THE ENEMY KNOWS YOUR SCHEDULE
MATTHEW 13:24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” 36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
INTRODUCTION: THE ENEMY KNOWS YOUR SCHEDULE. (TEACH & PREACH)
Illustration: One day Satan sent some of his demons from the bottomless pit to do as much harm to Christians as possible. Return: 1) He sunk a ship full of Christians caught in a storm on the sea. “You did them no harm.” said Satan “for they all went straight to heaven.” 2) He set fire to property and destroyed much wealth that belonged to Christians. “You done them no harm.” he said “for their losses make them all the more determined to fight against us.” Finally: He succeeded in putting to sleep a large number of Christians. Satan smiled and all the host of devils shouted their approval.
Christians Have Often Been Caught Asleep When They Should Be Awake. To be asleep is to feel our work is done. Just because you got married does not mean your work is done. Just because you go to college does not mean the work is done. Just because you have children does not mean the work is done. Just because you become a Christian does not mean your work is done. In Matthew 24, the church slept while Jesus prayed. Jonah was asleep in the boat during the storm and a whole city was about to perish. Samson was asleep on Delilah’s lap when he lost his anointing. When Jesus was on earth, he stressed the importance of readiness, alertness and preparedness:“Work while it is day for the night comes when no man can work.” He had only 3½ years on earth to work with his disciples and teach them the Principles of the Kingdom of God - the one reason he came – to bring the principles of God’s Kingdom to earth. “The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
In Matthew 24, Jesus Is Giving His Disciples Many Kingdom Parables In Order To Heighten Their Awareness And Increase Their Knowledge. In Matthew 24 alone, he gave them parables like the sower, the mustard seed, the yeast, the net, the hidden treasure, pearl, etc. Remember, he had chosen fishermen, tax collectors, for disciples and must train them to spread the Kingdom on earth. The parables were his way of teaching simple truths to unlearned men. His first public statement was: Matthew 4:17“Repent for the kingdom of God is near." Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 6:33 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you.” If we understood the Kingdom of God, we would not sleep on the job. His kingdom has a particular philosophy, government, law, culture, society, economy, citizenship, provision, worship, protocol, representation, etc. When Jesus came to earth, God had a colonial intent - to colonize earth and make it look like heaven. These days we let Congress decide the percentage of sugar in our tea and the redefinition of marriage. But like a king on earth, Jesus is never voted into or out of power; he is king by birthright; his authority is absolute; his Word is law and unchanging; he personally owns everything in this domain; he embodies the government of his kingdom; his presence and Name is the essence of his authority; his prosperity is measured by the status of his citizens. All these are what God wants us to acknowledge. But the devil has stripped some of us of that knowledge and power because we have fallen asleep.
Because The Church Serves A King, We Have Authority. We must hunger in our spirit to walk in that authority. Instead of us fighting among ourselves and trying to boast of who has the largest churches, we should be boasting about what God desires to do through us. God has already put Satan under our feet. But the devil is a rebel now and from the beginning – he does not want to be under our authority thus he tries to weaken us by making us ignorant. Instead of seeking miracles and prosperity, seek God’s Word in your life. The Church needs to recognize its authority and pray desperate prayers over judges, senators, etc. Elijah v/s Ahab: “King, you are the one troubling Israel. You and your wife have sold yourselves to idolatry. You must repent or else she will die on the streets and dogs will lick her blood”. The battles we fight are not flesh and blood. For justices to redefine marriage is not flesh and blood. To take prayers out of schools is not flesh and blood. To take “In God we trust” from currencies is not flesh and blood. We are in a battle. The Word of God can straighten people. We can use His Word to break the devil’s strongholds. We must pray, fast, speak the Word and act on it. All over the place we have apostles, prophets, master prophets, etc. but not power. People are glorying in their material prosperities while the world is sinking deep in sin.
WHAT DOES THE PARABLE TELL US ABOUT SATAN AND HIS METHODS OF OPERATION?
Satan Is No Originating Genius, But An Imitator. The Bible says we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). When he makes a move, the Church should already know:
1. The Enemy Came By Night: He came in undetected. He knew the setting, environment; language, pattern of behavior and brought seeds that would go undetected for a while.
2. The Enemy Is Watching Our Every Move: Satan never strikes without careful observation.
3. Beware Of The Enemy Who Works From Within: Satan works from without, but works more effectively from within.
4. The Enemy Didn’t Sow Thorns. If he did this it would had been easily detected, and there would be no difficulty in distinguishing the false from the true. He sowed "tares," or "darnel." Darnel cannot be distinguished from the wheat until the wheat begins to bear fruit.
5. Weeds Confuse The Appearance Of Who Is A Believer And Who Is Not. The truth is that in the church as a whole there are among us those that look like believers on the outside but aren’t redeemed on the inside.
6. Some Weeds Are Parasitic: They get all their nourishment from the tissues of the Wheat to which they are attached. These people never grow and depend on pastors to pray for them, read the bible to them, etc. Weeds tangle the roots of real plants and impede growth. They choke the real seed and starve it from getting nutrients. Weed Christians will focus on what they shouldn’t focus on – dividing the church, attacking other Christians, diluting the gospel by arguing over doctrine, power, control, money, music, projects, etc. Illustration: God put in my heart for us to find new church twice. Some objected but we did.
7. Weeds Also Steal Light & Space. Adequate light is essential to plants because it powers the process of photosynthesis whereby green leaves convert the sun’s energy. You expend energy on them that could be used for others.
8. Weeds Are Disease Carriers: These are viruses that can only be stopped by destroying the weed. Otherwise, once infected the plant must be destroyed. They carry diseases that infect other believers – gossips, lies, slander, etc.
9. Weeds Can Be Very Hazardous To Your Health: They cause allergy. The church sneezes because of weeds. When you sneeze, you stop. Goals and vision are not quickly realized.
10. Weeds Produce No Fruit But Plenty Of Seeds: A non-believer can be known eventually by the fact they produce no change in character that shows they are Christians. But like weeds, non-believers plant many seeds – seeds of mistrust and iniquity.
11. Weeds Dry Up Quickly But Are Always Present And Return Perennially: Even when we think we are weed free – know that weeds will return.
12. Wheat Grows Upward And Dies Downward. And we ought to become more and more alive to things above, and dead to that which is below. “Set your affections on things above...”
13. When The Head Of Wheat Becomes Full Of Grain, It Slumps Over. Bearing more fruit for the Christian should not lead to pride, but to humility.
14. Weeds Are Also Sneaky. We may never see this particular weed in years – but as soon as we plant corn, up comes this plant that looks just like corn. Their habits are constant.
15. Weeds Are Very Persistent: We Do Nothing, And Weeds Come Up. We spray like crazy, and weeds come back. Weeds are highly adaptable – they grow where other plants won’t.
TRAITS OF A SLEEPING OR SPIRITUALLY UNAWAKE CHURCH
1. A Sleeping Church Is Unaware Of The Devices Of The Devil: “In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes”(2 Corinthians 2:11). The devil knows that the greatness of the church lies in our being united. He knows that the easiest way to outwit us is to get us against one another. Disagreements, fights, strife and discord amongst believers are a Satanic tactic to hinder our prayers.
2. In A Sleeping Church There’s A General Disinterest/Unseriousness Towards Prayer And Prayer Is Left In The Hands Of Just A Few People. There’s a prophetic mandate on the church (Isaiah 56:6-7): “…for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”. The church has to wake up to her prophetic mandate of being a house of prayer; a place you can go and be filled with joy because you are confident that when you lay a doctor’s report on the altar, God will hear your prayers and change that negative report.
3. A Church Is Sleeping When The Watchmen There Are Busy Resting.“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7). God has called us to serve as watchmen for Him. We don’t use carnal weapons in this assignment (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). When we are not watchful, when we are not standing as watchmen for God, we wake up one day only to discover that our lives have been bombarded with all kinds of strange people, relationships and doctrines.
4. A Sleeping Church Can’t Discern The Times And Seasons. If you are not alert you won’t understand the times; know the particular season we are in or the season God has brought you into. When you are not alert to discern and understand the times and seasons. When God wants you to be quiet, you are busy talking. When God wants you to cut off from a harmful relationship, you are doing everything to keep it. When God wants you to let go off the old and embrace the new, you are still holding to the old. 1 Chronicles 12:32 Men of Issachar had an understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do. Mordecai had a clear understanding of the times. He knew they were in a season where God wanted to redeem the Jews and change their story.
HOW THE ENEMY HAS SLOWLY ROCKED THE CHURCH TO SLEEP?
Where Was The Church When Prayer Was Taken Out Of Schools In 1962? When abortion was legalized in 1973? When same-sex marriage was legalized and Christian businesses are persecuted for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple? When did the church fall asleep? What caused the church to fall asleep? And how can we wake up the so-called sleeping giant? Know that the church didn't fall asleep overnight. Samson was a Nazarite. His strength was not attributed to the long hair he supported but the Spirit of God prevailing over him. The world impacted him so much that he gave up his calling.
1. Allured By Enticing Words (Judges 16:10-17): With her enticing speech she caused him to yield. We're like modern-day Samsons, seduced and lulled to sleep by devilish Delilahs and losing our power to combat the enemy's onslaught.
2. Embracing Harlotry (Judges 16:1, 4-5, 15-17): Much of the church is playing the harlot - forsaking the Bridegroom for sin. Harlotry was ultimately Samson's downfall. Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there and slept with her (Judges 16:1). Samson allowed the devil's words to press him "so that his soul was vexed to death" (1 Judges 16:17). We allow the enemy's words to vex our hearts until we fail to fight back. Do not let them wear you out. Don’t give up.
3. Being Easily Deceived (Judges 16:18-21): 2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Let us not forget that Satan has 7,000 years of experience doing what he does best. We have no chance. Just like Eve fell, we also can. But when we have Christ, we have the potential to stay strong and fight the winning battle. Samson was sleeping so deeply that they cut seven locks of his hair. His strength went and "then the Philistines put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison" (Judges 16:21-22). That's the condition much of the church is in today. Let us pray for another Great Revival like Samson did in Judges 16:28: "O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!" Samson repented and defeated the enemy.
CONCLUSION:
Rom 13:11-14 Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Prayer Points
1. Know That We Don’t Have Much Time. Sleeping Time Is Over.
2. Exhibit The Spirit Of A Warrior And Defender Of The Faith.
3. Exhibit The Spirit Of Readiness & Alertness.
4. Exhibit The Spirit Of A Transmitter – Pass On The Message Of Truth.
5. Be Willing To Pray The Price For What You Believe.
