Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Mighty in Prayer Pt.6

Let's turn back to Chronicles and pick up where we were this morning. We're trying to find ourselves here in this rendering of--oh! We have some Pittsburgh Steelers fans down here. I just happened to look up and see this. We're looking at the days of Hezekiah. To identify with the period, I think, is really easy. I don't think there has ever been a time that the church has paralleled a period of history, like the times of Isaiah and Jeremiah prior to the captivity, like it does today. The people were crying not only, "Peace and safety," but were also saying to the prophets, the seers, "Prophesy to us smooth things. Tell us what we want to hear. Tell us we're alright." That is really the spirit of this age that we're in.

Isaiah, and later, Jeremiah, stood and made proclamation of the judgment of the Lord. We need to realize that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will deal with this generation just like He dealt with those. This time, however, the consequences are going to be greater because this is the day that the prophets had spoken of: the final judgment is at hand. Because of that, what is at stake is the eternal condition of each of these souls. The imminent return of the Lord is upon us, and I think we need to stir ourselves up with that and be excited about it. At the same time, we need to be sobered by it. In this age, the Great Whore that is so evident to us is not evident to those around us.

We were just talking about the vexation. It's strange. One of the reasons I wasn't in here, of all things, was that I was talking to the head of a referee association about our outreach through basketball from the other night and some of the confusion that came from all of that. One of the questions was about me calling and talking to the pastor of the ministry that we played. I have known the man since 1973. Someone asked me, "Do you think they would hear what you have to say?" I said, "Possibly, but often the reason there is a vexation in the people is because there is in the leadership." I say "possible." I'm not going to speak toward where Wendell is at this particular juncture. But I do know that in 1973, they wouldn't be using that form of evangelism. We're living in this age of the normative behavior of the Great Whore. In other words, the church being no different than the world but just using Christian vernacular and religious symbols.

I was watching the football game today, and I saw the young Samoan kid with all of the hair--I don't know what his name is. It was interesting to watch him just constantly crossing himself. God doesn't give a rip about football, okay? What we need to realize is that we can't take the world and try to get God to come in and bless our endeavors (football, building churches, or whatever else it might be).

We were talking about these six areas of preparation for the battle at hand. I'm ahead of myself. Let's go back to where we left off. I was talking about point number four, the need for encouragement, surrounding ourselves with people that would speak comfortably to us, captains that would encourage us and speak the promises and the Word of God to us--"Be strong and courageous, and don't be afraid."

Let me share this. I think it will help us tonight. We really need to share this with one another because though we need to be sober, some are on the verge of crossing over from sobriety and concern for our youth to fear. I want to tell you something. The world is not going to get them. Be encouraged with that. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). Can you say amen to that? You need surround yourself with people that will encourage you, that will speak the Word of God and the promises of God to you. This is what we need to do to fortify ourselves, to build our weapons, the Word of God. Put these weapons in the hands of your children; make sure they are proficient with them. Are you able to sit down and talk the Word some with your kids? Can they share with you the biblical principles? Are they able to quote the passages that pertain to where they are in this hour, like "Flee youthful lusts"? Have you sat down without being condemning and just told them, "Look, every generation before you has been there. We're not criticizing you. All young people experience these things and think this way. The Bible says to be wise and listen to the counsel of your father. God will be blessed in this, and He'll bless you in the process. When you behave foolishly, we're going to have to put some stripes on you and bring about some chastisement, because the Lord chastens those whom He loves." We set up these principles so that the kids know we're on their side. At the same time, we are trying to help them see their need of instruction and counselors, especially at this place in their lives when they think they know everything. It is important to make sure that they understand the Word of God, that they have the weapons to battle their own flesh, that they know their own tendencies. It's vitally important who you hang out with, who you surround yourself with. Become a companion of those that love His precepts, His commandments.

We left off with those four, and we said we were going to show you the tactics of Satan a little bit this evening. Let's go down a couple of verses and take a look here at verse 11. I want to talk to you young people, to wives, and I want to talk to all of us in general, as to how we relate to authority and leadership in our lives. Here is the number one tactic--always has been, always will be. Check it out: "Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?" (2 Chronicles 32:11) Satan's tactics, number one: Question the Lord and question leadership--ultimately, the Lord; secondly, designated authority. The minute you hear anybody around you or hear it coming out of your own mouth questioning the authority in your life (your parents, your husband, the leadership), understand who it is behind those tactics at all times. Divide and conquer. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. What is the origin of sin? "Has God said...?" Satan's conclusion was, "Go ahead and do it your way. You will not surely die." The fruit was partaken of, their eyes were opened, and we, the sons of Adam, have been born into sin.

The most natural thing for us is to exalt ourselves against authority, to always think we know better, to think that we are better, to think that everybody is out to get us and that if we don't fend for ourselves, we'll never get a fair shake because "Surely God will never take care of me. Surely God will never see that justice is done." We wouldn't say that, but we live that way. We have the tendency to make decisions based upon those principles. I want to tell you where those thoughts are coming from, those fiery darts. If you don't have the armor of God on, if your weapons are not in place, you will begin to get in agreement with Satan's questioning of God's care for you, and of His promises being "yea and amen," of His promises being "sure to a thousand generations," as the Scripture tells us. "Yes, I hear Hezekiah. I hear him telling you to trust the Lord." I hear Him saying that God will provide a mate, but everybody else seems to be out there shaking and moving and doing these different things in the world. They're dating, and they're all fending for themselves. They have these lists, and we're being told not to have a list but to just look for godly character and let God open the doors. The world is constantly telling you to take it into your own hands--"You can't trust God for a mate. You have to go out and find one!" Now, don't misread what I'm saying here. You're not going to be sitting in here in prayer and God drop a mate on you, okay? We've shared with you the practical ways of letting God lead you: get into other people's lives, begin to associate and get to know one another, look for godly character, and find friends. I want to tell you something. Best friends make the best lovers, and that is something you need to know.

One thing that many of you young people have wrong right now is that you take too common the people that you have grown up with. God put you in this place so that you could be common, so that you could be friends, so that you could see and think. All those little things that you know about each other that are weird, you already know it! You don't need to find out ten years down the road and divorce them. So don't count it common. God is going to lead you in these areas, but you have to trust Him. Satan is saying, "No, you have to go out. There are better things out in the world." "I will go out and find me some girl (or some guy) and we'll have dating evangelism." Of course, we don't believe in that, but it's still in your flesh. You're walking down the mall, you see some handsome guy, and you're thinking, "Save him, Lord, and bring him to church. 'Each one, win one.' I know the one I'm winning!" That is point number one. That is Satan's tactic. He will cause you to think there is a better way (the world's way) and that we can just put God's terminology to it. Not so! There is no fellowship between light and darkness. We live in the supernatural. We live by faith. You will not be happy outside God's will; it is impossible. You could have everything you think you want, and it will turn to gravel in your mouth (Proverbs 20:17). You will vomit it out (Proverbs 23:8). You don't believe that. You have heard it all of your life, and you don't believe it. It's the truth. Now, who are you going to believe, the Word of God, or these lies against the goodness of God, the promises of God?

So the comment is, "You're going to die in famine. You're going to die of thirst." The accuser, Sennacherib, says over in the Kings passage, "I'm not going to speak to you in the Assyrian tongue, but I'm going to speak in Hebrew so the men on the walls can hear. Why should they die and not know what they're fighting for? I want to tell you, they're going to hear what we have to say. They're going to hear how God will not deliver you. They're going to hear how this is being done for their own glory. They are going to hear that the siege is coming on this city. They're going to hear that they are going to have to live off their own dung and drink their own urine [that's what 2 Kings 18:27 tells us]. They are going to hear us declaring the truth. The truth is no other god has been able to resist Sennacherib, that every god has bowed, and this god will bow also. They need to hear that they are serving false gods. There is only one god, and it is Sennacherib." "There is only one god." Do you know who is speaking? It's Satan. He is the god of this world's system--"There is only one way you can succeed: bow your knee to me. If you will bow your knee, then all of these kingdoms in my power I will give to you." Jesus said "It is written, Thou shalt worship no other gods." How do you respond to Satan's salesmanship, his accusations against your Father, his exaltation of his kingdom?

That is the comment being made here. Hezekiah is being questioned, and the presence of God is being questioned. Verse 12 goes on and says, "Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places [the gods that you used to have, the gods that you served when you were in liberty, when you had control, when you were being blessed and were happy? All of those gods have been removed, the temple gates have been opened, and now all you have known is siege and the onslaught of the enemies.]...saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it [is what you're told]?" There is only one name under heaven whereby you can be saved. There is only one way, and it is a straight and narrow way. The broad way leads to destruction. Number two: Satan will always question the message of sanctification (setting yourself apart wholly for God), question that there is only one altar to burn incense upon, only one way acceptable. That is why the message of tolerance is so popular today in so many churches, this seeker-friendly gospel that is being preached. The accusation against straight and narrow, the highway of holiness, will always be questioned. It will be declared as elitism and pride, this lack of tolerance of all of the other religions and denominations. It is interesting to me, even today you can get a bunch of Christians together, and nobody wants to hear anything negative about anybody.

I was reading the transcripts on the Larry King interview with Joel Osteen. What an abomination. What a sad, sad, representation of Christianity. As I read that, I was just grieved for this young man. Then I was grieved for the flock. He has the biggest church in America. Their ritual is, every day they start the service saying, "This is my Bible. It is the Word of God." Well then, live it and declare it! I don't want to get distracted by that, but it is tragic--a mealy-mouthed, humanistic, compromised, seeker-friendly, seeking approval of all men, "prophesy smooth things" message. We are a people called to be separate, to not touch the unclean things, to be "holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight" (Colossians 1:22). Satan will always question that one way, that narrow way, that message of sanctification.

I want to tell you something. People are praying all the time and books are written on how to know the will of God. Thessalonians says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). One thing God wants is for you to be set apart. Remember what sanctification is. It is not just a moral lifestyle. Sanctification means to be set apart exclusively for God, to be used only for God. Can you say that is what your life is? Can you say your life is only for God? That is our mentality: it is only He that we seek to honor; it is only His approval that we are concerned with. I'm not talking about emotional or the different pressures. All of us in the natural would like to be liked. I like people to like me, and I don't like to be in conflict with people. So when I say, "We're only concerned about one person's approval," what I mean is this: when we have to choose your approval or God's, are we choosing God's? If I can have both approvals, that's great. That's what I would prefer, but if I have to make a decision, I'm choosing God one-hundred percent of the time, and you'll just have to live with it or oppose it, hate me, and say all manner of evil against me. Then I will just rejoice! I can't lose.

So here we are a people under siege, under attack of the enemy. We are fortifying our walls, strengthening ourselves, receiving counsel from those around us, building our weapons, and being encouraged. The enemy is lying against God. He is questioning the leadership, questioning our sanctified lives, and we are saying, "It is written.... It is written.... It is written...." That is our only answer. You will find out here very soon the counsel Hezekiah gave. All of these accusations were being made by the enemy--railing against God, railing against Hezekiah. It says the people didn't answer a word. They were instructed, "Don't say anything." I would like to encourage you to use that same tactic. Don't say anything unless it is the Word of God. We don't have to answer them. We don't have to justify why we're doing what we're doing. We're obeying God. We are a people set apart for Him.

Satan's tactics: 1) Question the leadership, 2) Question the standards of God, the methods of God (the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, the Word of God, that there is only one altar, only one incense or worship that is acceptable). That's what he is going to question. "So, compromise it." We know that we can't compromise to the point of Hinduism or Buddhism. Many people now--and I won't name any names, but very famous people--have begun to embrace Islam. The Far East religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, are unacceptable, but many are beginning to embrace Islam. "Yeah, but we're not willing to do that." What about Jehovah's Witnesses? "No, we're not willing to do that." Mormons? "Well, no." Catholics?

How sanctified are we supposed to be? Do you want me to tell you how sanctified we're supposed to be? There is only one truth. All these denominations, well who's right? "Pastor, are you saying we're right and we're the only ones that know the truth?" No, I'm not saying that. I am saying don't settle for anything but the truth. I don't know about you, but I don't know all the truth. I'm discovering something every day that I've been doing wrong. I'm coming to understand more about God in the Word, and God is unfolding this doctrine to me on a daily basis. When I see something that I was doing the wrong way, and I never saw it before, I'm changing. So I don't have any tolerance for disobedience or a pursuit of anything but the truth.

The fact is the Methodists can't be right at the same time the Lutherans are right at the same time the Presbyterians are right at the same time that the Baptists are right at the same time that the Assemblies of God are right. The fact of the matter is that within all of those groups, we can't just wholesale say they're all Christians. Within all of those groups are people pursuing the truth. The truth is right. So I don't relate to people based upon labels--"You're a Baptist? Well, I can't fellowship with you!" "You're Assembly of God?" "You're Presbyterian?" I relate to people as they pursue truth. The fact is there are people within most of these groups pursuing the truth, and that's who I relate to, but the message is narrow; the truth is singular. It is absolute. That is what Satan is lying against. He wants us to embrace everybody, accept everybody, anybody that would name the name of Jesus. Naming the name of Jesus isn't what it is all about. The devil and the demons believe and tremble. It's about being conformed into His image. It's about obedience. Satan will question your sanctification and your wholly-for-God lifestyle.

As we go on, we'll see down in verse 13, "Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?" (2 Chronicles 32:13-15). Them's fightin' words where I come from! Satan is going to question the uniqueness of our covenant with God. In other words, he will tell you that you're just another religion, just another denomination. No, I'm an heir and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. I'm a son of God. We see this questioning of our sonship, of the uniqueness. "Other people are hoping to be saved. Other people are by good works trying to be saved. You're saying that you're a child of God, you know that you're saved, you know you're going to heaven, and you know that what you are speaking is truth?" "Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you." "You can't know that you're saved." "Yes, I can. I can take you to 1 John and show you six specific statements that declare I'm saved. The Word is true, and you're a liar." Do you know that? This is who we are. This is what we are declaring, but the enemy comes and mocks God, mocks the promises that we have, and blasphemes our God--"How much less, your God?" "I want to tell you something. You've been fooling around with religion, and now you've run into God." You see, Satan always overplays his hand. Pride won't let him admit that he is anything but supreme.

He reminds me of that guy on the Monty Python movie. God just beats the snot out of him, his arms and legs are cut off, and he says, "Come on!" The devil is that way. He's an idiot. He's defeated, a defeated foe. On every hand, he bows at the name of Jesus, and then gets up and proclaims--he's like Sadaam Hussein--he declares he wins. "Boy, we won that war." "Where were you?" Satan is still boasting of his dominance, and we've been given all power and all authority over him. We win, and yet he mocks our God. You see, he keeps score differently. He thinks because he has the majority on his side that he's strongest, but there are more for us than there are for them. This is the methodology that he uses, this mockery and this blaspheming.

The Scripture goes on to say, "And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah" (verse 16). It's not enough just to talk against God. You have to talk against His servants, people that are serving Him. This is what Satan always does. So he sent e-mails also, is what verse 17 says, "to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, [and over and over again, he says] As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand." He's going a little overboard here bragging on himself--"We're invincible! I am the greatest!" You can begin to know the enemy is ripe for defeat when he looks his strongest and proclaims his invincibility. God is getting ready to bring him down. What am I telling you? When it looks the darkest, when it looks like you don't have any chance, we are getting ready to see God show His glory. In the places that you find yourself, just begin to rejoice in the Lord. Don't answer or try to answer all these accusations. "Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech [in Hebrew] unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.  And they spake against the God of Jerusalem [and against Hezekiah].... And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven" (verses 18 and 20).

You've seen the tactics of Satan. In verses 18 through 19, you see Satan's tactic number five: good words and fair speeches, false doctrine, Christian terms, a false compassion. He's saying, "I'm just trying to help you people. You're under the deception of Hezekiah. I'm just trying to help you all out and help you through this thing so that you don't find yourselves in this position of siege and having to starve to death. Just hear what I'm saying and come on out. Just forget that thing and come the way of the rest of the world." "By good words and fair speeches," the Scripture says, "[they] deceive the hearts of the simple" (Romans 16:18). The humanistic gospel, the social gospel of our day: that is the tactic. It sounds good; it looks good; but it is man-centered. Its treasures are temporal.

So now we go back to point number five of how to withstand the enemy: We choose the glory of God, the honor of God, over our own comfort and honor: a jealousy for God's glory. Verse 19 says, "[He] spake against the God of Jerusalem....  And for this cause Hezekiah the king...prayed and cried to heaven [and said, Lord just honor yourself in our midst]. And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, [his own children, his own sons] slew him there with the sword. Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib." Honor God. Seek the glory of the Lord.

Turn back to Kings for just a moment and look at 2 Kings 19. Let's look at this in a little bit more detail. In 2 Kings 19, all of this boasting that Satan has done against the people of God and the Word of God starts off in this way, and it shows one of the things that we need. I'm going to deal with this in detail probably next session, the humility. Not feigned humility, but a true awareness of our lack--"Without Him, I can do nothing." Do you believe that? Do you live your life like that? I can't do anything without the Lord. Of course I can do stuff. I can go on and become a multi-millionaire; I can become successful; I can become famous; I can become powerful. I'm talking about the fact that I can't do anything eternal or for the glory of God without Him. I have no capacity of producing anything of eternal value that He doesn't do in me. My life has no purpose.

I was watching the football game today. There was a penalty at a very crucial time, and this person asked, "Do the coaches really get that upset over a penalty like that?" I just kind of laughed and said, "I remember my coach that I respected as a coach more than anybody many times coming up, grabbing my face mask, pulling me to himself, and saying, 'Your whole life isn't worth fifteen yards!'" No, they don't like penalties. That will humble you, realizing what we can produce for the glory of God. We can do nothing without Him.

We talked about the overvaluing of ourselves and how we overvalue temporal things, accomplishments. We came in with nothing; we're going out with nothing. Have you come to grips yet with the fact that you're not irreplaceable? I marvel at that. I know you'll understand what I'm going to say. Janet was the treasure of my life. She's gone, and life goes on. We just keep going. I'm going to die, and everything will just keep going. Everyone will just go, "Hmm. He's gone." You just keep going. You ain't all that. You're not that important in the scheme of things. Have you come to grips with that yet? Are you satisfied with just being used for the glory of God how He would use you, a life emptied and poured out, sanctified for Him? Are you satisfied with being able to stand before Him one day, and whether there be any monuments to your name or not, to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant"? Our lives are vapors. We're here today and gone tomorrow. When you come to grips with that, it will humble you.

We see here in Chapter 19, "When Hezekiah heard [the railing on God, the accusations against the house of God, against His promises and His glory, that 'no one had withstood his power'], that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord." Have you been grieved with the sin that is around you? Have you been grieved with the world that we live in that is railing against our God? Have you been grieved with the influence your friends have had on you and your associates, to rob the glory of God out of your life, to rob your zeal, to become as carnal as they have been? Or have you been humbled and said, "Who am I?" and gone to the house of God and begun to pray and fast and strip off all these worldly garments and put on sackcloth and identify with the prophets of God? Where is your treasure today? What weapons are you looking for?

"And he sent Eliakim...and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet [the man of God]. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to [deliver]" (verse 3). Have you been sensing that God is doing something in your life, but all you're aware of are the birth pangs, and you can't deliver? Humility will bring forth this child. An awareness of the presence of God and the purpose of God in your life at this time will cause you to deliver the glory of the Lord, to be delivered by His visitation from the vexation of the world.

"For the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of [the messenger of Assyria] Rabshakeh [You'd think he was a receiver in the NFL with that name], whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God [I trust that God is listening to this reproach that the world is bringing on Him] and that God would reprove the words [shove their words down their throats] which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left" (verse 4). We're praying for the remnant. We're believing God for a holy people to be delivered.

"So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.  And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land" (verse 7). The prophet speaks it before it happens: "He will hear the rumor of the forces that are coming from the south; he'll return to get fortified, to analyze the situation; and he will be killed in his own home."

The Scripture goes on in verse 10, "Thus shall we speak to Hezekiah king of Judah saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee [There's no help for you in God]." As we saw before, Hezekiah spreads these things out before the Lord, and God brings judgment. Listen to what the prophet said. We don't have time to go into the whole passage in Isaiah, but I just like this one phrase that I want to share with you. "This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning [you, mighty man]" (verse 21). "How art thou fallen from heaven?" (Isaiah 14:12) They're going to point their fingers and say, "This is the one that caused nations to tremble?" "They'll look narrowly on you," it says in verse 16. "[Hear the word of the Lord.] The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn" (verse 21). We are the ones who are to look at the enemy, and when he makes all these accusations, just laugh at him. Just laugh at him and say, "It is written." Don't get in an argument. "The Lord rebuke you." That's all we have to say. It's not in your own strength. You are no match for the enemy by your own wit, by your own power, or by your own intestinal fortitude. But greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Remove yourself from it. It's about the glory of God. That is what is being blasphemed. That's what is being lied against. It's not about you. So we just step back, and we just laugh at the enemy and all of his accusations.

For you kids playing basketball, when you run into a situation like you did the other day, and these guys are jawing and everything, just look at them and laugh. "Get out of my way, pipsqueak. Who are you? I don't give a rip what you think or what you have to say. You don't impress me. I'm not going to respond to your jawing. I have a job to do: I'm going to whip you in the name of the Lord--for Him, not for me. You're here fighting for yourself. You're here seeking your own glory. I'm here for God." That is where the victories are won. We see the accusations and the rage against the Lord, and the judgment of God is pending.

Here is how you get the victory, by trusting in this one principle: Chapter 19, verse 34, "For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians [185,000 men] and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses [lying there, and they decide to go home]." God is going to fight for us. Greater is He that is in us that he that is in the world. For His own sake, He will deliver this city.

Then Chapter 20 goes on and talks about the sickness of Hezekiah. He says, "Set your house in order. You're going to die." Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and begins to pray unto the Lord, "I beseech you, Lord. I've walked before you in truth and with a pure heart. I've tried to do the best I could." He wept before the Lord. As Isaiah was leaving the room and got into the courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him and said, "Turn back, and go tell Hezekiah, 'I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I'm going to heal you. On the third day, you will go to the house of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. I'm going to deliver you and this city from the Assyrians for My sake and for David's sake'" (2 Kings 20:1-6). It's about the covenant promises. It's about the glory of God. We want to talk about that need for humility.

Let's go back to Chronicles. I will unhook with this for this evening. Back to Chronicles, Chapter 32, verse 24. You'll get more specifics in the passage of Kings as it pertains to this. Read through Isaiah. Well, keep your finger here and go to Isaiah for just a second, Chapter 38. Hezekiah was sick unto death; the prophecy came forth; there was the miracle of the sundial changing ten degrees; and his life was extended for God's purposes and glory. If you'll read the previous chapter, you will find out a little bit about the heart of this man. In Isaiah, Chapters 37 through 39, you will see the crying of Hezekiah and how God was trying to bring him to a deeper dependency, trust, and reliance on the glory of God.

I don't have time. Go back to Chronicles. I have to end with this thing. We'll get caught up, and we've got to stop. "In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign. But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was [judgment] upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart" (2 Chronicles 32:24-26). Are you familiar with that process, or is Hezekiah the only guy that takes for granted the Lord's blessings, thinks he deserves it, gets caught up in self (self-promotion, self-pleasure), God brings pressure, you're humbled, you seek God, He delivers you, and you get lifted up...? Where are you in the process? How do we stop this cycle? We don't. You were looking for some good news, weren't you? You are going to deal with it the rest of your life. But the deliverances come more surely and quickly if you apply those principles that we just talked about this evening, if you become aware of what God is trying to prove to you. It's the chastisement and those tests that bring about the purification, that give us the ability to make right choices for the glory of God, to make us more like Jesus. Don't fail. Don't quit under the tests. Be delivered. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man...[and He] will with the temptation also make a way to escape" (1 Corinthians 10:13). God is teaching you something. He is purifying you right now. Just stop and say, "Lord, what are you trying to show me about myself in this? What will bring You the most glory? Do you want me to go through it? Are you going to deliver me out of it? All I know is this: Your grace is sufficient." That's the rest that belongs to the people of God.

Father, we thank You for Your Word this evening. We just ask that You would strengthen us. As we war against the enemy, as the siege comes against us, we have this confidence: You are going to raise up a standard against us, for greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Trials will come. Warfare is ever present. The flesh is constantly rising up and must be crucified, reckoning ourselves daily dead to sin and alive unto Jesus Christ. The process is not going to end, but how quickly you can respond, recognize it, reckon it dead, and reckon it no longer the dominant force in your life, that is called maturity. That is the process we're looking for. It is never going away, but the victories come quicker. The pressure doesn't remain, because we learn the lesson more quickly. We see it for what it is, and we readily surrender and die instead of reluctantly, because we want to be like Him. "I have meat to eat that ye know not of.... My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:32-34). That is our boast--"In me, that is in my flesh, dwells no good thing; but sin no longer has dominion over me. Without Him, I can do nothing. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." When we're aware of who we are in Jesus and what we are without Him, we're candidates for the glory of God and the miracle power that will set us free and will honor Him in the midst of the enemy. Father, that's our will, that You would be glorified in our lives.

Let's stand before the Lord tonight. As Gary plays for us, and we just rest in the promises of God, now generations have passed. The great men have gone the way of all flesh--the Jehoshaphats, the Josiahs, the Hezekiahs, the Davids, the Isaiahs, and the Jeremiahs. The Peters and the Pauls have gone the way of all flesh, and we don't miss them at all. The kingdom goes on because it is built on a sure foundation. We are not needed. We get to be a part of this thing. You are not granting God the great privilege of your presence. "Well, maybe one of these days God will get blessed, and I will surrender totally to Him. Then the church will be glorified by my presence." You're not needed. You need to be put into this living edifice called the church. It's in Him that we live, move, and have our very being. None of us would have the audacity to stand and speak those words, but why else would you be keeping your life back from His lordship, from total surrender, if you didn't think you were special and that it was more precious than anybody else's? Why else would you think that you sacrificing all of that to become a sanctified vessel would be so special? It's common. There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. We've all had to make that decision. You're not special. Just give it up, and you will know the glory of God, the peace of God, and the power of God. For the first time, you will be free. If you try to keep your life, you'll lose it; but if you give it up for His sake, you'll gain it--the law of the kingdom.

Let's just sing this and honor Him tonight. "Lord, I thirst for You/How I long to know Your glory...." Every commercial you watch, every draw on you by the world, is Sennacherib's messenger standing and blaspheming your God. Every solicitation to self is the mockery of our treasure. Let's set out against it. Let's hate it. Let's see it for what it is. Let's fortify one another.

Father, be glorified in this place and in our lives. Open our eyes to see the warfare that rages around us, that it is not just a temptation for us to sin, but an attack on the kingdom of God. Make us strong in our weaponry. Bring humility to our hearts so that we would live for Your glory and not ours, we ask, Father, in Jesus' name, amen. Turn to somebody next to you and say, "Our faith is the victory." Go in peace. God's love go with you.

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