God turns bad into good

I want to start out by thanking all the healthcare workers, truck drivers, teachers, retail workers…everyone who is working hard to keep people safe and providing for peoples needs.

Thank-you

Its times like these when we learn what’s really important to keep a society running.

I would also like to thank Pastor Trevor for his message last week. I found that as I was hearing it, I discovered I have been battling anger. I’m not normally a angry person so it took me a while to break it down.

I did what I have taught dozens of others to do when dealing with emotions.

I asked God to reveal to me why I was feeling this emotion.

He started bringing memories back to mind that revealed why I was feeling this way.

I was angry at so many Christian leaders for so easily believing the things said by men, and not believing what God has been saying for millineums

I was angry at myself for capitulating to the fears of people

I was very angry at the Media and people on facebook for spreading such obvious lies about the virus.

I was angry, and my family new it, but i didn’t

I was the one yelling at the TV every time the news was on, I was the one looking for someone to argue with

But then I discovered this anger was not my own,

You see I’ve been going through a change, even prior to Covid19.

God has been speaking to me clearer than ever before in my life. I feel He’s moving me into the prophetic for such a season as this.

Now I don’t consider myself to be a prophet, but this season God wants to use me in this capacity

I know things I should not know ... I think differently

Instead of just speaking about myself and this Church God is speaking more about the universal church and this season.

And for the 1st time I’d rather prophesy than preach a sermon

For example.

I believe when the quarantine lifts in a month. We are going to have a 3-4 week period of prime harvesting. Peoples hearts will be open to accepting the gospel message for a brief window. If the intercessors pray this window can be extended. It is the job of the pastor and evangelist to come together.

God spoke this to me

The church we are going to see the greatest awakening this world has ever encountered. Covid 19 is nothing more than the enemy's attempt to thwart the will of God being poured out upon this earth. But what the enemy means for evil. God turns into good. We will see a three-week window. Where the hearts of people will be so open to the gospel. The church will explode with growth. And God has given us a season to prepare for that.

So if you're a pastor. Prepare your church for growth. If you're an evangelist prepare the people to reach out. If you're a believer. Seek spiritual gifts that can be used to win the masses.

God is calling intercessors to pray. Because if the intercessors raise up and pray about three week window can be extended. And we can see a greater awakening.

But this is a first wave of many waves to come. And it's time for God's people to not be caught up with the things of this world, but open their eyes and see that God is about to move.

God is about to release His Holy Spirit in a way none of us have even dreamt of.

Or even imagined. And He's given us to this time to prepare.

So let's get ready.

Let's not squander this opportunity.

But let's all get involved. And participate in the greatest awakening. This world has ever seen.

It starts in each one of us.

Pastors seek God. Seek newfound ways of reaching out.

Don't do things because they work before and

don't not do things because they didn't work before. But seek God.

Come up with a divine strategy for how you're gonna reach the masses during this period. Evangelists. Seek God. Ask him which church he is calling you to be a part of.

Because the day of evangelist being on their own is over. And God is calling every evangelist. To join in and be part of an assembly. There are a number of evangelists hiding in their communities. It time to make yourself known. Call your pastor and tell him your his evangelist

To train up the people of God. To do the work of an evangelist.

Work in cooperation with a pastor. One brings them in the other disciples.

It's a partnership.

And this is a foundation the beginning of the five-fold ministry being restored to God's church. His bride.

I know many of you are being working on your own piece of the puzzle. But as time for the puzzle pieces to come together.

It's time to bring your little piece and put it with the next little piece. And together. We will see a bigger picture of what God's intending.

So pastors evangelists intercessors. Use this time.

To build relationships with one another.

Build trust, build faith.

Encourage one another.

Lift one another up.

If your listening to this message send it to your pastor, send it to the hidden evangelists.

I know this is a very stress filled time for many people, I was challenged by a post on facebook this week entitled “Where is the Church”

But before we get into that and start the message I want to remind everyone to take care of themselves. Body Soul & Spirit

this will hopefully become a regular component of our online service, but today its part of the sermon.

Body Soul & Spirit

Specifically your soul.....mental health

make the effort to talk to someone. Your spouse may or may not be the best option. but find someone and share your thoughts and feelings. What you’re going through

There is not a single person listening to this who is not facing a new normal

this change effects us all. As a result we are all under a new type of stress we’ve never experienced before.

Keeping it bottled up inside is not healthy or expected.

If you’re struggling reach out. Even if your not struggling reach out preemptively and start the conversation

I believe the mental component of self isolation is going to deal far more drastic consequences that the virus ever will.

In this case The cure is worse than the disease

We have to ensure we the church are mentally healthy so we can help those around us when they need it.

Because there will be many who will need it. There are already many who need already

contact a close friend. If you don’t have one contact us. we have people ready to help.

Please whatever you do don’t ignore it. don’t swallow it, but share it.

Often the simple act of telling your fears and struggles can give you the courage you need to overcome them

Remember we are in this together.

Well back to the post it read like this,

“Where is the Church in all of this? Should I be surprised at their silence?”

This is a comment made by someone on Facebook. Makes one think.

As you read some of the comments you see talk about people hearing about online services that the churches have for their own congregation primarily and how the churches do a great job of respecting social distancing etc.

But think about it.....if you were someone who wasn’t a regular attending church person and weren’t previously involved in a congregation you too would be asking

“Where is the Church in all of this? Should I be surprised at their silence?”

The fact is that during this ‘world wide isolation’ we see some severe issues in what we have all have considered ‘church’.

The focus has been, and continues to be, inward focus. We have adapted and duplicated what we have lived as ‘church’ in an online environment with the target audience being exactly the same....ourselves.

What happened to the great commission?

What happened to preaching the truth and power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to bring freedom and life to a dying world?

What happened to healing the sick and casting out demons?

Where is the church in all of this?

The lost continue to be lost. The dying continue to die. The captives continue to be captive.

Wow tough question.

Obviously this is a question in general and not directed at any specific congregation.

I have an answer for this.

You see the Church is a people not a building.

When we gather together in a building we are the church

When we are spread out across the city in our own homes we are still the church

We may be limited by physical distancing , But God is giving us the tools to work within that framework.

Its up to us to use this modern tool to share His gospel message.

Let’s not get overburdened with the things we don’t have. But lets focus on what we do have.

Having difficulties should not surprise us. Its something Jesus promised.

John 16:31–33 NASB95

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

When Jesus was speaking to His disciples here he was telling them things are going to get rough. You will all abandon me during my greatest time of need.

But Jesus also speaks to us today

But know you will have peace. Even during difficult times like Covid19.

Why because Jesus overcame the world.

meaning there’s nothing this world can throw at you that is greater than Jesus.

He’s bigger and stronger and wiser and more powerful than anything this world can conjure up!

And whatever you’re facing God has prepared you well in advance to be ready for.

How do I know that?

1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB95

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

We see this is David’s Life

The boy who would become King

but before he would become King he would have to face his giant

and his giant had a name Goliath

Goliath stood 9’ 6”

His bronze armor alone weighed 125 pounds (1 Samuel 17:5),

and he carried a giant-sized spear (verse 7).

There was a reason that Goliath was the “champion” of the Philistines

1 Samuel 17:8–11 NASB95

He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. “If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Saul was no wimp, he stood a head of everyone else, yet he coward at the challenge of Goliath

for 40 days Goliath challenged Saul and the Israelites

We don’t know exactly how old David was but likely between 12-15

Saul called him a boy and he was too young to fight so he was under 20.

His older brothers thought very little of Him,

but listen to how David talked to the giant Goliath

1 Samuel 17:45–47 NASB95

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. “This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

does that sound like someone controlled by fear.

and David had every reason to be afraid.

he was an untrained unarmed teen facing a giant

Goliath had killed many mighty warriors to get to the top

He had all the greatest weapons,

He had confidence gallore

No-one and I mean no one would have bet on David in this fight

I always question how Saul would have even allowed David to fight. After all the loser would become the slaves

Had Saul given up over the last 40 days and was he ready to become a slave of the Philistines.

Had Goliath’s intimidation stolen all his hope?

Did he just want it over? Was Saul ready to give up?

Or did He actually believe David could win?

We don’t know, We can leave that up to your imagination.

But what we do know is David was not afraid of Goliath.

And He knew he was going to win.

How did God prepare David for this fight?

Well David tells the the answer to this question?

1 Samuel 17:34–37 NASB95

But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to fight a bear or a lion.

But David did because he had too.

He was protecting his fathers sheep.

He went after the bear and lion to rescue the sheep.That was his job and God honored him it completing it.

You see God used the challenges of David’s early life to prepare him for the challenges he would face later on in life.

Had David not faced the lion or the bear, would he had been so willing to volunteer to face goliath?

I don’t believe he would have.

It was the challenges of the bear and Lion that gave him confidence and faith in God to believe, that God would use him in the same way against goliath

God used David victories as a Shepherd to make him a Great King.

You can see the giant in front of you now that you are facing.

whatever it is. you know what it is!

So my question is this

What challenges have you faced before that can fuel your confidence and faith in God that your will have victory over this giant you are now facing?

take a look back at your life and ask Holy Spirit to show you what challenges you can draw on.

For me,

I know there is no virus that can overpower, because I’ve seen God heal so many things

its utterly asinine to me to believe a virus such as Covid19 is to difficult for God.

I’ve seen Him do such amazing miracles in the past. Why would this be any different. I’d have to be a complete fool to believe this virus had any power over me!

no fear can overtake me, because he has given me a life free from fear. I’ve never been afraid in my life, why would I start doubting His goodness now!

Maybe your facing another giant today.

Maybe your giant is another sickness or disease. They never went away when covid showed up

Maybe your giant is your relationship is falling apart

Maybe your giant is addiction

Maybe your giant is unemployment

Maybe your giant is a lack of finances

Maybe your giant is feeling alone

Can you say as David says to his giant!

“You come to me with a virus, lies, fear, relationship, financial issues, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of heaven, whom you have taunted.

“This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you.

that all the earth may know that there is a God in heaven, and that all the earth may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

Draw on what God has brought you through for the faith to get through what your facing today!

What the enemy meant for evil God will turn it into good!

Conclusion

Romans 8:28 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

You’ve heard this verse alot from me over the last 6 months. I think it has made it into almost every sermon

God is working His good through the covid19 epidemic.

You ask me how?

Let me show you 3 examples examples.

Churches all over the world are streaming their services for everyone to see!

it wasn’t like that 2 months ago

Churches are reaching more people than ever

Prior to covid our messages on facebook would typically get between 30-80 views. last weeks service is already over 350 and still climbing and most others are close to 500

I always had desires to stream our entire service online, but I succumbed too many nasayers, and allowed the complexity to scare me off…not anymore

we still have alot to learn and develop but were on the right track! After all your watching us!

Christians all over are sharing their stories on social media.

My social media is full of people going live and sharing God’s good news.

I want to encourage everyone, find a way to share the stories God has put on your heart.

facebook live, if your not on facebook record your story on your phone and send it to me. the church will post it for you

Families are spending more time together

focus on those round you

if your sitting there looking for things to do. Write a individual encouraging word to everyone you know! email, text,

check in on people regularly ask them how they are doing, talk with them!

Now there are alot of negatives

Like not being able to come together to encourage one another

not able to leave your house etc.

But do me favour,

let’s start looking at this like God is birthing something.

Yes labour has pain, more than any man will ever know

but the result is an amazing miracle

That’s what God is going to bring about

and He is going to do it through you as you put His kingdom 1st

Let’s pray