Faithfulness # 2a

     Last week I started on a message about FAITHFULNESS, but it was also about the Glory of God and the next move of the Spirit of God. The next move of the Spirit of God will be an outpouring of God’s glory. I believe that we are about to witness the greatest display of God’s power that the world has ever seen.

     I. JOEL 2:23-27

              A. In these Vs He talking about a rain coming together on the face of the Earth.

                        1. This is referring to the rain of the HS, and we are seeing this even today. We are beginning to see God move in our lives.

                                  a. He has begun to restore the years that the locust, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm has eaten.

                                  b. This is a restoration of everything that the enemy has taken from you.

                                           i. Not everyone will walk in it. Just like not everyone will be saved.

                                           ii. Only those that choose to walk in obedience to the Word will have this great restoration.

                        2. JOEL 2:28-29 (And it shall come to pass afterward)

                                  a. We have never seen an outpouring like this.

                                           i. Sure we see it in some pockets here and there. We’ve seen some rain of the HS here and there, but never a full outpouring.

              B. But only a remnant will walk in it.

                        1. Only those that have a heart after God, those that are faithful and obedient to Him will usher in the next great outpouring of God.

                        2. NUM 14:20-21

                                  a. The Church will show forth the Glory of the Lord.

              C. We know that Moses was a man of God, but the Word also tells us that Moses was faithful. (NUM 12:7)

                        1. God needed his obedience.

                                  a. God had to have someone that was loyal and would act on and obey His Word.

                        2. God needs faithful, obedient people in this hour because He is going to show Himself strong.

                                  a. It’s only the faithful that are going to walk in this next move of God, and it’s the faithful that will usher in God’s Glory.

     II. 1SAM 2:35

              A. This V tells us what the faithful to God will do.

                        1. 1st the faithful will do what is in the heart of God.

                        2. 2nd, they will do what is in the mind of God for them to do.

                                  a. In other words, faithfulness to God and obedience to Him go hand in hand.

                                  b. Those that are faithful and obedient to the Lord will be blessed.

                                           i. In (ISA 1:19) it says that the willing and obedient (that’s faithfulness) will eat the good of the land.

                                  c. In (1SAM 2:35) God said to the faithful that He will build them a sure house. (A firm, established, lasting and faithful house.)

                                           i. The NIV translation says, “I will firmly establish his house.”

              B. Let’s look at some Biblical examples of faithfulness and what it did for them.

                        1. Starting in (Dan 6:1 and 2), we see that DANIEL was promoted was one of the leaders in the city of Babylon. He was just about to be placed as the chief leader in the city under only the king.

                                  a. The other leaders in the city became so jealous over him, they sought a way to bring him down, but they couldn’t find any fault against him. (DAN 6:4)

                        2. They finally reasoned within themselves that the only way to find fault against him was to have the king make a decree or a law that was contrary to his belief in God.

                        3. They talked the king into making a decree that no one was to pray to any God for 30 days. Daniel would not go against what God has said.

                                  a. When it was found out that Daniel was praying to God, he was thrown into the lion’s den.

                                  b. The very next morning the King came to the lion’s den and found Daniel alive.

                                           i. An angel came and shut the lion’s mouths so that they couldn’t hurt Daniel. (DAN 6:10‑12a; 16‑23)

                                           ii. Daniel was faithful to the king and the king promoted him.

                                  c. But most of all, Daniel was faithful to God and God saved him and prospered him and God got all the glory. (DAN 6:26‑28)

                                           i. There are times that you have to make a choice, whether to be faithful to God or faithful to man.

                                  b. In (ACTS 5:29) it says, “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

              C. GAL 3:9

                        1. Here we see that Abraham was faithful.

                                  a. He was always faithful to God.

                                  b. But his faithfulness paid off.

                                           i. The Lord made him a very prosperous man.

                                           ii. The Lord made a covenant with him.

                                           iii. The Lord gave him a child when he was past the years of having children.

                                            iv. The Lord made through him, the chosen people, the Jews.

                                           v. The Lord made him the father of many nations.

                                  c. All because of his faithfulness.

     III. When you’re faithful even in the small things, God does not see them as small.

              A. If you feel that all you’re qualified for is washing windows, if you’re faithful in that, God sees you as faithful in much.

                        1. LUKE 16:10

                                  a. If you’re doing what God told you to do then you are faithful.

                                  b. But how many time are we lax in doing what we should be doing?

              B. Let’s look at what will be the results if you are faithful to God.

                        1. PRO 28:20 (“Blessings” here means “Blessings, Prosperity, gifts.”)

                        2. But being faithful to God sometimes means giving up some of the things that you want.

                                  a. (MARK 8:34) Says, “And when he (Jesus) had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

                                           i. To deny yourself is to disregard your flesh, your own desires, and at times even your ways and interests.

                                  b. There is a choice that you have to make. Either follow after God with loyalty and faithfulness or follow after the ways of the flesh.

                                           i. There are times that people want to have 1 foot in the things of God and 1 foot in the things of the flesh.

                                           ii. They want the good things from the kingdom of God (health, prosperity, victory, and blessings) without giving themselves to God and serving Him with their whole heart.

                        3. Look at what Jesus said about this. MATT 15:8

                                  a. You can confess the Word from now until Jesus comes, but if your heart isn’t right, it will not come to pass.

                                  b. Acts 8:9-22a

                                           i. What he wanted was something good, but his heart was not right.

                                           ii. As far as we know he never got it, at least until his heart changed.

     IV. God desires our loyalty and our faithfulness to accomplish his will in this earth.

              A. But in order for us to be loyal and faithful to God, we have to set our priorities in order.

                        1. The things of this world can steel our time and energy which we should be giving to the things of the spirit.

                        2. Look at MARK 4:18-19

                                  a. If you get caught up in giving your thoughts and energy to anything other than to God, you can not walk in the power of the Spirit.

                                           i. Weather it’s things that look good (but not what God wanted you to do) or things of the flesh, I’m not just talking about sin but that’s also included, anything that causes your heart to be given to this natural, physical world instead of God, is going to stop you from walking in the power of God.

              B. It’s the faithful servant that is blessed.

                        1. MATT 24:44-46

                                  a. What was he doing? What the lord told him to do.

                                  b. This faithful servant was blessed of his lord.

                                  c. I want to be that faithful and wise servant that is doing what the Lord wants me doing when He returns.

                        2. What about you!

WOLCC SUN AM 2/25/96