notice the sybolism, the picture that God in His mercy iis trying to depict of our infernal foe. They are fierce, they are on a mission and the are determined. There is not much that the devil fears, but do you know who he fears, He fears a Spirit filled Christian that knows their authority in Christ and one who prays. These demons are like horses with their battle armor on who are fearlesslessy running into the fray!

Domineering Spirits

Revelation 9:7 ESV

7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,

Therse demons have crowns on their heads that means that they have dominion. And men have said are saying now to Jesus, Jesus we will not have you rule over us. Well when you saya that than another will rule ver you

Deceptive Spirits

Revelation 9:7 ESV

7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,

Defiling Spirits

Revelation 9:8 ESV

8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth;

Defiant Spirits

Revelation 9:9 ESV

9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.

Durable Spirits

Revelation 9:10 ESV

10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.

Diabolical Spirits

Now here is the good news, as massive as the army is under the devil there are two things that we need to pull away. One even when the are released the Bible tells us that when Satan fell he took a third of the angels with him. Now if my math is correct, for every demon God has twoo angels.

two, there is a significant amount of them that are imprisioned and the worst of them are imprisioned. The reasoon things are so dark now is because people are turning away from God but that means we have an advantage if we will pray,