“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15-17)
We learn from our story that there are two ways to see every problem.
Elisha’s servant represents the Christian is sees only the enemy and his great might. This leads him to imagine impending disaster, and as a result, God’s servant is fill with fear and despairing.
Elisha, on the other hand, represents the victorious Christian who sees the infinitely greater glory of God, and as a result, he quickly comforts his servant with the words,
“Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
When it seems like the enemy has completely surrounded you, and in the natural, your situation looks absolutely hopeless, who would you rather be like?
Elisha’s servant, who saw only the enemy’s great might, and the obvious negative outcome… or would you rather be like Elisha, who saw only God’s glory, and knew everything was going to be alright.
Today, I’d like for us to consider the banner we have here in the room, which says “See His Glory”. God wants us to see His glory, and to know His glory, in a personal way.
In the glory of God, the Christian finds infinite love and mercy and forgiveness, and so much more. We also find infinite power and authority, always fighting for us, not against us. As God’s child, we should always proclaim!
“Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37)
But this will not happen, if we do not see the glory of God. This is so important. In times of tragedy, we have such a tendency to focus on the negative, and we lose sight of God’s greatness.
Church, we need for our eyes to be opened, just as Elisha’s servant’s eyes were opened. It’s time to walk by faith and get a vision of God’s glory, instead of walking by sight and being overwhelmed by the enemies glory. What a difference it made, when he saw heaven’s army, amen? It was the glory of God, just waiting to be brought into action by Elisha’s prayers.
Listen to the prayer of the Apostle Paul. Much like Elisha, Paul is praying that our eyes would be opened to the glory of God too.
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.” (Eph. 1:18-21)
God wants our eyes open towards Him. This is the only way to be filled with the vision of His glory. He wants our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, who is seated far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named forever!
In every problem or devastating circumstance, our only hope of deliverance and salvation, is that we would see the glory of Jesus Christ, and lose ourselves in the greatness of our God. It’s time to focus, brother and sisters, like never before.
We must focus on God and His glory, for the glory of the devil is rising in the earth. The advance of the wicked, and the failings of Christianity have become all too vivid. It’s easy to see what the devil is accomplishing. His works of evil are everywhere.
I’m concerned about the world we live in, and how sin is becoming so commonplace, even among Christians. You know how much I’ve tried to expose wickedness and challenge you to hate it.
When I watched the Republican debate the other night, I was so grieved. There was no mention of God, or repentance. All I heard was talk about cheap fixes for the problems we are facing in our country, which are really the judgments of God. There is no cheap fix for this problem, only repentance.
But the greatest disappointment of all, was when a homosexual got to present himself and defend his sin, for the world to see, basically challenging anyone to call him a sinner.
These perverts can now, openly declare in the army, they are homosexuals. They think they’ve won. But in reality, they have cursed our armed forces, and I AM convinced that there is great defeat ahead for our men in action, who are fighting for us.
I am equally convinced that sin has so infiltrated every segment of society, that I just don’t think there is going to be a great revival that would turn everything around. I personally believe that we are in the last moments of time.
Yes, God wants us to win souls to Christ. But these will represent a very small segment of society. Most will reject God, even as they are already doing.
The world is being set up for the anti-Christ, and we are watching the final pieces of the end-time’s puzzle being put into place by the ruler of this world [international economic failure, Israel being rejected and surrounded, days of Lot and Noah unfolding before us]. Now, these things you have heard me say in the past. But what I’m about to share, you have not heard me say.
Turn with me to Isaiah 9:18. I want to show you what I believe Isaiah saw coming, in our day in America
It’s a horrible vision, one that we in America
Read Isaiah 9:18
“For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briars and thorns; it even sets the thickets of the forest aflame, and they roll upward in a column of smoke. By the fury of the Lord of hosts the land is burned up. And the people are like fuel for the fire…”
Another way to put this is stated by Paul, in Romans 1:28:
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness…”
Imagine an entire society, given over to their gross sins. Imagine the world given over to utter sexual immorality and violence and hate.
How would you like to live on planet earth then. Lot lived in Sodom and Gomorrah Lot had to endure,
“God rescued Lot out of Sodom Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.” (2 Pet. 2:7,8)
Now, this brings me to my main point for today. How will you fare, when society seems to be on fire with their sins. Isaiah prophecies, “Wickedness is like a fire, and the people are like fuel for the fire.” This is unrestrained, absolutely out of control sinners. In Sodom and Gomorrah , just before its destruction, the Bible says that “the men of the city, the men of Sodom Lot ’s house. This is what the days of Lot were like. Unrestrained sexual immorality!
Brothers and sisters, this is coming upon America
We think it’s bad now, but it’s nowhere as bad as it’s going to get. Just how far we’re going to go into this worldwide Sodom and Gomorrah
I believe the rapture can take place at any moment. But I hear God warning us, something awful is coming on our nation, and we must prepare for it now. Sin is going to come in like a flood. And so will God’s judgments. What will this do to your faith?
God’s word has given us instruction on what to do in this hour in which we live. It comes from the prophet Isaiah, and the psalmist/prophet King David. These two men of God saw this same thing happening in their day, and dealt with it. Now, we can learn from them. Let’s let the Lord speak to us through these Scriptures.
Isaiah 26:20. [PRAYER-CLOSET INTIMACY WITH GOD]
“Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while, until indignation runs its course. For behold, the Lord is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed, and will no longer cover her slain.
Isaiah 33:14. [A REPENTANT HEART]
“Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning? He who walks righteously, and speaks with sincerity, he who rejects unjust gain, and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; he who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed (Constant reporting of it on the news) , and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil (All the evil going on around us); he will dwell on the heights; his refuge will be the impregnable rock; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will behold a far-distant land.”
Psalm 27:4 [STAY IN CHURCH, SEEKING GOD’S BEAUTY]
“One thing I have asked from the Lord that I shall seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.”
Psalm 57:1,4,7 [SING PRAISES TO HELP KEEP FOCUS ON GOD’S GLORY]
“My soul takes refuge in Thee; and in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge, until destruction passes by… My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Thy glory be above all the earth…My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
Psalm 23:5 says that God prepares a table before us (Himself, His glory!) in the presence of our enemies. I believe this means that in the midst of all our troubles, all demonic attacks, all sinful behavior going on all around us, all rebellion and violence, God is there.
God wants us to fix our eyes on Him. God’s glory affects us. We are changed and encouraged, and we shine God’s glory to others, even in deep darkness.
Brothers and sisters, deep darkness is coming upon the whole world, according to Isaiah 60. But God’s glory will be upon His people. Why? Because their minds are on Him. Their eyes are fixed on Him. Their ears are open to what the Spirit is saying.
When a man turns to the Lord, 2 Cor. 3:16 says they are changed into God’s image from glory to glory. We see God, and we are changed.
I guess one of the most famous quotes in the Bible is when Moses cried out to God in Exodus 33:18 , “Show me Your glory.” And God did. Moses saw God’s literal presence, and heard the voice of God too.
“And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
In times of judgment. In times of spiritual darkness. In times of distress and failure and anxiety about what tomorrow may bring, even God’s people are going to have to know for certain God is still compassionate and gracious and abounding in lovingkindness.
This is the glory of God. It’s the glory of God when He shows us His almighty power and authority. It’s the glory of God when He proves Himself holy in the midst of His people, in the sight of the nations.
No comments:
Post a Comment