THE INVASION OF ISRAEL Part 4
Ezekiel 37-39
(1) THE LORD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES – Ez 39:1-6
-the enemies of Israel surround them and it looks like they will be defeated
-the Lord comes back and defeats the enemies of Israel
-the Lord wants to fight your battles in 2016. One way He fights your battles is though praise
Psalm 42
-people are not totally sure who the author is, but most people believe the author is Hezekiah…
The background of the Book:
-Hezekiah was dyeing
-Assyria invaded Israel
-the economy was collapsing
-It was a bad time overall
-Hezekiah made an intentional decision——–to praise the Lord
*******PRAISE IS A DECISION TO BE MADE*******
vs1-2 – Hezekiah could not go to the temple because he was bedridden and dieing
v3 – Hezekiah was a great King and godly man. He did not fall into the trap of the enemy…
The trap of the enemy is get the believer to question their Christianity, their God and their faith…..
vs9-10 – Hezekiah will not listen to the voice of the enemy and his lies. He will praise the Lord and continue on in the faith no matter what happens….
v8 – when you make the decision to Praise the Lord, things begin to happen:
1. Hezekiah was healed
2. Hezekiah received joy and life, grace and the goodness of the Lord
(2) VICTORY WILL COME IF YOU DO NOT LOSE HEART – Ezekiel 39:6-8
*Ezekiel wrote this book 2,500 years ago & everything written will happen
*For the believer, there are things we have been waiting for the Lord to do, but they have not happened, but they will happen
3 ENEMIES WHICH WILL TRY TO TO PREVENT US
FROM LIVING IN VICTORY
(1) SIGHT – 2 Corinthians 5:7
-what we see is real, but it can be changed by faith
-Israel was surrounded and ready to be smashed, but had a promise
-Ez 39:8 said they would win and be delivered & it happened
-as believers, as we hold on to the promises in the Word of God, victory will occur
(2) TIME
-our society today is addicted to speed
-Christianity is mostly a process faith
-Israel waited 2500 years for deliverance and it happened. As we wait on the Lord, He will come through for us…
(3) UNBELIEF – Mark 6:1-6
unbelief – means not being faithful; not being persuaded; having a lack of faith
-Israel finally believed the Lord—was redeemed and then delivered
-if we will believe the Lord, blessings will happen
-Mark 6:1-6
(3) EVERYONE IS GOING TO HAVE A FUNERAL – Ezekiel 39:9-20
-these verses speak of the burial of Israels’ enemies
vs9-10 – piles of weapons and arms will be burned and used for fuel
v11 – the smell of death causes people to head another direction
vs17-20 – birds and animals will have a huge buffet meal…
*******Israels’ enemies are buried and there are thousands of funerals
*Every human will die and have a funeral. Only Christianity has the hope of living forever and going to heaven
*Our society believes a lot of different things:
-pergatory – a holding place until you get pure enough to go to heaven
-reincarnation – you come back as another form over several life times until you get life right
-soul sleep – you remain unconscious until the resurrection
annihilation – when you die, life ends…but you can be recreated at the resurrection
Christianity is the only right way – Phil 1:21 and 2 Corinthians 5:8
Lord, Pour Out Your Spirit Part 4
Acts 2:1-21
– For the Holy Spirit to be poured out, we must pray
– When we pray we can hit the bullseye every time:
a. When we speak in tongues
b. When we pray the Word of God
*** Let’s look at Paul’s prayer to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 1:15-23
(1) PAUL PRAYS THAT EVERY BELIEVER MAY KNOW THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER – v19
a. The word power is used around 125 times in the NT
b. The power of God is for today – 2 Timothy 3:5
– let’s not push the power of God out of Christianity
– Everything in the bible is for today – healing, tongues, redemption
c. The power of God was given to the believer at salvation
– It is for every believer
– It is for whatever the believer is called to do
– Believers are powerful people
– The power of God was given to the believer to answer the following question: Why does;t the Lord do something about all of the sin and messes on earth?
(1) The Lord put a plan of action together to redeem humanity by His power
(2) The Lord gave His power to the body of Christ to reveal His love & power to the culture
Therefore, DESIRE top be used by God – 1 Corinthians 14:1
******* For the believer to be used by the Lord, several thing shave to occur……
(1) GET RIGHT AND STAY RIGHT WITH GOD – James 4:8
– Salvation
– After salvation
(2) GET RIGHT WITH OTHERS – Matthew 5:23-24
– Our relationship with the lord is not right if our relationship with man is not right…….
– Look at the results that take place after Jesus teaches this principle: Matthew Chapter 8
(3) BREAK ALL TIES WITH THE DEMONIC – Acts 19:17-20 & Dt 18:9-14
– Recognize any demonic ties in your life and clean house
– Renounce/repent/restore……
(4) HAVE PURPOSE FOR THE IMPARTATION OF GOD – Acts 10:38
– The power of God is to see the works of God take place
(5) INTIMACY – Phil 3:10
– Intimacy is a consistent, regular and a continual time with Jesus Christ……
a. Intimacy requires time
b. Intimacy requires solitude
Let’s look at the word POWER:
(1) THE WORD POWER IS THE WORD DUNAMIS – Acts 1:8
Definition – means miraculous power, force and might. Greater ability…
a. Dynamos power is for now – Eph 3:20
– We need the power of God NOW
– We need power evangelism – Luke 10:1-2 & Luke 9:1-2
– The power of God can increase
b. Dynamos power is public – Matthew 9:1-8
– Not just for church services…
*** Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit
– It will come from the Holy Spirit Himself
– It will come from people who share with you a problem
c. Dynamos power is greater ability power – Acts 1:8
– The word power here also means greater ability
– This greater ability comes when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit
d. Dynamos power accompanies the return of the Lord – Matt 24:29-30 (v30)
– The whole earth will see it – Rev 1:7
e. dynamos power operates through faith – 1 Peter 1:5 & 1 Cor 2:3-5
– The Lord’s power is always present
– Faith states that we know the Lord wants to and will do something
– Listen to His voice and then take a step of faith