The Weapons of the Enemy

Introduction

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Luke 7:15–20 KJV 1900

15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. 18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

There’s a story told about a group of frogs that were traveling through the forest. At one point in their travels, they encountered a deep well. As they were exploring the well, two of them slipped and fell into the well. The rest of them gathered around the well, and when they saw how deep it was, they told the frogs in the hole “Don’t even try to escape from the well. It’s useless. It’s too deep. Just wait to die.” Well that didn’t seem like a very good solution, so the two frogs kept trying to get out of the well with all their strength. In the meantime, the other ones were telling them that all their efforts were in vain. After some time, one of the trapped frogs decided they were right and gave up, reserved to his fate. The other frog however, kept jumping as much as possible. The frogs on the top kept shouting at him to stop trying to get out, but the headstrong frog kept jumping, every time stronger than before. At long last, this frog got out of the hole. The other ones asked him “Didn’t you hear what we were shouting at you?” The frog didn’t respond. Finally, someone figured it out. The frog was deaf and he thought the group was encouraging him to try harder and harder to get out of the hole. The MORAL: We have to be careful what we say, but even more careful what we hear, and who we choose to listen to.

The enemy has a lot of weapons at his disposal: hate, jealousy, fear, deceit, and many more, but one of his most effective weapons is discouragement.

It’s extremely difficult to see the enemy’s hand in it.

We think we’re to blame

We think other people are to blame

We think circumstances are to blame

It works on Everyone!

If you are engaged in Apostolic Ministry, you will encounter your fair share of discouragement.

If we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing, fighting against the enemy, we should from time to time feel some resistance and push-back from him.

John the Baptist

John was extremely popular — everyone was coming out to hear him preach.

He was a superstar!

Whenever John came out to preach, it was to massive crowds. Everyone loved him!

John rebuked the rulers of his day with impunity, even going so far as to rebuke king Herod.

He baptized Jesus!

Now, he’s a has-been preacher rotting away in prison, apparently unmissed and unloved.

He’s come to the place where he’s starting to doubt the very tenets of his message.

He pointed Jesus out specifically! “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Discouragement caused him to doubt the truths God revealed to him earlier.

Elijah

I Kings 18 — Elijah’s victory over the 450 prophets of Baal

He begins by telling the king very boldly that he is the reason Israel is in this predicament.

He gathers Israel, and the prophets of Baal and challenges them all to make a choice!

God uses him to miraculously devastate Baal and his prophets

God brings deliverance to Israel in the form of much needed rain, ending a 3 1/2 year famine

I Kings 19 — Elijah is exhausted, discouraged, and wants to die

When Jezebel threatened him, he fled for his life

Then he laid down under a Juniper tree and asked God to take his life.

Elijah thought he was the only one defending the worship of the one true God.

Even though God wrought a mighty miracle through him, Jezebel was still in power, and could still kill him.

He’d finally come to the place where it was just too much.

The Apostle Peter

Matthew 26:30–35 KJV 1900

30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

In the upper room eating the Passover

Full belly, friends all around you, warm, in the presence of Jesus. Everything’s good!

Jesus drops the bombshell: “One of you will betray me!”

Peter denies it. Vehemently!

But when Peter was out in the cold, alone, in the presence of strangers and enemies, and Jesus was no where to be found, He denied Jesus three times.

No wonder the bible says he went out and wept. Bitterly!

These Men had Some Things in Common

The knew God intimately.

They worked for Him. Loved Him. Were zealous for Him. Trusted in Him

They were used of God supernaturally.

They all came to a place of great discouragement, and in one way or another, let God down.

No matter who you are, your relationship with God, your prayer life, knowledge of God’s Word, success in ministry, you are susceptible to discouragement.

What do we do when we’re faced with discouragement?

1 Kings 19:1–4 KJV 1900

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Here’s the problem: Elijah wants to die. quit. cash everything in.

This is a very different Elijah than the one in chapter 18!

1 Kings 19:5–8 KJV 1900

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

The first thing God does is minister to Elijah’s physical needs

Food

Drink

Sleep

1 Kings 19:9–10 KJV 1900

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Now Elijah was at a place where he could explain why he wanted to die.

1 Kings 19:11–12 KJV 1900

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

God wanted Elijah to focus on Him, not on his circumstances.

God taught him that He was present in all of life; the big, spectacular events, as well as the ordinary, everyday things.

We can find God in everything we go through, the good and the bad, the easy and the hard.

God did not rebuke Peter, but forgave him, and restored him, even singling him out by name after he was resurrected.

As for John the Baptist:

Luke 7:21–28 KJV 1900

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.