Disclaimer:
Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon title, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these words. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copies and quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Pastor James May
VICTORY IN DEFEAT
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
Habakkuk 3:16-19, “When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold. And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation The LORD God is my strength, and he will make in feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
Surely we are living in the last days before the coming of the Lord to call His Bride, the True Church, to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We are living in troublesome times. We have nothing to fear even though the world is destined for destruction.
As we face these times it is interesting to note the difference in the attitudes and outlook between those of us who know Jesus as Lord and those who have no hope and those whose hope in anchored in the Lord
Habakkuk, the Prophet, lived in some very troublesome times also. Israel was on the very brink of destruction as God was soon to pour out His judgments upon a sinful and idolatrous nation. They had turned their backs on God and had given God no choice but to punish them so that they would turn back to Him in repentance.
The world trembles in fear at the thought of what tomorrow may bring. There is no hope in them. I know that there are some who believe that man will solve all of his own problems; that man is his own God; and that we will get better and better until we reach Utopia.
Any sane and rational person can quickly see that this just won’t happen. Every day grows more evil. Darkness and the powers of Hell are rampant in the hearts and lives of people everywhere. There is no community nor, is there a single family that is not touched greatly by sickness, disease and death.
The governments of the world are in trouble. They cannot stop economic disaster. Time and again we hear of the possibility of devastating famines and dreadful epidemics around the globe. This little terrestrial ball we call Earth seems to be growing smaller and smaller. It took months to circumnavigate the globe only a hundred years ago and now we can do in only a few hours. Man’s ability to destroy himself and all life on earth has long been a reality.
In the early 60’s the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to very brink of destruction but now we have weapons that are far more powerful and destructive that those of the 60’s. One single bomb can now do more damage than nearly all of those put together in its destructive force. In our warped way of thinking, we have even devised weapons that will kill people but not destroy buildings or other material wealth.
My friend, America doesn’t need an enemy missile to do that. Our own attitudes, our own disregard for what is right, our own black heart of sin will bring us to destruction just as surely as an atom bomb. We don’t need another nation to invade and conquer. We will conquer ourselves by our own actions.
I remember the speech that Mr. Nakita Kruschev, the Russian Premier, made when he said that Communism would prevail without firing a single shot. "We will Bury You ", he proclaimed as he beat the podium of the United Nations Assembly with the heel of his shoe that he held in his hand. Perhaps he was wrong, perhaps not. I’m not totally convinced that Communism is dead yet. All it would take is for a hard-line conservative communist premier to be elected or appointed to Russia and we would be right back where we began. But communism and socialism isn’t our worst enemy. Our worst enemy is the enemy within our own borders. It is the very heart of our people that is shaking its fist in the face of Almighty God.
Maybe communism in Russia is dead. I don’t think so, but even if it was, there is still China to contend with, and Cuba, and the terrorist networks, and the misguided and demonically inspired people from within our own society.
The result of all this is that there is no real peace. Peace will only come when the Prince of Peace sets up His kingdom upon this earth. Until that day, we will see more wars, more fighting, more bloodshed, more hatred and every other evil you can think of.
Is it surprising then that we see mankind with the same thoughts that we find in Habakkuk when he says in verse 16, when I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered when I tried to speak and I trembled within myself. He felt as though his bones were actually dissolving within his body.
Fear, dread, anxiety, worry, depression and every other mental oppression that you can think of will enter into the heart of man when he really stops to take a hard look at what is coming.
God’s judgments upon this sinful, degenerate, ugly, and rebellious world are at our very doorstep. Even those of us who know Jesus and have our trust in Him find ourselves concerned and alarmed at some of the events that are coming upon us. There is no peace or safety anywhere anymore, just like John the Revelator said that it would be. Peace and safety are getting harder and harder to find all the time.
Yet, we are not at the end yet for there are at least 7 years of absolute terror on earth even after the church is taken away. I believe that the church will see the beginning of these things and may even have to experience a small part of the events that bring about the end, but I also believe that God is going to catch us away to be with Him in the air before the worst comes.
Men who are convinced that man can solve his own problems and determine his own destiny through the power of the mind teach the power of a positive confession. While I agree that we must think positively, the tongue that speaks positive things is useless for the cleansing of sin from a soul that is destined for an eternity in hell and there is nothing positive about that. You can profess and confess, name it and claim it all you want but, unless you know Jesus, you’ll never experience the best that life and eternity has to give.
I don’t know about all of you but am ready for Jesus to come. I can’t help but believe that we all feel the same way, that is those who love Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Like Habakkuk, our cry and our prayer is that "I might rest in the day of trouble". Habakkuk wanted to be dead and buried, or taken away from this earth before the calamities would fall upon Israel.
Oh Lord, come Quickly! Come and take your children home. Let us be found worthy to escape those terrible judgments that are coming and we can only be made worthy by the Blood of the Lamb through the Cross of Christ.
Habakkuk talks of the barren fig tree, representing famine and want. He talks about the failure of agriculture and the lack of food. The cattle and sheep shall not be there for food and meat either. What a bleak picture of the times that were coming.
Folks, we face those same things and far greater also. The scriptures speak of great earthquakes, storms of immense proportions, wars, famine and strife as never before. In a few instances in the Book of Revelation, we even see what can only be described as asteroids striking the earth and demons being released from the pit to torment men.
Lord, help us to be found worthy to escape all of that! I want to be in Heaven with Jesus while this world is reeling under God’s mighty hand of judgment.
Oh, but I have some good news for those of us who know Jesus as Lord and Savior!
Habakkuk says that he would rejoice in the Lord, even in the midst of all of these terrible events, because God is his God and God will never fail. Like Habakkuk, I must rejoice in my salvation for I know who is in control.
Paul said these words in Romans 8:37-39, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord "
Again, writing to Timothy, Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:12, "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, God has it all in His hands and He will allow you to stumble and fall or be lost if you just hold on to His unchanging hand.
We must have the same attitude of Habakkuk who says, "the Lord is my strength, He makes my feet like hind’s feet and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
A hind is like a doe deer. It is referred to as an emblem of activity (Gen. 49:21), gentleness (Proverbs 5:19), earnest longing (Psalm 42:1), and timidity (Psalm 29:9)
God wants us actively seeking converts and doing the work of His Kingdom until He comes. He wants us to be gentle as a dove but wise as serpents according to Matthew 10:16. While we earnestly wait and long for the time when Jesus comes back, we must keep a humble spirit and a heart that is broken before God in repentance.
God lifts our heart when we stay close to Him. He allows us to walk in heavenly places. We live by the power of the Holy Spirit within. We have peace in the midst of storms. We have blessings in the times of trouble and God meets our every need.
Like Habakkuk, we m only rejoice when we see the events that are going on around us. We look to the eastern sky, looking for that blessed hope of His returning.
We sing and rejoice, no matter what our circumstances for we do not dwell under them, we go ever them and through them to victory after victory.
Rejoice in the Lord right now. His mercy endures forever. His salvation is so great. His love is unending. His promises are true.
I conclude with these words of encouraging promise from Jesus who said in Luke 21:28, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
