NO OTHER CHOICE? THE ULTIMATUM… WE CAN’T WIN?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
*Surrender: cease from resistance, to give up, lose hope, defeated, not expect better, no expectations of better, let go, no ability to fix, to abandon, resign, no more struggle, to give in.
SPIRITUAL CHICKENS? HEAR A LITTLE HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT HERE:
God’s people refused to humble themselves. The city of Jabesh Gilead refused to confess and repent… SO THE SINS GOT ISRAEL IN DEEP TROUBLE. Compromise and sin had lowered God’s words effectiveness and DISCOURAGEMENT was spawned in a sin-filled, careless life style. SIN SLOWLY DRAINED ALL THE VICTORY OUT OF THE CAMP OF GOD.
Jabesh was a little city in Gilead. GILEAD was the home of the tribe of GAD AND ½ tribe of Manasseh. GILEAD was a land of rich pastures, good fresh running water and good trees. The people of Jabesh were in big trouble. There was an enemy just east of Gilead, THE AMMONITES.
NAHASH WAS AN EVIL ENEMY AND HIS DESIRE WAS TO HUMILIATE GOD’S PEOPLE. NAHASH IS AN AGENT OF THE ENEMY’S OF GOD… THE DEAL MUST BE TOTAL SURRENDER. THERE IS A CALL: JUST LET US SERVE THE ENEMY… SATAN DESIRES TO HUMILIATE GOD’S PEOPLE AND BRING REPROACH TO THE CHURCH. Nahash is a type.
THE ENEMY IS CAMPED ALL AROUND US. WE ARE UNDER SIEGE, CUT OFF… WE ARE WILLING TO SURRENDER AND MAKE A COVENANT WITH EVIL… WE WILL SERVE YOU… WE ACCEPT YOUR CONDITIONS AND TERMS OF SURRENDER…
SURRENDER WITHOUT A FIGHT? THE BATTLE IS TOO STRONG FOR US… THE LESSON OF THE ELDERS OF GILEAD OFFER TO SURRENDER… THEY HAVE ALLOWED SIN, SO WE WILL MAKE A COVENANT WITH THE DEVIL? WE ARE UNTESTED.
THE JABESH-GILEAD PEOPLE SOUGHT TERMS TO SURRENDER TO THE ENEMY… NAHASH OF AMMON OFFERS A DEAL…
DIE BY THE SWORD… OR LET US PUT GOUGED OUT EVERY PERSONS RIGHT EYE. . This is more than to disqualify the warriors… THIS IS A TOTAL REPROACH ON ISRAEL. GILEAD FEELS THEY CANNOT FIGHT… SURRENDER OR BE CONQUERED…
BY SURRENDERING TO NAHASH (MEANS SERPENT) WE WILL FOREVER LIMIT OUR VISION AND WILL NEVER BE BATTLE READY. WE CAN’T WIN: I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT… I THINK IT BEST TO JUST SURRENDER… JABESH GILEAD ARE LOSERS.
1 Samuel 11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, on this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
The people of Jabesh were in big trouble. They had a strong enemy just east of Gilead, THE AMMONITES. Will we make a treaty with the enemy. NAHASH IS WILLING TO WAIT SEVEN DAYS BECAUSE HE THINKS THAT NO ONE CAN SAVE FROM HIS POWER… (DON’T FORGET THE GOD FACTOR.)
THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN YOUR RIGHT EYE. THIS IS ABOUT GIVING UP. THERE IS A CRY FOR DIVINE HELP. THE FEAR OF GOD COMES DOWN… SAUL KNOWS THIS IS MORE THAN HIS BATTLE, THIS BATTLE IS FOR GOD AND ISRAEL.
1 Samuel 11:6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
SAUL CUTS AN OX UP AND SENDS THE PIECE TO GOD’S PEOPLE. WE MUST REFUSE TO ACCEPT DEATH AND LOSING OUR VISION. WE MUST GET OVER THIS TOTAL SURRENDER. QUIT SAYING WE CAN’T WINI THEY ARE REALLY SAYING: WE
DON’T WANT TO FIGHT… WE THINK IT BEST TO JUST SURRENDER…
WE CAN’T AFFORD TO SURRENDER. WE MUST TRUST GOD AND GOD’S PEOPLE. THE BATTLE PLAN MAKES 3 GROUPS TO VICTORY… GOD USES SAUL TO ESTABLISH THE RETURN TO GOD… TO JABESH AND STRENGTHEN SAUL’S THRONE.
1 Samuel 11:9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. 11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
LET US STUDY THE EAGLE!
I read about this boy that grew up in the city of New York. The boy fell in love with “EAGLES.” He checked every book out of the school library and the public library about “EAGLES.” As he got older he watched every movie, video and documentary he could find about “EAGLES.” He became a little expert on “EAGLES.” In high school he studied and wrote many papers about eagles. When he graduated high school he attended a prestigious college. He spent hours in the college library. He studied in the SCIENCE DEPARTMENT. Often he had discussions with his professors and fellow students about eagles. He graduated with honors and became known as “THE EAGLE MAN!”
He got a job teaching in the public school system. He saved every penny he could so he could plan to travel to the west and observe EAGLES in their natural habitat. After several years he purchased airline tickets. He bought a tent, cameras, supplies, a telescope, binoculars and maps and planned his trip to spend several weeks studying eagles.
Finally the date rolled around and the young man flew west. He rented a Jeep. He inquired from the locals about the eagles nesting habits and locations. He drove to a distant area and set up his camp. He then patiently waited to study the eagles. Day one--- NOTHING. Day two--- NOTHING. The man loved the camping but was frustrated, NO EAGLES. He decided to move his camp sight to a new area. On the first day the young man hiked a distance. All of a sudden the man saw an eagle sitting on the cliff side. He grabbed his binoculars and he focused on the eagle. He observed some eaglets
in the nest. He returned and carried his telescope and he rejoiced as he watched the eagles for hours.
He went to sleep that night and dreamed of the eagles. He was up before sun rise, ate breakfast and got as close as possible to observe the eagles. He had his camera and was taking pictures. This one eagle was soaring so high. All of a sudden the eagle tucked his wings and dove so fast to the earth. The eagle disappeared from view. The young man pondered what happened? In a few minutes the man saw the eagle flying higher and higher. He grabbed his binoculars
To watch the noble eagle climb skyward. All of a sudden the beautiful eagle started falling to the earth. He pondered what happened? Something was wrong. The man noted the area that the eagle fell.
He jumped into his Jeep and drove in that direction of the fall. After a while the man found the dead eagle laying on the ground. He saw BLOOD RUNNING OUT OF THE EAGLE’S CHEST. There was a dead WEASIL in the TALONS of the dead eagle. The weasel had ate the heart out of the chest of the eagle.
The young man pondered HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED? The young man falls to his knees and starts screaming to the top of his voice: WHY? WHY? EAGLE ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS DROP THE WEASIL. YOU DID NOT HAVE TO DIE. ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS LET GO… JUST LET GO… ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS LET GO… THAT WEASIL HAD NO POWER TO SLAY YOU IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST LET GO… JUST LET GO…
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
CONCLUSION: GETHSEMANE CHANGED HISTORY… TOTAL SURRENDER AND TRUST.
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. NOT MY WILL --- BUT GOD’S WILL. TOTAL SURRENDER IS TO BE IN COMPLETE SUBMISSION AND TO TRUST GOD TO
HELP US CHANGE AND WALK IN PEACE, JOY, LOVE AND FORGIVENESS. GOD BECOMES #1… THE KING, THE RULER. EVERYTHING IS SUBORDINATE TO GOD’S WORD. We must empty ourselves and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
WE MUST NEVER COMPROMISE OR SURRENDER. WITH NEW LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH, WE WILL FACE NEW DEVILS. The greater the pain we face, the greater the power. TO HAVE THE POWER TO BE A WINNER. WE HAVE TO LEARN TO THRIVE AND PLAY IN PAIN AND SUFFERING… NEVER SURRENDER!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
