ON THE THRESHOLD
OF THE SUPERNATURAL
1 Sam. 14:6-15,23
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: BOUDREAUX DUMPING TRASH
1. Boudreaux pulled over on the side of the highway and was dumping his trash beside the road.
2. A policeman spotted him, turned around, got out and walked up to him. “Boudreaux, what do you think you’re doing?”
3. Boudreaux said, “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m dumping my trash!” The policeman said, “You can’t dump your trash on the side of the highway! Can’t you see that sign right there?”
4. “Yeah, I see it. It says, ‘Fine For Dumping: $100.’ So here’s my trash, so where’s my $100?”
B. HAVING FAITH FOR A CAUSE
1. Let the name of Jesus be glorified and hell horrified.
2. People of my generation have quit dreaming. They think they've seen it all and experienced it all and their level of expectation has plummeted to an all-time low. They think they know all there is to be understood about life and they’ve lost their vision.
3. So I find I need to get around some hungry people, some excited people, some desperate people -- people with plans, dreams and visions. People with hope, for “Faith is the substance of things hoped for...”
4. If you’re not hoping for anything, then you don't need any faith. My God is an active God, a powerful God, an expressive God. God spoke to me, "Do you know why people aren't as loving as they used to be? Let me tell you why: you don't need to fuel a car if it's parked.”
5. Luke 4:18 says, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me BECAUSE...". The Spirit only comes on you if you have a CAUSE. “Preach, heal, give sight to the blind, set people free.”
6. Revivals used to go 30 days. Then they got down to two
weeks. Then one week. Now we're down to three days and people pick which day they’re going to come. And you wonder why we don't have any power!
7. We've parked our faith! Now we have to have gimmicks to get people to come to church. Where’s your passion? Where’s your love for Jesus?
8. Let’s read about a man who discovered the flashpoint with God.
C. TEXT
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Jonathan said, “Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
23 So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven. 1 Sam. 14:6-15,23.
D. THESIS
1. We need a vision of the needs around us and a bigger vision of God – a vision that moves us to action.
2. Jesus said, "These things and greater things shall you
do, because I go to the Father" John 12:14.
3. The title to the message this morning is, “On the Threshold of the Supernatural.”
I. THE EFFECTS OF SIN
A. SIN DIMINISHES YOU
1. Notice the pitiful situation. Here’s a nation with
2 ½ million people who defeated many nations. But the King can only rally 600 soldiers to fight against a potent foe.
2. It wasn’t all Saul; other men should have been standing up & joining forces! Sin weakened and brought them low.
B. SIN STEALS YOUR PROSPERITY
1. The Philistines ravaged the country. They had 3 large raiding parties that went out and pillaged the region.
2. When we forsake God we open ourselves to satanic attack and open every aspect of our lives to attack.
C. SIN BRINGS FEAR
1. Saul was at Migron (which means "fear"). He wouldn't obey, so his courage waned. His 3,000 soldiers became 600. His warriors were reduced to worriers.
2. Discouragement is one of the biggest battles against our dreams. If the enemy can take your vision he can stop your progress in God!
3. Strange parallel: the refuge Saul chose was the same cave the 600 Benjamites that hid themselves in over 319 years before in 1406 B.C. when totally defeated by the rest of Israel (Jdg. 20:47).
D. SIN MAKES YOU HELPLESS
The Israelites that took the field with Saul were unarmed, having only slings and clubs, not a sword or spear among them, except what Saul and Jonathan themselves had.
E. SIN MAKE YOU HOPELESS, VISIONLESS
1. Notice how slothful & defeated the Israelites
were, that they:
a. allowed the Philistines to get away with that &
b. had no willpower to help themselves.
2. This was a sign of how backslidden they were. From the time of the Judges – over 200 years – they were weaponless!
3. Back in 1296 B.C. it was written, “God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel” Jdg. 5:8. NIVSB says poss. “disarmed!”
F. HUMOR
1. A lot of people are like a wheel barrow—no good unless pushed.
2. Some are like canoes—they have to be paddled.
3. Some are like kites—if you don’t keep them on a string they fly away.
4. Some are like footballs—you can’t tell which way they’ll bounce next.
5. Some are like balloons—full of wind and ready to blow up.
6. Some are like trailers—they have to be pulled.
7. But Some are like a good watch—open face, pure gold, quietly busy and full of good works.
II. THE SITUATION: INTIMIDATING
A. THE PHILISTINES (13:5)
1. Overwhelming Force.
30,000 chariots
6000 horsemen
Foot soldiers "as the sands on the seashore"
2. Notice the goodness of God in restraining the Philistines, who had a vast army of valiant men in the field, from falling upon that little handful of fearful, trembling people that Saul had with him, whom they would easily have defeated.
3. There’s an invisible power that sets limits on the church’s enemies, and hinders them from thwarting God’s people & purpose.
B. THE FAITH OF JONATHAN
1. When God is going to intervene, the circumstances usually look intimidating. To rise to the challenge requires faith and a willingness to take personal risk.
2. Jonathan was willing to take a risk. The normal person expects to conform himself to the world; the abnormal person expects the world to conform to him, therefore it's the abnormal that brings change to the world.
3. That's why I like fanatics: it's easier to restrain a fanatic than to raise a corpse!
4. Jonathan was willing -- with only one servant and one sword -- to fight the entire well-armed Philistine army of 30,000 soldiers! Jonathan decided it wasn’t time to SIT back, but time to TAKE back.
5. He had an EYE FOR DIVINE OPPORTUNITY.
C. ENCOURAGED TO A STEP OF FAITH BY 3 GREAT TRUTHES:
1. He knew God would help him because "God is on our side" (v. 6). The Philistines were "uncircumcised," that is, not in covenant with God. We too can be confident because we’re in covenant with God through Jesus’ blood.
2. Jonathan believed in God's power. He stated in verse 6; "There’s no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few" -- no natural limit to what God might do."
3. Verse 6, "It may be that the Lord will work "for us."
It wasn’t someone else God would help, but themselves!
III. JONATHAN DECIDES TO TRY GOD
A. JONATHAN TESTS GOD’S WILL
1. We stay in the natural too much. We don't give God a chance.
2. Jonathan had the same spirit as Peter, "If it's you, Lord, bid me come to you on the water." We need to put ourselves in the driver’s seat of a miracle and see if God will start the car!
3. Jonathan said, "If they tell us to come up to them, will know that God is calling us to fight." Of course they'll say that! They want to keep the higher ground.
5. That was tantamount to saying, "When I drop this book, if it falls (gravity), then God is calling us to fight."
6. Jonathan expected God to move in a miracle.
B. THE RESULTS OF FAITH
1. As Jonathan and his servant went up to the garrison, God gave them success in striking down 20 Philistines in a row.
2. God then waded into the battle, sending an earthquake and a panic on the Philistines, which put them into full-scale retreat.
3. Saul observed the whole Army of the Philistines began to run and chasing them were 2 wild-eyed guys chasing them; "Come back here? We got more for you!"
4. Then the even the backsliders and those in fear began to rise up and act like they were part of the move of God.
C. IMPLICATIONS FOR US?
1. “For the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”
2 Cor. 10:4.
2. WHAT ARE OUR WEAPONS?
a. Intercessory Prayer
b. Wielding the Sword of the Word of God;
c. Pleading the Blood of the Lamb;
d. Binding and Loosing. Taking authority over the Enemy;
e. Doing the Work of the Ministry: Luke 4:18; “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”
3. The Scripture says that the battle was won in an area about the size of half an acre; “in an area of about half an acre. Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God” Vss. 14-15.
4. This church is the half acre that causes Hell to tremble! If the Church rises up and does its part, then God will do His part by sending a panic into the Kingdom of Darkness and giving a great victory to the people of God!
5. Come On Church! Let’s rise up in prayer & boldness and restore the Kingdom of God to its greatness!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Some years ago a young man looking for work approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked him for a job.
2. “It depends,” replied the foreman. “Let’s see you take this one down.” The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. The foreman was impressed and exclaimed, “you start Monday!”
3. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday rolled by. Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, “You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today.”
4. Startled, the young man asked, “I thought you paid on Fridays.” “Normally we do,” answered the foreman, “but we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind; our daily charts show that you’ve dropped from first place on Monday to last place on Wednesday.
5. “But I’m a hard worker” the young man objected, “I arrive first and leave last, and I even work through my coffee breaks!”
6. The foreman sensing the boy’s integrity, though for a minute and then asked, “Have you been sharpening your ax?” The young man replied, “Well, no, sir. I’ve been working too hard to take the time.”
7. We somehow get the idea that busyness = effectiveness. Prayer is like sharpening your ax; the time spent in prayer makes everything else you do more effective!
B. THE CALL
1. How many of you will commit to beginning to pray daily for our church and for a move of God?
2. We need to realize that unless we’re praying about things, we’re losing ground – going backwards.
3. ILLUSTRATION
a. A lady came up to the great preacher, G. Campbell Morgan, and said, "I only take the big things to God. I don't take the little things to God."
b. G. Campbell Morgan looked at her and said, "Lady, anything you take to God is little!"
4. How true! The biggest thing you can think of is still small in the eyes of the Lord.
5. What do you need from God today? Let’s pray.
[Some introductory comments by T.D. Jakes]
