And then all right. Well, it's great to be here again. It's a real blessing. Thank you pastor Shelly for sending me down here again
It's been nice to be able to be with you guys so often
I feel like we're actually getting to know each other a little bit more rather than just having to leave and drive four hours
Away really quick. So I really appreciate being down here and getting to know you guys better
But this morning we're in first Kings chapter 20 and this is kind of a very strange story
If you've read your Bible
this is a really strange story in the Bible and we get this story of King Ahab the king of Israel and
King Ben hadad the king of Syria and both of these men are wicked men. They're not great godly saved men
They're both wicked men, but we see that Ahab is the king of Israel
And even though he's a wicked man God does bless Ahab
God does give him the victory and says that I want you to win so that I'll be glorified so that they may know that
I'm the Lord and we see that Ahab is faced with a conflict
Let's read verses one through three and Ben hadab Ben hadad the king of Syria gathered all his hosts together
And there were thirty and two kings with him and horses and chariots and he went up and besieged
Samaria and warred against it and he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city and
Said unto him thus saith Ben hadad thy silver and thy gold is mine thy wives also and thy children
even the goodliest are mine so we see that Ahab's faced with a conflict and
You and I when we got saved whether we realized or not we signed up in a conflict
We signed up in a battle. We signed up for a spiritual battle go to Ephesians chapter number six
And we see here Ahab is about to be confronted with a physical battle, but us in the New Testament
We're we're in a spiritual battle every single day Ephesians chapter 6. Let's read verse 10
Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole armor of God that you may be
able to stand
Against the wiles of the devil for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers
Against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places
So the battle that we fight is just as real as any physical battle that you read about in the Old Testament
There's casualties. There's people that get hurt. There's people that fail. There's people that succeed
There's people have victory
the only difference is that our battle is a spiritual fight and it's a battle that we fight every single day and
I'll read for you John chapter 10. This this verse reminds me because Ben. Hey dad. What is he doing?
He's coming to take everything for may have he's coming to take his wives his children all of his possessions
He wants to take everything from him. Just like the devil wants to take everything from us John chapter 10
I'll read for you verse 10
The Bible says the thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy
I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly
So our enemy the devil is the same as Ben. Hey dad in this situation where he's coming to take everything that we have and to
Destroy everything that we have he wants no good for us. He wants no good for our families or for our homes or for anything
He wants to steal to kill and destroy now the title of my sermon this morning is do's and don'ts in spiritual warfare
Do's and don'ts in spiritual warfare, you know, even though this story is a story about two wicked men
They're in a conflict and there's a lot of principles that we can learn from the conflict that they're in and apply it to our lives
In the spiritual fight that we are in so keep your finger in first Kings chapter 20 throughout the sermon
We're gonna be staying there in first Kings chapter 20
And then look let's look what happens in verse number four and the king of Israel answered and said my lord
Oh king according to thy saying I am thine and all that I have so think about this think about how crazy
This is Ben
Hey dad just comes up to to a have and says give me your wives
Give me your kids and give me everything that you have and what is a Habs response
He's my lord. Okay, all that I have is in nine hand. He just rolls over
He just gives up and he completely just obliges the request of this evil man this absolutely insane request
I mean sometimes we read the Bible and we're just like, oh, yeah, we're reading another Bible story
But actually put yourself in that position imagine if some man just came up to your house
Knocked on the door and said I'm coming to take your wives your kids and everything that you had and you're like my lord the king
Oh, everything I have is in your hands. Do you imagine being that week? Do you imagine being that type of man?
It's and this is the king of Israel. He's this week. So the first don't in spiritual warfare
Don't be intimidated by the demands of the wicked don't be intimidated
By the demands of the wicked because oftentimes the wicked today or the devil is not going to be as brazen as Ben
Hey dad is here. The devil's not gonna just come up to you. The wicked person is not gonna just come up to you and be like
Hey, I'm about to try to kidnap your children
You know the the public school isn't gonna come up to you and say hey
We want to defile your children and cause them to hate God by the time that they graduate from this establishment
They're not gonna just come out and say that to you
But the fact is the threats are there the threats are there and sometimes, you know
You may actually get a brazen threat like this, but regardless we should not be
Intimidated by the threats of the wicked. What's a really wicked group that we see today in our culture the sodomites the homos
It's it's one of the biggest issues of our day and that's why unfortunately as gross of a topic that it is
That's why we have to constantly talk about it so much is because this group this these homos are trying
To what take our wives our children and everything that we have that is their goal
Mambla man boy love association trying to lower the age of consent below 18 so that these homos can do whatever they want their children
This is a real group of people that just like Ben
Hey dad is coming after our our children coming after our wives and coming after everything that we have
But you know what a lot of pastors today in this country remind me a lot of a hab right here where they're just rolling over
Where they're just rolling over to the threats of the wicked. I'll read for you a quote from this pastor pastor Mark Winfield
We'll just call him pastor a hab from now on because that's what he is
Pastor a hab of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. This is a Texas Baptist pastor
He voted for his church and his church voted to allow
Homosexuals to come in and be full members of the church and to be able to get married by the church
And this is what he said
He said any congregation that thinks they're not going to deal with this issue
The issue of homosexuals wanting to get married and become members are living in a bubble that's going to burst
We want to open our arms to as many people and say you're welcome here now
Tell me is that not exactly like a hab Ben?
Hey dad is just saying hey
I'm coming for you and he's just like we want to open our arms to you and let you know that we love you
You know my lord the king my lord Oh homos my lord Oh faggots
Coming to come into our church and just have whatever you want because that's what you're doing because that's what these people are their predators
They openly say that they're predators and this pastor is just like come on in we want you in
Pastor Ahab and a lot of pastors are like that today go to Amos, you know, I think about pastor me here
He's literally getting death threats
He's literally getting a bomb thrown into his church and you see him being intimidated by the threats of the wicked
Absolutely, not he's actually a real man of God
He's not pastor a have that we see all over this country go to Amos chapter
Number five and I'll read a couple verses for you before we get there
Psalm 97 10 the Bible says ye that loved the Lord hate evil. He preserved at the souls of the Saints
He delivered them out of the hand of the wicked
The Bible says that if we love the Lord we need to hate evil now evil in the Bible is often talking about
Harm and you know, what is harmful someone coming in and taking your husband your wife and your kids and all that you possess
That's evil, right? So Ahab here. What was he not doing? He was not hating evil. Of course, he didn't love the Lord elsewhere in the Bible
He's actually referenced as someone who hates the Lord now
I don't know if that was at this time in this story if he had hated the Lord
But that is something that the Bible says but the Bible says that we should love the Lord and hate evil
We should hate anyone that would want to come do harm to our families and I'm not just talking physically
I'm talking spiritually as well
We should hate the evil that wants to infect our families and our homes and our churches in turning them away from God
We should hate and reject the evil Matthew chapter 10
I'll read for you verse 28 the Bible says in fear not them which kill the body
But are not able to kill to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell
So that's what Ahab should have done
He should have sat there and fought to the death for his wife for his children and for his household
But instead at the first the first request of this wicked person. He just rolls over
He just gives everything he has, you know
We should actually fear the Lord instead of the evil people in this world and realize that the worst thing that they could do
To us is kill us and then we're gonna lift up our eyes and be in heaven, you know
When they die, they're gonna lift up their eyes and be in hell
The worst thing they could do to us is send us to heaven early
Therefore we should not be afraid of anything that they can do to us and we should protect our families
While we're on this earth Amos chapter 5 verse 15 the Bible says hate the evil and love the good
Established judgment in the gate. It may be that the Lord of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph
The Bible says hate the evil love the good
But what do we see a have doing loving evil and hating good hating his family?
You know, that's actually the state of a lot of pastors and a lot of churches in our country today any pastor that would allow
Homosexuals to come into their church hates their church period they hate their church members because they're not willing to protect them
They're not willing to protect them from people that are gonna come in and molest the children that are in that church
In fact instead that the pastor just wants to love the evil love the wicked person
You know what?
It's the same thing for parents that want to just drop their kids off with their uncle sodomite
You're hating your kids at that point. You need to protect your children. Let's go to Romans chapter 1 Romans chapter 1
The Bible describes these sodomites as the worst people the worst people that exist on the planet
The most vile sinners that exist is how the Bible describes the sodomites in Romans chapter 1 look at verse 26
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections
For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature and likewise also the men
Leaving the natural use of the woman burn in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and
Receiving in themselves that recompense of their error, which was me
So nobody can escape from this passage that this is talking about the sodomites. No one can wiggle out of this
It's women going after that which is against nature
It's men with men burning in their lust one toward another no one can twist this passage and say that this is not talking about sodomites
What does the Bible say about them verse number 28 and even as as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge
God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient now
Now the Bible is going to describe what these people are like being filled with all
Unrighteousness all unrighteousness every wicked thing that is possible for a human being to do
The Bible says that sodomites are just full of all of it's full of all of it fornication wickedness
covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity
whispers back biters haters of God
despiteful proud boasters
inventors of evil things
Disobedient to parents without understanding covenant breakers without natural affection
implacable
Unmerciful who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same
But have pleasure in them that do them. There's no escaping this passage
There's no escaping the fact that the Bible says that homosexuals invent evil things
There's no escaping the fact that the Bible says that fags hate God that they're filled with all unrighteousness
That they're filled with murder that they're filled with all these things
There's no escaping what the Bible says on this
So, you know what it tells you about a pastor who ignores what the Bible says on this and rather invites them into their church
It tells you that they're like a half
It tells you that they are intimidated by the enemy that they are intimidated by the threats of the wicked
Instead of fearing God you can tell that they fear man
That is what I can immediately tell you about any pastor that does that because guess what if you've read this Bible
You cannot come away with this stupid mentality that we should love the homos
You cannot come away with this stupid mentality that they're just like any other sinner and they're our brother
And we need to love them and we need to love them to Christ
You cannot come away with that mentality from the Bible you come away from that mentality
By being a fear of man by fearing man and not by fearing God and a have he's not gonna stand up and tell you
Oh the Bible tells me to allow this wicked man to take my wife and kids
He's not gonna to make such a stupid statement
But yet pastors will make that exact stupid statement about letting homos into their church
Oh, the Bible says we should love them
No, actually the Bible says that they're worthy of death in the New Testament
Actually, the Bible says that they hate God and they don't even want to retain God in their knowledge
Please tell me how if the church is an institution that preaches about God and glorifies God and is all about God
Why the homos would want to be here anyways? Oh, yeah
Because they want to infiltrate to molest children. That's why has nothing to do with them wanting to love and serve God
They don't want to have any interest in that
You know what these pastors know that a lot of these pastors know that they're just too cowardly to do anything about it
They're too cowardly to face the music that they would face with society since there's cultural pressure to accept the homosexuals
They're too afraid to face that music then to face the queers. It's sick. It's sad
And you know what every single pastor that lets homos in their church. I see them
Like I see a have a man that would just let some other man come in and take his wife and his kids and all that
He has that's how weak you are if you're a pastor and you allow homosexuals into your church
Let's go to go back to first Kings. So that's the first don't in spiritual warfare. Hey, don't be afraid
Don't be intimidated by the threats of the wicked. We're on the Lord's side
You know can no one can lay anything to the charge of God's elect if God before us who can be against us, right?
Don't be intimidated by the wicked. Look at first Kings chapter 20
Let's read verses 5 through 6 and the messengers came again and said thus speaketh Ben
Hey dad saying although I have sent unto thee saying thou shalt deliver me thy silver and thy gold and my wives and my children
Yet I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time and they shall search thine house and the houses of thy servants
And it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in nine eyes
They shall put in their hand and take it away the next don't in spiritual warfare
Don't try to placate the implacable don't try to placate the implacable
Notice a have is was so stupid as to say yes to this ridiculous request
This ridiculous request to take his wives and his kids and all that he has and Ben
Hey dad when he sees that a have agreed to that he's like actually, you know what, you know at first I sent you for that
But I actually want more than that. Not only do I want your wives. Not only do I want your kids
Not only do I want all your silver and gold
I want to enter into your home and I want to enter into all your servants homes and whatsoever is pleasant in your eyes
whatsoever you desire whatsoever you like a have I want to take all of it and then
Now then we see a have get a little upset in verse number nine
Well, we'll read this in a second, but let's just read the last part of this
I'm sorry, which which verse is it here verse 7 mark. I pray you and see how this man seeketh mischief
So a have he says yes to the stupid request then when he goes and asks for all of his stuff
He's like, oh man, this guy is seeking mischief which mischief in the Bible isn't like oh
Mischievous Tommy took the cookies again mischief the word mischief in the Bible is an extremely wicked person a very very evil person
And so a habs like oh now I could tell that this guy is seeking for mischief
Well, it's like hey idiots don't placate the implacable to begin with to begin with when the wicked gives a demand to you
You know, whatever happened to the phrase. We don't negotiate with terrorists. Why don't you negotiate with terrorists?
We don't negotiate with terrorists because they're implacable because they're gonna kill themselves and everyone else
They I mean you can't you can't reason with these people you can't reason with reprobates. You can't reason with the devil
You can't reason with sin. You should not try to placate the implacable
We need to draw the line where God draws the line on every subject and not try to just you know, okay
You know, I'll just I'll have one drink. I'll just drink in moderation with you
You know, the Bible says not to even look on the wine when it's red
But what does the devil want to do?
The devil wants you to just start drinking socially or to start drinking in moderation, you know
But we shouldn't try to placate the implacable
The devil's not gonna be ever ever be satisfied with you sinning just a little the devil wants you to be as wicked as he is
the devil wants to as many people to enter into hell with him as
Possible and he's never gonna be placated, you know, some people have really wicked family members, you know
It's a horrible situation. Some people may even have reprobate family members. They're never gonna be okay with you
Just sinning a little bit. They're never gonna be okay with you serving God
So you shouldn't even try to placate them a little bit
The Bible says that they're implacable in Romans chapter 1 you shouldn't try to give them an inch. They will take a mile
They will take a mile and when you're dealing in life with people like Ben Hey dad
Wicked people if you try to give in to any of their requests, they will just request more
So you might as well just make your stand on what the Word of God says
You know the men of God took a lot of great stands in the Bible when wicked men were trying to get them to not preach
In the name of Jesus Christ, you know and Peter's like we should obey God rather than men, you know Daniel
He didn't bow to Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar's idol. He worshiped the Lord
He didn't try to placate the implacable. There's no point because they're never going to be appeased
There's absolutely no point in doing so we think about all the stuff that the world wants us to do
You know, the the message of the world is that fornication is okay just as long as you love each other, you know
And in some places not even that it's just totally fine no matter what but don't ever don't ever buy that lie
Bible says flee fornication
Don't ever buy the lie that the devil's selling you to try to get you to into just a little bit of sin
No, he's never gonna be placated. The world's never gonna be placated just make your stand on what the Bible says for every single subject
And this will help you if you have family members, you know, oh just this one Sunday come to the barbecue
It's like nope. It's never Sunday. It's never a Sunday. I'm going to the family event. It's like, oh, come on
It's it's Thursday night. Just come to the the family hangout. It's like no, it's it's never a Thursday night. Not one time
Oh, just come on have one have one wine tasting event with us. It's no it's never happening
Not one single time because guess what? They're never gonna be satisfied with that and they're just gonna want it the next time the next
Time and the next time you have this mentality of never trying to placate the implacable
You're gonna be a lot stronger in Christian warfare and a hab was such a fool here to even say yes
To begin with and now he's upset that Ben Haida is asking for more. What do you expect? That's how the world is
That's how the devil is. Let's go to first Kings chapter 20
Let's read verse number seven then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said mark
I pray you and see how this man seeketh mischief
For he sent for me for my wives and for my children and for my silver and for my gold and I denied him
Not so a habs upset why not because that a have asked for his wives his kids his silver and gold
But because Ben Haydard, sorry, then Haydard asked to have whatsoever is pleasant in a habs eyes
So what is a have worried about here? Is he worried about his family? No, he's worried about his stuff
He's worried about the stuff that he finds pleasant in his eyes. Here's another don't in spiritual warfare
Don't worry about your worldly possessions
Don't give any love or thought or care to your worldly possessions because this life is a vapor
It's gonna go like this and none of it you can take with you. None of it. You're even gonna remember
There's no remembrance of former things. Ecclesiastes chapter 1 says you're not gonna remember your nice house
You're not gonna remember your cool car. You're not gonna remember your boat
You know what you're gonna remember the souls that you won to Christ
You know what you're gonna remember the times that you spent writing your reading your Bible and doing spiritual things
That's actually what's gonna matter in eternity
But all of the things that are pleasant in Ahab's eyes don't matter at all
But yet as his family is about to be taken away, what is he thinking about the stuff that's pleasant in his eyes?
It's absolutely sad. Oh, let's go to 2nd Timothy chapter number 3 2nd Timothy chapter number 3 2nd Timothy chapter 3
Or I'm sorry chapter number 2 verse 3 the Bible says thou therefore
Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warith
Entangle with himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier
So in spiritual warfare in this in this battle that we're in every single day
It makes no sense when we're in the midst of a battle to be thinking about our 401k's our
Retirement our homes and all the stuff and we're in the midst of a battle, you know
You were in the military brother Nick. Do you imagine being in a firefight?
People shooting at you your brother's dying around you and you're like man
I wonder if I wonder if I'm gonna get my fence stained black or brown. Oh, man
I wonder I wonder how my 401k is doing man. I wonder I should really get a boat
It'd be fun to have a boat. No, you're not thinking about that when you're in warfare. You're focused on war
You're focused on the fact that there's a battle going around that there's casualties happening around you. You're worried about defeating the enemy
Hey, that's why the Bible says no man that war it entangle with himself with the things of this life
You cannot be a successful a successful soldier and be entangling yourself with all the garbage of this world
You have to have a mindset that's focused on the battle and that's why daily we have to crucify the flesh
Daily, we have to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and put and and have that in our minds because our carnal mind is not
Worried about the spiritual battle our car our carnal mind wants to be worried about all the things that are pleasant in our eyes
Bible says that the eyes of man are never satisfied, you know
The eyes are never gonna be satisfied with seeing your ears are never gonna be filled with hearing the Bible says
But yet we have to realize even though we can't see it that we are in a battle at all times
If you're saved you're in that battle and if you're just a soldier that's cared about the affairs of this life
Then you're gonna be slaughtered
You're gonna you're gonna be strewn and destroyed in the Christian life in warfare
If you're caring about the things of this world, Matthew chapter 13 verse 22
Matthew chapter 13 verse 22 Bible says he also that received seed among the thorns
Is he that here at the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becometh
Unfruitful Jesus gives this parable and explains how if a person receives the word of God
But the care of this world the deceitfulness of riches if it gets into this person's heart that person is going to become unfruitful
And so you show me a Christian that loves money you show me a Christian that cares about the things of this world so much
I'll show you a Christian that's unfruitful
I'll show you a Christian that's not going soul-winning that's not worried about reading his Bible because he's more worried about his money
And guess what you and I would not be the first Christian
Destroyed by the love of money because it happens all the time especially in our country that is so blessed by God that is so rich
Compared to how other people throughout history have lived every single person in this country is a king is an absolute king
You know, I went to Mexico earlier this year and Mexico is not even you know, one of the most poor places in the whole world
It's I mean, it's not like certain places in Africa
But yet their garbage disposal system was a man on a donkey hauling a trailer and I'm just like wow
We are spoiled. We don't even realize I came back into the United States. I was like ready to kiss the ground
I mean, it's just so nice here. So amazing here. You know what I mean, but us as Americans, you know
We're just we're so infected with the love of money, but we should care about things that actually matter
Here's a do in spiritual warfare actually care about the things that matter Colossians chapter 3. Let's go over there Colossians
Colossians chapter number 3 Colossians 3 look at verse number 1 if you then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above
Where's Christ sit on the right hand of God set your affection on things above not on things on the earth
We are dead and your life is hid with Christ and God a lot of people struggle with zeal in the Christian life and
Wanting to serve God and wanting to read their Bible and it just shows that their affection is not set on things above
But the more that you put your eye what you put in front of your eyes
Bible says mine eye affecteth mine heart
You know if your if your affection is on a bunch of garbage if your affection is on your truck on your house
All the things that you find pleasant in the sight of your eyes
It tells me you should change what your eyes are looking at if you want your eyes to desire godly things
Maybe you should just stick that Bible in front of your face for 15 minutes a day
Do that for a few months, then you might actually start to enjoy it and that maybe you man
I want to read it 30 minutes. You know I got a lot of time today
I want to read the Bible for an hour today
Then you could actually have that be the desire of your eyes and now
Like Colossians 3 says then your affection can be on things above and not on things on the earth
Makes no sense setting your affection on things that aren't gonna last makes no sense having your affection on things that you're not even gonna
Remember when you're in heaven, it's a complete waste of time and ahab is willing to sacrifice his wife
Ahab is willing to sacrifice his children and his entire household
Why for the things that are pleasant in his sight because he's not actually caring about the things that actually matter
You know a lot of of dads
They would never read a chapter of the Bible to their children in the evening
they would never have a family Bible time where they get together and they pay respect and
An honor to the Lord Jesus Christ, but that same man would never miss a good business deal
He would never let that that slip by, you know
A man would never go out a lot of a lot of men in this country would never go out and spend a Saturday
Outpreaching the gospel Lord Jesus Christ, but they would never ever miss an overtime shift that was offered to them on Saturday
Why because their affection is on the wrong things?
That's why and when you as a Christian and when I as a Christian if we allow our heart and our eyes
To be affectionate towards the things of this world
You know, we're setting ourselves up for failure in the Christian battle
We need to actually care about things that matter go back to first Kings 20
I'll read for you first Timothy chapter 6 verse 10
The Bible says for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they've erred from the faith and
Pierce themselves through with many sorrows, you know, it's such a paradox because people are just chasing after money
They want money they want money they want money, but the Bible says that it just pierces you through with many sorrows
You know, it says that the it drowns men in destruction and perdition
The Bible gives a picture of just someone drowning you think about people in debt
They often describe it as I'm just drowning in debt
It's funny how you use that language because that's what the Bible describes
Loving money as your life being like or being pierced through with many sorrows, you know
More money more problems. That's what people say right and it's true. That's what the Bible says
It's like you're just piercing yourself through with many sorrows when your affections are on your money when your affections are on things
That your eyes can desire instead of on the Lord
You're never gonna be pierced through with many sorrows at the end of the day for loving the Lord Jesus Christ
You may have affliction you may have problem
But at the end of the day all things work together for good to them that love God, you know
It's all gonna work together for good
But you know what your failed investments aren't always gonna work together for good
You're a truck that you bought that breaks down or gets total the next day
It's not always gonna work together for good
You know everything that you do for the Lord will work together for good in your life back to first Kings chapter number 20 verse 8
Verse 8 and all the elders and all the people said unto him Harkin not unto him nor consent
I find this so funny
Ahab's all upset that Ben Haydads coming for him and he he tells all of his elders and the people what's happening
How Ben Haydads seeking for mischief and you know what their response is. They're like Harkin not unto him nor consent
It's like how this is some groundbreaking advice guys
Don't let him do it and Ahab's just like that's stupid that he needs that kind of counsel
But here's another do in spiritual warfare do resist the devil. Let's read this verse again Harkin not unto him nor consent
It's like hey when the enemy's coming for you when the devil's coming for you when the world wants to get you to sin
Harkin not unto him nor consent. It really is that simple now. It's hard, but at least it's simple. It's simple
We do need to resist the devil go to Matthew chapter number four and I'll read for you James
Chapter four verse seven the Bible says submit yourselves therefore to God resist the devil and he will flee from you
It's actually commandment of God for us to resist the devil. And of course, we're all gonna be tempted to sin
But the difference is do you at least resist? Do you at least put up a fight?
You know, sometimes we're going to not be successful in in our fight with the flesh and we're going to sin
Obviously every single person in here is going to sin until the day that they die. But do you at least resist?
I feel like a lot of Christians don't even resist when they're tempted to sin
It's just like they want to look they look they want to drink they drink they want to go there they go there
you know, they do all the all of the lusts of the flesh without even putting up a fight and
This is what the council they're giving you're like consent not unto him. Just say no resist the devil Matthew chapter 4
I had you turn there and get there myself
Matthew 4 we get a story about Jesus being tempted by the devil verse 1
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights
He was afterward and hungered and when the tempter came to him
He said if thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread
But he answered and said it is written man shall not live by bread alone
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and said of
Him on a pinnacle of the temple and saith unto him if thou be the Son of God cast thyself down for it is written
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands
They shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against the stone
Jesus said unto him it is written again thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God and again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding
High mountain and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and he saith unto them all these things
Will I give thee if that will fall down and worship me then say of Jesus unto him get the hand Satan for it is written
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and of course the Lord Jesus Christ gives us the best
Example ever of resisting the devil the Lord Jesus Christ obviously is perfect and he never sinned
He was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin
But when he was tempted of the devil he resisted the devil and how did he do that with the word of God?
With the sword of the Spirit his weapon the sword of the Spirit the word of God obviously Jesus is the word of God
So he has the ultimate advantage
He can just quote anything at any time and that should motivate us to memorize Scripture right there because that's our weapon in
Spiritual warfare that is how we resist the Benhades that come into our life. It's by the word of God go to Ephesians chapter 6
I'll prove that to you Ephesians chapter number 6 we get a list of the armor of God
Ephesians 6 look at verse 13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to
stand stand therefore having your loins gird about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of
the gospel of peace
Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of
Salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching there
Unto with all perseverance and supplications for all Saints
So Bible gives us a list of the full armor of God and everything that we need and this list is full of a lot
Of defensive pieces of the armor, but the one offensive piece is the sword and what is it the word of God?
That is how we fight that is how we resist the devil with the sword of the spirit and Jesus gave us that perfect
Example in Matthew chapter 4 that's how he did it and so this advice that they give to Ahab
You know, that's good advice for us spiritually resist
Don't consent to the demands of the enemy. Don't can't don't
Consent to your family that wants you to go drink with them that your family wants you to go and do all these wicked things
With them don't consent to them resist and how do you do it? You do it with the Word of God
I'll read for you turn back to first Kings 20
I'll read for you first Peter chapter 5 the Bible says be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion
Walketh about seeking whom he may devour
whom
Resist steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world
So the Bible straight-up says, you know resist the devil steadfast in your faith
Continuously do it. Don't ever give up just continuously
Resist sin continuously resist the devil can sin continually resist evil people
Hey, I don't care if we have to preach on the sodomites until Jesus comes. We're gonna continuously resist those people
We're gonna continuously and steadfastly
Resist the wicked people that want to come in here. I don't care what Ben Haydad demands of us
We're gonna continuously resist them with the sword of the spirit first Kings chapter number 23 verse 9
And he came thither unto a cave and lodge there. I'm sorry for one chapter verse
number nine
Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben Haydad tell my lord the king all that thou didest send
For to thy servant at the first will I do so he's still not resisting. He's saying okay. I'll do everything you said at the beginning
but this thing I may not do and the messengers departed and brought him word again and
Ben Haydad sent unto him and said the gods do so unto me and more also if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for
Handfuls for all the people that follow me and the king of Israel answered and said tell him
Let not him that girdeth on his harness
Boast himself as he that putteth it off and it came to pass when Ben Haydad heard this message as he was drinking
He and the kings and the pavilions that he said unto his servants set yourselves in array and they set themselves in array
Against the city my set my another don't in spiritual warfare is do not be prideful
Do not be prideful notice what Ben Haydad says
This is actually a pretty pretty epic threat except it was an empty threat because he got wrecked
This just goes to show why you shouldn't be prideful. But look what he says. He says the gods do so unto me and more
Also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me
He's saying I've got so many people following me
I've got so many people that's coming after you a have that if each of them were to pick up some handfuls of dust
In the land of Samaria, the dust would not be able to suffice for how many people I'm coming at you with
I mean that was just that's big words, right? That's a threat right there. It reminds me of the Russians
Okay, I I used to live in an area with a lot of Russians
I worked with Russians worked for a Russian company and this is the type of threats that they give they're like just like hardcore epic threats
Right, but they do struggle with pride. Okay, so we got to preach against that kind of stuff
There's a big threat but look what Ahab says in verse 11
Let not him that girdeth on his harnessed boast himself as he that put it off now
Like I said at the beginning the sermon both of these kings are wicked
But what Ahab said right here is a very very good quote what he said is very true
Let not him that put it on his harness boast himself as him that put it it off
He's saying hey just because you're getting ready to come to war doesn't mean that you're walking out of here alive
Just because you're putting on you know, you're ar-15. You're strapping up just because you're putting on your chest rig and everything
Hey, don't boast yourself as him that comes out of the battle wearing those things because you might be laying dead in the battle
I mean, that's true, right and spiritually in the Christian life if you're prideful man
That is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in spiritual warfare is being prideful
Let's go to Proverbs chapter 11 and let's look at some verses on pride
Pride is one of the quickest ways you could destroy yourself in the Christian life
Proverbs chapter 11 verse 2 the Bible says when pride cometh then cometh shame but with the lowly is
Wisdom when pride cometh then cometh shame and what could be worse for a prideful person than experiencing shame, right?
Because all they want to feel is glory and how great they are
But God says when you're prideful, you know what you're gonna experience shame that is what Ben Haydad was going to experience
Proverbs 16 verse 18 flip over to the right Proverbs 16 18 Bible says pride
Goeth before destruction and in haughty spirit before a fall
So now if we're in a Christian warfare and we want to succeed we don't want to be destroyed
We don't want to fall the last thing we should do is become prideful
Is to be to be lifted up about ourselves or about our church or about our movement or about anything about us and think that we're so
Great what rather we should be humble Proverbs 29 flip over to write a few more pages Proverbs 29 verse 23
Man's pride shall bring him low but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit
So the Bible is very consistent about this those that are prideful. You're going to be a base. You're going to be destroyed
It doesn't matter how godly you were in the past and you got to think about it
Just because we're serving God today on this date in 2021 does not mean that you will be on this date in
2022 hey just because maybe you've been sober for two years three years five years
However long you know, you've been sober does not mean that you cannot fall into that again in the future and just because you know
You've been living a clean life and you've been faithful to your spouse for a few years does not mean that you can never fail again
in the future and when we decide that we're so great and that we've arrived spiritually and that we can never fall and you know
There's a lot of men in hurt here. Praise God. They're learning to preach and you're like, oh, you know, I'm a preacher now
I'm on a whole different level. That's a horrible horrible mentality to have the Lord Jesus Christ did not have that mentality
He had the mindset of a servant. He humbled himself. He was God in the flesh yet. He humbled himself
He had every right to be prideful, but he was not and not a single human being on this earth has a right to be prideful
Period I don't care how good you think you are. I don't care how much Bible, you know
I don't care how many sermons you preach. I don't care how many souls that you've won to Christ out there
None of us are worthy of being prideful. In fact, if you do it, you'll experience shame. You'll be you'll be lowered
You'll be destroyed. And so don't ever don't ever say, you know, we're coming at you from pure words Baptist Church
You know what if you guys just picked up the dust of Houston, it wouldn't suffice for us. It's like no
No, don't boast yourself. You know, don't boast yourself that you've already won the battle basically is what Ahab says
Don't boast yourself as if you've already won the battle
I'll read for you Galatians 6 3 the Bible says for if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing
Pay attention to this he deceive it himself, but let every man prove his own work
And then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another one of the most frustrating things about pride
one of the most frustrating things about prideful people is that the the sin of pride is the most
Self-deceiving sin that there is Bible says that when you think yourself to be something when you're nothing you deceive yourself and man
It's so frustrating when everyone in the room can spot the prideful person
But that person cannot cannot spot it in himself that person doesn't realize how prideful he's being yet
Everyone around can see and can usually hear that someone's prideful by the things that come out of their mouth
And then I like how the Bible says let every man prove his own work. Let every man prove his own work
This always makes me think of like the single people that get on Facebook and want to start like a marriage blog and it's like
Hey, what are you doing? Like you have no idea what you're talking about
It's like let it he that thinks himself to be something when he's nothing he deceives himself. Hey, let every man prove his own work
Hey, why don't you just show me the godly children that you've raised and then maybe you can teach people what the Bible said
Or not what the Bible says, but maybe some advice
Obviously, we should preach the Bible's principles no matter what no matter what stage in life that you're at or you know, every every
Mom wants to have her own blog, right?
Every mom wants to have her own blog about her breastfeeding and her child
Rearing and she wants to start the video blogs and teach everyone how to parent and it's like you have no kids
Why don't you prove your own work? You know, it's like you have one kid that was born yesterday
Why don't you prove your own work for a while?
Why don't you just shut up and just be a godly person and just be humble and just raise godly children?
And then prove your own work and then you'll have rejoicing in yourself
How stupid would it be for my oldest child to not even be two years old and maybe like let me tell you
Something about raising teenagers. All right, I got this great advice
He's so stupid be so stupid to boast myself going into the battle as someone who's gone out of it
Why don't you listen to the person who's been in the battle and has come out of it?
You know, that's the what the prideful person is a person who's never even experienced battle yet wants to tell you all about it
Right the the YouTube commenters on all of all the gun videos, right that have that have seen combat on Call of Duty so much
You know, and they're ready to tell you how to go through Iraq and kick down doors
It's so stupid, but people do this spiritually all the time child rearing, you know preaching whatever it is soul winning
Just be humble just realize that no one has arrived. Nobody knows, you know, all the best parenting methods
No one knows all the best soul winning methods. No one knows all the best, you know preaching tips and tricks rather
We should just be humble do what the Bible says and get advice from people who've actually gone through the battle and not just get
Advice from every person that wants to open their mouth to you. Let's go to
first Kings chapter 20
First Kings 20, let's read verse 23
So we're gonna we're gonna skip forward a little bit because we're talking about his pride
They end up getting defeated and then they have a second battle and notice
We're gonna see if his attitude has changed after getting defeated and the servants of Syria said unto him
Their gods are the gods of the hills therefore they were stronger than we but let us fight against them in the plane and surely we
shall be stronger than they and do this thing take the Kings away every man out of his place and put captains in their
Rooms and number thee an army like the army that thou has lost
Horse for horse and chariot for chariot and we will fight against them in the plane and surely we but we shall be stronger than
They and he hearken under their voice and did so and it came to pass at the return of the year that ben
Haydad number the syrians it went up to a feck to fight against Israel and the children of Israel were numbered and we're all
Present and went against them and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids
But the syrians filled the country and there came a man of God and spake unto the king of Israel and said
Thus saith the Lord because the syrians have said the Lord is God of the hills, but he is not the God of the valleys
Therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand and ye shall know that I am the Lord and they pitched one
Over against the other seven days and so it was that in the seventh day the battle was joined and the children of Israel
Slew on the Syrians slew of the Syrians and hundred thousand footmen in one day
But the rest fled to a feck into the city and there a wall fell upon
27,000 of the men that were left and Ben Hadad fled came into the city into an inner chamber
So we see he was prideful at the beginning. He gets destroyed. He's prideful again. He gets destroyed even harder, right and
Israel pitched before this great host of
Enemies and the Bible says that they were like two little flocks of kids tiny number tiny number
But guess what when you're humble and you trust in the Lord
It actually gives glory to God when you win when you're prideful and you're talking about there's not even enough dust in this country
To suffice all of my soldiers and we're gonna destroy you we're gonna win
Well when you win then you get all the glory because look at you run in your mouth, right?
But when you're humble when you're two little flocks of kids in front of the enemy and you do mighty things for God that gives
Glory to the Lord and that's what the prophet said he's coming and saying hey
I'm gonna let you win so that you may know that I am the Lord and so that that encourages me
When we're in a church that by the world's standards, this is not a huge church
You know when we when we pitch our tent before Joel Osteen's church, we're like two little flocks of kids, aren't we?
But you know what we're going out and we're preaching the gospel and we could turn this city upside down for God
We could absolutely destroy the enemies. Hey, Texas is full of false prophets
but you know what when we're humble and we trust in the Lord with all our heart lean not unto our own understanding and
Acknowledge him in all our ways and he shall direct our paths the Bible says so hey, you know
We can we can defeat all these false prophets with the Lord's help and that's how we should always be not just like oh man
We could we could get everything done. We can knock out that whole map. We could destroy every false prophet because we're so awesome
No, it's not because we're so awesome. It's because we have an awesome God
That's why you know, forgive me for using a very corny and cringy illustration, but it is true
It absolutely is true that song had to ruin that phrase, but he is awesome
He he does he is full of all our God is and so, you know, I'm not gonna let them steal that phrase
We're gonna take it back. So do stay humble and trust the Lord's promises
Do stay humble and trust the Lord's promises go to 1st Corinthians chapter 10 1st Corinthians chapter 10 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12
The Bible says wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall
And so those you know us in this church, you know
You probably have come a long way from where you used to be in your spiritual life
You guys have a great pastor that feeds you the meat of the word. We're out here doing the work of God
You know, you can't be in this church and not grow but no matter how much you've grown you've grown
Realize that you can fall in the future that you are a sinner that you do have weak flesh. I have weak flesh
I am a sinner and even though you may stand today you may fall tomorrow
So instead of being prideful about how much you've achieved how far you've come how long you've been sober rather just every single day
You should just realize how weak you are and put on the Lord Jesus Christ
Every single day realize that where you are in life is nothing but by the grace of God nothing else
You think that the two little flocks of kids, you know how it looked in front of that army
Do you think they won because of their strength? I think it won because they had better weapons
Absolutely not they won because of the Lord
And so it doesn't matter how weak and how fragile we are because we are if every day we're humble and realize
That God has put us where we were where we are and that God is allowing us to do everything that we're doing
Then we can continue to have that victory
But the moment that we get lifted up expect to fall the moment that you think you're where you are
Because you've worked so hard and I've done so much for the Lord and I help this church so much
no rather it's God is allowing me to do all these things and praise God for it and keep that mentality and then you can live the
Rest of your life and continuously be used by God and not have to fall not have to experience that shame
Which none of us want anyways, so we need to continuously stay humble go to Proverbs chapter 22
You know back to my example of child rearing and marriage and all that stuff instead of just saying you know
What I am gonna raise godly kids because I found the best
Mom articles, and I use the best essential oils, and I know everything about this rather look at Proverbs 22 verse 6
It says train up the child in the way
He should go and when he is old he will not depart from it rather
We should say hey
You know if I'm faithful in doing what I'm supposed to do as a parent and if I raise up the child in the ways
He should go then hey when he's old he won't depart from it that we can confidently say that's not prideful
It's not prideful to say hey if we obey the Bible our kids will grow up and be godly children
That's not prideful at all, but it is prideful when it's like oh, well if you don't do this method
You're gonna destroy I gotta do this method same thing with marriage same thing same thing with business same thing with soul winning
Same thing with preaching. It's not us. It's not the arm of flesh that gives us the victory
it is what the Bible says it's following the principles and the precepts of the Bible and
Staying humble you can't you have to have both you go
You cannot follow the precepts of the Bible and be prideful because you're not following all the precepts of the Bible at that point
Okay, so you think you have to have both I'll read for you a Philippians 4 13
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me so it's through Christ that we can do all things
We can defeat all enemies we could win all battles through Christ not through ourself
But go back to first Kings chapter number 20. Let's look at verse number 14
Let's let's get back to 13 and behold there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel saying thus saith the Lord
As thou seen all this great multitude behold I will deliver it into thine hand this day thou shalt know that I'm the Lord
So the prophet says you're gonna win the battle look at verse 14 and Ahab said by whom and he said thus saith the Lord
Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces, then he said who shalt order the battle
Well, that's a silly question King Ahab. You are the king. You are the leader. What kind of question is this?
Hey, who's gonna order the battle? Uh thou that's the answer thou and so here's another do in spiritual warfare
Do take action when you hear the word of God do take action when you hear the word of God
This cracks me up. This story is just so crazy on every twist and turn of this story
It's just mind-blowing to me and Ahab is just like alright. Alright, so we're gonna win who's gonna who's gonna lead the battle
You're the king man thou, okay, but yet sometimes we're just as dense we hear sermon after sermon after sermon and you're like, yeah
Yeah, that's the truth. That's what the Bible says, you know, someone really should apply that to their lives
It's like oh, yeah now you should apply that to your life
You the individual I the individual when we hear what the Bible says, it's like oh thou me
We should order the battle us as men. Hey, we should lead the battle in our homes
Even ladies you should be leading the battle when dad's not there raising the children
All of us are leaders to an extent go to James chapter 1 James chapter number 1 James chapter number 1
Look at verse number 22 be ye doers of the word and not hearers only
Deceiving your own selves for if any man be a hearer of the word and not a doer
He is like a he's like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass for behold
For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was
So Bible describes someone that would read the Bible and that would learn truth from it or that would hear the word of God preached
In church and we learn a truth and then to them just hear it believe it but not apply it to their life
That's like someone that just walks into the mirror in the morning sees that they look like trash
Sees that they need to shave see that they got a piece of macaroni and cheese stuck in there in their teeth still or whatever
And they're just like all right. Let's go to work. It's like a have now
Lead the battle apply the word of God to yourself in your home every single person needs to apply the Bible to themselves
I'll read for you Psalms 12 one the Bible says help Lord for the godly man
Ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men
So Ahab's asked this question who's going to lead and the man of God tells him thou and that's a that's a great question
In a lot of areas of life right now who is going to lead?
Where's the faithful man to lead our country a softer man, but I found none
There's there's no faithful man leading our country right now. It doesn't exist
Okay, where are the faithful men to lead churches all over America? Hey the faithful fail from among the children men
There's very few help Lord for the godly man Ceaseth
There's a lot of people that are asking this question that they have asked who's gonna lead the battle and the Lord's saying thou
But a lot of people just aren't doing it
A lot of people don't want to sacrifice and actually lead the Lord's battle and not even in a church perspective
Even in homes. I mean America has a
Ceasing a lack of godly men to lead their homes
That's why we see our country falling apart is because men are not leaving their homes. That's the reason
That's how you even raise a feminist to begin with because dad didn't lead his home
It'd be no feminists if there was godly men raising their homes
There'd be no homos if godly men were all raising their homes
There would be no a feminine weak men if godly men were all raising people and and leading their homes
Same thing for ladies, you know, where all the faithful ladies in this country to teach their children the Bible
but instead a lot of people just want to drop off their kids at the public school and not teach them the Bible which I
Realized for some people, you know, that's that's inevitable. Maybe you're in a situation where you can't homeschool
You know, thankfully because of the corona virus
It's actually helps a lot of people start homeschooling who maybe couldn't have before now. It's just like everyone's homeschooling
So I don't even know if there's people that are still in that situation where they can't homeschool
But you know
We need faithful ladies today to to to stand up and to lead the battle in their children and to instill into them the Word
of God and instead of spending all of their time on
YouTube and on Facebook and wasting their time to actually teach their children the Bible and actually teach their children to be godly men and
Godly women and to actually make something of their life
Hey, that's the spiritual battle that ladies find themselves in today is the battle of in the home raising the next generation
Which if you ask me, that's the most important thing. That's more important than being a pastor
That's more important than almost anything is the next generation because if we don't teach the next generation then this church won't exist
You know what God forbid when pastor Shelley dies, there's no man here at pure words Baptist Church to stand up and lead
Let that not be said of pure words Baptist Church. Let that not be said of steadfast Baptist Church
We don't we it's great to have a man and it's great to have a faithful generation
But we need to have another faithful generation to come after us go to first Kings back to our story first Kings chapter 20 verse 15
Then he numbered the young man of the princes of the provinces and there were two hundred and thirty and two and after them
He numbered all the people even all the children of Israel being seven thousand and they went out at noon
But Ben Hay dad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions
he and the Kings the thirty and two kings that helped him and the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first and
Ben Hay dad sent out they told him saying there are men come out of Samaria
And he said whether they become out for a piece take them alive or whether they become out for war take them alive
so these young men the princes of the provinces came out of the city in the army which followed them and they slew everyone as man the
Syrians fled and Israel pursued them and Ben Hay dad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen
So what happens then Hay dad makes this crazy threat and he's so prideful that him and all of the leaders all of the princes
Are getting drunk and then they get destroyed. So here's a don't in spiritual warfare. Don't be drunken in the battle
Don't be drunken in the battle
I'll read for you Ephesians 5 18 and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit
Could go to 1st Peter chapter 5 1st Peter chapter 5 do be sober
I mean that in the most literal way and spiritually in your mind as well being sober being serious 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 8
be
Sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion
Walketh about seeking whom he devour. Let's think about about this illustration again of warfare
I don't care how weak you are or how
inexperienced you are if you went up against an army of people that were just drunk people that are just
Intoxicated people that are just passed out. I don't care how weak you are. You will destroy that enemy
Okay, and I don't care how great and how strong you are as a Christian when you are drunk the devil
You are just at his will you are absolutely just at the wicked's will when you are drunk
You know Bible says thine eyes shall behold strange women you will utter perverse things
The Bible says when you're drunken you are asking to be destroyed as a Christian if you want to go and get drunk
I'll read for you Habakkuk 2 15
The Bible says woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink
So a man giving another man drink that put us thy bottle to him and makest him drunken
Also that thou mayst look on their nakedness
The Bible describes that actually one of the tactics of sodomites to do the sick and perverted things that they do is to get you
Drunk that's why being at a bar is one of the worst places you can be
Even if even if you are that unicorn is supposedly drinks in moderation
Who's to say that some fag doesn't just poison your drink and just get you completely intoxicated
Hey, I've heard of stories of that happening to people that happens to people in college all the time
I don't even want to get into the sick details because it's a shame to speak of those things
But I'm telling you as a Christian if you go out and get drunk. It's only a matter of time before you seriously damage your life
It's only a matter of time before you go and kill someone in a drunk driving accident
It's only a matter of time before you take someone's wife away from them someone's mother away from them
Someone's children away from them because of your selfishness and the devil would love to destroy you with that guilt for the rest of your life
The devil would love to destroy you any way he can that's why the very first thing that the Bible says is be sober
Be vigilant if your adversary the devil is a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour
It'd be so easy to destroy someone that is drunken
It's so easy and the devil knows that if a Christian is drunken he can go in and destroy them
Anyway, he wants and it is a matter of time before you're destroyed
I've seen people in my life that I thought for the longest time man
These people are like the exception to the rule seems like they always drink alcohol seems like nothing ever bad happens to them
And so when I first got saved it took me a long time to fully understand
How bad alcohol really is because all I had ever seen is what I thought to be the exception to the rule
I'm like man these people they've never gotten a drunk driving accident. They've never gotten in a fight
They've never gotten hurt. They've never lost their teeth, you know, they've never committed adultery all these things in the Bible
But you know what that day did come and I did see these people's lives destroyed because of alcohol
And so, you know for the first 20 years of my life. I was like man. I just don't get it
I don't get why alcohol is so bad, but then I saw it, you know, the destruction comes suddenly and
Without remedy so you want to play with that fire?
I'm telling you there will be a day where the devil will hurt you or the devil will destroy you because of alcohol
So you need to just stop that now be sober now
If hey if you've had mercy from God and you've played around with that sin and you haven't had anything seriously bad happen to you yet
Praise God, but you better stop tempting the Lord
You better stop tempting the Lord because I'm telling you that will destroy you eventually being drunken
It will happen and if you realize that we're in a battle back to our carnal illustration
If you realize that there was people wanting wanting to shoot you out there wanting to kill you
Would you really be getting drunk right now? Oh, what a stupid thing to do
You wouldn't be able to defend yourself. You wouldn't be able to defend your family, but yet we are in a battle
That's just as real as the physical battle if not even more serious yet people want to get drunk today. It's absolutely stupid
1st Kings chapter 20 verse 22
So Israel wins the first battle then the prophet comes to Israel to Ahab verse 22
And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said unto him go strengthen thyself and mark and see what thou doest
For at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee
So we see he won the battle then the prophet comes up to him and says hey at the end of the year
He's gonna come fight you again. And here's this do continuously prepare yourself for the next battle in life
Do continuously prepare yourself for the next battle in life. The Christian life is a series of battles of storms
You're always in a storm going into a storm or coming out of a storm, you know
All of us we're always gonna be having problems and fights and storms in our life
And when you get out of one battle, it's not time to relax
It's not time to sit on your laurels and be like, yeah, I won
Nope
It's time to prepare for Ben Haydad coming again at the end of the year and to and to continuously build that foundation
I think about like the job of a pastor, you know, or someone who preaches three times a week
I can't that would be extremely hard, right?
But think about this a pastor or someone who preaches three times a week
They can't just finish their Sunday night sermon and just be like, oh, all right. I can walk in the flesh now
I delivered some sermons, you know now I'm good to coast. I won the battle
It's like no now
it's time to study the Word of God again and get ready for Thursday or get ready for Wednesday and
Continuously walk in the spirit and continuously be walking with God to be ready to fight that next battle
Well, you know what you and I we not we may not have that exact battle where we know
Oh, we're preaching three sermons a week, but we do have battles in our lives
We do have children to raise we do have to go preach the gospel to the lost and when we're done with a battle
It's not time to just relax. Okay. Now I can go serve the flesh. No now it's time to rebuild that foundation
I'll read for you first correct go to Matthew chapter 7 and I'll read for you first Corinthians
1558 the Bible says therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast
Unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord
That's a very you know strong verse be steadfast unmovable always always there's never a time when you should not be steadfast
There's never a time when you shouldn't be reading your Bible where you shouldn't be going to church
We shouldn't be praying where you shouldn't be preaching the gospel being steadfast eight always working for God
That's a tall order, but that is what God expects of us Matthew chapter 7 look at verse 24
Therefore whosoever here at these sayings of mine and do with them
I will liken him unto a wise man
Which built his house upon a rock and the rains descended and the flood came and the winds blew and beat upon that house
And it fell not for was founded upon a rock
everyone that here at these sayings of mine and do with them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the
Sand and the rain descended the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it
So, you know what? We're trying to build our homes here
We're trying to build our church on the Word of God and try to have that strong foundation
That's built on a rock and you know when the storm passes through what we should be doing is repairing that foundation
Building on that foundation even more being even more founded on the rock
Not just sitting back and relaxing and waiting for the next storm to come through and wipe us out
You know when we're done working for God, we just got to keep working for God and keep working for God and keep working for God
That's why church is so much is so important
You know Proverbs 27 17 says iron sharpened with iron so a man sharpened at the countenance of his friend
You know when we come together when we fellowship we're in church. We're sharpening each other
We're getting stronger and building on our foundation by each other, but the person who never goes to church
You know that foundation is just deteriorating
It's just getting more and more weak with every storm that they go through and when you come out of a storm
All it shows it just reveals to everyone the foundation that you have it reveals to everybody if you actually were founded on the rock
Or if you were founded on the sands, you know
You look at the the protests that Verity Baptist Church had back in 2016 if you guys know about it
They were protested by the sodomites for months and months and had like over 500 sodomites
It was a really really big deal and you saw a lot of people with that persecution fall away
And quit and it shows that they were not founded on the rock that they were found on the sand and even though they wore
The same suit and tie that we all wear and still carry the same Bible as they walk in
You know, you can't see a person's foundation until that storm tries them
So we got to always make sure that we're preparing for the next battle. I'll try to wrap up here
Let's go to 1st Kings chapter 20. We'll skip some parts here. We already read the Syrians got prideful again
They got destroyed again and look at verse 31. So Ben Hey dad, he's fleeing in the chariots
And his servant said unto him behold now we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings
Let us I pray thee put sackcloth on our loins and ropes upon our heads and go out to the king of Israel per adventure
He will save thy life
So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said thy servant
Ben Hey dad sayeth I pray thee let me live and he said is he yet alive
He is my brother
Now the men did diligently observe whether anything would come from him and did hastily catch it and they said thy brother Ben
Hey dad then he said go ye bring him then Ben Hey dad came forth to him
And he caused him to come up into the chariot. So here's a don't in spiritual warfare. Don't be a bleeding heart
Don't be a bleeding heart. Okay. This is why women are not in charge
Okay, this is why ladies are not in charge because they sometimes have a little bit too much of a caring heart
It's like if they were in charge of killing the deer for the food
Sometimes these wouldn't be able to do it because they don't want to see Bambi killed, right?
We don't need you know women police chiefs or women governors or women commander-in-chiefs or anything like that women pastors
Okay, or a hab pastors
There's a lot of men that are weaker even than a lot of women like a hab a hab is weaker than any woman in this room
I can guarantee you that because back at the beginning of the chapter Ben Hay Dad's asking for all of his stuff and he agrees
Then they had been Hay Dad upsy Annie asked for more and he's like wow look at how this guy's seeking for mischief now after the
Battles have taken place now. He's calling him his brother now. He's saying oh
My brother Ben Hay Dad. He is my brother. It's like oh, yeah sure all let him live Ben Hay Dad asked
Hey, will you let me live and he's like I'll let him live. He is my brother
You know what that is that's being a bleeding heart. That's being a bleeding heart
That's not being able to take action when action needs to be taken
That's not being able to wipe out a wicked person when a wicked person needs to be destroyed
And there are people that should not be showed mercy
There are people that need to be destroyed and you should not be calling them your brother like Ahab is acting here go to
Go to a Proverbs chapter 17 and I'll read for you again in a story first Kings 20 34
Ben Haydad said unto him the cities which my father took from my father
I will restore and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus and my father made in Samaria then said Ahab
I will send him away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him and send him away
So he calls him his brother. He's having soft feelings for him. Then Ben Haydad. He makes him a deal
He's saying hey, I'm gonna give you all these cities back. So he's bribing him, right?
So on top of him being a bleeding heart now
He's bribing him Proverbs 17 23 says a wicked man takeeth a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment
And we see that's exactly what Ahab is doing. He's perverting ways of judgment. He's not carrying out judgment on Ben
Hey dad, he's not killing him and said he's taking that gift which the Bible says perverts the way of judgment first Timothy 3
You can say there I'll read for you
It says a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife
Vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality apt to teach not given to wine
No striker not greedy of filthy lucre not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not
Covich's so for a leader specifically in the Bible for a pastor
It can't be someone who's guilt who's greedy and guilty of filthy lucre because that's gonna pervert their judgment
because maybe there's gonna be a time where the pastor needs to preach against something or preach against someone and
They could be bribed with a gift like a have is bribing or being bribed by Ben Haydad right now
That's like one of the worst things a leader can have is the attribute of being a covetous person
So Ahab has all these tons of horrible qualities in a leader, right? Tons of horrible qualities in a leader
But let's go back to our story here
first Kings chapter 20 verse 35 in a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor in the word of the
Lord smite me
I pray thee and the man refused to smite him then said he unto him because thou has not obeyed the voice of the Lord
Behold as soon as thou art departed from me a lion shall slay thee and as soon as he was departed from him
A lion found him and slew him looks like it's just better to obey, you know the word of the word
I'd rather just obey the word of Lord than get devoured by the lion which represents the devil by the way
What happens when you're not following the word of God? Let's keep reading verse 37
Then he found another man and said smite me I pray thee and the man smote him so that in smiting he wounded him
You know, it's like Joel Osteen says, you know, if you're a man of God, you're just gonna live your best life now
This man of God is asking people to punch him in the face. You won't ever hear, you know, Joel Osteen preaching about that
It's not always easy, you know being being saved being a Christian
verse number
38 so the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way and disguised himself with ashes upon his face as the king passed
By so this is talking about King Ahab
he cried out unto the king and he said thy servant went out into the midst of the battle behold a man turned aside and
Brought a man unto me and said keep this man for by by any means he be missing
Then shall thy life be for his life or else thou shalt pay a talon of silver and thy servant was busy here and there
He was gone and the king of Israel said unto him. So shall thy judgment be thyself has decided it
And he hasted and took the ashes away from his face and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets
And he said unto them thus saith the Lord because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I
Appointed for utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people
For his people and the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased and came to Samaria
So the man of God he approaches King Ahab and he says look the Lord had appointed for Ben
Hey, dad to be utterly destroyed, but you showed him mercy. Was God happy about this?
No, in fact, he says in your life now is going to go for his for his life
So, you know in this culture we live in it's all about mercy mercy mercy grace grace grace all the time
But yet King Ahab is judged by God for being too merciful to someone for not destroying someone that God had appointed for utter
Destruction like I like I was saying this is what a bleeding heart is
This is what a bleeding heart is is a person who knows someone's wicked who knows someone is appointed to destruction by the Lord
Yet they will not fight against them yet. They will not take them out
You know, I'm sick and tired of hearing go to 2nd Peter chapter 2
I'm sick and tired of hearing this accusation about our church or about our movement where it's like
Oh, the new IFB is so bloodthirsty. They're just so bloodthirsty. There's always one to take people out
There's always one to fight people
There's always one to destroy people and to call out people's names and to just defeat people in the spiritual battle
And it's like hey
I don't want the wrath of God upon me for not taking someone out that God has appointed for utter destruction
You know, there's some people I don't have to wonder if God has appointed them for utter destruction
I don't have to think man. Can this person have mercy or not?
Hey, it's called Romans chapter 1 if someone's burning in their lust with the with the same sex. They're a reprobate
They're appointed for just for destruction. Hey, if someone's preaching a false gospel
Galatians chapter 1 already told me they're appointed for utter destruction
I don't have to wonder if that's a person that I need to show mercy on no no mercy for that person utter
Destruction for that person. I told you go to 2nd Peter chapter 2 and get there myself
2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow
making them an insample unto those that after should live ungodly and deliver just lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked for that
Righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing
Vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under the day of judgment to be punished
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh and the lusts of uncleanness and despise government presumptuous are they self-willed
They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities
Whereas angels which are greater in power and might bring not a railing accusation against them before the Lord
But these referring to false prophets
Reprobates, but these as natural brute beasts pay attention to this phrase made to be taken and
Destroyed speak evil of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption
You know that the Bible tells us that there are some people that are made to be taken and destroyed
They're not to be taken into the house of God and love them to Christ and try to preach them the gospel
No
there's some people who have been turned over to a reprobate mind who can never be saved and they are made to be taken and
Destroyed and a pastor that does not take out and destroy the reprobates that will not preach against false prophets
That will not preach against the homos
But in fact lets them come into their church and says my brother Ben. Hey dad, you're like pastor Ahab
That's what these people are like because they're bleeding hearts and they're trying to be more merciful than God more merciful than God
This would be the last place I have you turn Jeremiah chapter 48 Jeremiah chapter 48
Jeremiah 48 verse 10 the Bible says cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully
Bible is gonna define what that means to do the work of the Lord
Deceitfully Jeremiah 48 10 and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood
Oh, the new IV is so bloodthirsty. Hey, my question is why are you keeping your sword back from blood?
Why are you doing the work of the Lord?
Deceitfully who is it that you're fighting against who is it that you're slaying with the sword?
Who is it us?
Is that the only people you want to preach against because you don't want to preach against the sodomites
You want to invite them into your church Will Shire Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas
You don't want to fight against the false prophets. You don't want to say that Joel Osteen is definitively unsaved
You don't want to say that no Peter Ruckman is definitively unsaved manly Perry
It doesn't want to say that Billy Graham is definitively unsaved manly Perry
You know that is doing the work of the Lord deceitfully holding back their sword from blood you won't call us bloodthirsty
My question is why is your sword so clean coward? Why is your sword so glittering and clean looking like you?
Just picked it up from the from the store. Why don't you actually fight with it?
Why don't you actually be a man and lead and actually preach the word of God and fight the enemy with the sword of the spirit today?
Why aren't pastors doing it? Why aren't preachers doing it? Why aren't fathers doing it because they're cowards
That's why because too many people represent Ahab today in this world instead of being a godly Christian
And so there's a lot in this chapter that we can learn is so much of these men did wrong, but you know obviously these are all physical
Physical truths that they're going through a physical battle, but all of these things we could apply to us in a spiritual sense
And we can learn from the mistakes that they made you know another good example of this is like hey when pastor Shelley
When it's first Corinthians 5 and someone is worthy of being thrown out of the church according to the Bible
It's not time for you to be a bleeding heart
It's it's time for you to back up the leader and be thankful that you have a leader
That's not going to just be a bleeding heart and not just let a little leaven leaven the whole lump in this church
And be thankful that you have a leader who's not going to just invite the reprobates in and and love them as they molest your kids
Don't be a bleeding heart today. Hey have a soft heart have a loving heart
Just don't have a bleeding heart. And if you have a bleeding heart, you know what?
You're just gonna bleed out and die
This is gonna bleed all over the floor and just die and fail in your Christian life and fail in the spiritual battle that we are in
So practical application of this sermon obviously the practical application was made, you know throughout the sermon a lot of different things
We could apply but just lastly this realize that every decision you make every single decision you make in your life can have a huge
Impact on yourself and those around you. Let's look at how King Ahab ended his life. There's actually one more verse
I want you to turn to 1st Kings 22 1st Kings 22
And I just want to show you how King Ahab
Ended his life for being a bleeding heart 1st Kings 22 verse 33
Then it came to pass when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel
That they turned back from pursuing him and a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel
Between the joints of the harness so he smites King Ahab
Wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot turn thine hand and carry me out of the host for I am wounded and the
Battle increased that day and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians and died at even and the blood ran
Out of the wound into the midst of the chariot and there went out a proclamation throughout the host
About the going down of the Sun saying every man to his city and every man to his own country
so the king died and was brought to Samaria and they bury they bury the king in Samaria and one washed the chariot in the
Pool of Samaria and the dogs licked up his blood and they washed his armor according unto the word of the Lord
Which he spake we don't want to be this type of a casualty in the spiritual warfare that we fight
We don't want to just get smowed by the enemy as a judgment of God for you being a bleeding heart
For you being such a weak and horrible leader
I think King Ahab and I just think one of the worst leaders ever just absolute horrible example of a leader and you know
He died getting smitten in between the harnesses and dogs licking up his blood and that is not how I want to go spiritually
That's not how I want my my warfare credentials to look like that's not the stripes that I want on my chest
Spiritually speaking. Okay was killed dogs licked blood, you know semper fi good night. It's like no, that's not what I want
All right, so let's make sure we take the battle that we're in very seriously and apply these things to our lives
Let's have a word of prayer Lord. Thanks so much this day and thank you for your word
How much it could teach us Lord and I thank you for pure words Baptist Church
pray that you would raise up here a generation of very strong men and women and children that love you that love your precepts and
That would be doers of the word and not here is only Lord that you just strengthen us for the battle that we're in
Jesus name we pray. Amen