(Major inspiration for this sermon derived from Francis Frangipane’s "This Day We Fight")
There is a question that is asked in the church. It is an important question. A vital question. One that should be asked of those we come in contact with, and those who find themselves within our church family. It is a key question to the faith and beliefs that we hold true. The question: Are you saved?
Asked in other ways: Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? Have you repented of your sins, asked God to forgive you, and opened your heart to the Holy Spirit’s lordship? All wrapped up in the question, are you saved?
I think back to one of our evangelism workshops this past fall, and am aware that the question might beg another question. Saved from what? Most of us would answer, an eternity in hell. Not a bad thing to be saved from. Eternal separation from God.
But the truth be told, if I asked that question today, many of us, most of us, the vast majority of us, possibly even every single one of us would answer, “Yes.” We have had that salvation encounter, and have taken that step of faith.
So over the next few weeks and coming months we are actually going to focus on a different question. I think it is also an important question. A vital question. One that should be asked of those we come in contact with and those we find joining our church family. I think it is another key question to the faith and beliefs that we hold true. The question: Are you overcoming? Are you overcoming?
Some other ways to phrase it might be, are you experiencing new victories in your walk with Christ? Are you conquering nagging habits, emotions, or stumbling blocks? Is you walk today freer than it was when you got up from the altar, lifted your head at your bedside, or completed that prayer of salvation at whatever location or environment it took place?
Are you overcoming? Because you see, salvation is about more than just the other side of the pearly gates. It is about more than just a promise of things to come. It is about a daily walk. Spiritual awakenings. Fresh anointing. New victories coming our way as we walk with God.
As we experience this thing called the Christian life, there should be places where the enemy used to drive us crazy, but doesn’t anymore. Where the naggings of Satan no longer disrupt the joyful experiences of living.
In some ways, it is like Ralphy saying, “Enough is enough.” Remember Ralphy? A Christmas Story. He has been tormented endlessly by the neighborhood bully, but finally, he snaps. (Movie Clip)
At some point in our walk with Christ, it comes time to quit simply surviving, and making it day to day, and to begin overcoming. Experiencing victory. Defeating those emotional, psychological, and spiritual bullies that have tormented us day in and day out.
Last week we explored the ultimate source and power for these victories. Jehovah-Saboath. The Lord of Hosts. The God who fights for us. The Christ of Isaiah 42:13, “The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.”
If you missed it last week, you need to take the time to listen to that foundational teaching from God’s word that sets the stage for victory. You can download the transcript from stonewallwesleyan.com, or you can get a copy of the message tape, but don’t try to move too far forward in this journey without securing that initial understanding of the Lord who contends with those who contend with us.
Today our journey takes us to 2 King 13. 2 Kings 13:14 (read). Let’s set the stage. We have two individuals in this encounter. The great prophet Elisha, and the reigning king of Israel, Joash. Also referred to in this passage as Jehoash, if pronounced phonetically. Two spellings of the same name, the same person.
Elisha has fallen ill, and as the verse tells us, this is the illness that will result in his death. And in an unusual show of affection between a king and prophet, Joash weeps over this great man of God. And he speaks words that at face value might not mean much to you. So we need to turn to another Scripture.
Turn back in the book of 2 Kings to chapter 2. Here we have the famous departure of Elijah with Elisha by his side. Elisha has insisted on following Elijah, and staying with him. Elijah has made sure that Elisha understood that this was the end, and Elisha confirmed that he knew what was going on. Elijah has taken his cloak, and struck the Jordan River. The water has parted, and both Elijah and Elisha have crossed on dry ground. And then Elisha, the younger, has asked Elijah, the one about to pass on, for a double-portion of the spirit that rested upon Elijah.
I think I have almost got through this without messing up their names. Then, in an unimaginable scene, a chariot of fire swoops down between them, picks up Elijah, and in what is described as a whirlwind, Elijah is whisked off into the heavens. And look at the words that Elisha proclaims at this moment in 2 Kings 2:12 (read a).
Sound familiar? Anyone remember last week’s connecting phrase between the two leaders of Israel? This is similar to the “take of your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground” that we looked at last week which linked Moses and Joshua, this cry from Elisha and later from Joash links the ministry of Elijah and Elisha.
Back to chapter 13, Verse 15 (read through verse 17). In this passage we are being given some symbolic acts that Elisha is having Joash perform to ensure and reflect victory over his enemies the Syrians. It says that Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. In that day, that would have been a very clear alert, and sign to the king that the prophet is conveying a blessing upon him in the midst of these acts. So Joash picks up this bow and arrows, and shoots an arrow out the window, completing the first act.
He must have done it pretty well. Because as he does, Elisha declares that Joash will have victory over Syria.
Verse 18 (read). So follow this with me. The prophet Elisha is near death. He is meeting with this king Joash who clearly recognizes the authority and nature of the prophet. Even repeating, and proclaiming an utterance conveyed by Elisha at the departure of Elijah. Clear testimony by this king of Elisha’s standing. The prophet’s hand has rested upon the king as this transference of blessing is taking place in these symbolic acts of victory over Syria. The king shoots the arrow as Elisha proclaims, “The Lord’s arrow of victory!”
This is an emotionally charged moment. A hugely significant time for King Joash. It may be hard to understand in light of the differences in culture and time. But this is heady stuff that is taking place here.
And at this moment of great transference, blessing, and proclamation of victory, the king is told to pick up the arrows and strike the ground with them. And the king picks up the arrows, and what is inferred here is that he gives them three kind of wimpy, half-hearted strikes to the ground. Hardly an effort worthy of the moment.
Verse 19 (read). Elisha has taken Joash’s action at best as an exposure of a weak faith, and at worst as an unfavorable evaluation of his character. May seem a bit harsh, but look back with me at the beginning of the story.
Same chapter, verse 10 (read). Again, this can be a bit confusing, but understand that Joash and Jehoash while looking different to us are just variant spellings of the same name. So we are about to get a description, a summary of the reign of this King Joash.
Verse 11 (read). Not a very good eulogy would you say. Back to our moment. The king makes these wimpy strikes. Elisha is angered as he observes this expression of this king’s character, which we know from verse 11 is lacking. And God’s dying prophet is rightly disturbed. In fact, lest you doubt, sure enough, God would allow Israel to defeat the Syrian army three times, but their victory was incomplete. Not lasting. Temporary.
Verse 20 (read a). Terrible words. Not because Elisha died, but because of the weight of this moment that has passed. It was there. It was in Joash’s hands. He was holding the arrows. He had the hand of God’s prophet upon him. The Lord’s blessing was about to be unleashed upon his life resulting in ultimate victory. And at such a profound moment, Joash could only muster (mock three strikes).
You see, I think this is how a lot of us deal with those areas of our life where we have yet to experience true victory. We kind of wave at it. Maybe make some contact with it. Give it a few glancing blows. We might even knock it down, or force it to take a standing eight count from time to time. But we rarely are ready to grab the arrows, and with force and passion fitting the moment strike the ground and deliver the knock-out blow.
Often, instead of moving towards victory, we end up settling for temporary relief. “There, I beat the Syrians.” Oh, they’re back again. “Okay, there I beat them a second time.” Ugh, here they are again. “Third times a charm. Take that.” Third time wasn’t a charm, they are back again.
Here’s a key point. I don’t believe that God wants us to merely tolerate oppression. To tolerate old habits. To tolerate emotional discouragement. To tolerate those places in our lives where we fail time and time again to achieve true victory. I believe God desires us to conquer it. I believe He desires that we mount up behind Jehovah-Sabaoth, the Lord of Armies, turn and face our foes, and in the authority of Christ experience true victory.
The enemy will try to get us to give up after the first, second, even third try. He has a whole arsenal of weapons that he does this with, and we are going to look at them over the next few weeks. Things like discouragement, past failures, lengthy struggles that weary us.
But look at what it says in Hebrews 6:11 (through 12), “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
That is God’s plan for us. The inheritance of the promises. But we have to avoid sluggishness. We have to avoid a lack of earnestness. We have to be willing to continue to well up with hope and strike the enemy with a passion that will bring about true, enduring victory.
In the rest of our time together today, and continuing next week, I want us to look at what this might look like through the eyes of a very central Bible personality. King David.
Turn with me to one of David’s Psalms. Psalm 18. You will also find the text to this psalm in 2 Samuel 22. That helps give us some context to what is going on in David’s life as he writes it.
This is a rather lengthy psalm with a number of different movements to it. And it is a battle psalm. It is a psalm that speaks to deliverance, and God battling on behalf of David. So when you move towards the later verses, you see David’s praise turning to the actual person of Jehovah-Sabaoth.
Look with me at verse 31 (read through verse 50). Now that is a triumphant passage, wouldn’t you say? That is a passage of victory. And within those verses we see some statements that lead us to understand how David could achieve such victory in his life.
Look again at verse 31 & 32 (read). Let me ask you some questions about these verses –
- Who does the equipping? (God – He is the source. The Rock)
- What does He equip us with? (Strength. In 2 Timothy 1:7 we are told that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”)
Verse 34 (read).
- What is God training us for? (War. We are being trained to battle the enemy.)
- Why? (So we can bend a bow of bronze.)
Do you think David actually was bending a bow of bronze? Bronze would in all practicality make for a terrible bow. It is too rigid. Not flexible. Doesn’t serve the purpose of a bow in real life.
But look at the image a bow of bronze creates. Going to war with a weapon made of bronze, and the strength to utilize that weapon. To draw an arrow with that bow of bronze. Practically it would make no sense. But this is imagery David is giving to us of the power and authority that comes to our warfare when we are operating with God Himself as our warrior.
Then, don’t miss verse 37. Here is the part I really want us to get. (read)
- Who is chasing who? (David is pursuing his enemies.)
I have a saying I like to live by. Control your circumstances, or they will control you. Another common life training people will use is to say, “Keep the ball in your court.” In sports, if you don’t have the football or the basketball, do you wait for the other team to give it to you, or do you go after it?
(Example of playing the “Dominate Game” - on-line Risk. Analogy: Roger in Iraq.)
Likewise, in our spiritual journey. In our lives as we attempt to live for God, and in opposition to the enemy. I believe that we will either pursue the enemy or he will pursue us. And sometimes we will not experience victory until we turn and face our enemy. Did Ralphy ever have to deal with the bully again?
One more question from verse 37:
- When did David turn back from the enemy? (When it was consumed.)
Can I make a suggestion? The role of the believer, the Christian to extend grace and mercy does not apply when we are dealing with Satan. We shouldn’t sit around and say, “Man, Satan has had a pretty bad day. I’ve kind of put a whooping on him today. I think I’ll show him some grace, and back off for now. Retreat a little. Need to be merciful.”
Folks, not with Satan. Not with the forces of evil. They are to be struck through. Unable to rise. Destroyed. Consumed.
So let’s get practical.
We have the God of the Armies with His sword drawn, ready for battle. We have an enemy that has plagued us for years. Physically. Spiritually. Emotionally. Mentally. We have areas of our lives that last week we raised our hands and said that we wanted 2007 to be a year of victories financially, relationally, and in other personal areas of our lives.
So let’s get practical, and take some advice from Elisha and David. First. . .
1. GET MAD. . .AT SATAN.
I think it is time for some righteous indignation in the church. Satan is taking our children from us with drug abuse, alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity. Satan is bankrupting people through the veiled lies of lotteries, casinos, and gambling. Satan is physically and emotionally destroying people through abortion, chemical dependencies, AIDs.
Satan is even crushing the body of Christ through pastoral indiscretions and moral failures of evangelical leaders. The enemy is in full attack, and if you entered the average church service, prayer meeting, or Bible study. . .I’m not sure you would find anyone all that riled up about it. There are a lot of arrows being tapped three times and put away. We say a prayer here or there. Sign a petition every now and then. Express our disdain at the political polls.
Truth be told, church people get more worked up and angry with the pastor for the songs he picks to sing than they do with Satan with all the havoc he is raging in their homes.
And Elisha looks at us with disdain. David cries out in distress. Waiting. Longing for the people of God to say enough is enough. To tell Satan he doesn’t get anymore of our children, any more of our marriages, any more of our congregations.
If you want to experience some lasting victories in some key areas of your life, you are going to have to become dissatisfied with the constant attack of the enemy. And get mad enough to. . .
2. FIGHT BACK. . .GO ON THE OFFENSIVE.
The best defense? Is a good offense. (i.e. Colts vs. Chiefs)
Spiritually, the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword. That’s an offensive weapon. Are you reading it? Reading it as a weapon? Familiarizing yourself with how it works? Keeping it dusted off?
God’s Word reveals the weapon of fasting. How is your fasting life going? Are we waiting for another 40 Days of prayer sign-up? Are we fasting from things we like, but won’t miss all that much? Fasting until things get a little uncomfortable, than turning back to daily habits and routines?
And what about those habits? Are you struggling with sexual temptation? Then go on the offensive. Pull the plug on the cable or the TV. Shut down the internet. Quit flirting with that co-worker.
Are you struggling with dependency on alcohol or prescription medications? Go on the offensive. Join a support group. Find an accountability partner. Take some radical steps, some pro-active, offensive steps to defeat an enemy that has no problem being aggressive with his attacks.
3. REPENT AND RETURN. . .TO GOD.
Look at these words Psalm 18, back in verse 20 (20-24) -
“The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his rules were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.”
Please hear me this morning. Not all struggles. Not all challenges. Not all places of bondage and frustration and defeat are the result of sin. However, I think we are all too quick to blame the enemy for struggles in our lives, without being willing to search our own lives.
When you look inside, what do you see? Any jealousy? Any envy? Any sinful anger? Any pride? Dishonesty? Malice? How about worry? Whoa. Don’t go there pastor.
This is the beauty of the Christian walk. For a non-Christian, a non-believer to look inside themselves and see all that junk. . .it is pretty depressing and hopeless. For us, it is a point of victory. Of freedom.
Because we can see all that stuff, and we can take it to our Heavenly Father. Repent of it. Ask God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and experience the refreshing cleansing of the Holy Spirit once again.
4. BELIEVE. . .VICTORY IS POSSIBLE.
In Luke 10 (v. 19) the 72 that were sent out by Jesus returned to Him, and He declared, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”
Romans 16 (v. 19-20) says, “For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”
I John 3:8 tells us, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
Did you get that? That is the reason Christ came to earth. To destroy the works of the devil. Victory is possible. By faith, we need to believe that.
Jehovah-Sabaoth – the Lord of Hosts. Standing before us. Sword drawn. Ready for battle. The hand of the Holy Spirit upon us. Prepared to anoint us, and bless us. Prepared to deliver the enemy into our hands. Victory is on the doorstep.
But there is another option. And we will look at that next week.
Let’s pray.
