Author: Jason McKinnies

What Do You See?

Sermon Notes                                                                February 18, 2017

 

What Do You See?

 

“Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?”

And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.” And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.” Jeremiah 1:11-12  (NLT) (What do you see?)

There is more than just seeing the Almond Tree – you also have to understand what the Almond Tree represents. We often see the object but cannot discern the meaning.

The Almond Tree is synonymous with life and fruit. It was the first tree to produce buds. In Numbers 17:8, Aaron’s rod budded as a sign of his authority. Therefore, Jeremiah is seeing that God has given him authority, fruitfulness, and life in his ministry.

God is trying to show you things as well. It isn’t just the surface; it’s the meaning that God is trying to get across to you.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve talked about coming to God with great expectation. Whether you come to God with a thimble full of expectation, a bucket full of expectation, or a barrel full of expectation that’s what you will get from God. Whatever you expect from God, God will meet that expectation.

More than the surface relationship, we need to go deep. We need to get into God’s Word and change the environment, change our thinking, change our believing – stop believing so small, and believe for the miraculous. Most often we want to do this, but we have insecurity.

Last week we talked about breaking out of insecurity. The further you get from God, the more insecure you become. The closer you get to God, the more secure you get.

Sometimes, we hang around people, or have past experiences, that have tied our expectation below where God wants them.

The Rope of Restraint works against the barrel of expectation.

Often what happens is, when we come with that expectation, the rope of restraint comes through other people, through the doubts of our own minds, and the enemy of our souls; the battle between our flesh-man versus our spirit-man.

In the book concerning the training of the elephants, it talks about the mentality that is developed called, Learned Helplessness.

Learned behaviors that are reinforced by the environment that animals, or humans, grow up in creates an environment that prohibits growth and limits God (God is limitless, but unless we let down our doubts, He cannot work).

Luke 5:1-7

“So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

“But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” Luke 5:1-7 (NKJV)

Simon let down reluctantly, but He did let it down. By letting down, he received what God had prepared for him. Simon was so focused on the disappointment of an all-night, no-catch experience that he took lightly the words of Jesus. Isn’t this the stance of an average believer who, at best, would have reacted to Jesus just like Simon did?

In verse five, the Bible records what Simon did next: ‘But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’ He obeyed, reluctantly, more or less to get Jesus off his back.

Here, we have two completely opposite view points – one from Jesus, the other from Simon:

(1)   Jesus says launch out into the deep. Go for it Simon. I know what’s prepared for you.

(2)   Simon is still wracked in thought about the disappointment of the night before.

We must be careful how we respond to God’s already prepared blessings in order to avoid shortchanging ourselves.

All Simon focused on was the toiling of the night before, completely oblivious to the impressive plans Jesus had prepared for him. When he eventually let down his net, he caught such a large number of fish that it began breaking the net to the point that he had to request for the assistance of his colleagues, James and John.

Don’t go through life ignoring or downplaying, the words of Jesus. Many people will go through life beneath the privilege God has for them, because they are thinking (perceiving) beneath the will of God. Their perception, or thinking, has become a barrier to what God wants to do.

Look at Matthew 16:21-23.

^“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

^“Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

^“But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:21-23 (NKJV) (emphasis is mine)

Peter’s rebuke of Jesus was based on his imprecise, human perception of the situation, which Jesus rightly pointed out. As Christians, our outlook of various situations of life must be as close to God’s perspective as possible.

 

In your marriage, finances, career, and life in general, what do you see? Where did you borrow the notion that it is too late or impossible for you to make it in life? Who gave you the idea that your background, your history, your city, your address, or your talent, is a hindrance in achieving God’s purposes for your life?

You must be mindful of God’s perspective in every situation as this is what really counts. Too many people have missed out on their blessings, and destinies, because they could not see beyond their human viewpoint.

God asked Jeremiah, “What do you see?” That’s the question for you. What do you see? May I tell you, what you see is entirely dictated by your thoughts. The closer you walk with the Lord, the more secure you are, you will view things differently.

The danger of living from a human point of view is that you ultimately become what you perceive. This was what Lot experienced in Genesis 13:10, which read: ‘Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah’.

So did the ten spies, in Numbers 13. They could only see the giants in the land, and this eventually led to their demise. However, Joshua and Caleb, who saw the land from God’s perspective, eventually lived to tell the story. They conquered the land and enjoyed the inheritance they had perceived from the onset.

Our thought life is important and God takes note of it.

Psalm 19:14

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” (NKJV) (emphasis is mine)

Let the mediation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. 

Hebrews 4:12-13

^“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. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (NKJV) (emphasis is mine)

You cannot be held accountable for something over which you have no control. Far too many people have bought the lie, I can’t help what I think, or, the Devil somehow has the power to control our thought life. People blame others for how they think, saying, “You made me think that.” In reality, if either Satan, or other people, truly had the power to make you or I think something, it would be highly unfair for God to hold us responsible for our thoughts.

Yet, over and over, in the Bible, we are told not only what to think, but that our thought life is our responsibility. This means we can possess our own minds, manage our thought life, and choose what we will allow to play on the screen of our minds.

This doesn’t mean that we can control every thought that arrives in our minds from the world around us. Every day, thoughts inspired by other people, our environment, and even evil spirits, will come knocking on the door of our minds. These thoughts provoke many feelings that seek to take root in our minds. While we cannot prevent thoughts from coming to the door of our minds, we can choose which thoughts we are going to allow inside.

Proverbs 23:7 says you become what you think:

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) (emphasis is mine)

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NKJV) (emphasis is mine)

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6 (NKJV)

You need a good mind diet. In order to get healthy physically you need diet and exercise. Here is the mental or mind diet you need:

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 (NLT) (emphasis is mine)

The number 4 represents creation. The number 8 represents the number of new beginnings.

You want to create a new mindset

1. Truthful– The things of truth are things which are in keeping with the Person of Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ: “I am … the Truth.” (John 14:6)

 

2. Honorable Things – Something noble and massive, awe-inspiring and grand, that awakens our reverence and inspires grand thoughts.

 

3. Right or Righteous Things– Justice means, rightness with God; nothing is just until it is adjusted to God. Our minds need to feed on things that reflect righteousness, justice, and the kingdom of God.

 

4. Pure Things– We should allow no unclean or morally polluted things, including those that are sexually impure, to taint our minds.

 

5. Lovely Things– Some people have the idea that our duty must always be disagreeable, and we make any number of duties out of diseased sensibilities. If our duty is disagreeable, it is a sign that we are in a disjointed relationship with God. If God gave some people a fully sweet cup, they would go carefully into a church, turn the cup upside down, empty it, then say, “No, that could never be meant for me.” The idea has become incorporated into their make-up that their lot must always be miserable. Once we become rightly related to God, duty will never be a disagreeable thing of which we have to say, with a sigh, “Oh, well, I must do my duty.”

 

We need to feed on beautiful sights, sounds, and relationships. If something is ugly or unattractive to our flesh, we need to avoid it in our minds.

 

6. Admirable Things– To admire something, or someone, is to feel inspired by them. We need to find people, and things, that inspire admiration within us and focus our attention on them. We are drawn to what we admire—good or bad.

 

7. Excellent Things– Our minds need a quality diet. Excellence means, beyond mediocre or average. We need to read books, associate with people, and be in environments that challenge us to rise above the status quo, and reach our potential.

 

8. Praiseworthy Things– One way to defeat dark-thinking habits is to focus on things for which you can thank and praise God. If your mind is drifting towards the negatives in your life, immediately imagine one thing for which you can sincerely thank and praise God. It can be anything. Begin to verbalize to God your praise, and thanks, while allowing yourself to feel grateful. This one action alone has a powerful effect in resetting the mind, and breaking negative thinking cycles.

 

Paul then states, “You must put these things into practice.”

“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9 (NLT)

Understand, when you begin to think like this, you will have to combat the prevailing attitudes and mindsets of our day. When you begin to draw close to God, God will begin to inspire you, and you will begin to live differently, think differently, and believe differently. It will affect the way you think, and it will affect those around you. You will come against their long-held beliefs, and mindset and you’ll have to combat that.

God’s ideas always shatter the long-held and commonly believed thoughts, attitudes, and mindsets.

Moses: Had to go into the house of Pharaoh, so he didn’t develop a captive mindset. He began to realize that the way the people of God were treated was unfair. Had he been treated that way all of his life, he’d have grown used to it.

Joseph: At age seventeen, was given a dream. He then went around the dream-killers. They threw him into a pit, but the pit is what ultimately kept the dream alive.

Jesus: The common thought was, can anything good come out of Galilee? He’s just the carpenter boy. 

What do you see? 

People often grow to the level of their environment. People say this of fish: Koi will grow to the size of the environment they’ve been placed in. Sharks will grow to the size of the environment that they’ve been placed in.

If the tank is too small, it will stunt their growth. If the tank is too small for it then the fish will start to become deformed because its spine will begin to grow crooked. Some people may say it grows to its tank size. Actually, their growth is stunted, meaning their insides are still growing but their outsides aren’t, and ultimately they will die.

I believe a lot of people are growing on the inside, but because of the environment they’re around, they are dying.

You have these dreams inside of you, a purpose placed within you, destiny around you; yet, you believe that, because of the environment, you cannot grow. That belief is untrue. It’s a myth. It’s a lie.

God wants you to let it down so that you can draw out from Him. To draw in what He has prepared for you.

Insecurity

Matthew 6:25-34

One of the main thrusts of our society over the past few years, one in which society is willing to give an admonition, is the concept of confidence.

Having a positive self-image.

Through having a positive self-image – confidence – your security is derived through how you view yourself.

Society teaches a concept of thinking positively about your hair color, hair style, style in general, that through having this outlook on yourself this will instill a confident life.

Confidence in living.

Our culture disapproves of our lack of confidence. We call that insecurity. Therefore, everything is set up to create worth, value, and the view of yourself.

Insecurity is offensive to many because it is an offense to the worthiness of the individual. God, likewise, disapproves of insecurity because it is an offense to His worthiness. You see the difference.

Our culture teaches that you must depend on, and view, yourself differently. That brings confidence. Yet, in all of our efforts to create self-confidence, security in who we are, what we are, and what we have, we are producing more and more insecure people.

The Bible teaches that you must depend on God, view God differently, and that your confidence is through your relationship with God.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh…” Philippians 3:1-4 (NKJV)

The Jews referred to Gentiles as dogs. Yet, here, Paul is telling the Philippians to beware, not of Gentiles, but of those who are of the circumcision, or were about cutting things off or, literally, mutilators. Jews, who would follow behind Paul and say to the Gentiles, “If you’re really serious about knowing God, what Paul said is okay as a beginning point, but you need to be circumcised if you want to be truly spiritual.”

There are still those today who imply that, to be spiritual, one must be miserable; those who say, “If you’re truly spiritual, you’ll do this and not do that; you’ll go here, but not there.” It’s those who want to put their limits on you. They want you to become secure through their concept of security, which really leads to insecurity. Of them, Paul says, beware.

The true circumcision are not those who want to inflict pain. The truly spiritual man is one who worships God in the Spirit, rejoices in Christ Jesus, and has no confidence in the flesh. True circumcision is not a mark on the flesh; it’s a mark in the heart. We teach people through our words, customs, and our confidence in the flesh to become insecure. Confidence in the flesh is the basis of insecurity.

1. Insecurity is being distracted from God by being preoccupied with ourselves.

Insecurity gets in the way of doing what God called us to do: love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and to love others.

Let me ask you, how many times have you backed off of what God has asked you to do because your outfit just isn’t right, your pants are a little clingy, or your hair is having a bad day? You don’t do what God wants you to do because you are self-conscious! Not God-Conscious but self-conscious.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV)

2. Insecurity is often dissatisfaction with God’s provision.

Insecurity is often nothing more than grumbling for better manna. We are sick of adequate nourishment; we want extraordinary flavor. We don’t like what God has given; money, position, appearance, personality, and we grumble for something better.

The pursuit of confidence in the flesh is ruining our view of God. It causes dissatisfaction with God and His provision in our lives. Such discontentment is a snare of “many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” 1Timothy 6:6-10 (ESV)

Our dissatisfaction with self is often nothing more than our dissatisfaction with God.

3. Security found in the approval of others

Insecurity often reveals that our confidence is found in the approval of others. We want other people to like us, love us, and judge us worthy, at the expense of what God, and how God, views us.

God doesn’t care what you drive, what you wear, what you have, or what you don’t have. We all know it, we understand it, and will even amen that. However, we still care, but only because they still care. We care more about the things that make us worthy of a like, versus what will make us worthy to stand before Him.

Romans 1:16-17

Insecurity shows that we are still, in some way, believing that our justification is based upon our own attributes and accomplishments. We lack confidence and trust because we are trusting in ourselves versus trusting in God.

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9:10 (NKJV)

One of the greatest weapons in the arsenal of your enemy is doubt. Satan loves to bring doubt into your mind. Doubt causes insecurity.

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV)

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)

Doubt and worry cause anxiety, and this is displeasing to Jesus.

Our opening Scripture tells us that we shouldn’t be anxious about what we shall eat, what we shall wear, or what we shall drink.

Worry, fear, and doubt about your future are insecurity in the provision of God. This is the breeding ground for depression. Insecurity leads to a lack of peace, and then fear sets in. We become depressed about that which we don’t have, all the while forgetting all we do have.

When we doubt, have fear, worry, or are insecure about God, Satan wins.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV)

Insecurity will cause you to distrust others. Remember Saul and David. The closer you get to God, the more secure you are.

The Training of Circus Elephants

I found the following passage in a book written by Gavin De Becker in 1997 entitled: The Gift of Fear, Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence. It essentially explains the dynamics of learned helplessness:
“The way circus elephants are trained demonstrates this dynamic well: When young, they are attached by heavy chains to large stakes driven deep into the ground. They pull and yank and strain and struggle, but the chain is too strong, the stake too rooted. One day they give up, having learned that they cannot pull free, and from that day forward they can be “chained” with a slender rope. When this enormous animal feels any resistance, though it has the strength to pull the whole circus tent over, it stops trying. Because it believes it cannot, it cannot.
“You’ll never amount to anything. You can’t sing. You’re not smart enough. You’re a loser. You should have more realistic goals. You’re the reason our marriage broke up. Without you kids I’d have had a chance. You’re worthless.
“This concert is being sung in homes all over America right now. The stakes driven into the ground, the heavy chains attached, the children reaching the point they believe they cannot pull free. And at that point, they cannot.
“Unless and until something changes their view, unless they grasp the striking fact that they are tied with a thread, that the chain is an illusion, that they were fooled, and ultimately, that whoever so fooled them was wrong about them and that they were wrong about themselves…”

The spirit of Southern Illinois is tied to our past; how you were raised, how you were brought up to believe. It is learned helplessness, learned poverty, learned depression, learned religion. You can break the chain, you can cut the rope.
The church must introduce them to Jesus, and then we, as the church, cannot tie chains on them.
The view has to change, the faith has to be increased. The chain is an illusion. The concept is a lie.

We must take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and cut the rope off of ourselves and others.

Our God shall supply all of our needs – Philippians 4:19

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want – Psalms 23

We are the sheep of His pasture and we are secure in Him. Our confidence isn’t in anything we have done, or that we will do. Our confidence is in Christ and His finished work.

He’ll Do It Again

 “Do It Again” by Elevation Worship

Your faith for the future is forged by past experience. 

“Moreover 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.” I Samuel 17:37 (NKJV)

David’s confidence in going out to battle was forged through previous experiences with God. David understood that God had brought him through before, and He would do it again. Our confidence should be forged through our past experiences with God. The faith for your future should be drawn from what God has done for you before.

If you’re not careful, the perceived failures of God in the past will forge your faith for the future, but it won’t be faith for the impossible to become possible, it will be faith in the impossible.

Each time you pray and it doesn’t happen the way that you thought it should happen it can chip away at your confidence. Soon your fear is actually your faith, then you become self-prophetic, “See? I knew it was going to go like that. I knew it wasn’t going to happen.”

As you go into battle, are you reciting failures of the past, or the victories?

There is no doubt that David had some failures. There were some days that weren’t banner days. Yet, when it came time for the battle of his life, David didn’t recount the sheep he lost; instead, he recounted the stories of victory.

As He stands before the Goliath of his life, He says, “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.” (1 Samuel 17:37)

As you stand before the Goliath of your life, don’t recount the failures, the moments that aren’t share worthy, instead recount the times of victory. Recall to your Goliath the lion and the bear of your life.

We only give God credit for the big victory (the Goliath) if it happens. Then, we take credit for the lion and the bear. Therefore we often say, “I don’t have victories to recount.”

Every morning you have a victory. God’s mercy is new every morning.

If you have had a victory in your life, you ought not to forget it. The faith that is forged through the small victories is what will give you faith for the Goliath in your life.

There is no change in God.

I want to remind you there is no change in God. The same God who you brought you those small victories, is the same God who will handle Goliath for you.

“For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

Malachi 3:6 (NKJV)

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)

“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.” James 1:17 (NKJV)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

I want to give these to you so you would remember there is no change in God.

If God reached out before, He will reach out again.

If God healed before, He will heal again.

If God delivered before, He will deliver again.

If God poured it out before, He will pour it out again.

You must remind yourself:

“God’s arm is not to short that He cannot reach

Nor is His ear to deaf that He cannot hear.

His eye is not to dim that He cannot see

God’s power is not dried up, hasn’t run out, and has no limits.

God’s Word is still true – His promises are “Yea,” and they are “Amen.”

God is an ever present Help in time of trouble.

The Name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous can run into and they are safe.

If He healed Bartimaeus, He will heal you.

If He healed the woman with the issue of blood, He will heal you.

If the Father accepted the Prodigal Son back, He will accept you.

If He saved the thief on the cross, He can save, and will save you.

If He provided for Peter to pay his taxes, God will provide for you.

What He has done He will do again.

The Bible proves it out over and over again that God can and will do it again and again. 

Twice providing a supply of oil…

“And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.” 1 Kings 17:13-16 (NKJV)

 

“A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.” 2 Kings 4:1-7 (NKJV)

God did it once for the widow of Zarephath, and God did it again for the widow of Bethel.

If you need God to supply a need for you, He will do it again. 

He will do it again…

My faith isn’t forged by fear; my faith is forged in victory. I believe that God will do it again. My faith for the future is strong – I can recount the miraculous power of Almighty God to the Goliath of my day.  

The Lord, Who brought me through, will bring me through again.

The Red Sea Parting 

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” Exodus 14:21-22 (NKJV)

The Jordan River Parting 

^“and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.” Joshua 3:15-17 (NKJV)

God parted the waters of the Red Sea, for the children of Israel, once and then he parted the waters of the Jordan River for them again.

“Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.” 2 Kings 2:8 (NKJV)

“Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.” 2 Kings 2:14 (NKJV)

God did it once for Elijah and then he did it again for Elisha.

I want you to know today, if you are facing a Red Sea situation in your life, where you can’t go: that God can make a way where there seems to be no way!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit…

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)

^“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Acts 10:44-46 (NKJV)

^“And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.” Acts 19:6-7 (NKJV)

God poured out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost to the 120.

Then He poured out it again at Cornelius’ house.

Then He did it again for the disciples of John at Ephesus.

 And He will do it again, right here at SIWC, in 2018!

He is coming again…

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3 (NKJV)

“…who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 (NKJV)

What God has done, He will do it again!

 

“Do It Again” by Elevation Worship