Living Word Interdenominational Church
|
Living Word Interdenominational Church
|
|
|
The Sword of the Lord (Sermon Notes) I need to talk to you today on a subject that is very important as well as uncomfortable to hear. Remember what the Lord instructs me to teach I will as obedience is better than sacrifice, so I will be obedient. I want to talk to you about the Sword of the Lord today but not when it wielded to disperse and destroy all your enemies and mine. But when it has been unsheathed to attack you and I, the church. Yes I said you and I, Didn’t you know that sometimes, that Mighty God of Valor and him who knows no defeat will actually unsheath his sword and turn in your direction. He is not kidding and neither am I, you see, the Lord of Hosts, the Captain of the Guard is very much like the Samurai Warrior of ancient Japan. Did you know they never unsheathed their swords except for maintenance/cleaning or battle. They knew if they unsheathed their sword that blood must be spilled! When Jesus draws his sword you can be sure he will be using his sword. What am I talking about lets look at Zechariah 13: 7-9 (main) WOW V7 Awake = In Hebrew stir up or to lift up Sword = “ “ cutting instrument ** So we can be certain that there is no other translation here we are talking about a literal sharp cutting instrument designed for war being raised up Above who? V7 **Against my Shepard!!! ** Against the man who is close to me!!!! KJ – states fellow Close = In Hebrew companionship comrade kindred ? Is it me or is it getting mighty uncomfortable in here! Exp “Strike the Shepard” ok so most of you think you are off the hook right? But look what happens…….. “and the sheep will be scattered” Isn’t that what happens when a Pastor falls??? A pastor falls into sin or has to step down and the congregation…the sheep scatter!! Will turn his hand against the little ones!...... 2/3 will be struck down and perish…. Does not say 2/3 will be struck down and rebuilt for the Glory of the Lord! No PERISH!!!! ONLY 1/3 will remain!!! But it’s still not over then the refiners fire! WOW Listen to me God is about to raise up his people in these last of the last days and before we can rise up We need to be struck down!! All the wealth and prosperity not being used to build his kingdom but man’s kingdom is going to bring down the Sword of the Lord!!! Judgement They will say: But Lord Lord didn’t we… this or that Build you a beautiful building, speak in tongues and prophecy to your people All in your name!!! Yet if their hearts be impure he will strike them down with the sword!!!! Listen he is raising up a people! A people that will represent his kingdom! ****I have to make sure you understand this part of tonights message before we go on.**** When the Lord unsheathes his sword and directs it at us: No prayer No fasting No intercession Will Stop it!!!!! Nothing can or will stop it from slaying us! No religion, nothing absolutely nothing can stop it!! So what can we do? How can we avoid being in the majority? The 2/3? We need to go way beyond the church and get back to Message of Jesus – The Kingdom There needs to be an urgency for maturity in him and to a reconciled mind. A mind bound to Christ mind! We need to become like him who we so desire to behold! The word of God needs to become our words like Peter said in Acts 2:14 Act 2:14 Then Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them, "Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. It had become his words, no longer just,” this is what Jesus said” or “this is what the bible says” but we need to take ownership and responsibility to advance the kingdom! That is what Christianity is all about not goose bumps and beautiful buildings! Peter had become like what he had just beheld in the upper room! Don’t you want to become more like Jesus, like the master like the lover of my soul?!?!?! I love you Jesus! So how do we face The Lord’s Sword? Hebrews 12 : 2-11 (Gold) You need to later go on and read from v14 on as it is a warning for refusing God Remember James = “call it all joy…… Romans 8:28 = all things work for the better of those that love him Now it is important to have the mind of Christ like we mentioned earlier. When our minds have not matured in Christ as they ought to be like… The enemy will use us against ourselves! He will never have to lift a finger we will destroy ourselves all the while he is laughing and enjoying it! He will merely create a picture in our minds that because of our immaturity will cause to react to the situation! Once our immaturity sees and distorts the truth we will through our emotions run blindly and without caution! And usually the result of that false mindset and and wrong response will cause the following after effects: A trail of misery Destroyed relationships Unfulfilled dreams We were designed to walk by faith and not by sight! Amen! Yet we always say show me!!! ** When we live our lives by what we see, hear , feel and touch and not by the mindset of Christ we paint the wrong picture. The mind of Christ will discern in the dark While The flesh will react to the dark Do you know what the greatest enemy of growth and maturity is? Self-pity It’s a thief!!! It robs us from what God has planned for our lives. Yet we revel in it and feed it! When immaturity wrongly interprets the truth and correction of God Fear is produced. When we see things are not going exactly like we planned we start rebuking the devil and start calling down the heavens yet our bibles show us clearly that he (God) disciplines him who he loves. When we respond to the hurt only by trying to protect our selves we fail to learn the lesson that God is trying to teach so we go through it again and again Until….. Until we run out of time and become the 2/3! Of Zechariah 13 Listen God see darkness and speaks light into it! Flesh sees darkness and creates fears of the unknown! There is going to be a Global awaking on the church and it has already started! Truth – real God Truth will not be revealed to a mind that falsely interprets it! You wonder how your friends and family keep doing what they do when you and I see what God wants and is doing is opposite of them. A mind that is reprobate cannot possibly interpret the truth of God! So we pray for them that God would open their eyes and we be faithful to not adding to veil by lying to them. Continue to share the truth, be mocked, be stoned, be exiled for the Gospel….for the kingdom!!! Call down the kingdom!!! ***When one is in the atmosphere of the kingdom there will be a intense breaking of one’s own will as well as a maturing process. Our eyes are opened to the real truth God’s Truth Listen there is one true Kingdom that rules and reigns over everything! the Kingdom of God Now listen to this: There is one King and it is not you or me… It’s Jesus!!!! The unreconciled mind will not see God, It can only see the darkness and respond like it has been brought up to. The only way they know how to respond like everytime before. So they walk around in life blindly not knowing the what the future hold. I know my future. It’s Glory!!! His Glory To him be blessings and honor and power forever AMEN!!! There is excellence in you that the world did not give you. That excellence is by the infilling of the Holy Spirit and is and should be treated as a precious gift from the king!!!! The king of Glory! You are a force in this world that is waiting to happen! You were made in the image and nature of your father in heaven, in an excellent way! Purpose in your life to be a part of the 1/3 and not the majority. We here at Living Word are not interested in being like any of the big churches we purpose to be like Jesus. Filled seats is not success, changed lives is! Pray Do not forget blessing at end of service. |
|
Last modified: 06/13/05 |
