Beware: Wet Blankets Can Smother Your Dreams!

A WET BLANKET ON YOUR DREAMS?! DEAL WITH MORE OR LESS?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

THIS IS A TWO PART LESSON.

I. WITH A WET BLANKET THE HOPES AND HEALING WAS HINDERED.

A. Consider the wet blanket treatment?

CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT EXTINCT, BUT CHRISTIAN LIFE CAN BE SMOTHERED WITH HOPELESSNESS, GLOOM, DESPAIR, DEPRESSION AND A SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS.

B. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A WET BLANKET?

Ben-Hadad was the King of Syria.

Ben-Hadad was very sick.

Ben-Hadad sent HAZAEL WITH AN OFFERING AND HE WANTED TO HEAR A MESSAGE

from God through the messenger --- ELISHA, the man of God.

C. ELISHA SAW CLEARLY THAT HAZAEL WAS A REBELLIOUS --- UNDERCUTTING SERVANT OF KING BEN-HADAD!

2 Kings 8:11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children,

and rip up their women with child.

D. HAZAEL TOOK A WET BLANKET AND STOPPED THE DREAMS AND HOPES OF KING BEN-HADAD!

2 Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

E. THERE ARE SOME HAZAEL’S THAT WILL TRY TO THROW A WET BLANKET ON YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR CHURCH.

II. THERE IS A TERM WE HEAR TODAY IN THE MEDIA ---

THEY CALL PEOPLE KOOL-AID DRINKERS?

A. Many don’t understand who a Kool-Aid drinker is?

A Kool-Aid drinker refers back to a Preacher Jim Jones

that mislead those that followed him.

The ultimate end to the deception in Jonestown in Central America was when the leader called for the people to drink KOOL-AID LACED WITH STRONG

POISON AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DIED AT THE FEET OF FALSE DOCTRINE AND IGNORANCE.

B. GOD HAS A PLAN BEYOND KOOL-AID DRINKERS AND WET BLANKETS!

C. GOD KNOWS YOUR FIRST NAME! GOD LOVES YOU! GOD HAS MORE.

TEXT:

Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt

nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.

Col. 2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

1 Thes. 4:10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

III. THE SIZE OF YOUR PREPARATION FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS MAY DETERMINE HOW MUCH OF A BLESSING YOU GET!

A. MORE:

Greater or higher degree, additional, further.

More than expected

Plenty

B. LESS:

Little, limited number, lower rank or degree

Reduced, fewer

Progressively smaller

Not as important, not big, small

C. INCREASE:

To cause to be more

Enlarge, expand, extend

To add to

To become progressively greater

To multiply

D. We must never be satisfied with where we are!

1 Tim. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

2 Cor. 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

2 Cor. 10:15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

E. WE SERVE A GOD OF THE INCREASE!

1 Cor. 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Ephes. 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

F. WE HAVE PRECIOUS PROMISES!

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the

corruption that is in the world through lust.

IV. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR MORE!

DON’T ALLOW A WET BLANKET TO SMOTHER THE DESIRE FOR MORE!

John 10:10 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.