"How To Identify Terrorist Groups In The Church"
November 25, 2001 FBC, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
1 It is an awesome job being a pastor.
A I have had people come to me and say "Pastor, I’ve had trouble with our last four pastors. Why does he keep sending us poor shepherds?"
a Do you know what the statistical odds are of God sending four "poor shepherds" to one church....in a row?
b Astronomical!!!!
B I’m going to share today a message that may not be the best timed.
a In December I’ll be preaching Xmas. (No brainer)
In January I’ll be zeroing in on Stewardship. (No brainer)
It would put this message back to February.
b I can either do this message with bad timing or even worse timing. I’ve chosen to have bad timing.
2 How to identify terrorist groups in the church.
A It’s not a new threat....at all. (2 Cor. 11:13/15)
a 2CO 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. [14] And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. [15] It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
b Paul stressed to the church at Corinth to be sensitive to Satans schemes. (ETS)
B Satan is waging an all out war against the body of Christ. (ESS)
a I want you to be an anti-terrorist commando for Christ. (Obj.)
b What will you do to fight demonic terrorism at FBC?
T.S.: Let’s look at two strategic steps we can take to thwart the devils schemes at FBC.
I The first step we can take is to......know the aggressor.
A Paul told the Corinthian churc that Satan’s soldiers had great camouflage. (2 Cor. 11:15, Matt. 13:24-30)
MT 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. MT 13:27 "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 root up 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.’ "
a The bad seeds of Matt. 13 and bad members of 2 Cor. 11 had the same objective. (To have a negative impact on the harvest.)
b Weeds: (1) Took Water, minerals, space the wheat could have used to flourish/excel. (2) The workers who had the job of bringing in the harvest had to waste time dealing with weeds when they should have been bringing in the harvest.
Members: (1) The pastor had to spend exhorberant amount of time dealing with disruptive, destructive and disgruntled people instead of reaching the lost.
"BOTH HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE HARVEST! That’s What Satan Wants."
B Satan puts his "highly gifted" people into every church.
(God puts highly gifted people into every church to build and grow people/body. Satan puts his gifted people in every church to tear down and destroy people/body.)
a These gifted terrorists names are.....
Bin Arguin’, Bin Fightin’ & Bin Complainin’....their leader is Osama Bin Lucifer.
b JAS 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. [14] But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. [15] Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. [16] For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Their job is to discourage, disrupt and destroy the pastor, church, witness of both...which has a negative effect on the harvest.
C On Sept. 11, 2001 a picture was taken of smoke bellowing out of the WTC.
AP Photo Editor, Vin Alabi confirmed a picture many claimed to have seen Satan in the smoke was untouched/undoctored. "It was just people reacting to the natural indentions in the smoke cloud.
(Satan’s fingerprints were all over it.)
a Satan takes something good and does something bad. Used our own planes against us..to hurt us.
b When trouble explodes in the church NEVER doubt the source of divisiveness, destruction.
*Satan knows the most effective way to prevent a church from attracting the lost, bringing in the harvest is create friction, discontivness and to destroy harmoney.
II The Second strategic step we can take is....to take counter measures.
[28] Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. [29] I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. [30] Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. [31] So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
A Paul told the leaders to be dilegent in dealing with Satan’s soldiers.
a He didn’t tell the leaders to ignore, overlook, disruptive people.
*Do you know what shepherds did to attacking wolves?
*What would happen the shepherds didn’t something about wolves?
b TIT 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. [10] Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. [11] You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
DEAL WITH THEM!
B A body can’t live with a cancer. It’s gotta be removed! (Doctors and butchers both draw blood. One draws blood to give life...one draws blood to take it away.)
a Not everybody who disagree’s with you or has a different view point is a tool of the devil. Were talking about long term, long standing, predictable pattern of discord and disruptive behavior.
aa Be slow to question their profession of faith.
(Tares/Wheat...God will sort that mess out.)
bb You may have to naturalize a relationship.
(Titus passage...Jesus walked away from people.)
cc Pray for them.
b Remember Bin Arguin, Bin fightin’ and Bin Complainin’? Their arch-enemies are Bin Prayin’, Bin Watchen’, Bin Waitin’....Bin Longing for their masters Return.
C In the 1958 World Series, Hammerin’ Hank Aaron came to bat. Yogi Bera, the catcher for the NY Yankees told him to put the writing on the bat so he (Aaron) could read it..so it wouldn’t break the bat when he hit it.
a Aaron replied, "Yogi, I didn’t come up here to read. I came up to hit to the ball." Hank knew his purpose! We have a purpose!
b In America, over 2 million patients go into a hospital and sick from the germs that are in the hospital.
*When people come to FBC lets make a concentrated effort not to infect them with complaints, grips, criticisms....don’t hurt them. They’ve come here to get better...and along time ago...so did we.
Conclusion:
1 Eph. 6:12 [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Satan is waging an all out war against the body of Christ. (ESS)
A We’ve looked at two strategic steps we can take to thwart the devils schemes at FBC.
a Know the agressor. (Devil and his henchman)
b Take Counter measures.
*Never doubt anothers profession of faith.
*May have to neutralize a relationship.
*Pray for them.
B I hope you’ll be an anti-terrorist commando at First Baptist. (Obj.)
a If this message rubbed you the wrong way...ask yourself why?
b This message was for everyone of us.....Terrorist (Your actions will not be tolerated.) Commando’s (Go to work)
2 What will you do to fight demonic terrorism at FBC?
A In 1900, in Amer. there were 27 churches for every 100,000 people.
In 1950, there were 17 churches for same number of people.
Today...11 churches per 100,000.
a Were losing ground.....to the aggressor.
b As we attack the aggressors in Afghanistan, we watch briefings daily from the Joint Chiefs. The Joint Chiefs of Staff Official Dictionary (unabridged ed.) There are two common words that don’t exist. Surrender & Retreat. We, The United States of America, do not surrender or retreat.
*Church accept nothing less than full victory.
*When some wants to complain, get angry, fight...walk away.
B What will you do to fight demonic terrorism at FBC?
a I hope you’ll be an anti-terrorist commando here.
b For some of you..the enemy is holding you hostage....break free today. (Salvation)
*Pray.
