The Evolution Of Eternal Life

Hell in the Hallways

(Note to Pastor’s I created a powerpoint presentation for this message, but couldn’t figure out how to attach it. Email me at ikings1844@yahoo.com and I will send it to you.)

Introduction: Explain message

I was in the car on the way to a large church where I was going to preach this message. My 18 year old son Judah asked me what I was preaching on. I told him I was preaching on, "Hell in the Hallways." He immediately told me he knew what that was. I was shocked, how could he know, I thought? He then told me hell in the hallways is when you get up in the middle of the night and have to go to the bathroom, but you are so sleepy you can’t find the bathroom door. After laughing I told him I thought he was on the right track.

The Apostle Paul once stated that he was in a straight, (Phil 1:23) a straight is:

Power point #1 A straight is a narrow body of water between two larger bodies of water. A place of confinement and restriction.

Another word for a straight would be a hallway.

An excellent OT example of being in a straight or a "hallway," is the life of Joseph.

He came out of a nice large place - family life in Israel, and he was headed to a nice large place -

Prime minister of Egypt, but in between was one big hellish hallway.

It is what you do in the hallways of life that in large part determines the doors of life that God will open to you.

This morning we are going to use the life of Joseph and a portion of text in Psalm 105, and his hallway experience to make these three points:

Power point #2 The Trial, Tests, and Triumphs of hallways.

First I would like to define hallways in life and the people who are in them.

1. Those in school are in a hallway.

2. Those seeking a mate.

3. Those looking for a job.

4. Those waiting to retire.

5. Those in a difficult marriage.

6. Those who are waiting for a healing.

7. Those who are waiting for that baby to pop out.

8. Those who are waiting for those kids to move out!

9. Those who are looking for a city whose builder and maker is God...

So you can see that life is actually one hallway after another, and in one sense this life is just the hallway to the next.

Joseph was in a hallway first, he was waiting for his dreams to come true, than to reunite with his family, then to have his bones buried in the promised land. Life is a hallway.

What we have to learn to do, is not put life off until we get out of the hallway.

Let’s begin now by looking at:

I. The Trials of the Hallways.

Power Point 3 The difference between trials and tests

Trials are hardships, difficulties or troubles we have to endure.

Tests is that for which we are being critiqued and queried about.

Trials and tests are often so overlapping we can’t often tell the difference where one begins an the other ends. I am doing this in this message because I am trying to connect with that part of you that is suffering (going through trials) and minister to it, before we connect with that part of you that is being tempted and minister to it.

Text: Psalm 105:16-19

Ps 105:16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. Ps 105:17 He sent a man before them, [even] Joseph, [who] was sold for a servant: Ps 105:18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Ps 105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

Please notice God called for a famine. The famine was to get Israel in line with God’s plans for them. Perhaps the current financial crisis is the result of the prayers of the saints for our nation to be brought to repentance.

Notice also that before He called for the famine he provided for a solution.... He sent a man before them.

God has a solution in mind before He sends the problem!

So now let’s look at the trials of the hallways and the demonic spirits that will try to take advantage of the things we have to endure.

Power Point 4 Plans are derailed.

If you study Joseph’s life you will see that he thought he had it all figured out, his brothers and parents would bow down and honor him. God had told him that in visions and dreams. I think it no stretch to see that it didn’t work out the way Joseph envisioned. When our plans in life are derailed, it can be very painful and difficult.