DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN
Luke: 18:1
And he spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying , There was in a city a judge, which feared not God neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city and she came unto him saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said Hear what the unjust Judge said. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them. I tell you he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth?
1. Now I know this passage of scripture speaks about prayer
2. But there is a quality found here in this parable Jesus is telling that I want us to look at today
3. I believe God is building an Army today
4. An army of Men and woman ….boys and girls that have the same quality
5. AND THAT IS THE QUALITY OF TANACITY
• The ability to stick with it and not to give up
• Committed Men and woman
Explain the story how the widow woman would not give up
6. Jesus said at the end…Hear what the unjust judge said
• And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry night and day, though he bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Never the less when the Son of man comes will he find faith?
7. God is looking for stickers today
• People that will sell out to Jesus and be determined that they will not quit
• We have too many people today that want to join the Army of the Lord….but they only want to fight if they feel like it.
• They only want to fight if its convenient
BUT GOD IS LOOKING FOR A PEOPLE THAT WILL FIGHT AND STAND STRONG EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT CONVIENIENT!!!
• ….Even when you do not feel like fighting…..
• The battle we are called to fight in is an every day battle my dear friends..
• MON …TUE….WED…..THUR…..FRI….SAT…..SUN
• When were tired
• When were weary
• When we don’t feel like it
• And when we don’t see the results we expect to see
• WE FIGHT IN THE BATTLE BECAUSE WE ARE SOLDIERS IN THE LORDS ARMY
• WE FIGHT BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
• WE FIGHT BECAUSE KING JESUS HAS GIVEN US ORDERS TO DEFEND OUR GROUND
8. This woman had tenacity….she knew what she wanted and wouldn’t take No for an answer
I. THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAD TANACITY
1. Paul said I have fought a good fight
• I have finished the course
• I have run the race and kept the faith……Paul was not a quitter
2. The apostle Paul was shipwrecked
• He was stoned and beaten
• He was in peril among his brethren and in peril among robbers
• But never once does Paul talk about quitting
• Quitting was not in Brother Paul's vocabulary…
3. You can quit if you want to……you can run if you want to
• But I am determined to be a sticker
• I am determined to fight the Devil and pull down his strongholds
• I am determined to trust my God to help me to do his will in my life
TURN WITH ME TO 2 SAMUEL 23:8-12
2 Sam 23:8-12
8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
(KJV)
1. David was about to come to the end of his life and he decides he is going to honor his 33 mighty men
• He writes an entire chapter to honor his mighty men
• Keep in mind these might men were men who ran from King Saul years earlier
• They owed a lot of money and were cast a ways who followed David in the early years when they lived in caves and fled from Saul
2. What I just read to you were the accounts of David's three mightiest men
• King David heaps more honor upon these men than all of his mighty men
• Do you know what I notice about all three of these men
• ALL THREE OF DAVIDS MOST HONORED MIGHTY MEN HAD TANICTY….
• STICK TO EDNESS!!!
• These might men didn’t run when the odds were against them
• They didn’t refuse to defend something that was beneath there dignity and abilities
• They didn’t quit ….when quitting seemed like the only logical thing to do
• AND IN EACH CASE…..GOD MOVED ONLY AFTER he saw there determination to stand there ground
• Listen to me carefully this morning…God has called each one of us to defend a piece of seeming insignificant piece of ground today
• As we look at David's mighty men I pray Holy Spirit will show us what King Jesus has so ordained for each of us to do in this last hour
• I ask you to be courageous enough to make a stand today ….yes even if you must stand all alone
LETS LOOK AT THE ACCOUNTS TOGETHER
#1. The first was ADINO the Eznite
• He lifted his spear against 800 Philistines
Explain the story of ADINO defending a pass possibly
• King David sent me here to defend my position
• KING JESUS SENT YOU HERE TO DEFEND THE GAP AND TO MAKE A STAND IN THIS HOUR
• Gods looking for ADINOS today….MEN, Woman, boys and girls that will not be moved
• Men and woman defending a seemingly insignificant piece of ground today who wont quit….or run every time the Devil threatens
#2 was ELEAZAR the son of DODO
• The story is found in first Chronicles 11:12 also
• The account will give us a little more information….
• we see it’s a barley field Eleazar is giving his life for
(Explain the story of how the Philistines stole crops every year)
(Explain story) of Eleazar
• Do you know what this story remind me of
• The enemy of our soul threatens and comes up against Moms and Dads standing in the barley field fight for there children
# 3 comprises of Pharaoh to Moses
a. Go only a 3 days journey (Ex 8:25)
b. Leave your children Ex 10:8-11)
c. Leave your possessions (Ex 10:24)
HE HASN’T CHANGED MUCH OVER THE YEARS….STILL OFFERING THE SAME COMPROMISES TODAY
• When I read the story of Eleazar it reminds me of Sunday School teachers determined to make a difference
• Investing in a small child's seemingly insignificant life in the scope of millions of people
• It reminds me of the janitors, the men and woman who mow and paint…etc.
• LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ME THIS MORNING…..GOD NEEDS STICKERS IN HIS ARMY TODAY
• Men and woman boys and girls who will dare stand in this last hour and make a stand for Jesus
• Men and woman who will defend their seemingly insignaficant little areas
• Now days a Pastor must do it all
• Pastors are asked to be attorneys…Bookkeepers….Evangelists…Doctors..Psycologist and pschiciatrists ..Law service crews, painters, Janitors, diplomates, electricians, carpet layers and on and on
• The Pastors Job is to pray and seek Gods direction for HIS CHURCH(Jesus' Church)
• The Pastors job is to equipt the saints of God to work where God has so ordained them to work
• These mighty men didn’t think the job King David gave to them was beneath them…they did it with all of there might
# THE 3RD MIGHTY MAN HONORED BY KING DAVID WAS SHAMAH THE SON OF AGEE THE HARITE
1. 2 Sam. 23: 11 says
2 Sam 23:11-12
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
• My bible reads RESIST THE DEVIL and he will flee from you
• That means God will give you the victory
• If you STAND……and the Devil flees…..then in between is a battle…
• And if there is a battle and the enemy flees then you have the victory…..YOU WIN
# Gates of Hell shall not prevail against you……= offense
• Were to be fighting at the gates of Hell
• Pulling down spiritual strongholds
• We need to learn the art of resisting the enemy and not giving him place
• QUIT BEING WHIMPY…QUIT BEING CEASEAR MILK TOASTS
• FLEX SOME SPIRITUAL MUSSEL AND RESIST THE ENEMY!!!!
God always has and always will honor men and woman who make a stand for him
• Young married couples….make a stand in your house for God
• Business people…..stand for righteousness and honor God on the job
• Teenager….stand against the flow and dare to be different……live a holy life
• Husbands ….love your wives and honor them by living a pure and upright life leading your family in the ways of the Lord
• Don’t joke about them….or woman hood….or your mother in laws…HONOR THEM ALWAYS
• Don’t sanction pornography ….don’t accept it …make a stand for righteousness & Holiness
1. Explain how Shammah defended his little bean patch
• Everyone fled explain
• It wasn’t very prestigious defending the bean patch
• So often God will give you a little job to do ….with great eternal significance
• You see it was a little job well done that brought these mighty men honor and recognition
HE WHO IS FAITH FULL IN THE LEAST WILL BE FAITHFULL IN THE MOST
1. ONE DEFENDED A PASSAGE WAY…OR SUCH
2. ONE DEFENDED A BARLEY PATCH
3. ONE DEFENDED A BEAN PATCH
• No seemingly great significance…..but King David had a reason and needed someone who would not question why but just do it
• King Jesus has given us a task to do in this last hour
• Each of us has a bean patch to defend or a barley patch to save
Some one told me they weren't called recently
• Every born again believer has a calling
• We are all called to be a witness and to testify of Jesus
• In fact He said if we deny him ….he will deny us
• We are all called to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world
• We are called to resist the Devil
• We are called to back the program of God
• To lift up your Pastors arms in prayer and in performing the works of God daily
• To raise our family for the Lord Jesus Christ
• To be a Godly mother and Father
• To preserve our freedom ….one nation under God
• To pay a tithe of the increase of God’s blessing on us
DO YOU REMEMBER ELIJAH THE PROPHET???
• Do you remember when it came time for him to choose a successor
• Turn to I Kings 19:19 with me
19 So he (speaking of Elisha) departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
(KJV)
• Did you ever wonder why the Bible says he was plowing with 12 yoke of Oxen
• I have always been told it was because he was wealthy
• I don’t think that’s the reason….
• I think God wanted us to see the ole boy had tanicity
# explain some one plowing with 12 yoke of oxen
• 2,4,6,8,10,12, 14,16,18,20,22,24 oxen
• Do you realize 24 oxen yoked together would tear up concrete
• ELISHA HAD TANACITY….HE WAS GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE IN A BIG WAY
• Its no wonder he got double the spirit upon him
• He did his last miracle after he died (explain)
What about you today beloved
• The devil throws you a curve and the spiritual wind gets knocked out of you…do you throw up your hands and quit…
• Or do you pray and fast and stick in the battle trusting God and his word to deliver you
2. The devil tells you Jesus doesn’t love you or care about you…God forgotten and forsaken you
• Like Eliazar your all alone…..everyone is gone…..no one sees
• Remember King Jesus has sent you and he will not leave you nor forsake you
• Defend the seemingly insignificant work he put in your hand
a. PASTOR ….BOARD MEMBERS……SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS….NURSURY WORKERS
b. PRAYER WARRIORS….CHILDRENS WORKERS…..VOLUNTEERS WHO CUT THE GRASSAND CLEAN UP THE CHURCH…..
Mothers who are called to raise your children….FATHERS…..Business people…..Grandparents…
WILL YOU STAND TODAY….WILL YOU SAY KING JESUS SENT ME HERE AND I WILL NOT BE MOVED
I WILL DEFEND WHAT KING JESUS SENT ME TO….EVEN IF EVERYONE ELSE FLEES
Would you bow your heads all over this building?
• King Jesus sent you to stand in such an hour as this
• He's about to come back and the position you hold is important and vital to the body of Christ and the kingdom of God
1. How many have never enlisted in the Army…You have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins
2. How many will say Bro. Steve I wont quit I wont give up
Draw a line across the front
