Faith to Obtain God's Promises - Zac Poonen - September 9, 2018

[Music] so one of the better promises that we have in the New Covenant is that God will supply it I want you to turn to Philippians 4 in verse 19 Philippians 4 and verse 19 we read like this my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus now read carefully he doesn't promise to give us all that we want but all that we need there are many things we want there's no promise God will give us everything we want because a lot of things we want are not good for us think of the way a good father treats his children if you're a parent you know that your children want many things then many of those things you never give them because you know it's not good for them some of those things can hurt them think of a two-year-old child asks you to let him play with that shiny knife he says sorry I'm not gonna give that you'll hurt yourself with it and if you picture that in your mind that's the reason why sometimes God says no I won't let you have that you'll hurt yourself so the promise is not that he give us everything we ask for everything we want but he will definitely give us everything we need that's a promise and if God sees that I have a need for something I can absolutely bank on this that he will give it to me if I need it and but it says in James chapter one sometimes we don't know what is good for us we don't know what we need sometimes we ask for something and here's a wonderful promise James 1 verse 5 if any of you lack wisdom let him ask God who gives it generously to everyone without reproach that means without scolding god never Scholz it's a wonderful in the margin of the Bible it says he does not scold you know parents scold their children to correct your children is right but scolding has got a bad ring about it god never skulls god never says you good-for-nothing fellow why do you want that he never speaks like that foolish fathers speak like that foolish mothers but God never he never scolds and if you say Lord I don't have wisdom in this situation he doesn't scold you saying why don't you have it you've been a Christian so long why don't you have it never never never it's a tremendous comfort to me that my heavenly father will never scold me if I go to him and say father I don't have wisdom for this particular problem I'm facing I don't know what to do please show me what to do it says he'll give me how will he give generously he doesn't give drops he gives rivers he does not give miserly God's not a miser he gives generously and without scolding it'll be given but there's one condition I saw in the last study we saw how humility is a very important condition to get grace grace for forgiveness of sins you got to humble yourself and acknowledge you're a sinner and that you have sinned if you don't acknowledge that you don't get forgiveness the same way when you want to overcome sin if you say Lord I want to humble myself and acknowledge I don't have the power to overcome sin just like earlier you acknowledged I don't have the power to get my own sin forgiven you have to do it for me same way you got to come to God and say I don't have the power to overcome sin that's humility give it to me or you face a particular trial and you say Lord I just don't know what to do here and that's asking God for wisdom and then he'll give generously and but you must ask in faith first is humility we mentioned that in our last study the second thing is fake that means don't come to God and say well I'm not too sure whether you'll answer me then I can tell you you won't answer you because you're coming to God doubting his character you're doubting whether he'll hold you if for example you keep your little child on a ledge say jump I'll hold you will he jump a little child will jump immediately because he trusts his father the older child will say well I'm done I'm not so sure whether you're gonna hold me I ran it play a trick on me or something but simple trust God says I'll hold you you won't fall you trust me faith is the one thing God requires from you when you face a particular situation which is probably going to lead you into sin or God going to lead you into some difficult situation compromising say Lord you got to keep me from this think of many things as you look into the future and the devil tries to worry you with so this can happen and that can happen the other thing can happen I think it's been statistically proved that 99% of the things we worry about never take place so even that way it's pointless worrying about the future even more when we know that we've got a Heavenly Father who knows the end from the beginning and he knows every little thing that's gonna happen along the way and he says trust me believe me give me wisdom Lord in this situation are you facing a situation in your place of work or some sickness bothering you or whatever it is I don't care what it is ask for wisdom I believe wisdom is the greatest thing we need to ask for Lord what shall I do in this situation ask him failed and God will give it to you take that promise today for your entire life my god will supply not all that you want but all that he sees that you need till the end of your life I want to show you an example from the Old Testament of your turn you know the Old Testament stories are beautiful illustrations even though we are not under the Old Covenant the Old Testament is still the Bible the 39 books of the Old Testament are as much the Bible as the 27 books of the new testament is that oh when we talk about Old Covenant we are not talking about these 39 books we are talking about the Covenant which God made with Israel on Sinai that's not for us God gave them 613 laws of those the Ten Commandments we know but there was 603 other laws and we are not under all those things but there are many many lessons we can learn from the Old Testament and one of those lessons is here in 2nd chronicles and chapter 20 second chronicles in chapter 20 I hope you know how to quickly look up Old Testament books it's very important to know where the books of the Old Testament are and then because you can quickly refer to them even for your own study 2nd chronicles 20 we read in verse 2 Jehoshaphat was a god-fearing king of Judah and he heard that a great multitude is coming against him and it's like a multitude of trials coming into your life think of it like that not one or two trials but a multitude of trials and Jehoshaphat was afraid and when you're afraid do what Jehoshaphat did he turned his attention to seek the Lord and sometimes they fasted he proclaimed a fast and they gathered together verse 4 to seek help from the Lord the wisest thing to do when you face a multitude of trials seek the Lord and he stood there and you know what he did in his prayer he reminded god of his promises he says lord you promised that verse 9 this is his prayer if evil comes upon us a sword or judgment or pestilence if we stand in front of your house and pray for you you will hear us and you'll deliver us that's your promise you know when you face a trial like that it's good to have some promise in your mind that's why I'm trying to give you these promises that's why you must remember them if you can't remember them write them on a small card and keep it in your pocket and once in a while take it out and memorize it God will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability God gives grace to the humble if anyone lacks wisdom let him ask God and it'll be given liberally wonderful to know these promise do you know how much these promises have helped me in my 59 years as a Christian they've helped me to go through and triumph I can't do it on my own but God will supply all my need and so he claims a promise he said Lord you said this is not a promise of a man you said if he will come the judgment come to you stand before you'll hear us now Lord here's the situation we are facing all these problems the sons over him on and you did not let his really invite them but now see how they are rewarding us by coming in he was saying we were good to these people in the past but they are turning against us I've had lots of experience in my life or being good to certain believers and they're turning against me have you experienced that yeah don't get bitter against them don't fight with them go to God and say Lord what do you want us to do and here is the wonderful promise I hope you'll remember this all your life this one verse second chronicles chapter 20 verse 12 it's a beautiful verse this is how we pray Oh God you'd please judge them you that means you solve this problem and there are three things he says one we have no power number one second we don't have any wisdom we don't know what to do third but we are trusting you our eyes are on you three things when you face trials second Chronicles 2012 we have no power to solve this problem we have no wisdom to know what to do but we are trusting you remember that we have no power we have no wisdom but we are trusting you does God hear that prayer yes immediately it says the Spirit of the Lord came upon a prophet there see they didn't have a Bible those days the printed Bibles have been around only for 600 years or so or 500 years and they had to have prophets and if you were lucky enough to be near a prophet you got a word from God but supposing you were not near a prophet you were just stranded but think you have a Bible in your home it's like having a prophet living in your house do you know they're having the Bible in your home is like having a one of these Old Testament prophets living in your house and you go to them and say hey what am I supposed to do in this situation the Prophet will tell you I'll tell you well you got the that prophet is in your book why don't you read it the answer is there and the Prophet came and he said listen verse 15 don't be afraid you know this is one of the most common repeated words of God throughout the Bible is do not fear Jesus said it often fear not fear not fear not whenever he came before his disciples yet don't be afraid you know we live in a world where so many things can make us afraid what had happened to my children this sickness the doctor says it's very serious what's going to happen fear a lot of people are being laid off from their jobs fear what's gonna happen to me what's gonna happen to me fear fear fear and the word of the Lord throughout the Bible is don't be afraid Abraham don't be afraid David don't be afraid Jehoshaphat don't be afraid that the 12 disciples don't be afraid and to you the word of the Lord is don't be afraid maybe what you're facing now or do you face six months from now something you're gonna face I don't know here's the prophetic word of the Lord don't fear and don't be afraid because the it says in verse 15 because of this great multitude great problems coming up on you don't be afraid because it's not for you to handle God will handle it that's the meaning of verse 15 God will handle it for you do you believe that it's wonderful to read these Old Testament chapters you know how much you're missing by not reading the Bible my life has changed completely because I studied the Bible and I know in situations where I faced I don't know what to do and God gives me a word which I read in the scriptures a specific answer I remember on the 6th of May 1964 I remember the date so clearly 6th of May 1964 which was 54 years ago I heard God speak to me very clearly to quit my job in the Navy and come out and serve Him full-time and trust him for all my needs that's a very big step I was only 24 years old and I had a whole career in front of me and I was doing very well and the Lord said quit I put in my resignation immediately and the reason I gave in my resignation was the Lord Jesus Christ has called me to serve Him so I cannot continue serving in the Indian Navy and the naval headquarters that was a thought that was a crazy reason and in one month I got a reply saying rejected so I said Lord what's this Almighty God is calling me and some earthly power is saying no I was really confused a lot of people around me who did not want me to leave the name he said see Zack you mistook the call God didn't call you is just your imagination forget it leave it to stay in the Navy and be a Christian here when I was so absolutely sure in my heart that I didn't want to live for honor or money or anything the world God called me there you know like when Jesus called the disciples the Peter leave your nets he didn't call all the fishermen and he doesn't call everybody one person one fisherman he said leave your nets and come if he did not obey think what Peters life would have been HIDA messed up completely my life would have been very different if I had not obeyed that call that day I wouldn't be here definitely I wouldn't be here and I said lord I don't know these people don't understand but I know you called me it's crystal clear but why is it these guys are rejecting me what does it mean do you know what the Lord said to me when Moses went to Pharaoh and said let my people go that they may serve me what did Pharaoh say no I will not let them go what did Moses say okay Lord maybe I mistook your call I'll go back and look after sheep bitterness no he's I'm gonna keep on going to Pharaoh ten times I have to go I'll go ten times till he lets him go and he release them I got a word from God if you have to go back ten times go back and I went back again after three months again I give more detailed reason of how the Lord Jesus Christ called and they again rejected it I said fine I'm willing to go back ten times after some time again I applied I never heard anything for a long time and then what happened the top Admiral in the Navy over there retired another person came in and he released me immediately and I was out exactly two years after I put in my first resignation and I said Lord this proves to me that you got all authority in heaven another I'll tell you something in the history of the Indian Navy I was the only officer ever released by naval headquarters on those grounds because you know they had spent hundreds of thousands of rupees training us in the military academy to like West Point here in the US they spent so much money on you that the Finance Ministry said we cannot let this man go after spending so much money on him and thence in some cases they would ask you to pay back all that amount I couldn't possibly pay back millions of rupees for the amount they spent on me but they didn't ask for it they let me go absolutely free it's amazing what God can do that's how I know clearly after 52 years I know God called me and these last 52 years have proved to me the call of God the plan he had for my life so what I say is God always says don't be afraid this you'll find a promise in scripture if you read it that's why I keep on telling people read the scriptures read it every day do you know what the first page of your Bible teaches you the first page of your Bible Genesis one teaches you one lesson you say it teaches me how God created the heaven and earth hang on something more important than that because that doesn't help you to know that God created the heaven and the earth I'm not a creationist arguing with the evolutionist I don't get into these arguments there's something spiritual we learned from the first page of the Bible and that is every day God speaks did you get that in the first page of the Bible he spoke the first day he spoke the second day he spoke the third day what do I go and learn from that every day he speaks I was the second thing I learned from the first page of the Bible that when God speaks some miracles happen first day spoke and suddenly light came out of the darkness the second day is spoke and the heavens got separated from the earth and the third day the earth came up and the trees came up and every day some miracle took place when God spoke like I read that verses in the last session Isaiah 55 my word that goes out of my mouth will never return without accomplishing something and that's what I have discovered as I've read the Bible through all these years his word has always accomplished something in my life it has accomplished something in my circumstances it has sunk um something accomplished something in my people and the people around me it's changed me and it's changed people around me God's Word never comes back empty that's what I learned from the first page of the Bible and what is the final goal of the Word of God that also I get in the first page of the Bible why does God keep on speaking to me day after day the final goal is he made Adam and Eve in the image of God that's the final goal with me as well I get that from the first page of the Bible if I keep on listening listening listening every day finally I'll be in the image of Jesus Christ the goal is not to make me a millionaire no the goal is not to make me healthy the goal is not to make me a great preacher no the goal is to make me in the image of God that's what I get from the first page of the Bible see you got a Bible study now on Genesis chapter 1 and some of those things you've probably never discovered in Genesis 1 why don't you go through the whole Bible like that and if you want you've seen my commentary they're called through the Bible get a copy of that things like this I've explained there to help you to understand the Bible so much better get a get a copy of it and read it and the knowing the Bible will change your life so in those days I said they have a prophet today we got the prophets in the book read it and claim it so let me continue 2nd chronicles 20 here's this man praying I don't have wisdom Lord I don't have power but I have my eyes are on you and God says fear not and look under this listen to this verse 15 last part you don't have to fight in this battle you don't have to try and solve this problem God will do it for you okay so tomorrow go down without any fear and Jehoshaphat verse 18 bowed down verse 18 and said thank you and the next morning he rose up early verse 20 and he told the others you know once you get confidence yourself this fearful man George apat who was scared stiff now has got so much boldness he calls all the people and says hey fellas verse 20 put your trust in the Lord and put your trust today we would say in his word and his prophets and then you know they're going out to remember he's got a picture this the army is already a great multitude an army was coming against him and he's got his army ready to fight against these people but he says I don't want the fellows with bows and arrows and the horses and all to go in the front no right in the front of the army we're going to have all the singers ok I'm going to war with all those singers in the chorus choir standing in front of the army he says that's how we're gonna fight this battle and he right in front of the army he appointed verse 21 those who could sing to the Lord and they dressed in their you know religious clothes they said give thanks to the Lord for his kindness is everlasting imagine going out to battle saying praise the Lord the Lord's on the throne he's his loving kindness is everlasting and those other guys are coming with bows and arrows and I'd like to see this picture see this picture in your mind and what happened it's a wonderful verse verse 22 as soon as they began singing and praising the Lord the Lord set ambushes against all those enemies and they were routed and Israel destroyed their enemies they finished them and not only finished with them they became rich it says here that when Joshua and his people were twenty-five came to take the spoil that's what happened in those days you know you won a battle means all the wealth of the enemy became yours and they got so much Goods and it took three days it says in verse 25 to collect all that wealth what a lesson whenever you're discouraged with a lot of trials coming you know which cry which chapter in the Old Testament to go to 2nd chronicles chapter 20 that's the worst to go that's the chapter to go to and learn what God did for Jehoshaphat he will do for you you know there's a song we sing which says the God who lived in Moses time is just the same today the God who lived in Daniels time is just the same today and worse by worse how he split the Red Sea and he shut the Lions mouths and the God who lived in that time it's just the same today and the God who lived in Georgia patch time is just the same today and he will do for you his promises are so excellent we don't experience them because first we don't humble ourselves maybe we don't get raised or we don't have failed we come on believing we are not whether Almighty God can handle this problem or not think of the Israelites going to the land of Cain and they sent spies and ten of them came and said no no we look at our muscles and those people they are much stronger they'll floor us and Joshua and Caleb had just about the same muscles as the other ten people but they didn't look at their muscles that's the thing they looked at those giants and they looked at God and said wow these are people are like bread we can eat them up it's all a question away you look after you look at the problem look at God remember this all your life because as long as you live on this earth we're gonna have trials you're gonna have testings you're gonna have problems and every one of those tests are meant to make you a stronger person supposing you read the Gospels like this Jesus went to the marriage in Cana and fortunately they had ordered plenty of wine so there was no problem at all the marriage went on smoothly end of story and Jesus was there trying to feed 5,000 people but there were some stores open so they could go and buy food and so there was no problem there also everybody ate happily and went home and then Jesus was crossing the lake of Galilee and it was very smooth that day there the sail sailed across very peacefully the other side end of story and Lazarus was sick but somehow they the doctors came and gave a treatment and he recovered and so he didn't die end of story even the sunday-school children will say listen don't tell her stories like this we are born listening to tell these stories those are not the stories of the Bible the stories of the Bible is when Jesus came there was a shortage of wine Jesus fixed it there was not enough food to feed 5,000 people Jesus fixed it Lazarus died he fixed that and case after case there was this blind man who's been blind all his life Jesus fixed that what one message comes through to me from all those miracles is there is no problem God cannot solve that never did the disciples come to him with the problem that Jesus ate a scratch his head and say that's a tough one I don't know how to handle that not even once and he's the same yesterday today and forever I tell you I can testify from my life has never been a single problem I faced in my life till today and I'm not telling you like God is my witness that the Lord had to say I don't know how to fix that one never never never will you believe me if you don't believe me at least believe the Bible there was never a problem that people came to Jesus with that he couldn't fix what is your problem today practical earthly problem concerning your family and any sickness concerning your job I'm not saying he'll always give you what you want he's never gave me always what I want I thank God he didn't give me what I want sometimes he didn't give me what I want because he wanted to make me a tougher person to handle that he didn't want to be to be a spoiled child you know you give you a child everything they asked for they'll be spoiled but sometimes you say no you're not going to get an answer then I want you to it's like you know if your when your children started riding bicycles when they're 12 years old and in the beginning they don't even know how to put the bicycle chain back on when it comes on if I do that for them every time they'll never learn how to do it I see you do it now I showed you once that's enough and like that bigger problems come and say you do it you fix it that's how they learn and that's how God trains us all so I'm gonna I'm gonna ask you to handle that and it's tough to take on a longer time but you learned something you'll be a stronger man at the end of it so there are many things God allows us to go through because he wants us to become better Christians but that is always God's purpose and the devil is always there whispering in our ears saying no no it won't work it won't work at all that's not gonna happen I just want to show you some love pictures Durrington are you there or can you put that picture up which I thought about the man receiving God's Word you know I am saying how you got to receive God's Word every day and if you come in humility here's a this is from pilgrims progress the pilgrim and gods there every day to give him a world if he's willing to kneel down in humility and say Lord Genesis chapter one teaches me every day you've got something to give me that can change my life you come in humility to receive it okay the next one the next slide is it's not only God but it's the devil all its demons are also whispering accusations unbelief those things that come into your mind that's not coming from your mind no it's coming from these whispers that come into your mind hey this that it won't work it won't work this terrible calamity is gonna happen and accusing some other person he's like that and she's like that don't listen to it don't listen to those words of unbelief or you know criticism against others and if the demons doesn't don't succeed a couple of slides later there's another one of the devil coming against the devil himself coming against this pilgrim with who's got his sword yeah let's look at this now hang on this is a narrow way in which there are lines on both sides this is from pilgrims progress and the pilgrim is scared to go but if you look carefully at the line on the right side is chained can you see that chain there and it's the chain is on the other line also that means it's chained in such a way that it cannot enter the narrow way it's only up to that point it can bring its mouth which scares you but it's only to make you stronger and you turn around as a picture of the devil listen Satan you've been defeated on the cross you're like a chained lion I can walk between all your demons you cannot touch me I hope these pictures will remain in your mind when you're tempted next time anything I'm going through a narrow way and there's problems this side problem that's a that's fine problems on both sides they're chained by God you will not be tested beyond your ability they will not be able to touch you you'll be able to go through successfully okay a little later there's another one of the devil himself coming at ya this is the devil coming at Satan Satan coming against the pilgrim okay we don't want to scare the children let's move to the next one in the name of Jesus I resist you Satan and see what happens this is the picture that must be in your mind resist the devil and he will flee flee is not walk away do you know the difference between walking and running and fleeing walk run flee he doesn't walk away he doesn't run away he flees and that sword is a picture of the Word of God in Jesus name Satan you were conquered on the cross you were defeated and I'll tell you Satan does not like to hear that I remember very clearly a lady was brought to our house once for prayer I thought she just wanted to accept the Lord and my wife and I were sitting talking to her and I said now whenever I ask people to accept the Lord I always tell them to say at the end tell Satan you are defeated on the cross three has to make them bold and I told her tell Satan you're defeated on the cross and from within came a voice from her mouth looking at me sternly and saying I was not defeated on the cross I said wow I didn't know there was a demon in this woman so I spoke to the demon I said you demon you're a liar you were defeated on the cross get out of her right now he left then I told the woman tell the devil now Satan you're defeated on the cross he said Satan you were defeated on the cross I learned something that day the devil does not like to be reminded that he was defeated look at all these people who watch football games and if their favorite team lost would they like to be reminded that their favorite team lost tell me I mean you know a little thing like this they don't like to be reminded that when India and Pakistan play cricket there's always celebration you know we used to live in our but night in our house and we'd hear crackers somewhere going on and we knew india1 everybody they don't like to hear it if no crackers means in their last window so the devil doesn't like to be reminded that he's defeated but you must know that clearly in your mind Satan was defeated on the cross and you resist him in Jesus name he flees ok thank you you can turn it off so it's very important to understand that in a battle against the devil we are on the victory side we don't have to fight him because he's already defeated we have to use the name of Jesus that's the sword in Jesus name I resist you and he will flee believe it please remember that picture always he flees he cannot stand there he's not scared of you but he's not he's scared of the name of Jesus I'll tell you Satan is not scared of me but because Christ lives in me he's scared of Christ who lives in me and if Christ lives in you and your conscience is clear I tell you you may be the weakest believer born again yesterday but Christ lives in you and your conscience is clear which means to the best of your knowledge you're confessed to all your sin to the best of your knowledge you've forgiven everybody Satan will be scared of you and he wants to overpower you that's why he tells you don't forgive that man don't forgive that guy who did that terrible thing against your family ten years ago why does the devil tell you that because he wants power over your family he knows with that unforgiving spirit you'll never be able to resist the devil Satan will say to you you're trying to resist me I know your attitude towards that person only of bitterness and unforgiving attitude towards that person dear brothers and sisters don't let the devil make a fool of you God wants you to be a conqueror he wants you to be a conqueror all your life and don't listen to people who are putting negative things into your mind negative thoughts about that person and that person and the other person that's always the devil you saw that demons whispering there don't listen to him why should you listen to these people listen to the positive truths of God's Word and if something's wrong with someone say let God deal with him I don't have to deal with him even if you know I've responsibility in many churches and I've seen in some churches people cause problems I say Lord this is not my church I'm only your servant you're the one building the church I've had to say this numerous times in the last forty three years there's no church that doesn't face problems I'll tell you the church which doesn't place problems the churches is not fighting the devil at all the church which has submitted to the world the world has come right into the church this devil will leave that church alone but a church that's really actively living for God and whether word of God is being preached in power I tell you the devil will attack that church it's an insult if the devil doesn't attack your church it's an insult to you that devil leaves you alone if the devil fights me that's an indication that I'm on the right track if he leaves you alone something's wrong with you if he leaves the church alone he means that church is useless to God so I faced numerous situations where the devil comes and creates confusion or creates troublesome and he always uses people he doesn't send demons directly he instigates people to create problems in a church to bring division separation but I tell you every single case in these lot 43 years I've seen God has triumphed not me who won the battle in Jehoshaphat style God or the armies of Judah God they just stood there and say praise the Lord he's gonna fight the battle for us you stand like that without fear let me show you my experience for many years what God did in many churches turn with me to Zephaniah you know where Zephaniah is you got to know the battles towards the end of the Old Testament Zephaniah is just before it's about the 4th book from the end of the Old Testament Zephaniah and Chapter three sorry three and a half pages how many of you believe that you're gonna meet Zephaniah in heaven and he's gonna ask you did you read my little letter where was that you asked he said I wrote only three-and-a-half pages and you didn't have time to read it don't let Haggai or Hosea or Amos or anybody embarrass you in heaven by saying I wrote a few pages and you didn't take the trouble to read it please read the Old Testament there's something in it for every one of us definitely chapter three the Lord says in chapter three and verse 11 beautiful passage all the way from 11 down downwards Zephaniah 3:11 in that day you will feel no shame because all your deeds which your rebelled against me that means the Lord has blotted out your past in the blood of Christ and you won't have to feel ashamed anymore the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed you and then let me paraphrase it I will remove all the troublemakers from your church I've experienced that number of times and that's when I experienced it now it doesn't disturb me because the Lord says I will remove from your midst the proud exalting ones he never removes the humble people he removes the proud because he resists the proud and if he sees a proud person in a church trial proud of their knowledge or proud of their community a proud of anything a proud of their strength God will do amazing things to remove them and I've seen it happen again and again what did George about say you don't have to fight in this battle I've never fought with them I never fight with human beings my testimony is this many years ago the Lord told me we wrestle not with flesh and blood we wrestle with Satan and his forces and the Lord said to me if you want to fight the devil make sure you never fight with flesh and blood and I made a decision years ago before the Lord that I will never fight with human beings because I want to reserve all my energy to fight the devil and that's what Jehoshaphat said to the army you don't have to fight in this battle the Prophet said the Lord will fight for you and I've experienced it again and again and again but Lord what to do about these troublemakers the Lord says I will remove them don't you worry the Lord says I will build my church and all the gates of Hell will not be able to succeed against my church I just stand back and say Lord I'm not building your church I can't build a single Church you will build your church I am only your servant what should I do fight with these people never I'm gonna praise you I'm gonna be free from fear and pray to you and say Lord I don't have power I don't have wisdom but I trust you you try this if you don't believe me you try this in the next time you face some problem you may not be facing Church problems like me but you may be facing some other type of problems the answer is the same Lord I don't have power I don't have wisdom well I trust you to resolve this problem and the Lord will say to you don't be afraid you don't have to fight in this battle the Lord will fight this battle for you I will remove all the proud ones he never removes the humble people you know that because he's on the side of the humble but he resists and resists the proud he doesn't immediately remove a proud person he resists a proud person and if the person doesn't yield he'll resist him some more resistance some more and if he keeps on remaining proud godly rid of him because he wants to build his church this is not a story I'm telling you I can tell you example after example after example that I have seen it happen in different churches they have always seen but he will support you only if you are humble only if you have forgiven everybody if you don't have any bitterness if you have bitterness against that proud man God won't support you let God deal with him but don't have any bitterness forgive them let go and then the Lord says in verse 12 Zephaniah 3:12 I will leave in your midst a humble lowly people who will take refuge in the name of the Lord and that's what I keep on exhorting people in our churches brothers be humble have low thoughts about yourself don't think you're toast smart and clever and capable no be weak and helpless and lean upon the Lord the Lord will support you he will keep you till the time of Jesus returns you'll be in the church he will keep the humble lowly people in the church and that remnant he calls us a remnant the people who are left in are always called a remnant the remnant in the church they won't do wrong they won't tell lies verse 13 there won't be a deceitful tongue in their mouths and nobody will make them afraid or tremble verse 13 what a wonderful promise so Zion is the church oh shout for joy shout in triumph because the Lord verse 15 has taken away his judgments he has cleared away your enemies the king of we can say the king of the church the Lord is in your midst again you will not fear in that day again it'll be said to the church don't be afraid don't let your hands fall limp the Lord your God is in your midst a victorious warrior he's the warrior not me he will exalt over you with joy he will be silent in his love and you know that word he'll be quiet in his love verse 17 a better phrase of it listen to this paraphrase of verse 17 he will be he is silently planning for you in love beautiful paraphrase I read it years ago the middle of verse 17 where it says he'll be silent all be quiet in his love the real meaning is he is silently planning for you in love that means gods can make making some plans for you but he doesn't tell you what it is he's silently doing it you remember before he created Adam and Eve he silently did so many things in the first five days he created such a beautiful earth animals which none of them were harmful and fish and such a beautiful sky with sunrise and sunset all of that he did for Adam and Eve he was silently planned for them and then he made Adam and Eve and that's the lesson nother lesson I get from the first page of the Bible the swimming lessons in Genesis one that went before he God makes man he makes everything ready for him and even a wife you know Adam didn't have to go running around the garden saying Lord give me a wife give me a wife no God had planned it for him you know it's amazing what does he he supplies your every need according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus so he's silently planning for you then next time you have a doubt remember this verse he is silently planning for you in love and he'll rejoice over you so these are some wonderful promises we have imagined why can't you be in trial one closing verse this is why the Apostle Paul could say in second Corinthians and chapter 2 second Corinthians chapter 2 how do I know where these promises are because I've referred to them so many times in my life and in my first Bible I highlighted them underline them get into that habit it'll help you all through your life second corinthians 2:14 thanks be to God who leads us in his triumph in Christ now and then not now and then always do you know what always means in today's language 24/7 you know the meaning of 24/7 24 hours a day seven days a week it's a lovely expression 24/7 rejoice in the Lord 24/7 and give thanks 24/7 and he leads us in his triumph 24/7 and he manifests the sweet aroma of Christ you know for so many years I had the stinking stink of Adam in everything I said the way I behaved with people was a stinking garbage smell of Adam that came forth from my life but God blotted it out to the blood of Christ and filled me with the Holy Spirit so that the sweet aroma of Christ it can come in your life to ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit so the beautiful words the sweet aroma and he leads us in his triumph always verse 14 so beautiful worse if it can be true for Paul why can't it be true for you and me Paul was a great sinner he killed Christians you haven't done that he killed Christians at one time but he repented so thoroughly he was a murderer and he repented so much that God made him manifest the aroma of Christ you're not such a great sinner you haven't killed any Christians in your life why can't God do that in you and me trust in brother sister God wants to do amazing things in your life if you will trust him but humble yourself don't compare yourself with others that's how pride comes ah I'm better than him the moment you say that God will be your enemy he resists the proud let God decide whether you're better than others so much of that in Christendom I'm better than that person you've something you could do better than number immediately the devil says ah see how you did that he tempts me - I'll tell you boy what is powerful sermon you priest and I say Satan that wasn't me God helped me and if God didn't help me I wouldn't know what to save in two sentences I keep telling that to the devil I say you can't fool me Satan in the early days when I was young I know you parked me up with pride you can't do that anymore I've learned my lesson I used to preach a sermon and I had to get so boy what I did in the next sermon I preached was flat and I learned my lesson I said and can't fool me now no I say Lord I know my lips will be like empty clay remember this brothers and sisters if God does some miracle through your does a wonderful thing through you immediately get before God and say Lord I'll give you the glory for that it's you who did it even a practical problem that is solved in your life okay God did it let's give God the glory let's never touch the glory of God always give him glory let's pray Heavenly Father I pray in Jesus name that you'll help us all to walk in humility and in faith all our days we pray in Jesus name Amen [Music] you

Channel: River of Life Christian Fellowship

Views: 13,678

Rating: 4.7903228 out of 5

Keywords: faith, obtain, god, promises, something, better, zac, poonen, sermon, rlcf, river, life, christian, fellowship

Id: 1ssD2QWepOQ

Length: 49min 40sec (2980 seconds)

Published: Tue Sep 11 2018