"Hungry For The Right Food"

Text: Matt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (NIV)

J.B Phillips “Happy are those who hungry and thirsty for true goodness, for they will be fully satisfied”.

Righteousness
Righteousness is holy and upright living, in accordance with God's standard. The word righteousness comes from a root word meaning "straightness." Righteousness is a moral concept. God's character is the definition and source of all righteousness.

In the Old Testament the term righteousness is used to define man's relationship with God.

Since the FALL in the Garden of Eden, man is inherently unrighteous. As the prophet Isaiah said, "We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" Is. 64:6.

Rom 7:21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. (NAS) This is why we must allow the Lord to change our nature. Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
(KJV) The Greek says to exercise the mind or to be of the same.

For us to have the same mind that Christ has we must have God's righteousness within us. When we accepted Jesus he came to live in us. We became the righteousness of God through Him. 2 Cor. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We do not become righteous because of our own goodness; God sees us as righteous because when He sees us He sees Jesus in us.

Phil 3:8-14 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

1 Cor 1:30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

What an honor to have Christ made of God to become our righteousness, for us to be made the righteousness of God in him. And then to have the whole man renewed in righteousness. And to become a new man, and to bear the image of God; to have an interest in Christ and the promises-- this is righteousness.

Hungry for God
We say that we are hungry for God, but if we are honest with ourselves, we are really looking to benefit from His power. The power of God is something to be pursued with all of our heart. Spiritual power is exciting. But, what if we desired to have Christ’s character operating in our lives as much we desire the operation of spiritual gifts and annointings!

We must seek the giver more than the gift! When we follow the giver, the gifts follow us.

Paul said; “My God will supply all our need”. When we get enough of God, we will have enough of everything else. Matt 6:33.

Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest and persistent. Hunger and thirst are appetites that return frequently, and call for fresh satisfactions.
As our text in Matt 5:6 says; If we hunger and thirst for righteousness we will be filled.

Paul prayed for the Colossians, Col. 1:9-17 We are asking God that you may be filled with such wisdom and that you understand His purpose. We also pray that your outward lives, which men see, may bring credit to your maser’s name, and that you may bring joy to His heart by bearing genuine Christian fruit in all that you do, and that your knowledge of God may grow yet deeper. We pray that you will be strengthened from God’s glorious power, so that you may be able to pass through any experience and endure it with joy. You will be able to thank the Father because you are privileged to share the lot of the saints who are living in the light. For He rescued us from darkness, and re-established us in the kingdom of His beloved Son. For it is by Him that we have been redeemed and have had our sins forgiven. J.B Phillips

Ro. 12:1-3 With eyes wide open to the mercies of God. I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus you will prove in practice that the will of God is good, acceptable to Him and perfect. J.B Phillips

Getting On The Cross
To truly be a follower of Christ we must not only come to the foot of the cross, we must be willing to get on the cross. How many of us would really follow Christ if there were no healings to be had, no outpourings to rejoice in?

Paul challenges us to pursue a right relationship with the Lord. 1 Tim 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

His Presence Brings
Our Hunger and Thirst for the Lord will produce His Glory, His Manifest Presence. When his Glory is revealed, darkness turns into light, it reveals or exposes our sin, even the hidden sin.

When His presence was manifested on Moses the sin of the Israelites were exposed.

So the first thing His Presence brings is a revelation of our sin. The closer we get to God the further we will get from the world. As the song writer said “The thing of life will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace”.

His Presence brings Revelations of His Word

His Presence bring Revelations of His Will

Maybe if we would seek the face of God more than the hand of God, God would manifest His presence.

"First Things First"

Matt 6:25-33 "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, {as to} what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, {as to} what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and {yet} your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And which of you by being anxious can add a {single} cubit to his life's span? 28 "And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is {alive} today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, {will He} not much more {do so for} you, O men of little faith? 31 "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' 32 "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. (NAS)

• Worry, doubt, lack of faith;

Jesus uses birds as an illustration. The birds don't have to plant or harvest. They don't have storage barns. The fact is they have nothing to worry about. They don't have nice gardens like Sis Collier did. But the Lord provides for them.

He said the lilies do not have to labor, yet Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like them.

Vs. 25 do not be anxious for your life. The KJV says "take no thought". The Psalmist said; in Ch 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

In the parable of the sower, in Mark 4; Jesus said; 18 "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

We must refuse to allow the worries of life and our personal desires hinder the work of God in us. It is not a sin to work hard, to have things and to have personal desires as long as we have our priorities in order. Jesus insists on being first in our lives.

Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (petition) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (NAS)

Jesus rebuked his disciples because of their lack of faith. Remember how they became afraid in the boat when the storm came.

Jesus took a boys sack lunch and fed 5000 men beside the women and children, which no doubt would have been over 20,000 people. Do you remember what he did when everyone had eaten and were full. He had His disciples gather the leftovers, and there were 12 baskets full. Can you imagine what the boy's mother said when he returned home with more than he had when he left.

• Seek

I would not give this sermon justice unless I talk about this little four letter word seek.

Jesus did not say beg, He said seek, go after as in hot pursuit.

Matt 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you”. One translation says keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.

Prov 2:1-9 My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understand-ing; 3 For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, and discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth {come} knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; {He is} a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. 9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity {and} every good course.

• First His Kingdom.

Jesus told Martha in Luke 10:42 but {only} a few things are necessary, really {only} one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Martha's main focus was preparing the meal, while Mary main focus was on the Lord.

Our duty is to seek; to desire, to pursue, and to aim at these things. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness.

Seek God's righteousness His character, the righteousness (character) which he requires to be fulfilled in us.

We must seek the things of Christ more than our own things.

The Lord will not take second place. Ex 34:14 for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

We should focus more on seeking His face than we do his hand.

I'm sure you folks don't have little golden images that you worship, like many people in other countries do, but if you put anything before the Lord that becomes your idol. If your career or anything else, including your family comes before the Lord, then that becomes your god. As a minister I had to learn that my family came before the church, but never before the Lord.

• All these thing will be added to you.

All these things. What are these things. Ph 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. These things are our needs. Whatever are your needs are, that is what He is concerned about.

In vs 25-32 Jesus teaches us not to worry, then He says Matt 6:32 "... for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. He knows even before we ask. He is our father and the responsibility of fathers is to provide for his children.

Ps 34:9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; for to those who fear (revere) Him, there is no want.

Ps 37:18-19 The LORD knows the days of the blameless; and their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they will have abundance.

Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Sermons by Larry Wiley

Sermons by Larry Wiley

Recorded sermons. Click above link. You can listen from your computer or download to Ipod.

Expecting

Expecting

Luke 8:40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. (NIV)

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (NAS) Others came to see a man John came to see the Messiah, the one who takes away the sin of the world. The religious leaders said, who is this man. While the religious leaders were full of suspicion, John was full of faith. He came expecting.

I looked up synonyms of expecting and found the words, anticipate, hope, trust, await, look forward to, bare, carry, pregnant, having a baby, in the family way.

When we come to church, what do we expect to get out of it. What are we expecting? What are we carrying in our wombs?

Are we expecting God to show up and show out, are we expecting to show out?

Are we expecting to spend quality time praising and worshipping the Lord, or are we expecting to see what we can find to criticize.

Are we expecting to hear the Word of God preached or are we expecting to pick apart a sermon.

I believe one of our problems is that we expect everything from the Lord, yet are unwilling to give anything. Oh, most of us give our tithes and offerings but I am talking about giving our time and talents. The Lord has give each of us a talent, a gift. 1 Pet 4:10 As each one has received a {special} gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (NAS)

In the seventies there were a lot of preachers preaching about the coming of the Lord. As a young Christian, I was convienced that the Lord would come in 1981. In the middle 80's a man wrote a book entitled 88 reasons the Lord will return in 88. I threatned to write on entitled 89 reasons the Lord may return in 89. I said that I can copy his book and add one paragraph. Reason #89. He did not come in 88.

Are you aware that this generation is the first on that usre the return of Christ. He said; Matt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (NIV)

How many of you would not miss a service because you were concerned that you may miss something. Well what happened to your expectation? You can blame it on the leadership, but I believe we have to take the blame. Are we praying, with expectation. We must add faith to our prayer. If you ask, expect to believe. Paul said; It is impossible to please God without faith”.

I like to say it like this; “why worry when you pray, and why pray when you worry”.

Waiting, paiently

Ps 130:6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Ps 37:10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.

Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Isa 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Greek: Wait, hope qavah (kaw-vaw'); to bind together, to expect:

Some people come to church like women shop. Women go to see what is there or what is available. Men go to get what the want. Arleen often complaines that I pay too much for what I get. She says, she cannot take me shopping because I spend too much. I thought that was what we were going to do, spend money. Some people come to church to see what is there. To see what they can find to talk about. You will leave with whatever you came for.

Commitment

I believe the reason that the divorce rate is so high in the US is a lack of commitment. And one of the biggest problems in the church today is a lack of commitment.

Religion or Relationship

Those with a relationship are made new
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJ)

Rom 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
(NKJ)

Rom 6:4-7 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
(NKJ)

Ezek 36:26-27 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (NKJ)

Rom 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (NKJ)

Those with religion are not changed. The only difference is they attend church or pray, or talk about the Lord, or act religious in some way. Joining a church or attending a church or even praying does not mean one has a relationship. Muslims pray more than most Christians, they pray five times per day. They are more dedicated to their religion than most Christians.

Those with a relationship bear fruit
Matt 12:33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. (NKJ)



Those with a relationship belong to the Lord
Rom 8:9-10 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (NKJ)



Those with a relationship have put off the sinful nature or at least putting off the sinful nature

Eph 4:22-32 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 There-fore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJ)

Additional Scriptures

Phil 3:7-10 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (NKJ)

Col 3:1-10 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, (NKJ)


Matt 5:20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (NKJ)

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJ)

James 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
(NKJ)

I Jn 2:5-6 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (NKJ)

How Do I Stop The Thief

Mark 4:4-8 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."

13-20 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But, since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (NIV)

Jesus said the farmer sows the Word. Some people are like the seed that fell on the path. The Word is sown and as soon as they hear the Word, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was sown in them.

Some of the seed fell on rocky ground. They hear the Word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word they quickly fall away.

Some of the seed fell among thorns, they hear the Word. And they soon get caught up in the worries of the world, trying to become wealthy and craving of other things the Word is choked out of their lives.

Some seed fell on good ground and produced an abundant crop. Some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred fold.

Protecting the seed
We must do everything in our power to protect the Word that has been sown in our hearts. Satan will not give up, therefore we must not give up. “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits”. His ultimate job is to steal the seed that has been planted in us. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV)

We must also do everything we can to make sure that the seed is planted in ground that has been properly prepared. First we must break up the hardened, unplowed ground preparing it for the seed. Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you (NIV).

We must fertilize the ground. How do we do that? Rom 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (NIV) Faith comes by hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing, ….. the Word. If we do not continually hear the Word we are allowing Satan an opportunity to steal the Word that has been sown in our hearts. After the ground has been prepared for planting and the seed is sown, we must keep the ground cultivated. That is we must keep out the grass and weeks out of the garden of our heart.

How does the enemy steal the seed?

One of the oldest and most used tools of Satan is to hinder people from hearing the Word. They will become offended by the least little thing to keep them from the Lords house, where the Word is going forth with anointing. I cannot tell you how many people have told me that they do not have to go to church to be a Christian. My response is, if you are a Christian, why would you not want to go to church. We need the spoken Word, the anointed Word, to penetrate our hearts, to be firmly planted in our heart, so the thief can not steal this Word.

The thief comes in the most vulnerable place he can. Where is that in your life? Only you and God knows where that is, oh by the way, Satan also knows the most vulnerable place in your life. So we must make that place sure. We must reinforce that area of our life.

If you knew there was a thief in your neighborhood, you would place more locks on your doors and windows. You would never leave anything unlocked. Are there areas in you life that is unlocked? Are there areas that Satan can easily get into?

He steals the word
by causing us to miss church, when we miss church we are leaving a door unlocked!
by causing us be easily offended, if allow offences in our lives we are leaving another door unlocked!
by placing anger in our hearts. When we become angry we are unlocking the door,
by intimidation, boy this is heavy artillery with the enemy. If we suffer from intimidation, we are leaving another door unlocked.
We must fight against intimidation, the Word says, We are the apple of His eye. We are children of the most High. We are His creation. We are His property. With His help, lock that door in your life!

How do we keep him from stealing the Word?

James 4:7-8 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (NAS)

We do so by staying in the word as I have said before. We do so by resisting the devil. We do so by drawing near to God. We do so by cleaning our hands and repenting from our sins. We do so by purifying our hearts, for if we have an impure heart we are double minded, and Jesus said; “a double minded person will not receive anything from the Lord.”.

Additional Scriptures.

Job 1:6-7 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

1 Pet 5:6-8 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (NIV)

Heb 4:2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. (NIV)

Casting Your Care On The Lord

1 Pet 5:6-10 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober {spirit,} be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in {your} faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen {and} establish you. (NAS)

Humble yourself to God

Ps. 37:11 But the humble will inherit the land, and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity

Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (NAS)

Cast your cares on Him

The word is used to describe the "throwing" or "casting" of anything tangible: Moses "threw" a tree into water to sweeten it. When you throw something, the first thing you do is release it.

Ps 37:5-11 Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret, {it leads} only to evildoing. (NAS)

Ps 55:22 Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. (NAS)

Be on the alert

Rom 13:11-12 And this {do,} knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (NAS)

Resist the devil

Eph 4:27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. (NAS)

Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (NAS)

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (NAS)

God will confirm, strengthen, establish and bring you to maturity

Ps 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Thy right hand will save me.
(NAS)

II Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil {one.} (NAS)

Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, (NAS)

God Is Faithful

God is Faithful
God can be relied upon to do all that He has promised. He never fails on any of His promises. God has promised us a "more abundant life"…a life of peace and joy. He has promised to provide for our physical and spiritual needs. God has promised to guide us into all truth and to protect us from our spiritual enemies. God has promised to never forsake His people…that He will be with us in every situation and circumstance.
No one in all of human history can accurately say that God has ever failed them… although some may think He has. The reason they think that way is because they have misinterpreted His promises. Although God has made many promises…every promise comes with a condition. And although God has promised to answer our prayers… God will not answer foolish prayers that are against His will or that are harmful to us in some way. God cares what happens to us…and He is wise enough to know the difference between a harmful prayer and a constructive prayer. Foolish children sometimes want foolish things. A wise parent knows when to withhold a child’s request in behalf of the child’s benefit.
The faithfulness of God does not mean that He is our servant to snap at attention when we call. He knows what we have need of even before we ask. He is watching over us and will not forsake those who trust in Him. God is a wise Father who is faithful to the total welfare and safety of His children. Someone with that quality of character can definitely be trusted.
"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."   Psalms 9:10
 
"Forever, O Lord, your Word stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, like the earth you created; it endures by your decree, for everything serves your plans."  Psalms 119:89
 
"So be careful. If you are thinking, "Oh, I would never behave like that"--let this be a warning to you. For you too may fall into sin. But remember this--the wrong desires that come into your life aren't anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you. And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation's power so that you can bear up patiently against it."   1 Corinthians 10:13
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."    1 John 1:9 [Author Unknown]

"Overcoming Temptation"

2 Cor 10:3-6  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.  (KJV)

Uncontrolled thoughts can become sin.  Satan tempts us by placing bad thoughts in our minds.  Some confuse temptation with sin.  Temptation becomes sin when we allow our minds to dwell on the temptation.  This is why it is so important to pull down those bad thoughts as soon as they enter your mind  

Listen to what the brother of Jesus, James has to say about this.  James 1:14-17 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (NKJ)  The word for drawn away is ex-el’ko.  It means; to entice to sin.  The word for lust means; a longing for what is forbidden. When the thought crosses our mind, it is not a longing. But if we dwell on it, it can become a longing for or a desire.  

These weapons are not carnal but might through God

Zech 4:6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. (NKJ)

Rom 6:13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (NKJ)

2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, (NKJ)

This is not a mind over matter deal.  This is reliance in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Listen to what Paul said: Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  (KJV)  Here is the Key.  Lust is powerful, but not as powerful as the Holy Spirit.  Walk in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit.  Never stop walking in the Spirit.  The moment you stop walking in the Spirit is the moment you subject yourself to the flesh.  Paul the subject of flesh verses the spirit in the book of Romans chapter 8:vs 5-10  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (NKJ)


Weapons of warfare

Eph 6:13-18  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- (NKJ)

2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (NKJ)

Pulling down strongholds

Align your thoughts with the Word

Phil 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate (think) on these things. (NKJ)

Bringing thoughts into captivity

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (NKJ)

Bringing thoughts into obedience To Christ

1 Pet 1:14-15 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (NKJ)

James 4:7-8  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  8  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (NKJ)

I ran across the road and picked up the lifeless body of my son

We were pastoring in Dawsonville Ga in 1980. One day our youngest son, Steven who was six years old at the time started to cross the busy highway in front of our house to play with his friend. He ran to cross the highway but did not see the picup truck coming around the curve. The truck was running about 55mph. The driver applied his breaks but there was no time to slow the truck.

I was on the lawn mower and turned just in time to see this happen. I ran across the road and picked up the lifeless body of my son.

I lifted him up and said: "Satan, in the name of Jesus you cannot take my son." Then I said, "Father in the name of Jesus let him live." That very instant he caughed and started breathing.

He came out of this with three cracked bones in one foot. To God be the Glory.

A neighbor also saw the accident and said; "I cannot believe Steven survived this."

Today he is 31 years old and looks like a linebacker.

Unaswered Prayers

Ps 66:18-20 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19 but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. 20 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (NIV)

Watch carefully what David is saying. "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened". In the next two versee David is rejoicing because the Lord heard his prayer.

If your prayer life is hendered, ask the Lord to check your heart for unconfessed sin. Many people are not getting their prayers answered due to sin. Sin is more than stealing, killing committing adultery worshipping idols or anyone of the big ten, it could be bitterness to someone or unforgiveness.

Defeating The Giants

The Spies

Num 13:25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."31But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 "There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."(NKJ))

Ten of the spies saw themselves as grasshoppers in comparison to the giants. But Joshua and Caleb had a different vision. They saw the Lord, their helper. And when they saw Him the giants looked like grasshoppers in comparison to the Lord. If the Lord is your strength then your problems and challenges look like grasshoppers.

Giants stood for great difficulties just like the challenges we face today. They are giants or challenges in our families, in our churches, in our finances our jobs our health and in our own hearts. But do we see them as giants or as grasshoppers.

Ten of the spies did not trust the Lord, but Joshua and Caleb, the men of faith, said “They are bread for us, we will eat them up.” The ten must have been part of the group that murmured and complained while they were in the wilderness.

The fact is, unless we have overcoming faith we will be eaten up, consumed by the giants in our path. We our faith is in the Lord, the giants in our lives will begin to look like grasshoppers.

Some believe that the power of God in our lives will lift us above all trials and conflicts. The fact is, the power of God always brings a conflict and a struggle. The big difference in a Christian is. The Lord is on our side. And “If God be for us, who can be against us.”

Paul

Paul faced many giants in his life. 2 Cor 4:7-11 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (NKJ)

Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)

2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (KJV)

David

1 Sam 17:42-50 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdain him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. (KJV)

In your life, do you see giants, or do you see the One who is more powerful. Do you see the one with whom there are no limitations, no giants bigger than He. No problems that He cannot handle. No sickness that He can’t cure. No financial problems bigger than he.

Sermon In A Nutshell

"Be on your guard. stand firm in the faith, live like men, be strong! Let everything that you do be done in love".
1 Cor. 16:13-14 J.B Phillips