Sermon Central
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Running In The Valley
Contributed by Craig Benner on Nov 7, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus comes off the mountain and finds a heap of problems in the valley. It is like that for us many times as we look at seeming defeat in the face and cannot understand why.
Down from the Mountain and Roaming the Valley
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Jer 42:6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Lu 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
TRUST IN GOD, NOT THE POLITICAL MACHINERY
Ps 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Isa 31:1 ¶ Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!
Isa 36:9 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
Central Text: Mark 9:14-29
We need to get back to serious prayer and fasting. We have been spoiled, but we are going to have get serious about making the sacrifice.
Do you ever get that defeated feeling? Then you can IDENTIFY with these 9 disciples and also the father of the possessed boy. It seems that things have gone from bad to worse.
Hey, we just lost a presidential election, but it is not the end yet. (Just the beginning of the end).
I. Some Things that Did NOT Work.
A. Arguing (Discussing) v. 14,16
A whole lot of talking, very little action, and no solution.
Committees, debates, discussions, forums, and suchlike may have their place, but many times it is just cheap talk.
1. It becomes a habit
2. It is a vent for our frustration
3. It can be a substitute
B. Titles v. 18
"your disciples" -shouldn't that make them powerful and important?
You may be pastor, missionary, evangelist, or deacon. Does that title make you more spiritual?
C. Excorcism (Casting out) v. 28
It is not just a calculated operation.
There is not a documented recipe to follow.
SUPERNATURAL WARFARE requires SUPERNATURAL WEAPONS
2 Co. 10:3,4
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (KJV)
3 Pues aunque andamos en la carne, no militamos según la carne; (RVG04)
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) {through God: or, to God} (KJV)
4 porque las armas de nuestra milicia no son carnales, sino poderosas en Dios para la destrucción de fortalezas; (RVG04)
II. The Right Thing to Do V.28
-They went to Jesus
-They asked Him honestly
III. The Simple but Hard Solution V. 29
Evidently, the disciples had gotten so used to "hanging out" with Jesus. Jesus worked miracles for them, He took care of them, He led them and fed them. It is like that it never occured to them that they needed to follow His example and heed to His teachings.
*The reason we fail publicly is because we fail privately.
IV. The Approach that Jesus Used
Let us back up a little bit.
Jesus is made aware of the demon possessed, but is not frantic about it.
A. He takes time to chide the scribes for their lack of faith. V. 19
He saw and ministered to their spiritual blindness.
B. He Deals with Dads' Faith V. 21-24
C. Jesus Was NOT a Crowd Seeker V.25
His goal was to see the boy freed from the demon and not to make a spectacle before a multitude.
He commanded the foul spirit to come out and not to enter in him again.
The spirit has no body, but seeks one to dwell in.
Jesus takes the boy by the hand AFTER the spirit came out of his body.
--We need to dismiss this notion that we have to get a hold of the person physically and shake them and drag them around or pin them down. It is not a physical wrestling match.
Former Senator Huckabee stated today that he has come to realize that the problem in our country is not a political one, but a spiritual one.
Let us recognize the problem for what it is and make the sacrifice to something about it.
