Chasing the Loin—101
2 Samuel 21:20-23NLT
Of the 400 men who gathered around David in the Cave of Adullam, Second Samuel names the top thirty-seven champions whose courageous deeds became legendary. But most notable were the Gutsy Trio who dared to sneak into the Philistine stronghold at Bethlehem. (Second Samuel 23)
There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. 21 Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand (According to Dakes Bible, this Egyptian was over 10 feet tall) and killed him with it. (The giants own sword) 22 Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors. 23 He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.
And later, Benaiah was chosen by King Solomon to become His Chief-in-command of Israel’s army.
Benaiah was a mighty man—He refused to walk in fear, He lived with humility, and passion seemed to be his middle name, He followed hard after God while walking by faith, and not by sight.
Just like Benaiah, we have been chosen to chase a Lion—The Loin of the tribe of Judah.
Can you put into focus the fact that God has called you to begin to see life through His lenses—To reframe your focus.
Revelation 5:5NLT But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Remember this, When we make a decision to follow the Lion, He gives us stories to tell the next generation.” P.H
Many great Leaders come from the tribe of Judah. The Judahite is King David.
In Matthew 1:3-16, we can read the linage of Jesus, Beginning with Judah, and ending with Mary. Mary the mother of the Messiah—Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
It has been said that Jesus came as a lamb the first time, but he will return like a lion when he comes again.
Luke 3:23-33, Shows us a backwards look into Jesus being the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
The Name Judah Means—Praise. The name Judah is awfully close to the Hebrew word for praise, which is Yadah.
When you offer Yadah, you are praising God with extended or raised hands. When hands are raised, it usually signals two things, either praise and adoration or surrender.
Tonight we’re talking about chasing a Lion into a pit on a snowy day. There’s several words that came into my spirit as I think about chasing the Lion.
This evenings the first way to chase the Loin is—through Humility.
You can’t overcome the Loin, so you ask God about His ways—His formula. Let God give you His battle plans. P.H
I believe that the great men and women of the Bible became who they were, because they learned to humble themselves.
“Humility say’s yes to God, there’s no fight, because Jesus has won over spiritual warfare. In-return, Humility makes us willing vessels for Jesus to flow through.’ Remember, ’If Jesus wins, you win.” P.H
1 Peter 5:5b-6TPT In every relationship, each of you must wrap around yourself the apron of a humble servant. Because: God resists you when you are proud but multiplies grace and favor when you are humble.
During the great Welch revival in the early 1900’s, the same seems to be—“bend me lower Lord bend me lower.”
All this happened when young people began to experience the reality of God’s divine power, and teams of young people, such as the one led by the most noted of the revivalist, EVAN ROBERTS and his revival party, travelled the country revolutionising the churches.
Repent, and bend me lower—None of me and all of You—Lord. John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease.
Again notice, in every relationship—walk, talk and be, with all humility.
For the humble, 1 Peter 5:6 say’s, God multiples grace and favor, because of humility.
Again, Humility is seen in through our actions, our speech, and through our movement in general. (Eye contact, delightful smile, mixed by becoming a good listener. Caring more for the other than yourself.
In the beatitudes Jesus speaks about the humble at heart. Matthew 5:9TPT “How joyful you are when you make peace! For then you will be recognized as a true child of God
Humility is all about making peace, peace with words, peace through our action.
As we humble ourselves, we’re chasing after the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
Understand that there are so many fakes out there—Worship the Lion!
2. Learn everything you can about Jesus. Learn His way.
Matthew 11:28-29TPT “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. 29 Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.
Resting in Jesus is understanding His completed work.
Hear, Paul’s prayer in, Ephesians 3:14-17TPT So I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, 15 the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the earth. 16 And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power.
17 Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life.
Think about this, The very source and root of your life is Jesus Christ being unveiled as Lord!
Jesus produces resting places of His love toward us.
True rest is multiplies when we see Jesus full of deity. We begin to frame our life around His ways, words and deeds.
John Milton once said, the mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a heaven out of hell, a hell out of Heaven.
Hebrews 4:1-3TPT Now the promise of entering into God’s rest is still for us today. So we must be extremely careful to ensure that we all embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it. 2 For we have heard the good news of deliverance just as they did, yet they didn’t join their faith with the Word. Instead, what they heard didn’t affect them deeply, for they doubted. 3 For those of us who believe, faith activates the promise and we experience the realm of confident rest!
“I think confident rest equals confident trust in the Lion.” P.H
3. The third way we chase the Lion and win is by following hard after Him with passion.
David said in Psalm 42:1-2TPT I long to drink of you, O God, to drink deeply from the streams of pleasure flowing from your presence. My longings overwhelm me for more of you! 2 My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God. I want to come and see the face of God.
When you’re following hard after God with passion, you learn to trust Him.
In the following verses of Psalm 42, David asks the question, “Why is my soul cast down?"
And then David answers his own question in- Psalm 42:11TPT So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, he is my saving grace!
Psalm 63:8KJV My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Psalm 63:8TPT With passion I pursue and cling to you. Because I feel your grip on my life, I keep my soul close to your heart.
God’s word has the ability to light my path.
2 Timothy 2:15KJV Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The fourth and final way to chase after the Lion is to see with lenses of faith.
When you believe for the impossible, In return, God blesses us with more territory.
Joshua 14:12NLT So give me the hill country (Give me this mountain) that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”
Again, Joshua 14:12b…But if the Lord is with me…Joshua knew that if he were to win this battle, it would begin by his speech, and his words mixed with faith.
1 Timothy 6:12NIV Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Faith is the ground on which you stand. Nothing is possible without faith.
Mark 9:23b…Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
In other words, The impossible becomes possible. P.H
So as you chase the Lion, remember, walk in humility, learn everything you can about Jesus’ ways. Follow the Lion with passion, and have your faith solely in Him.
Benediction.
