FALLING PREY TO THE NEGATIVE MESSAGE?
THERE IS A NEGATIVE TRAP!
FIXED FAITH OVERCOMES THE NEGATIVE!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
PREY:
***ONE THAT IS HELPLESS AGAINST ATTACK.
***One that cannot resist attack.
***Victim, something that has an injurious, destructive or wasting effect?
I. GOD PLEASE FORGIVE ME --- MY FOCUS IS WRONG!
A. YEARS AGO I WAS IN THE WASHINGTON, DC., AREA FOR A NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (NEA) CONVENTION.
I was in my room on the 13th floor looking out the window.
B. I focused on this pile of garbage someone had thrown out their car window, and I thought how bad that was.
C. I asked a friend looking out the same window what he saw? He pointed to a beautiful flower garden and noted how colorful the flowers were?
D. He saw flowers, I saw garbage?
E. Many times in life I have focused on garbage and missed the beautiful flowers.
God please forgive me! I had fallen prey to the negative.
II. WHICH WAS RIGHT? Who was the prey?
A. I once was sitting at a large gathering of Preachers and Pastors in a large metropolitan city.
In the mornings I have to take a fluid pill, so I sat in the back next to the door nearest the bathroom.
B. This big named preacher was preaching from the depth of his heart.
There was a Pastor that went stomping out of the meeting, he was so critical.
He wagged his head at me and said, I will not be back! This is terrible!
I sat there and pondered in my heart.
C. After the service was over, a Pastor of a little struggling church came by me. Tears were running down his face, his nose was red, he hugged me, and said,
I believe this was the most powerful word of God I have ever heard?
He had a personal encounter with God through the message delivered by God’s man.
D. THAT DAY I PONDERED WHO WAS RIGHT?
I heard the message and I tended to agree with the second man that this was a good, timely message.
E. But I pondered this man being so angry and stomping out and telling how bad the message and how bad the Preacher was?
D. After pondering this in my heart, I HAD TO ADMIT THAT BOTH MEN WERE RIGHT!
The negative man stomping out in a rage must have not liked something he heard?
The little struggling pastor under a heavy burden was so touched by God, he said he was forever changed and encouraged.
F. I guess, I thought if the angry man had stayed for the whole message maybe he would have liked it better and that made a difference, and then I concluded, NO!
G. It was not just the message, it was the attitude and ears of the hearer that affected the reception of the Good News?
H. Have I ever missed God’s message because my ears were not in tune?
III. THE INVESTMENT OF FAITH WILL OVERCOME ALL THE NEGATIVE WORDS, ALL THE NEGATIVE TEARS, ALL THE NEGATIVE MEETINGS,
A. AFTER ALL THE 40 YEARS OF THIS DESERT AND 40 YEARS OF DEATH --- I CAN STILL SEE VICTORY.
B. WE BURIED THE NEGATIVE CROWD, LET US REACH BEYOND--
WITH MY WHOLE HEART I CLAIM WHAT IS MINE!
C. THAT MOUNTAIN IS MINE! I WILL NOT BE DENIED!
D. IF THE LORD BE WITH ME, WE SHALL OVERCOME THE YEARS OF NEGATIVE. GOD WILL HONOR MY INVESTMENT OF FAITH.
Joshua 14:7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was
in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.
10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out,
as the Lord said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.
C. WHILE MANY WERE CRYING, COMPLAINING, NAGGING AND MURMURING, CALEB, NOW 85, STAYED FIXED ON DIVINE POSSIBILITIES.
IV. THE NEGATIVE CROWD FOCUSED THE ATTACK AS AN AFFRONT AGAINST GOD’S MAN AND GOD’S PLAN!
A. There were thousands listening as men declared they knew God’s plan, and they were REBELS!
B. I know many leaders that demand respect and tithes, but they do not respect their leadership and undermine the authority that God placed above them.
Numbers 16:41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.
C. If you slap God’s man, you slap God!
D. WE FACE MANY DARK DAYS WHEN WE THINK OUR LEADERS ARE AGAINST US.
This against us leadership attitude carries over, it is not just the leadership we have right now but the leaders before these? This is an attitude problem.
E. The negative crowd agrees together THE MAN OF GOD HAS KILLED THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD! How distorted can one’s vision grow!
F. While they belly ache and murmured and complained about their leaders, the crowd missed God’s plan. Their carcasses were buried through out the desert.
THERE WILL BE NO PROMISES NOR PROMISED LAND FOR THOSE THAT CAN NOT RECOGNIZE GOD AND GOD’S MAN!
V. GOD WILL SHOW, TIME WILL TELL! ATTITUDES WILL BE EXPOSED!
A. GOD WILL SERVE NOTICE TO ALL THAT UNDERMINES HIS WORD AND HIS MAN!
B. THE TEST ARE COMING, GET THE SHOVELS OUT TO BURY THE UNREPENTED NEGATIVE DOOMSDAYERS!
Numbers 17:5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
C. I SPEAK GREAT WARNING TO ALL THAT SPEAK AGAINST GOD’S MAN. YOU CAN NOT HIDE BEHIND IGNORANCE AND POPULAR OPINION!
D. GO AHEAD SPEAK YOUR PEACE AND BE BURIED IN THE WILDERNESS!
E. GOD DOES NOT HAVE TO SEEK YOUR VOTE AND YOUR APPROVAL TO RELEASE HIS PLAN.
F. I know people that have listened to the NEGATIVE CROWD and have thus spoken the NEGATIVE MESSAGE that are paying dearly.
G. ALL THESE PEOPLE SPEAKING AND MURMURING AGAINST AARON AND AGAINST MOSES WERE RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES!
THE EYES OF THE FLESH CAN NOT SEE THE SPIRIT.
1 Chron. 16:22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
H. REPENT! ATTACKING GOD’S MAN WILL BRING DRY TIMES IN THE DESERT! REPENT! REPENT! REPENT!
I. MURMURING AGAINST GOD CALLED LEADERSHIP IS A POISON!
We know Aaron and Moses were not perfect leaders, their actions were not always right, but they were still God called leaders.
VI. DO NOT GET BURIED WITH THE NEGATIVE CROWD!
A. SOME PEOPLE NEGATED GOD’S PLAN BY LISTENING TO AND BECOMING PART OF THE CROWD THAT AGREED WITH THE NEGATIVE MESSAGE --- WE CAN NOT DO THIS!
B. WE SET OUR OWN TRAPS --- TRAPS ENLARGE THEMSELVES!
WE SEAL OUR DOOM ---
C. All could have grabbed their boots and received just like Caleb did!
VII. WE HAVE A HUMAN TENDANCY TO SEE THE HUMAN LEADER
INSTEAD OF THE MAN OF GOD! FAMILY PROBLEMS?
A. Aaron and Miriam were Moses older brother and sister, and they had the tendency to see LITTLE BROTHER --- NOT THE MAN OF GOD...
Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
B. God knew who Moses’ wife was!
C. COME OUT HERE! YOU WILL SEE!
Numbers 12:4 And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
D. WE HAVE MADE GOD’S CALL COMMON AND THERE IS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE HOLY AND PROFANE!
Numbers 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
VIII. THERE NEED COME A CALL OF REPENTANCE FOR UNDERMINING GOD’S AUTHORITY. HOW SAD WHEN GOD’S MAN ’S FAMILY CAN NOT RECOGNIZE GOD?
Numbers 12:11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
Numbers 12:13 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
A. REPENTANCE WAS REAL, BUT THE COST WAS STILL 7 DAYS OF EMBARASSMENT AND PAIN!
Numbers 12:15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
B. Part of Aaron’s job was very simple, --- Aaron was called to lift the hands of his brother.
C. UNITY IN THE TEAM WORK OF HUR AND AARON LIFTING THE
GOD CALLED LEADERS ARMS TO VICTORY.
D. Aaron and Miriam were Moses older brother and sister, and they had the tendency to see LITTLE BROTHER, NOT THE MAN OF GOD...
E. DOES GOD’S MAN KNOW YOU ARE BEHIND HIM?
WAY BEHIND? DO YOU PUNCH THE EARS OF GOD’S MEN?
REPENT! GOD WILL DEFEND HIS MAN!
F. 40 YEARS FOR EACH OF THE 40 DAYS
Numbers 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
C. Not 40 days for 40 days of negative thinking! 40 years for 40 days?
D. CAN WE AFFORD THIS?
DOUBT IS VERY EXPENSIVE!
IX. LET US AGREE AND STAND TOGETHER ON GOD’S WORD.
OUR UNITY OF FAITH CAN BRING ABOUT THE DIVINE POSSIBILIES GOD HAS PLANNED FOR US!
A. WHERE IS THE I?
Col. 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
B. WHERE IS THE I?
UNITES AND UNTIES?
C. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN COMING UNGLUED AND NOT BEING KNIT TOGETHER
IS WHERE IS THE I?
D. JOSIAH AND ALL HIS PEOPLE CAME IN A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP TO SET THEIR HEART AND FIX THEIR MIND TO TRUST GOD AND GOD’S WORD. TOGETHER UNITED WITH THE WORD!
2 Kings 23:3 And the king (JOSIAH) stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies
and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
X. THERE ARE GREAT POWERS IN YOUR TONGUE!
THERE ARE POWERS OF BLESSINGS AND THEN THERE ARE POWERS OF FALLING PREY TO YOUR OWN NEGATIVE MESSAGE
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
A. WE LOVE TO BLAME OTHERS FOR THE WAY WE ARE!
Yes, there were 10 negative spies, and their voices were louder than the TWO THAT SAID WE CAN DO THIS!
B. WHAT ABOUT THE POWER OF THE EARS THAT LOVE TO HEAR THE NEGATIVE MESSAGE MORE THAN THE PROMISE OF GOD?
C. I have always heard IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE TO HURT YOU!
The one that says the negative about you, and then the ONE THAT IS QUICK TO RUN AND TELL YOU!
D. If someone did not run with the negative message, the negative message would have no power!
E. THE POWER OF THE TONGUE IS RELEASED WHEN THE POWER OF THE EARS ARE RELEASED.
Give no credence to the negative, reach up, reach for your mountain.
TWO FROM THIS GENERATION RECEIVED GOD’S PROMISES FOR
THEM, THEY LEFT THEIR FAMILY AN INHERITANCE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me, tell another and pass it on?
