EMPOWERED TO DO EXPLOITS
Dan. 11:32
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Sometimes husbands or wives find themselves in trouble. At a department store a clerk was helping a customer.
2. “Will that be cash, check, or charge?” the clerk asked the woman. As she fumbled for her wallet the clerk noticed a remote control for a television in her purse.
3. “So, do you always carry your TV remote with you?” the clerk asked.
4. “No,” she replied, “but my husband refused to come shopping with me and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally!”
5. How many of you know that husband is in trouble?
B. TROUBLE? RISE TO THE CHALLENGE!
1. In our text today we find that God’s people are living in times very unfavorable to them.
2. The Gov’t has not only told them they can’t practice their religion in public places, but now has invaded their church services and even private devotions to hinder their faith and promote abominations.
3. But God gives them a powerful and encouraging truth: if you draw near to God He will give us power to conquer/ overcome all the persecution of the devil can muster.
C. TEXT & TITLE
1. “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall
he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know
their God shall be strong, and do exploits”
Dan. 11:32 KJV.
2. The title of this message is , “Empowered to do Exploits.”
I. GOD WANTS HIMSELF KNOWN
A. A LOOK AT THE VERSE
1. “BUT…” This is an adversative, it states the opposite. Daniel has been describing the apostasy of the Jews, many turning away; disobeying. But some are not! Who is this group?
2. “THE PEOPLE” -- NOT ANGELS, NOT NATURE, or other creatures, but people.
3. “THAT DO KNOW.” The word “know” means “to perceive directly, to experience it yourself; to directly touch through one of your senses. First-hand knowledge!”
4. “THEIR GOD” – AMAZING!
a. It’s one thing to know about computers
“ “ “ construction, doing hair…
b. But to have knowledge of God – a firm grasp, experimental knowledge of the invisible, illimitable, all-powerful Creator. Wow!
c. Reminds me of the boy who was drawing a picture. The teacher asked, “What’s that?” “God.” “Nobody knows what God looks like.” Boy answered, “They will when I get finished!”
B. SCRIPTURE
1. “No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jer. 31:34.
2. “…but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.” Jer. 9:24.
IT WAS SO FROM THE BEGINNING
1. Adam & Eve walked & talked with God.
2. Noah, Enoch, Abram & Sarah, & their descendants all knew God and walks with God.
3. The Bible is simply a record of people to whom God revealed Himself.
4. The question is, “Do WE really know God?” Not a point in time, but a walk.
II. TO NOT “KNOW” GOD IS PERILOUS
A. IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS
1. They say “Ignorance is bliss.” Sometimes. I was crazy about hot dogs – until someone told me what were they were made of. (I still like them.)
2. A guy signed up for the military and thought it was going to be easy because he got assigned to Fort Bliss!
3. But to not know God is not bliss! It’s a grave danger.
4. In passage after passage, the Lord Jesus stresses the importance of intimate communion between us and God.
5. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matt. 7:21-23.
6. “Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Luke 13:25.
B. LESSONS
1. Our relationship must be kept current. There can be no life without growth & progress.
2. Question: “Does a branch have roots?” No! Therefore it CAN’T draw water and nutrients from the ground. WE are the branches, Jesus is the trunk of the tree. Only He has Eternal life; we only have eternal life as we are connected with Christ. John said the same: 1 John 5:11-12.
III. THE RESULTS OF KNOWING GOD
A. “SHALL BE STRONG”
1. Not physical strength – like Samson.
2. But “strengthened in the inner man.” “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” Eph. 3:16. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” 1 Jn. 4:4.
3. ILLUS.: There are 3 KINDS OF CHRISTIANS:
a. Row-Boat Christians – struggling in their own power; stop to rest for a while, only to find that the current has taken them back where they started.
b. Sail-Boat Christians – they let the wind do all the work; enjoy the high moments, but what happens when the doldrums come?
c. Steam-Powered Christians – they take the water of the Word and combine it with the fire of the Holy Spirit and there is constant power no matter what the conditions!
B. “AND DO EXPLOITS”
1. Exploits- (def.) “heroic deeds, deeds of daring, great & noble achievements.” We have need of some heroes today! Men & women of renown for kingdom of God.
2. This scripture is about vision: Being aware of our responsibilities, our calling, our opportunities.
3. Sadly, many today have no vision, no ambition, no concern for the Lost or the abused. (Do we really know God?)
4. Exploits for some of you may be:
a. To keep going when you feel like quitting;
b. To stay married “ “ “ getting a divorce;
c. To go 2nd mile with your son or daughter;
d. To stand in faith for your healing, when doctor’s prognosis is bleak.
5. Our knowing God will help us go beyond human strength.
C. EXAMPLE: TONY CAMPOLO STORY
1. Tony Campolo tells about the time he was asked to speak at a Pentecostal college. Before the service, eight men had him kneel so they could place their hands on his head and pray. Tony was glad to have the prayer, but each of them prayed a long time, and the longer they prayed the more they pushed on Tony’s head. And then they even seemed to wander in their prayers. One of the men didn’t even pray for Tone, he prayed for some guy he was concerned about. He began to pray and said, “Dear Lord, you know Charlie Stoltzfus. He lives in that silver trailer down the road a mile. You know the trailer, Lord, just down the road on the right-hand side.”
2. Tony wanted to interrupt and tell him that God already knew where the guy lived and didn’t need directions, but he just knelt there trying to keep his head upright.
3. The prayer went on: “Lord, Charlie told me this morning that he was going to leave his wife and three kids. Step in and do something, God. Bring that family back together.”
4. With that, the prayer time ended and Tony went on to preach at the college chapel. Things went well and he got in his car and began to drive home. As he drove onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike, he saw a hitchhiker and felt compelled to pick him up.
5. Campolo said, “We drove a few minutes and I said: ‘Hi, my name is Tony Campolo. What’s yours?’ He said, ‘My name is Charlie Stoltzfus.’ I couldn’t believe it! I got off the turnpike at the next exit and headed back. He got a bit uneasy with that and after a few minutes he said, “Hey mister, where are you taking me?’ I said, ‘I’m taking you home.’ He narrowed his eyes and asked, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because you just left your wife and three kids, right?’ That blew him away. ‘Yeah, yeah, that’s right.’ With shock written all over his face, he plastered himself against the car door and never took his eyes off me. Then I really did him in as I drove right to his silver trailer. When I pulled up, his eyes seemed to bulge as he asked, ‘How did you know that I lived here?’ I said, ‘God told me.’ (I believe God did tell me).
6. When he opened the trailer door his wife exclaimed, ‘You’re back! You’re back!’ He whispered in her ear and the more he talked, the bigger her eyes got. I said with real authority, ‘The two of you sit down. I’m going to talk and you two are going to listen.’ Man, did they listen…that afternoon I led those two young people to Jesus Christ.”
IV. HOW CAN WE KNOW GOD?
A. REPENT
Recognize that you’re a sinner. Your sins separate you from God. You must have sorrow for sin and a willingness to forsake sin.
B. TRUST
As your Savior, as your healer, as the only One who can get you to heaven.
C. PURSUE
1. Knowing God requires an attitude of seeking, searching, and pursuing God.
2. David said, “My soul follows hard after Thee” Ps. 63:8.
3. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27.
4. This attitude is described as “calling on the Name of the Lord” or “drawing near to God.”
5. God must be our highest desire, not a side light. The only way to get to know Him is to count all things as loss (Phip. 3:8-10).
D. TIME
1. Mary & Martha: “Mary sat at his feet and heard His word.”
2. Paul spent 3 years in the wilderness alone with God.
3. Time is required every day. It’s a walk, not a one-time experience.
4. What’s the difference between a strong or weak cup of tea? The same amount of water and tea are used. The difference comes from how long the tea is allowed to STEEP/soak in the water. The longer the steeping process, the stronger the cup of tea. It’s the same spiritually. The longer we soak in God’s divine presence, the stronger God will be in our lives!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. A young ensign was given the responsibility for getting the ship underway from a port.
2. With a stream of commands he had the decks buzzing with men and soon the ship was steaming out of the port into the channel in preparation for returning to the U.S.
3. He was so efficient that he set a new timing record in getting the ship into the channel.
4. He was not surprised when he was approached by a seaman with a message from the captain, but he was surprised it was a radio message.
5. It read, “Congratulations on completing your underway preparation exercise according to the book and with amazing speed. In your haste, however, you have overlooked one of the unwritten rules. Make sure the Captain is on board before getting under way!”
6. Have we done that? Have we launched into our day/ career/ relationship/ etc. without realizing we’ve left the Lord Jesus behind?
7. Even Jesus’ own family once left Him behind without realizing it!
B. THE CALL
1. There’s only one way to be a victorious, successful Christian – we must “know” Him!
2. Today there’s not a famine for the Word of God; instead there’s a famine for the God of the Word.
3. The Israelites knew God’s acts, but Moses knew His ways. It’s a relationship.
4. Come & pray.
