Beware of the Spirit of Emptiness May 29, 2013
Deuteronomy 16:16:17
BEWARE: THERE IS A SPIRIT OF EMPTINESS
EMPTY IS DANGEROUS
6 " Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. Deut 16:16-17 (NASB)
Introduction:
A Man tends to be a creature of habit.
1 We are given to PESSIMISM or OPTIMISM.
a We see bad, or we see good.
b Spiritual things start as a thought. We then set a pattern of thinking.
2 I know people that can tell you every thing wrong in three counties and 100 churches. a SOME NEVER ACT IN FAITH, THEY JUST REACT TO PROBLEMS AND
MAKE MORE PROBLEMS.
b These thought patterns launch into words. Words can become traps.
aa These words establish themselves as attitudes, then behavior patterns
develop.
bb Then there becomes great danger that our behavior patterns can turn into STRONGHOLDS.
I EMPTY VESSELS MAKE MORE NOISE?
A Does it make sense to drop empty buckets into empty wells?
B SHOOTING THE SAINTS?
Years ago there was a battle by the French.
They sent ships up the Great Lake Seaway which were to meet with the land forces and do a great battle.
The ships got to the destination two weeks before the land forces.
The sailors thought they would put some fear in the people.
The sailors got bored waiting out in the harbor, so they started shooting practice. They started shooting out tree tops. They were very good.
They thought they would shoot their cannons at the huge church. There were many statues of the Saints placed around the church.
There was St. Paul’s statue, the sailors blew off his head. There was St. Peter’s statue, the sailors blew him all to pieces. They shot Mary’s beautiful statue down.
Two weeks later the land troops arrived and was expecting the ships to fire their cannons before they attacked. The cannons set silently on the decks of the ships. The sailors had wasted their ammunition shooting the SAINTS!
Now the guns were empty, the battle was lost, and France never gained dominion over Canada.
C. EMPTY:
Containing nothing.
Not inhabited or occupied.
Lacking reality, substance, meaning, or value.
Hollow.
Destitute of effective force.
IDLE, HAVING NO PURPOSE OR RESULTS.
Absence of life, activity, comfort.
II. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE WERE NOT TO APPROACH GOD EMPTY.16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee. Deut. 16: 16-17 (NASB)
III. WHAT WAS THE SIN OF THE FIVE VIRGINS?
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins also came, saying, ' Lord, lord, open up for us.' 12 But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. Matt 25:1-13 (NASB)
A. The five virgins were still virgins, they had kept themselves unspotted from the world. They were still pure and clean.
B. What possibly could be their sin?
C. THEY WERE EMPTY!
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: Matthew 25:3 (NASB)
IV. THE MASTER WILL HOLD HIS SERVANTS ACCOUNTABLE.
A. The Master had a great vineyard.
B. He was leaving for a while, and he left able bodied men in charge to maintain and advance the vineyard.C. Later the Master sent to claim what was rightfully His.
And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. Mark 12:3 (NASB)
D. Now this behavior is unacceptable, the caretakers or stewards would have to GIVE ACCOUNT TO THE MASTER.
V. CAN WE IDENTIFY THERE IS A SPIRIT OF EMPTINESS?
WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO WALK EMPTY?
A. WHERE IS THE OIL IN ZION?
B. We can not grow spiritually by dreams and visions alone.
It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. Isaiah 29:8 (KJV)
VI. IT IS A SAD DAY WHEN THE PREACHER AND HIS FAMILY ARE EMPTY.
A. ELI HAD BEEN A WONDERFUL MAN OF GOD, BUT HE STARTED LETTING THE CHURCH OPERATE EMPTY.
B. ELI’S TWO SONS WERE IN A BACK SLIDDEN CONDITION.
C. ELI, HOPHI, AND PHINEHAS HAD THE RITUALS DOWN.
THEY WERE GOOD IN THE OUTER COURTS BUT IT WAS SAD.
D.They had the visible ARK of the Covenant to take to battle, but they didn’t have God.
E. THERE WAS NO OPEN VISION.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 1 Samuel 3:1(NASB)
VII. ARE WE IMPRESSED BY LEAVES ONLY?
WE LOVE A GOOD SHADE TREE?
A. In the Bible there are only two kinds of trees:
1. Fruit trees.
2. Fire wood trees.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 3:10 (KJV)
B. LEAVES ONLY DOES NOT IMPRESS GOD.
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. Matthew 21:19 (KJV)
VIII. KNOW THERE IS GREAT, GREAT DANGER IN BEING SPIRITUALLY EMPTY.
WE CALL THIS WORSE THAN THE FIRST.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. Matthew 12:43-45 (KJV)
IX. LIFE HAS A WAY OF POURING, DRAINING, EVAPORATING UNTIL WE ARE EMPTY. YOU MAY BE EMPTY BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO STAY THAT WAY.
I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? Ruth 1:21 (KJV)
And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law. Ruth 3:17 (KJV)
X. WE HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO OPERATE ON FULL JOY TANKS!
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. John 5:11 (KJV)
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24 (KJV)
A. There is great insanity in staying the same and wanting things different.
B. We must stay filled with the spirit of God.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Ephes. 5:18 (KJV)
CONCLUSION:
EMPTY IS DANGEROUS.
STAY FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT, LOVE, JOY, PEACE, AND HOPE!
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