Things are Subject to Change part 9
We’re going to pick where we left off last time. We’ve been talking about God turning our situation around. Last time we took up the story of the 3 Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. God turned their situation around, even though they were thrown into the burning furnace, God turned it around.
I) Let’s just look at the last ½ of this story, after they were delivered out of the midst of the fiery furnace. DAN 3:27-30
A) If you refuse to bow down to the attacks of the enemy, if you refuse to give in to worlds ways, if you stay strong to what the Lord says in His Word, God will not only deliver you, but He will even promote you.
II) Turn with me to 1JOHN 5:14-15
A) Oral Roberts used to say, “Something good is going to happen to you.”
1) Some Christians would get upset with him for saying that.
(a) They would say, “How does he know that something good is going to happen to me? He doesn’t even know me.”
(b) Oral Roberts wasn’t talking to them.
(i) He was talking to those who prayed and believed, those like the Apostle Paul, fully expected God to do something to answer their prayers, to intervene in their situation, and to do something about it.
2) The HOPE and EARNEST EXPECTATION that filled Paul’s life was a result of close communion and fellowship with God.
(a) Paul could display such confidence in spite of his current circumstances because he knew Whom he believed.
(i) Paul said in (2 Timothy 1:12) “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” KJV
(ii) Paul knew that God would hear and answer his prayers.
3) The basic message to be learned here is IF YOU CAN PRAY YOUR SITUATION CAN TURN.
(a) There is power in prayer.
(b) If you want something good to happen to you, if you want to follow a lifestyle of HOPE and EARNEST EXPECTATION, then learn to pray.
(i) Learn to have confidence that when you pray, “GOD HEARS, HEAVEN MOVES, and HELL SHUTTERS.
(ii) Just as JOHN said in (1 JOHN 5:14, 15), “This is the confidence that we should have, if we pray, God hears and if He hears He answers.”
(c) Learn to do as the apostle Paul did, “To pray and to tap into the limitless power of the Holy Ghost.”
(i) Then also do as Paul did and give thanks to God Who always causes us to triumph.
III) Jesus said in (Matthew 28:20) “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” KJV
A) In the mind of God, no situation in your life is ever over until you triumph over it.
1) But remember that triumph may not manifest overnight.
(a) If you will do as the 3 Hebrew children did and refuse to bow, you will not burn.
(b) If you will stand your ground, and having done all to stand, then God will stand with you – even in the midst of the fiery furnace.
(i) God and the Holy Ghost will go with you through any situation and over any obstacle until you are triumphant.
B) In (HEB 13:5) God promised that He would never leave you or forsake you.
1) God is willing to go to any length to see us through to victory.
(a) He won’t give up or give in. He won’t jump ship, even if the ship is sinking. IF WE REMAIN FAITHFUL and STRONG.
(i) If we will hold fast to our hope and earnest expectation, then God will do His part and cause us to triumph in every situation of life.
2) God knows nothing of a win – a – few, lose – a – few philosophy.
(a) I don’t follow that philosophy either.
(b) Do you mean, pastor that you have never had any setbacks?
(i) I didn’t say that.
(c) You mean you never have any failures?
(i) I didn’t say that either.
(ii) We all go through setbacks. And there are times that things don’t work out the way I want them to, BUT I’M NOT A FAILURE UNTIL I SAY I AM A FAILURE.
3) The same is true for you.
(a) YOU’RE NOT A FAILURE UNTIL YOU EXCEPT FAILURE AS THE FINAL WORD.
(i) As a child of the Living God you have a right to triumph.
(ii) Sure there are going to be setbacks, but never give up.
(b) What if Thomas Edison would have given up the 1st time the light bulb didn’t work? HENRY FORD 1ST CAR. The WRIGHT BROTHERS 1ST PLANE.
C) God is looking for this kind of attitude in His people today.
IV) In Just the last few minutes of this message I want to give to you what the Word of God says about turning your financial situation around.
A) Turn with me to MAL 3:10-12
1) When we start talking about money and tithing many Christians shut you off.
(a) They don’t want to here it. The hardest thing for a Christian to do is to give their tithe to God.
(b) They’ll walk in love, they’ll live a godly and holy life, but when it come to giving God our tithe we fight it all the way.
(i) We don’t have a problem giving God the 2 or 5 dollars, but when it come to giving God 10% of our income we fall short.
B) Yet since we received Jesus as Lord and Saviour, many, many of the promises of God hinge on this 1 spiritual principle.
1) 1st of He says in (V 10) to bring all the tithe into the storehouse, which in the church.
(a) The storehouse was part of the temple or the place of worship. The church is the NT temple.
2) He also says to bring all the tithe.
(a) The word “ALL” here is better translated “WHOLE.”
(i) We are to bring the WHOLE TITHE to God not just past of it.
(ii) If you read (MAL 3:9 and 10) together you’ll see that Israel was cursed with a curse because they did not bring their entire tithe to the temple.
(iii) We see the same thing happen in the NT with Ananias and Sapphira when they kept back part of what they should have given.
(b) We open ourselves up to the attacks of the enemy when we hold back from God, when were not doers of the Word.
3) This is the hardest thing for me to minister on. But what kind of pastor would I be if I knew what was going to set you free from the cruse, and cause you to receive the blessings of God, and didn’t tell you about it.
C) Well God says that the curse from the enemy WILL come upon us if we don’t tithe, but He also says that the blessings of God will come on us if we do.
1) In (V 10) He says, “Prove me, put me to the test, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
(a) Now we usually think of this as financial blessings, and it very well does mean that, but He doesn’t limit it to that.
(i) We could include healing with this, or God providing a job, of God protecting you from harm, or even delivering you.
2) Now how can I say that?
(a) Because God says in (V 11) that He would rebuke the devourer for our sakes.
(i) If we tithe, God promises to rebuke Satan for our sakes.
(ii) Unless you’re tithing you won’t receive God’s best.
(b) Don’t be content with just barely being able to get a long.
3) If you want your situation to turn around then begin to give God you whole tithe.
4) When you do God will bless you above measure, above what you could ask or think.
WOLCC Sunday 6/1/1997