Trying to catch a sea monster with a fish hook
Job 41:1-9
I’m going to be honest: I have read many times in the Bible about this thing called "Leviathan", but have never really paid much attention to it. But, as I was reading this chptr. the other day, I felt like God had something to say to me. So, I began to do some studying/research about it.
The name "Leviathan" comes from the Hebrew word "Liyathan" (livyawthan), and it means "twisted or coiled". There has been a lot of study/research as to figure out what exactly this really was. Some suggest a whale, some a crocodile, and even one man holds to the idea it was just an oversized tadpole or poliwig. But whatever the case, by reading the descriptions of it in the Bible, we know it was a massive animal, that was feared by many and regarded as uncontrollably deadly when encountered by mortal man. God gives a vivid description of it here in Job 41. tremendous strength in its limbs, enormous frame, hide is like a double layer of armour, teeth are terrible, no one can pry open his jaws, has overlapping scales on his back that makes a shield, when he sneezes it flashes out light, eyes like the red of dawn, fire & sparks leap from its mouth, smoke streams from its nostrils, tremendous strength in its neck, flesh is hard & firm not soft and fat, heart is hard as a rock, no sword/spear/dart/stone/clubs can stop it, belly is covered w/scales as sharp as glass, it tears up the ground as it drags through the mud, it makes the waters boil w/ its commotion. *There is nothing so fearless anywhere on earth!*
As I began to read this, something stirred me. I want to preach to you this morning "Trying to catch a sea monster using a fish hook". God asks Job "do you think it’s possible to do this? Do you think you can just tie a rope around its tongue and wrestle it down? Of course not. If you are going to overcome something as big as that, you better use the right stuff!
*What are you saying?* I don’t know if you realize it or not, but life in 2004 is not as simple and quaint as it once was. The days of living in Mayberry with the Beaver family are long gone. Satan has unleashed his full scale attack on the human race, and now wickedness is abounding everywhere you turn. And I don’t know if you are noticing or not, but the church is not what it once was either. Somehow, over the years Christians have lost sight of what’s important, and have gone astray from where they once were. All around us people are dieing and going to hell. Sin is abounding in the lives of young & old alike, but for some reason, the church as a whole is standing idly by, merely shaking their heads in dismay. Oh sure, we may throw out a hook now and then. But, if we are going to real this one in, we better do what it takes. *You can not catch a sea monster using a fish hook!
We as the church have to come back to the understanding that we have a call/commission to win the lost, invite folks to church, and help each other grow in the kingdom. You say, "Preacher, I just can’t get folks to come to church/accept the Lord..." Let me tell you why:
-They won’t come to church because what they have in the world is a lot more exciting/appealing than what they find in the house of God.
got ballgames they can shout at, TV shows they can laugh at, and all kinds of other superhuman things to mystify their imaginations. But in the modern church, we have traded in all our expressions of joy/praise for mundane, dead religious meetings. We have settled for 2 songs and a sermonette, instead of supernatural encounters with the Holy Ghost. And if church ain’t no more important/exciting than that to us, what makes you think a lost person wants to come?
-they won’t come to God for salvation for 2 reasons:
(1)there’s no conviction: We don’t want to preach to them anymore about burning in a lake of fire because we might offend them, and they won’t come back. We won’t press in to invite God in the house, bringing His spirit to convict, because they may not agree with our worship styles. Lost folks can come in, set in our pews, etc. and never be moved, because there’s no conviction in the building. God help us to get back to old fashioned, Holy Ghost services where the lost can’t stand it, and will know they either have to get to an altar or get out of that atmosphere!
(2)there’s no sanctification on our part: They look at us a lot of times and say "If that’s what Christianity is, I’m no worse than they are". We’ve forgotten that when you are in Christ old things pass away, and all things become new. I don’t talk, walk, act, think the same way. 2 Cor. 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty".
I believe God can equip/enable us to win an end time harvest. Even as full as Satanism has become in this world, I am confident the blood still saves, and we can win souls. Despite what anyone says, I still believe God is pouring his spirit out. But you and I must use what it’s going to take in order to take a hold of this one.
"What’s it going to take?" If we look to the beginning of the church we can see what they did, and apply it now. "Things were much different then, not near as much stuff going on, etc." You’re right. But, realize this also, these people were preaching a whole new message that was considered blasphemy in the eyes of the law. Many lost their lives because of it. Many were imprisoned, beaten, and left for dead. But, they still did what it took, and because of that we have the message today.
(1)Came together
Jesus said to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued w/ power from on high. So they gathered together in 1 room, to seek God for the promise. "Why didn’t God just pour the Holy Ghost out on them at the ascension?" Because they needed to take the time to get their focus/attention together, in agreement, praying/seeking for the same thing, same time, same place. And it wasn’t just men, but men & women (Mary). But, in order for the power for service to come, God knew they needed to be on the same wave length. Acts 2:1 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place".
-In our church services, if we don’t get together on the same course, we are never going to see what God can do. Often one guy’s thinking about the deer he saw yesterday, lady’s thinking about dinner, kid’s thinking about playing football, etc. Nobody has their minds on God, no one is praying/worshipping, and we leave empty. But, when we agree together in Jesus’ name, and everyone in unity begins to bless the Lord, something wonderful happens: Jesus shows up and begins to manifest his power/glory.
-As a body of believers as a whole (across the world), we need to be concentrating on unified, wide spread revival for us all. It’s not about making our church better than yours, etc. It’s about all the lost coming to God.
(2)They were filled with the Holy Ghost
not a verb filled, but an adjective filled. In other words, it described what they were. It started in the upper room, and continued on from there. Acts 3:31 "when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness" It was continuous! Holy Ghost was in them, moving around in them, and flowing out of them. They didn’t just have a memory of an experience they had when they were younger. They were filled up!
I am sold to the idea that just as much as we’re not once saved/always saved, we’re not once filled/always filled. Every day we need to cry out before the Lord for him to fill us up again. There’s too many holding on to the Pentecostal name, that are not pentecostal at all. Because the fire has gone out.
(3)They made their relationship a reality to the world
They had a relationship together, but most of all had a relationship w/ Jesus & the Holy Ghost. And the fruit of their relationship flowed out of them like a radiant beam. They had the goods, and it showed. * chptr. 2, 3000 saved, later says Lord added daily to the church *chptr. 3 lame man from birth (over 40 yrs old) healed, *chptr. 4 laid sick/demon possessed in shadow of Peter, high priest put them in prison but angel let them right out, 5000 saved, and on...
The fact is, the world with all its pazazz & fanaticism could care less about our little programs & powerless lives. What will really shake them is someone who’s got the goods. 1 Cor. 2:4-5 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God"
CONCLUSION:
Is. 27:1 "In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea".
We can get this catch. God has made available the resources to do it with. But if we’re going to, we better use the right things.
