Because Your Enemy Has Said

Because Your Enemy Has Said...

Pastor Scott Voss

New Life Christian Center

Rector, Arkansas

Ezekiel 36:1 Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:

2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession:

3 Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people:

Do you know what it means to talk trash?

Ball courts ie... You can’t shoot hoop etc. The purpose of such exchanges on the court is to try and cause your opponent to lose his concentration.

Let me assure you tonight that Satan is an expert at talking trash! He has refined the art of intimidation through talking.

Millions of lives are held in prisons that are fastened out of words and thoughts. Bound by evil imaginations, ideas, and suggestions, they are unable to escape from the torment of past failures. The chaos of yesterday has been used as an effective restraint today. Satan is constantly reminding them of their futile efforts to live for God. Reminding them that they are really just failures.

Although he is older than you and me, he has a very limited vocabulary. It consists of two thoughts:

1. you can’t

2. God won’t

Whatever he needs to add to fit the occasion is then added. You can’t live for God because you have an alcoholic daddy. Or God won’t help you because you did not live up to your last promise to pray 15 minutes every day.

He not only desires to bind individual lives to the point of despair, he desires to frustrate and reduce the ministries of the church. He seeks to intimidate the church of the living God out of the areas that God has prepared for them! He seeks to keep the youth of the church talked out of living for God. To convince them that times are just too hard for them to be able to make it.

We find such a scene in Ezekiel 36. the nations of Israel are scattered across the land. They are powerless as a nation. Basically they are a defeated, captive people. They have been made desolate and become a mockery among the nations.

But the enemies of Israel made a grave error in judgment. They failed to realize that when they began to boast against the people of God they were boasting against HIS POWER! They talked too much.

2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession:

The ancient high places were the places of judgment.

They were taunting Israel...We decide who wins are fails. We own the courts and he who owns the courts wins! We will run things around here and we will govern you UNCHALLENGED!

But I want you to notice with me God’s words to Ezekiel. Because YOUR ENEMY has said these things...PROPHESY!

I believe that God was saying that just because the devil is talking does not mean that he is in charge. Let ME show you again that I am in control.

I believe that we are living in an era of time that is being bombarded by Satanic attacks. Attacks against the church, the home and the lives of individuals. Satan has been trying to intimidate churches. In the past and even now he has been spreading hi his lies that Revival will never come. You will never change, you will never get over this problem, you will never see your lost loved ones and friends saved. Your youth group will never grow. You are going to backslide, you might as well just give up, Rock and roll and party your life away. You are not going to make it anyway.

But I have come to this service tonight to be the Herald of the Spirit. The devil is a liar! He is the father of all lies- there is no truth in him.

He is constantly boasting that he is in control of the high places of judgment and that you can’t have this cannot be that or you cannot be what he does not allow.

Let me tell you tonight...GOD IS IN CONTROL! HIS AUTHORITY WILL NOT BE CHALLENGED!

For years Satan has been boasting of his control and power. He has said that I will destroy the churches of this section by sowing discord and division among them. I will get the youth to rebel and attract them to the things of the world.