In The Dark- Part Two
Deuteronomy 20:1-4
1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
I have entitled this today: “In the Dark”- Part Two
The Lord had promised to be with Israel in time of war, that is if the cause of Israel was right.
Even though the promise was addressed to a nation, it holds true for modern believers as well.
It also regards to spiritual warfare, this is a warfare that all Christians must engage in which we can win through Christ.
If we are to win, then we must win through God’s prescribed order, that order is Christ; Christ is the source of all things that come from God.
The cross is the means by which it is given to us.
This means is that we make the cross the object of our faith, and not allow it to be moved anywhere else.
When this is done, the Holy Spirit who works within the finished work of Christ will work on our behalf, guaranteeing victory within our lives.
This is how we, as believers in Christ, will have victory in our lives.
Last week we used this portion of Scripture:
Genesis 15:1
1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Abram was not to fear because God was his shield, and exceedingly great reward.
Deuteronomy 20:2
2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
The priest being used instead of a millitary commander shows that the battle was more spiritual than anything else.
With the child of God, in one way or the other, everything is spiritual.
Deuteronomy 20:3
3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
Remember in 1 Kings Chapter 18, when Elijah called fire down from heaven?
He was on the brink of a great victory over the Prophets of Bael.
After his great victory, Elijah was discouraged and on the run for his life.
When we have been on the mountain of God, sometimes it seems the next thing we go through is a valley.
Elijah, even after a great victory for God, was then in a place of darkness in his walk with God.
1 Kings 19:1-3
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
Elijah was at a place of darkness in His walk.
I have entitled this today: “In The Dark”- Part two
I have entitled this today: “In The Dark”
8-17-04
I dreamed that I was in the dark. I had a feeling of hopelessness. I was afraid. All of a sudden, God’s presence came upon me. I started to shout, “Jesus”. I no longer felt hopeless. I was not afraid to be in the dark. I knew that no matter what, God was with me. I woke up and the presence of God was all around the room.
Interpretation
Sometimes we are in the dark, and we feel hopeless.
Sometimes if we are honest, we are even afraid of situations that arise in our lives.
In the dream, I was afraid. All of a sudden, God’s presence came upon me. I started to shout, “Jesus”. I no longer felt hopeless.
I was no longer afraid to be in the dark.
I knew that no matter what, God was with me. I woke up and the presence of God was all around the room.
Am 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
When we are in the dark and we do not know what is happening, think about Amos 3:7. Surely, the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
We live in a prophetic generation and God’s Word has not changed. What He has done, He will do again.
1 Kings 19:9-9-14
1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
Elijah was not the only Prophet left, and we are not the only servants left.
Deuteronomy 20:4
4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, this tells me that I am under covenant.
With the Lord, Israel was invincible. Without the Lord, Israel would easily be defeated.
It is the same today within our own personal hearts and lives.
Is there something going on in our lives and we feel that we are in the dark?
Amos 3:7. Surely, the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
We live in a prophetic generation and God’s Word has not changed. What He has done, He will do again.
De 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Ps 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Are you in the dark today?
Are there situations going on that you do not understand?
Are you worried or afraid?
Cry out to Jesus. He will help you in your time of darkness.
Deuteronomy 20:1-4
1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Are we struggling, this morning, not knowing what is going to happen next?
Shout to Jesus, He is your help today.
Maybe you feel the wall of the enemy encamping on the walls of your life.
Remember with the walls of Jericho, they just had to be obedient to what the Lord said, they let out a shout, and the walls came tumbling down.
God knows that, from time to time, we mess up and try to do things our own way. We will fail, but Jesus is still there waiting for us to trust Him.
Are you afraid of what you see?
2Co 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
God is going to bring you out of the desert that you are in, just start believing that with Him all things are possible.
There have been times that I have been in the dark.
I have been in places that did not make any sense. I have been fearful and afraid, but I do not have to be afraid of the dark because God is at work where I cannot see.
Ps 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Are you in the dark this morning?
Darkness is God’s secret place!
Closing
Are we in the dark and do we feel hopeless?
In the dream, I started to shout, “Jesus”. I no longer felt hopeless. I was not afraid to be in the dark. I knew that no matter what, God was with me. I woke up and the presence of God was all around the room.
Church, let’s stand and shout to the Lord!
If you are interested in seeing some God given dreams given to me and others in our church go to:
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/w/windoffaithdrea/
Go to the new text page for the God given dreams.
