The 5 Warning Signs
Matthew 26:31-35
First of all we see that Peter had a desire to serve God with all of his heart.
He told Jesus I will serve you even if no one else does. He said even if I have to die with you I will not disown you.
That shows me that Peter deep down in his heart wanted to be and do all that God wanted him to do.
He had the desire to serve God..
I believe that is what we have in the house today are young people who want to be all that God wants you to be. I believe we have young people who want to do all that God has called you to do.
When Peter says he will never disown Jesus and that he is willing to die for him, it reminds me of young people here today.
It reminds me of how young people testify in the G.A.N.G. (God's Anointed Now Generation)
You've heard them right -
- I just wanna let you know that I am souled out for Jesus. I am willing to do whatever God wants me to do.
- I will die for the Gospel of Jesus Christ
- Where ever there is a need send me I'll go
- I am a G.A.N.G. girl who is down to do whatever God wants me to do. I ain't holding back on God.
- I am a G.A.N.G. warrior who is down to do whatever God wants me to do. I am souled out for Jesus to the fullest.
So I think just like Peter had a desire to serve God and do what God had called him to do. I believe the G.A.N.G. also has a desire to do what God has called us to do and be all that God has called us to be. Can I get an amen.
Even here at this retreat - some of you may have came up here undecided if you wanted to give God your all, but somewhere along the retreat God touched you and now you a deep desire to be all that God has called you to be.
- Maybe you came here unsaved and you are going to leave saved.
- Maybe you came up luke warm, but now you are going to leave on fire.
- Maybe you came up to the retreat playing games with God, but now you want to take the things of God serious.
- Maybe you came up just going through the Christian motions, but you are going to leave serving God with all your heart.
Some of us are going to leave this retreat with a fresh fire and a fresh desire to be all that God has called us to be.
So I don't think that it is the desire we need to serve God here on the mountain top, but I think the challenge is going to be what are we going to do with that desire after we come down from the mountain top.
- Are we going to keep the fire -
- Are we going to stay on the cutting edge -
- Are we going to continue to give God our all -
- Are we going to be all that God has called us to be.
See Peter wanted to serve God and be radical, but he ended up denying Jesus 3 times after he said he wouldn't.
Tonight I would like to give you 5 warning to signs to avoid if you and I want to keep the fire for God.
See Peter didn't deny God overnight, it was a process.
Somebody say process.
There where warning signs in the life of Peter before he denied Jesus.
I want us to look at these so when you and I go back down the mountain we know what to look out for and avoid so we can keep our fire.
How many want to keep the fire when you head back to your city?
Because how many know it is easy to serve God and get radical in the midst of all kinds of Christians.
Hello!!! Come on somebody.
The challenge is going to be what are we going to do with the fire and desire that we got here on the mountain top - when we get back home...
ok here are the 5 warning signs to look out for.
1. Lack of Prayer - Matthew 26:38-43
The first warning sign that we need to look out for is the lack of prayer.
Jesus told the disciples sit here and keep watch, but he came back and found them sleeping..
He went away a second time came back and again He found them sleeping.
Peter - the one who said he would never deny Jesus was found sleeping when you should have been praying.
That was the first warning sign that Peter was on his way to deny Jesus.
I wander how may young people here have a prayer life?
I wander how many of us prayed today?
7 days without prayer makes 1 weak - It makes us weak spiritually.
You will be surprised how many young people are involved in the things of God, but there prayer life is weak.
I wander if we looked at your prayer time like we do air time, I wander how much rand would you have on your account.
Would you have 50 rand - 20 rand - 10 rand - or 100 rand, our would you have to send a please sms me or a please call me cause you don't have no air time.
I wander how our air time is in the spirit. Are you always sending please call me's and please text me's or are you able to pray for others because you are all prayed up.
Ask your neighbor how is you Pray-Air time...
The second thing I see is in Matthew 26:50-54
2. Peter tried to handle the things of God and a spiritual battle in the flesh.
The soldiers came and arrested Jesus so Peter gets the idea of let me handle this one for you Jesus. So he pulls out his sword and cuts off the ear of the servant.
Jesus said put your sword back my Father can handle this be calling legions of Angels, but let Gods will be done.
Peter was taking spiritual matters into his own hands.
Did you know that when you and I are not prayed up, we start trying to handle the things of God in the flesh.
You will be surprised how many young people doing the work of God - but struggle in spending time with the God of the work.
We start trying to handle opposition in the flesh.
We handle trials in the flesh
We do the work of the ministry in the flesh.
We start depending on our know and what we can do - rather than putting our faith and trust in God.
It is amazing how we as young people can get side tracked. We get so busy doing ministry that we have married the work of the ministry and we are dating Jesus.
I hope there are no young people here who are so caught up in doing the work of the ministry, that we don't even have time to spend with God.
I hope there are no youth leaders here that are so busy setting up for youth night, setting up for this event and that event, that we don't have time to spend with God.
We get up in the morning say a quick prayer and we are out the door, because we don't have time to spend with God.
Peter wasn't prayed up so he responded in the flesh.
He tried to fight a spiritual battle in the flesh.
He tried to do the things of God in his own strength.
He tried to accomplish things for God is his own ability.
3. The third thing Peter begin to follow Jesus at a distance in Matthew 26:57-58
Now remember this is the same Peter who said Jesus I will die with you and follow you wherever you go.
Now he finds himself following God at a distance.
That is the third warning sign I see -
1. Not only was Peter not prayed up
2. Not only did Peter try and carry out Gods work in the flesh
***but now he finds himself following God at a distance
How many time does that happen to young people now a days.
They testified powerfully - They rapped off the hook - they preached a powerful message - they testified amazingly - they hit the streets everyday, but now they find themselves following Jesus at a distance.
You used to go to youth night every Wednesday, but now its every other Wednesday.
You use to go early and help set up and pray before service, but now you come in late and leave early.
You used to be commited in your area of ministry, but now you can make it because of who knows why.
You used to be excited about going to Church, but now it is a burden
You used to sit in the front at youth night and on Sunday, but now you are sitting in the back. In sinners row.
You used to follow God with all your heart, but now you are following God at a distance.
You used to have Christian music in your phone, but now its lil wayne, pitbull, and drake. Come on Somebody!!!
This is the third warning sign that we need to look out for if we want to keep the fire of the Holy Ghost burning in our lives.
How many want to keep that fire burning - How many want to be all that God has called you to be?
How many want to be sold out for Jesus!!!
4. The fourth warning sign Peter begin to hang out with the wrong crowd
in Matthew 26:58
We see them hanging out with the wrong crowd and before you know it they find themselves using worldly things to replace the the warmth that use to come from Godly things.
There is a saying that says - tell me who you hang around with and I tell you who you are and what you will become.
Who are we hanging out with at school?
Who are we hanging out with on the weekend when we are not at Church?
Who are we hanging out with when youth night is over?
What kind of friends are you chatting with on facebook,
What kind of friends or you chatting with on mixit,
What kind of friend are you sms-ing from your phone.
Oh come on somebody...
Some of you are sms-ing right now as I speak - with Chilly Willy or Susy Q...
Now I know some of you are probably thinking wheeew I am safe I don't have any unsaved friends like that, all my friends go to the Church, but I am not only talking about unsaved friends.
Sometimes you have to watch out - who you hang around with in Church.
Just because that person carries a Bible, or sings good, or talks the Christian talk real good, doesn't mean that they are saved.
Sometimes they can be worse then having unsaved friends - telling dirty jokes, trying to get you to compromise, flirting with you in the back of the Church or in the back of the quantum.
Trying to get you to do things you know you shouldn't be doing and yes they go to the Church.
Well here is some news for you - just because you are in McDonalds don't make you a hamburger and just because you are in Church don't make you a Christian...
Hello somebody..
I know they say Hallelujah real loud and shout real good, but if they walk don't match they talk - see ya wouldn't wanna be ya....
How many here want to keep that Holy Ghost Fire burning even after the retreat is over.
Then if so, you and I need to watch who we are hanging out with - this is so important that it was the last step before Peter ended up denying Jesus.
Yes the same Peter who said he would never disown Jesus even if he had to die with Him..
If it happened to Peter it can happen to you and I - that is why we should learn from the life of Peter and use it as a lesson to help us stay focused...
If you and I are going to keep the fire and desire to serve God when the retreat is over, when the youth night is done, and when the revival ends, then we need to watch out for these 4 warning signs.
5. Warmed himself with worldly things:
The bible says in Mark 14:54 - And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
He sat down at the fire with them and begin to warm himself with their fire.
Notice the Holy Ghost fire that kept him warm for the things of God and to be sold out for Jesus, was now replaced by keeping warm with the fire that the world had to offer.
He began to depend on worldly satisfaction to take the place of the Godly satisfaction.
The next step is we start looking for satisfaction from worldly things instead of Godly things.
- Relationships
- Partying
- Drugs
- Whatever it may be
1. Lack of Prayer
2. Doing the work of God in our own strength
3. Following Jesus at a distance
4. Hanging out with the wrong crowd.
Tonight if God has ministered to you then I would like to pray for you.
1. Maybe we need to step up our prayer life maybe you have been slippin
2. Maybe you find yourself frustrated and discouraged because you are trying to do the work of God on your own strength and you are not getting the results you desire.
3. Maybe you find yourself following God at a distance. Before you were at every youth night. Before you were early to Church. Before you would tell your friends about Jesus, but now He is not even in your conversation.
4. Maybe you find yourself hanging out with the wrong crowd and you need to cut that relationship with them lose.
You say I am making a choice to follow Jesus and if you guys want to stay luke warm and play games thats you, but I am moving to new address.
I am moving to another level and tonight I am making a choice to follow Jesus with all my heart.
I gotta cut you loose.
