01.15.06 PM Smyrna Assembly of God Pastor Shell Osbon
“The Hand Of God - Part 3”
Ecclesiastes 9:1
Eccl 9:1 Solomon says, “For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all, that the righteous & the wise & their works are in the hand of God.”Intro
Solomon tells us that he’s taken a lot of time to think about this before he wrote it down. He’s come to the conclusion that the hand of God was an important factor in his life. He goes on to say that “the righteous, the wise & their works are in the hand of God.”
Part 1 & Part 2 Review
1. The Uniting Hand Of God
The uniting hand of God brings people together for worship, service & fellowship who have previously been divided!
2. The Providing Hand Of God
The providing hand of God guarantees that you will not have anything lacking!
3. The Empowering Hand Of God
The empowering hand of God will cause other people to join with you in order to accomplish what He wants done!
4. The Protecting Hand Of God
The protecting hand of God is able to keep you safe even when you’re facing your enemies!
5. The Correcting Hand Of God
The correcting hand of God is not designed to destroy you but to perfect you! He isn’t looking to get even with you over some things you’ve done. He wants you to get over some things that you’ve done!
6. The Remembering Hand Of God
The remembering hand of God has your picture engraved in it & He will never forget you!
7. The Keeping Hand Of God
The hand of God is able to keep you from every one that would try to remove you from His hand!
8. The Directing Hand Of God
Whether you want to admit it or not, most of us aren’t capable of directing our lives in the way that we should go! That’s where the hand of God comes in!
Part 3
9. The Mighty Hand Of God
Israel is at the threshold of stepping into The Promised Land & Joshua gives them some very specific instructions that will bless the Israelites for the generations to come.
Joshua tells them to take 12 stones with them as they crossed the Jordan River. They were to stack them up as an altar to remind all future generations that God had given them great favor by drying up the Jordan River so that they could walk across on dry ground.
Josh 4:21-24 says, 21“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land; 23for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.’”
Joshua wanted every generation of Israelites to know about the favoring hand of God. He had an altar of stones set up to tell everybody that walked by that way that God’s hand of favor had been upon them!
10. The Helping Hand Of God
1 Sam 7:8-12 says, 8“The children of Israel said to Samuel, ‘Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.’ 9And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. 11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. 12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’”
Israel is in the process of repenting for their sinfulness & Samuel is offering up a sacrifice to the Lord as part of their worship. Right in the middle of their church service, the Philistines decide to attack them.
Don’t be surprised if the devil tries to attack you while you’re in the middle of a church service! That’s the perfect opportunity for him to try to consume your mind with things other than hearing from God!
But while the Philistines were plotting & scheming, God was at work to help Israel out. In fact, all He did was send a big thunder storm their way & scared them half silly!
God is able to help you at any moment of time! There’s no enemy that you’ll ever face that intimidates God & makes Him run & hide! He will help you!
Ps 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
11. The Warring Hand Of God
Israel saw the helping hand of God & then they saw the warring hand of God.
1 Sam 7:13 says, “So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.”
Even after God helped the Israelites by giving them the victory through a thunderstorm, He continued to show His warring hand by fighting with the Philistines.
2 Chron 20:15 says, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed for the battle is not yours but God’s.
One of the most comforting truths in the Bible is that God will fight your battles for you! He doesn’t expect you to fight on your own but will reveal His warring hand by opposing your enemy the devil!
12. The Merciful Hand Of God
2 Sam 24:10-14 says, 10“And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’ 11Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12‘Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.’ 13So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, ‘Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.’ 14And David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.’”
David had disobeyed the Lord by numbering the people of Israel which was a prideful thing for him to do. As a result, God told the prophet Gad to offer David 3 different forms of punishment. David’s response was that he would much rather fall into the merciful hand of God than to end up in the hand of man!
Ps 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
As you serve God, you’ll be able to see His merciful hand following behind you every day of your life!
13. The Multiplying Hand Of God
Acts 11:19-21 says, 19“Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. 20But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.”
These new followers of Christ had come together from all across the area to the great persecution that they were experiencing at this time. As a result, the church began to look like the community - people from Israel, Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch & Cyrene.
In the midst of all of this persecution, the church-building hand of God was at work! He was beginning to lay the foundation for what would soon become a world-wide body of believers that encompass peoples from every tongue, tribe & kindred!
Conclusion
1. The Uniting Hand Of God - brings us together!
2. The Providing Hand Of God - meets our needs!
3. The Empowering Hand Of God - enables you to do what He calls you to do!
4. The Protecting Hand Of God - keeps you safe at all times!
5. The Correcting Hand Of God - makes you better!
6. The Remembering Hand Of God - keeps your face before Him at all times!
7. The Keeping Hand Of God - preserves you forever!
8. The Directing Hand Of God - keeps you on the right path!
9. The Mighty Hand Of God - gives you great victory!
10. The Helping Hand Of God - comes to your rescue!
11. The Warring Hand Of God - fights your battles!
12. The Merciful Hand Of God - follows you everyday!
13. The Multiplying Hand Of God - builds His church!
