THE NOT SUDDEN, SUDDEN MOVE OF GOD?
THERE IS A WORD FROM THE LORD FOR YOU, THE COVENANT IS FOR YOU AND YOURS.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, FEAR NOT, ABRAM: I AM THY SHIELD AND THY EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD.
I. IS THERE A WORD FROM GOD? IT CAN BE DANGEROUS HEARING FROM GOD, IF YOU LISTEN TO THE WRONG PROPHET? THE COUNTERFEIT MESSAGE CAN NOT IMPEDE THE REAL MESSAGE
REMEMBER WHEN FEAR CAME UPON THE MAN OF GOD, JEREMIAH?
A. Jeremiah served God in a hard day. There were many sad days Jeremiah faced, he had to question his call.
B. Jeremiah’s message was not received, and if the message is hated, the messenger will be hated.
C. Jeremiah was a suffering saint, he is known as THE WEEPING PROPHET.
Today, weeping prophets do not sell many books, tapes, videos, or CD’s?
We want the Preacher to preach us HAPPY!
D. The reward of Prophet Jeremiah was a miry dungeon and a whipping post.
His diet often was simple, bread and water, yet Jeremiah was a man of God.
E. ONE DAY A VISITING KING ASKED IS THERE A WORD FROM GOD? BE CAREFUL FROM WHERE YOU TRUST YOUR WORDS!
F. God told Jeremiah to wear a yoke of bondage on his neck for the coming doom.
G. Hananiah was a popular, applauded priest, the people loved him.
H. HANANIAH A FALSE TEACHER BROKE THE YOKE OF JEREMIAH’S NECK...
Jeremiah 28: 10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet
Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.
I. THIS IS NOT GOD’S WORDS, BUT MAN’S WORDS.
Jeremiah 28: 15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, HEAR NOW, HANIANAH; THE LORD HATH NOT SENT THEE; BUT THOU MAKEST THE PEOPLE TO TRUST A LIE.
J. Hananiah the prophet did not have a WORD FROM THE LORD, he dies a needless death.
Jeremiah 28:17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
GENESIS 15 IS CALLED THE COVENANT CHAPTER.
II. ABRAM HAS BEEN BLESSED BUT THE STORMS AND TRIALS HAVE HIT HARD!
A. Abram had heard from God and rented a U-Haul truck and left UR by order of the Most High God.
B. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot and Lot’s family.
C. Seemingly, Lot was more focused on his materialism and the two clans could not coexist peaceably. Abram built an altar every where he went. There is no record
of Lot ever building an altar.
D. In a terrible battle several Kings and nations bound together and captured Lot and Lot’s family, and Lot’s possessions.
E. Abram did the only thing he could do. Abram chases the enemy and catches up with them in the night and God gives Abram a wonderful victory.
III. ABRAM LEARNED A GREAT LESSON AFTER THE VICTORY: GIVING!
A. Abram learned there is more than toys and materialism to life.
Abram built altars and gave faithfully to the man of God.
Genesis 14: 19 And Melchizedek blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most High God, possessor of heaven and earth.
20. And blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. AND ABRAM GAVE HIM TITHES OF ALL.
B. ABRAM LEARNED THAT WHILE HE WON THE BATTLE, IT WAS NOT HIS WISDOM OR ABILITY THAT CAUSED THE VICTORY.
C. Abram knew that ALL GLORY BELONGS TO THE MOST HIGH GOD.
God shares his glory with no one.
Genesis 14: 23 Abram said, I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou should say, I have made Abram rich.
D. Abram fought this battle in the name of the Lord, and he is on a journey being a FRIEND OF GOD.
IV. AFTER THIS GREAT BATTLE AND GREAT VICTORY, ABRAM RETURNS TO HIS DAILY MENIAL CHORES AND DEPRESSION AND WORRY SETS IN...
A. Abram will be tested in how he responded to praise.
B. Sometimes demotion is a terrible test, but often PROMOTION CAN BE A TERRIBLE SEASON OF TESTING.
C. I always have a mountain top experience, either I am on top of the mountain, or the mountain is on top of me. But it is always mountain top.
D. After great victories many times a season of testing and discouragement will come and linger.
E. Remember, Abram was walking by the FAITH of a one time voice, he had no clearly written Bible, and no great prophetic word on which to stand.
F. Discouragement is real bad to the heart of a great man of God, BUT FEAR IS THE REAL KILLER!
G. GOD SPEAKS TO THE HEART THAT FEAR IS TRYING TO STOP.
COVENANT:
**a formal, solemn, binding agreement;
**an agreement of promise between people
**promise to perform some action
**to pledge --- contract
**understanding of coming to terms.
V. THERE IS A GREAT PROMISE, DO WE BELIEVE IT, ACCEPT IT IN A PERSONAL WAY?
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, FEAR NOT, ABRAM: I AM THY SHIELD AND THY EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD.
A. God never delegated your protection and watch care to another.
B. God watches over His Word to perform it.
VI. AFTER THE PROMISE THERE IS A REALITY CHECK, I HEAR YOU GOD BUT I HAVE NO CHILDREN! FAITH VS. REALITY?
Genesis 15: 2. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3. And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given me no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is my heir.
VII. THE WORD OF THE LORD SPEAKS THE SECOND TIME TO KNOTHEADS.
We must develop vision beyond today.
The past does not dictate the future.
Genesis 15: 4. And Behold, THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO HIM, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall
be thine heir.
VIII. THE WORD OF GOD WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO DEVELOP AND GROW.
A. GOD’S VISITATION AND WORD IS NOT LIKE INSTANT COFFEE.
The prayer and visitation starts and goes over at least two days.
B. It is day when Abram encounters God, and then the STARS COME OUT.
This is one day and one night, this battle to overcome Abram’s obstacles will take another day and another night.
IX. GOD HAS TO GET ABRAM’S VISION OFF SELF, AND ABRAM MUST LOOK UPWARD.
A. We must get our vision above the limitations and negative conditions of what is going on today.
B. Abram saw his littleness, and not God’s greatness.
C. Abram had to have a directed vision, look beyond you.
Genesis 15: 5. And he brought Abram forth abroad, and said, LOOK NOW TOWARD HEAVEN, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and God said unto him,
SO SHALL THY SEED BE.
X. ONCE ABRAM SEES BEYOND HIS HEIRLESS SITUATION, HE ACCEPTS THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES AND HIS HISTORY WILL BE CHANGED FOREVER.
Genesis 15: 6. AND ABRAM BELIEVED IN THE LORD; AND GOD COUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
XI. ABRAM HEARS FROM GOD AND RECOGNIZES WHO GOD IS, AND THAT GOD CAN GROW ONE BEYOND THEIR LIMITATIONS.
We must see God, the burning bushes of our walk, and recognize, my limitations have nothing to do with WHAT GOD CAN DO.
Genesis 15: 7. And God said unto Abram, I AM THE LORD THAT BROUGHT YOU OUT OF UR of the Chaldees, TO GIVE THEE THIS LAND TO INHERIT IT.
XII. TO ACCEPT GOD’S VISION REQUIRES SACRIFICE AND GIVING.
WE CAN NOT SUBSTITUTE CHEAP, NO EFFORT OFFERINGS AND HEAR FROM GOD.
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.
Genesis 15: 8. And Abram said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
9. And God said to Abram, Take me (GIVE) an heifer of three years old, and a
she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10. And Abram took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and he laid each one against the other: but the birds Abram did not divide.
XIII. OUR ENEMY KNOWS GOD’S PLAN AND OUR DIVINE POSSIBILITIES,AND OUR ENEMY WANTS TO STEAL OUR OFFERINGS.
A. Once a man told me, he could not afford to give and pay tithes, he needed that
money to make his boat payments. Later I thought, well our church has a 1/10 part of the ownership of that boat,we should be allowed to use it on Saturday’s, he used it on Sundays.
B. Once I asked him about not being at church, he said he was fishin. I said, We sure missed you.
He replied, I couldn’t have come anyway, my wife was sick.
Genesis 15: 11. AND WHEN THE FOWLS CAME DOWN upon the carcasses, ABRAM DROVE THEM AWAY.
We must shoo away the vultures from our gifts.
XIV. AFTER 48 HOURS, ABRAM WAS TIRED, HE WAS DISAPPOINTED, HE HAD EXPECTED GOD TO MOVE SOONER THAN LATER.
Genesis 15: 12. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, an horror of great darkness fell on Abram.
A. After expecting God’s move, and walking through between the altars for two days and two nights Abram was disappointed. We need to quit telling God how to,
and when to move, and learn to stay excited in the wait.
B. Can you imagine, this obedience and this giving going unnoticed by heaven?
XV. GOD DOES NOT PROMISE A ROSE GARDEN, THERE WILL BE SPIRITUAL SEASONS OF TESTING, BUT TESTING COMES BEFORE PROMOTION.
Genesis 15: 13. And God said unto Abram, KNOW FOR A SURETY that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall be afflicted them four hundred years;
14. And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
XVI. THIS PROMISE IS PERSONAL FOR ABRAM AND THE PROMISE REACHES DOWN THE CORRIDORS OF TIME TO TODAY!
Genesis 15:15. And Abram you shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
XVII. THE NOT SUDDEN, SUDDEN MOVE OF GOD.
FINALLY GOD, GOD’S VISITATION COMES AT THE DARKEST TIME. AS WE WAIT FOR GOD, WE WILL WONDER HAVE WE MISSED THE VISITATION, DID I NOT HEAR THE WORD?
A. God loves you, he sees your battles and your storms.
B. God sees the limitations, the discouragement and the disappointments, and your tiredness.
C. Don’t allow anything to rob your sacrifice’s effectiveness.
D. It may appear the sun has set, and the horrifying darkness will smother you, but then the sudden move of God comes, accepts the love sacrifice and all is well.
Genesis 15:17. And it came to pass, that when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed through those pieces.
XVIII. ACCEPT THE COVENANT FOR YOU AND YOURS TODAY!
WE ARE ABRAM’S SEED!
18. In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, UNTO THY SEED HAVE I GIVEN THE LAND, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the
river Eurphates: 19. The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20. And the Hitties, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21. And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
II Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through out the whole earth, to shew Himself strong on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.
WILL YOU STAND A LITTLE LONGER? Will we hope against hope? Will you reach out into nothingness one more time, and then God will come and minister to the need and accept the offering.
It is always to soon too quit, try again. Give a little more. Reach up, then comes the sudden move of God. Wait my friend, THEN GOD.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Enlarge my hands and pass this on to another?
