In the world of criminal justice whenever they are in pursuit of a known criminal that has committed a crime, and when they are known for carrying firearms, the dispatcher would always report to the pursuing officers to be aware because the person that you are pursuing may be armed and dangerous. In other in words the person or persons that you are chasing could harm you or even take your life. In other words they have a weapon or weapons that could help them to equalize the situation on their behalf.
And I’m here to share with somebody here on this morning that we should be careful of who we fool with because they just might be armed and dangerous.
As children of God we must protect ourselves, protect ourselves from allowing evil forces to take over our lives, we must protect ourselves against satan and all of his imps. We need to stay on the wall as watchmen at the lighthouse.
Now the law of the land tells us that we can carry a concealed weapon but we must first take some classes so that we might (a) know the rules of what we can and cannot do. (b) So, that we might know how to handle the weapon that we are carrying for the safety of others and for the safety of ourselves, because if we are not careful we might just shoot ourselves in the foot. And last but not least we must know when and when not to use what we have. And there is nothing worst than a weapon in the hands of a fool. There is nothing worse than an educated fool, you have all of the book sense, and you have all of the street sense, but don’t have any common sense, which makes you dangerous.
Let’s consider Nicodemus, in the scripture Nicodemus was a learned man, an intelligence man, yes he was smart, but this smart man
But in John 3:1 it says: “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Nicodemus was intelligent and yet he was unintelligent, he was learned and yet he was unlearned, ok, he was smart and yet he was dumb, because we have to know when the flesh is speaking and we have to know when the Spirit is speaking.
When a person joins the military they give you a gun, but they make you learn that gun, they make you learn how to clean that gun and then before you can even fire it you must go to the range to learn how to fire it. They want to make sure that you know your weapon and that you know how to use it. In fact it is their job to make sure that you know how to fire it.
And what I am afraid of is that there to many of us that are in the church that is armed and dangerous. Let me prove it to you.
Have you ever met anyone that starts off talking good but before they end their conversation, you know that they don’t know what they are talking about? You know that they have the story all messed up, all turned around, you can tell they went to class, but you can also tell that they didn’t listen to a word that the teacher said. They went to class but they just didn’t learn how to connect the dots. They are armed and dangerous.
But that’s not my point or my assignment here on this morning; my main point is to inform the devil that we not scared, nervous, troubled, preplexed or moved by what he is trying to set in our way, because baby I am armed and dangerous.
And anything and everything that he has stolen from me I’m here to take it back. My health, my strength, my joy, my peace, my happiness, my love, my love ones, my peace of mind, my hope, my courage, my children, my house, my will, my property, my stuff what and whatever he took, I’m taking it back. Tell the devil that I’m taking it back (repeat 4x’s) I’m taking back my career, my job, my intellect, my emotion, my healing, my character, and salvation I’m taking it all back.
We must get to the point where we must stop allowing the devil to just take thing at his will. We must get to point where we point our finger in his face and say nall you can’t have it and baby I came ready to fight, so you better break out a lunch because we are going to be here a while, because the things that I have you didn’t give them to me, and you can’t take it away.
And this is what Abram was dealing with in the 14th chapter of Genesis. It was the battle of the kings. Amraphel the king of Shinar and a few of his partners, was in war with Bera, the king of Sodom and a few of his boys. They were fighting over some copper fields which were located south and south-west of the Dead Sea.
And throughout this war Sodom was conquer and the problem was not that they conquered Sodom, but the problem was they took one of God’s children, they took one of the righteous, they had bothered one of the Godly seed line, they had kidnapped the nephew of Abram.
And I know that you are sitting here looking holy, and looking sanctified, and looking all righteous but there are some of you that would hurt somebody about your kin folks. Yes you talk about them, you might get into a fight with them, you might even cuss them out, but don’t let anyone else fool with them or it will be a price to pay.
So, they had taken Abram’s brother’s son into captivity but what they didn’t know was they were fooling with somebody that was armed and dangerous.
They didn’t know that they were messing with someone that was equipped, fortified, and well able. They didn’t know that they were messing with someone that was well connected to the Lord, and when you are messing with a child of God, you are messing with someone that is armed, which means I don’t want your trouble, but you better believe that I am well prepared, they are capable and proficient in handling the situation. I ain’t no gangster but don’t push me because I’ve been delivered from that life style, but don’t make me pull it out of retirement.
Look at this Abram had to step up, and he knew that there needed to be the duty of a courageous faith to rescue brothers from enslavement.
So, what was it that stirred and aroused Abram: his brother, Lot, had been taken captive and enslaved? We must understand that physically, Lot was like a son to Abram, for Abram had reared him since childhood; but he also taught him spiritually, Lot was a brother, a spiritual brother to Abram.
And allow me to tell you that when a brother is enslaved by some enemy, believers must arise to help free the brother, no matter how great the opposition.
This was exactly what Abram did. Now Abram could have found many reasons why he should not help Lot. Because remember what is said that:
? Lot had terribly wrong Abram: he had acted with greed and selfishly usurped Abram's rights to the best land for his ranch.
? Lot had taken the best land for himself, leaving Abram to fend for himself on the less desirable land. Abram could have allowed the harsh feelings of the past to develop against Lot, for having wronged him.
? Lot was worldly, attracted by the bright lights, pleasures, and possessions offered by the ungodly of the cities. Abram could have responded by saying that Lot was getting what he deserved, and that God's judgment was falling upon Lot because of his worldliness.
? Lot had been captured by a strong enemy, a large force of invaders. Humanly, it was impossible for Abram to rescue Lot. But look at this: Abram refused—absolutely refused—to fall back upon these excuses.
In fact, He did not even consider them. When he heard that his brother (spiritual brother) was taken captive, Abram immediately acted. He arose and went after his brother to rescue him from his enslavement.
The bible tells us that a large number of people were working for Abram, a number so large that he was able to arm 318 men to fight. This shows just how wealthy and large his operation was, Abram had it going on. He was no doubt one of the largest sheiks and ranchers in Canaan, if not the largest.
The bible says that when he had heard that they had taken his kin folks that he armed his trained servants. He didn’t talk to the weakling, he didn’t consult the narrow minded people, he didn’t call or ask for a vote but he called on the trained servants and he gave them weapons of warfare. And may I tell you that the Lord is looking for some trained servants to step up to the plate. Well I heard that in the 15th verse that, that’s what they did, they stepped up and they conquered the wicked.
But what I love most of all is the 16th verse is when it says that they brought back all of the goods, they brought back his kinfolks, the brought back the women and the children, they brought back everything that belong to them.
And now I understand why Paul says in Ephesians 6:11, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Because he knew that the Devil would be coming in every shape form and fashion. And that he was coming to kill steal and destroy. So then Paul goes on to say, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, stand. In other words, let the trials come, let the storms rise let the winds blow but just keep on standing.
Have your loins girt about with truth,
Have on the breastplate of righteousness;
Have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. They might throw them but because you are armed they will bounce off of you, and that makes you armed and dangerous.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Most of all praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
And that’s what we need; we need some trained people that will be willing to fight the good fight of faith. We need somebody that will put on the whole armour of God, we need somebody that is willing to tell this dying world that the wages of sin is death but the give of God is eternal life. We need someone that is armed and dangerous. Tell your neighbor, say look out neighbor, I’m armed and dangerous.
Well someone might asked what will we use for a weapon?
Will we use guns and knives? The answer is no!!!
Will we use bats and pipes? The answer is no!!!
Will we use switch blades, and brass knuckles and the answer is no!!!
Will we use stags and chains, and the answer is no!!!
Well what will we used Pastor?
We will use our bending knees.
We will lift our voices unto the Lord.
We will Prayer and fasting, Supplication and application; we will use the Word of God, because we are armed and dangerous.
