The Church of Eleven22 - Wk 7: Nothing Can Stop Him

Episode Date: June 9, 2019

All things are possible for one who believes. If the tomb is empty, then anything is possible. Click the 1 Samuel Resources tab for the full study journal, summary recap videos and more.

Amen and amen. How we're doing the church? Everybody good? Looking great. If you got your Bibles, go to 1st Samuel chapter 14. If you brought your journals with you, we were on page 34 there. As you saw in that video, when you hear me talk about it all the time, we're on this two-year discipleship journey called the One Initiative,

and it's rooted in the Shema, the Lord, our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. And to the over 8,000 11-22ers that have made a commitment to that, and are a part of that journey. Way to go. Keep going. God is doing amazing things through that. And if you kind of jumped on this bullet train that is 1122 late, like if you weren't here this fall or you didn't get a chance to commit, then you can go to COE22.com slash one and you can get like all the information that you need. Because the reality is, is you have no idea how God might use you for his glory and your joy and the impact that you, I mean, just little old you

could have in his kingdom. And that's what we're going to be talking about in our time together in 1st Samuel chapter 14. Now to give you just a little bit of context, you remember a couple weeks ago, Samuel gave him his final farewell address. He essentially said, choose this day who you will serve. You can go down this path. It does not lead where you want to go. Or you can choose the way of the Lord and God's hand will be upon you. And then sure enough, the very next week, Saul, who is the king, did not heed Samuel's advice at all. Last week, Saul tries to take matters into his own hand. Instead of trusting God by faith, he tries to force God's hand for his own good. And Samuel, the prophet of God, shows up and looks at the king and says, what have you done?

that your sin has some serious consequences and your kingdom will not reign forever. That's where we were last week. Well, the crazy thing is that, look, man, God will save you and forgive you of all of your sin, but he never promises to rescue you from your own sinful consequences. And so what happens here by the end of chapter 13 is it's not going very good for Saul. It's not going very well for Israel at all. They had 3,000 soldiers before Saul's sin, and by the end of it, they're down to just 600 men. And they're camped across from the Philistines.

You know, they're going to be battling the same enemy over and over and over. Which, by the way, can anybody testify you've been a Christian a minute? It seems like you've battled the same enemy over and over and over. It seems like eventually you'd be able to whip that thing, right? But I'm old, 40-something-five years old, and it seems like I still. battle the same enemy that I did when I was 17 years old, when I met Jesus, over and over and over. And so that's where they are again. And the Philistines are smart. The Philistines have killed all of the blacksmiths in Israel. In other words, even if Israel wants to raise up another army, they're not able to do this

because they don't have anybody that can make swords and stuff. That they have to contract with the Philistines to try to make swords. And guess what? The enemy won't make a sword for you. So in all of Israel, there are two swords. Saul the king has one. Jonathan, his son has one. That is the context in which we find ourselves here in chapter 14. Now, I don't know how you walk in here today. Maybe your circumstances are awesome.

I mean, you woke up to this morning, and you didn't even have to set an alarm clock because Jesus just took you by the toe and said, hey, you ready for your quiet time? and every, you know, the sun is shining and the birds are singing and you got green lights all the way to church. Whatever it is, okay? Or you kind of feel like the nation of Israel here and everything is stacked against you. Well, regardless of your circumstances, I want to ask you a question. Do you believe that God has a purpose and a plan for your life? Now I know, man, that verse out of Jeremiah 29-11, it is a coffee mug verse.

Is it not? Every grandma in here has that. You knitted it in an Afghan and it's hanging over your couch. I mean, we love that verse. But oftentimes, when we read that verse, for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, we believe it to be true. We just don't believe that you is me, you. Do you really believe that regardless of your current circumstances, again, whether you're on top of the world or at the bottom of the barrel, that God has a purpose and a plan for your life?

Now, maybe even if you can't say yes right now, could you at least believe that God may want you to do great things for the glory of his name or at least be a part of a great movement for the glory of his name? You see, if you say yes or even if you want to say yes, then the next question is, well, then how do you know what that thing is? How do you know what that thing is that God wants you to step into by faith? You know, sometimes people will talk about that the Bible is like a map for life. And I know what they mean. It's just not true. It has maps in it, okay? But I can't find Jacksonville into place.

You understand what I'm saying? So how is it, do you know, what that thing is, that divine moment that God might have for you? Because I don't know if you realize this. We actually don't live life minute by a minute. We really live at moment by moment. And there will be just a few moments in your life that will define everything about your life. And what if, what if God has this divine moment that he wants you to seize? How do you even know what it is?

And is it possible that that moment is there? And it will never happen until you step out in faith. I hear Christians say this all the time. I'm just waiting on the Lord. I'm just waiting on the Lord. And I go, I know what you're saying. You kind of quote in Isaiah, but that's not what he means when he says that. blessed are those who wait upon the Lord.

It doesn't mean like wait, like you got out ahead of God, and you're like, come on, as soon as he catches up with me, then we will get after it, all right? I think it's the dumb. We say some dumb stuff as Christians. I don't want to get ahead of the Lord. How can you get ahead of someone that is everywhere at all times? There is no place on the planet that is ahead of him

because he was already there before you got there. I know what you mean. It's just dumb, okay? Don't say that. It's the equivalent of action. asking the food to nourish your body. That's just what food does. You don't even have to pray about it, okay?

And yet, what if the real thing is, is you're not waiting on the Lord, but he's waiting on you? That there are these, I mean, these divine moments that will only be realized when the sons and daughters of the king act like they believe that he's still got the whole world in his hands. And then we step out on faith. This event in the scriptures exemplifies this as much as anyone I know. Chapter 14 verse 1, one day Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who carried his armor, come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side. You see, sometimes you just got to do something.

People ask me all the time, what is God's will for my life? I don't know what to do. I can guarantee you what his will is not for your life. is to do nothing. That is not his will. And so Jonathan just says, we're going to do this, but he did not tell his father. That's been happening for 3,000 years, all right? You see, you've got to be careful who you talk to about what God is talking with you about. You can have the right idea from God, share it with the wrong people, and that thing will get squished before he ever gets going. You ever notice that? And so he doesn't tell his dad.

Now, I know if you're a parent, you think that your kids can tell you anything. Let me ask you this. When you were a teenager, did you tell your parents everything? I did all kind of stuff if I didn't tell my father. Now, I wasn't doing the will of the Lord. I was more like a Philistine, but that's a different sermon, all right? You see, just recently, I have a 13-year-old son. He made a one initiative commitment of $250 on a salary of $0.

So I was like, hey, Scooter, where's that coming from? He's like, I think my dad can handle it. I was like, all right, that'll preach, but I don't, but, you know. So then, we did this little March Madness pool at my house, and he won. I know some of all of them will get a fin. Are you teaching your kids to gamble? We're teaching our kids to be winners, all right? You raise yours.

I'll raise mine. So he won. He beat us all. Last year, Reagan won by picking mascot versus mascot. That was it. Well, of course, a warrior could beat a rainbow. That's how she picked it. She won, anyway.

So we won $100. We all, well, me and Mama put money in. He won $100. A few weeks later, he was like, Dad, I need some money. I'm like, bro, you don't need no money? I just gave you $100. And he was like, well, I was a little behind on my $250 commitment, so I just gave it all at students.

And I was like, why don't you tell me? And he's like, because I thought you'd try to talk me out of it. To which I thought, what kind of generosity, example, Am I not sitting in my home? Verse two, Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibbia in the pomegranate cave at Migran. Now this is important, okay? Pomegranates were a sign of luxury. And so he's sitting in the cave eating pomegranates, got him a little drink with an umbrella in it,

and all his people are there with him. The people who were with him were about 600 men, including a heja, the son of a hiktu. Iqabod's brother, by the way, Iqabod means the glory is gone. Remember last week, after his disobedience to the glory of the Lord, and God removes his hand the blessing, and now he is surrounding himself with people that exemplify that the glory is gone. The son of Phineas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wearing an Ephod. That's what priests wear.

Now notice, hiding in a cave, sieve it on a place. pomegranate drink. Everyone is dressed the part, and yet nobody's doing what God called them to do. Please don't let that be you this weekend at church. Please don't let that be you this weekend at church. Please don't show up to this place, all the places that we have all over this place. Please don't just be dressed the part of the good-looking Christian and walk in here and not be vulnerable to the Lord in what he wants to do in your heart and soul.

I mean, I'm telling you, Christians got a bad case of the finitis. I mean, a horrible case of just faking it. All the time, walking in here, how you doing, brother? I'm just blessed and highly favored. No, you're not, man. Your life is on fire. Tell somebody, be honest. Open up yourself for just a second.

I dare you to be honest before the Lord. And not just be dressed the part and not be willing to do. what God has called you to do and not make yourself available to the real preacher at 1122 that wants to get down into the deep, dark places of your soul and set you free. You see, these folks are just dressed apart, but they're just hiding out in caves out of fear. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. Within the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine Garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side.

the name of the one was Bozes, and the name of the other was Senna. I don't know how to say these words, but you don't either. So if I just say him like, I know what I'm talking about, everybody, but he's so smart. I do know this. The one that starts with B means thorny, and the ones that start with S means slippery. Don't let anybody tell you that just because you follow the will of God, that everything is going to go easy for you. I should just do a sermon series called Dumb Stuff I've heard from Christians, all right? It would be a six-year series.

That's the problem. I remember in seminary where had a guy told me the safest place you can be is in the center of the will of God. And I thought, have you met Jesus? The cross, not safe. You got me?

And was he in the center of the will of God? I think he was, okay? So sometimes the place that God calls you to go is slippery and thorny, and that's just on the way until you get to the enemy. It says in the one guy, Craig rose on the north in front of McMash and the other on the south in front of Geba,

verse 6. And Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor. I love this verse so much. Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. By the way, there were 36,000 Philistines. They had 600. There's just two of them. So there's 598 left back at the place. And then there's 36,000 Philistines. And then here's what he said. says, come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us. Do you see the lack of confidence that this man has? He don't know.

Let's be honest. Neither to you. I think it's funny all these parenting books that come out. Fifteen steps to a perfect kid. There should be an appendix. We have no idea what we're talking about. Good luck. That's what it should say.

it may be that the Lord will work for us for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few. There's so much here. He says it may be. Some translations translate it. Perhaps. This is not like the general patent talk that you're looking for. They leave in the middle of the night. Jonathan wakes up, wakes up his normal bearer.

Hey, bro. Nowhere, his name is not given. Yodolph, get up, get up, get up. Where are we going? We're going to pick a fight. Okay, cool. Who's going? Me and you. What are we going to do? We got 36,000 people, armored. I got a sword. I'd like for you to carry it for me until I need it. Then I need you to hand it over to me. Good luck. Do you have a word from the Lord? Maybe. I'm going to need something more than that. I got perhaps. That's what I got. You see, the Bible says that without faith, it is impossible to please God. And too many times, listen, man, I'm all for due diligence for sure. I am.

I am all for. I mean, Jesus was very clear. You know, if you're going to build a building, you make sure you count the bricks first, that kind of stuff. But our relationship with the Lord is not based purely on fact. It is by faith that we are to walk and not by sight. And so he, by fate, steps out. When people ask me this all the time, got a decision to make, need to know the will of God, you're a man of the cloth, why don't you tell me?

No problem. Here it goes. Ready, it's a three-step process. Pray, guess, go. That's it. That is my theology of the discernment of the will of God. Pray, guess, go. What if I don't do it right? Then keep praying, keep guessing, and keep going. What if I'm going in the wrong direction? I thoroughly believe that you babe this thing in prayer and you legitimately lay it at the feet of Jesus. If you're heading in the wrong direction. He will send a big fish and swallow you and take you to wherever you're supposed to go and throw you up to where you need to be. Pray and guess and go. Most Christians just pray and talk and pray. They don't ever get to the go part. And by the way, be very, very careful

with this phrase, God told me. I think we need a lot more of this. It may be that the Lord, Now listen, here's the only way you know 100% for sure that God told you. If you read it straight from this book, that's it, all right? You want to hear the voice of God? Read this book out loud. You'll hear the voice of God. But it's amazing the number of people that come up to me, and God has a word for them to me about what our church should do.

Unbelievable. Okay? It is. And so as soon as he confirms that in me, we'll get right after that. Here's the thing, though. If God actually told you, you don't have to tell anybody that God told you. You can just get to work. You see, here's what is kind of behind what Jonathan is saying.

He's saying, it may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few. We know that this is the promised land. We know that God has given us this land. I don't know if this is going to work or not, but if it does, I just want to be a part of what God is doing. Listen, one of the greatest Bible studies ever written was by Dr. Henry Blackabee called Experiencing God. Remember that?

All right. If you've said yes, you've been a Christian a minute. I mean, you know, longer than some of you all been alive. No problem. And you're probably Baptist because it was a Baptist thing for a while. And so the experiencing God, Henry Blackaby's study, is this. Not let me go to work and ask God to come with me, but find out where God is already at work and join him where he is. working because you just desire to be a part of what he is doing more than you desire what you

are doing. This is at the heart of what Jonathan's doing. It may be, it may be that the Lord will work for us for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or few. You see, here's what's crazy too. Saul and Jonathan are in the same place with the same opportunity. You get this? Saul and Jonathan are in the same place with the same equipment, with the same resources, with the same circumstances, with the same opportunity. And one is waiting. And one is believing and stepping out in faith. You see, the truth is, this is just true. In your life, you will either live a life of risk or regret. That is it. In this life, in the one and only life, in the one and only life, life that you and I get, you will either live a life of risk for the glory of God, or you will

live a life of great regret because you live for your own glory. You see, I hope and I pray that the Lord wrecks your whole life in the best way possible. And I hope and I pray that you reject what this world is selling you as a good normal life. I hope that you, you, you, you know, you, you, you, You wholesale reject it and that you pour yourself out. You live for the glory of God. There is no other greater adventure on this planet or in eternity. And the reason that you're so dissatisfied with your life is because all you're doing is living for the temporary things of this world. And the temporary things just can't satisfy.

They just can't satisfy. I don't know what's worse. Living your whole life chasing a dream that you never grab onto, because that's a wasted life. or maybe just as bad is that you achieve all of your hopes and dreams by the time you're 35 and then you look around and you're like, this is it? This is it? I mean, I got a big house. I got a nice car.

I sleep in a bed. Me and my wife couldn't touch each other if we tried, man. So comfortable. I could put my sleep number. Track my sleep. Only problem is I don't sleep worth anything. Because deep down in here, man, I just think there must be more. You were created for so much more.

You were created to risk it all for the glory of God. You see, I asked this a few weeks ago in regards to missions, we had 100 plus people say, I'll put my yes on the table and trust God to put it on the mat. What would you do for the glory of God if you knew it wouldn't fail? What would you do for the glory of God if you knew God would be all over it. What would you do? And the moment you know the answer to that question, then the next question is, then why are you not doing it? So I want to ask you that again.

What is God calling you to do? And you may say, I don't know for sure. Okay, perhaps what is God calling you to do? Maybe what is God calling you to do? And what is that first step? Is it to fully and finally forgive that person that sinned against you a long time ago? Well, do you know, if all you do is feel about it, you will never actually forgive them because the first step in forgiveness is you've got to admit it, man, they hurt me. That you've got to take an account of what was taken from you, and then you have a choice to make. Do I cancel the debt or not? Or maybe the big thing God is calling you to do is reconcile that broken relationship.

And if you're waiting in a cave, slipping the pomegranate drink, it ain't going to be reconciled. You have to pick up the phone and call somebody. What is the first step in what God is calling you to do? Maybe it's time that you confess and repent. Maybe what God is calling you to do is to go home and look at the people that you love the most that you've been treating the worst and say, I am so sorry. Maybe that's the first step. Or maybe what God is calling you to do for the first time is to admit your addiction.

you've been trying to control it and you know that it has control over you and you're afraid to say it out loud because if you say it out loud if you say I think I'm addicted I need help you know things in your life will have to change especially if you say it to the right people or maybe the thing that God is calling you to do is to fight for your marriage and quit waiting for the Lord to just show up in your house and sprinkle some marriage dust or maybe it's to start fighting for the heart hearts of your children. Maybe that is your divine moment. You see, God will use a few people, a few nobodies like Jonathan in this world, to do incredible things that historians write about.

But much more than that, he will use his sons and daughters all over this world. And they might not affect countries, but man, they will affect their house in ways that a country can't affect it. What would you do for the glory of God? Or maybe God's calling you to radical generosity. I mean, every time we show one of those kind of videos, you begin to realize nobody's making you, nobody's telling you, God begins to stir a thing in your life, and you think, uh-oh, I think more is mine, and I know that God didn't give me all of this for me, and I need to take a step of radical generosity, but you're afraid to tell somebody, because if you say it out loud, you've got to do something about it, so you just kind of be like, don't let it get on me until I get in the car,

and I wash it off. During the one initiative, a good friend of mine, got all stirred up by the Lord, took his commitment card, wrote a number on it, and he took it. told me after a service. We weren't even at Commitment Day yet. He was like, if you don't take this right now, I will take it back and make it lower. I need you to take it right now. So I was like, give me that thing. All right. So, listen, maybe God's called you to start a ministry or to serve or to connect in a disciple group. Maybe God's called you to retire from your job, not so that you can play golf. You can play golf a little bit. You got to take me, but you can do that a little bit, but so that you can aim the majority of your days at working for his kingdom without distraction.

or maybe what God is calling you, maybe that divine moment is that you're to boldly share your faith with your one more. What is it? What could you say, come, let us go over there. And maybe the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few. I dare yourself to just mentally give yourself permission to imagine what that moment might be like in your life. And his armor bearers said, do all that is in your heart.

Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you, heart and soul. Now be careful about quoting Bible verses. God didn't say that. This kid said that. First of all, don't do it alone. But secondly, don't follow your heart. It will lead you to the worst places ever, ever, ever. Jesus says it is a source of wickedness.

Don't follow your heart. A few weeks ago, we shared. Pastor Adam, who's getting his doctorate, essentially his thesis is about how to know and do the will of God, and he gave us these six questions to discern if we are being led

by the Holy Spirit. I'm just going to repeat them because I know you don't remember everything I say. All right, so I've been told. And it spells out gospel. Six questions. Is it for God's glory? Gee, God's glory. Will this decision primarily be about my glory or God's glory? Oh, other Christians. What do

other gospel-centered Christians say about this? S. Scripture. What does the Bible command permit or prohibit? Because God is not a liar. He will not say one thing in his word and say a different thing in your heart. It's not how it works. The P is prayer. Have you abided with, rested in, asked for, listen to, and waited on God in prayer? E is evangelism. Will this decision allow me the opportunity to share the gospel and invite people to faith. And the L is lifestyle. Will this decision lead me to a lifestyle of love marked by the fruit of the spirit? There's this famous quote by a guy named Howard Thurman, African American pastor last century. He says, don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that

because what the world needs is people who have come alive. Now, that only works in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You know? This isn't. Well, what makes me come alive as seashells. I'm just going to spend a life picking up seashells for the glory of God. The kingdom of God doesn't have a lot for seashells. You understand?

Now, if somehow you get the greatest seashell collection in the world whereby people come to visit your seashells and in doing so, you can share the gospel with them, then hunt on, darling, okay? This is not like live your dream. This is pour yourself out for the glory of God. And if you abide in Christ and he abides in you, what will begin to happen over the progressive sanctification of your life is the things that God values will become more and more and more valuable in your life. And the things that make you come alive will shift from you to his glory.

And it'll blow your mind. It'll blow your mind. And so do that thing. And so now Jonathan's got a plan, okay? He's got a plan. See, the difference between a vision and a dream is a calendar and a plan. That's the difference. Look, everybody's got a vision and a dream, everybody.

But he's got a plan. Now, I will tell you this, it's the worst plan I've ever seen in all of warfare, okay? Then Jonathan said, behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. Okay. I know this weekend is D-Day. We are so grateful not only for the men that bled and died for our freedoms, but also for the leaders that came up with an incredible plan. We're tricking them over here and we're attacking them over there. Okay. Jonathan says, no, that's what we're going to do. We're going to. All right, there's two versus 36,000, and we're just going to stand up in front of them. Now, if I'm the armor bear, I'm like, hey, man, have you ever seen a ninja movie or a Rambo? So our best bet, okay, is to just duck and cover and sneak and take one out all silent.

And he's like, nah, we're just going to stand right in front of them. Now, let me give you a warning. If you decide to seize a divine moment and step out by faith, for the glory and the renown of the name Jesus Christ, you will be attacked. I mean, you will be. You think it's a coincidence in that video? This brother gives generously and then loses his job.

And I would tell you this. If there's a long stretch in your life as a believer and you are not attacked, then you might want to consider if the enemy considers you an enemy. or if you don't feel the force of this culture pushing hard against you and your values, it could be because you're just going with the flow. And so I'm telling you, every step you take towards Jesus, the target on your back from the enemy gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger.

And the crazy thing is, is you almost welcome the attack. The enemy's mantra or vision statement is in our scriptures. That we have a spiritual enemy that wants to kill, steal, and destroy everything good and godly in your life. And believe me, you step out in faith and that stuff starts happening. That we have an enemy, the devil, who prows around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Let me tell you, he doesn't devour his own. And often before the blessing, all hell breaks loose. Often before the blessing, all hell breaks loose, literally.

Man, it's amazing. God has used our church. It started with one man named Rodney who got saved at our church. I grew up in Brazil. Started bugging me to death. But I want, we do missions in Brazil. So we got down to Brazil. We start doing missions.

You fast forward, man. We're partnering in the Compassion International to plant Compassion Churches all over Brazil. We started a pastor school in Rio with some of our partners and all these wonderful things are happening. But before the wonderful things happened, we had to walk through some pretty terrible things to get there. We go on a vision trip to get there and I tell the pastor that we're working with, hey, we want to do work in like the darkest place here. Where is that? And he said, we got to go to crackland.

And in fact, before I was going on the trip, my friend Washington comes up to me and says, he's from Brazil. He says, whatever you do, you've got to go see crackland. And so me and Pastor Britt and some others, they take us into crackland. The reason they call it crackland is because that's where all the crack is. Like if you go to Disneyland, what are you going to see? Disney. Go to crackland, guess what are you going to see?

Crack. Look, man, I do not have vast experience with crack or any other sort of substances. So we go in, we're going to feed some people, share the gospel. They're really just trying to show me around. Pastor Britt has a loaf of white bread, and I have a two-liter fanta. And we're walking with these other pastors that do work there, and I'm telling you, they have blown out the streets so that the police cars can't get in there. We turn the corner, and there are multiple card tables set up with these guys with like bandanas and mounds of little baggies with white stuff in it.

And I'm like, is that the crack? That's the crap. I'm talking about these huge mounds and people are buying and selling it. It looks like the pictures of what I've seen on Wall Street where it's like, hey, they're going crazy and there's stuff going and people are buying it. And they have these like oozy's, these automatic weapons sitting on the table and I turned the corner with a two liter of Fanta. Here we are. I got Jesus and some Fanta. And now in and around that area we're planting churches.

You see, the thing about faith, faith does not remove danger. Faith makes you dangerous to the enemy. That's the difference. Faith does not remove the danger. Faith makes you dangerous to the enemy. And now remember, our battle is not against flesh and blood. Those people selling and dealing the crack are not our enemy. The spirit of darkness on them is our enemy.

And so his plan is, all right, we're going to check. ourselves. All right, we got to go faster. If they say to us, wait until we come to you, and we will stand still in our place and we will not go up to them. In other words, we'll just die like men and my bad, wasn't a good plan. But if they say, come up to us, then we will go up for the Lord has given them into our hands, and this shall be a sign to us. Now notice, the sign was prescribed before they went in. It was not described after the fact. There's a whole bunch of Christians that like to take a bow and error, shoot it against a blank wall, and then go draw a target around it and say, bull's eye, that is not how it works.

He says, so both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistine says, look, Hebrews are coming up out of the holes where they have hidden themselves. And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said, his armor bear, come up after me. for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel. You see, so many times Christians are stuck right here

that God has got a call in your life, that God has paved the way, and then we are stuck in neutral. You want a sign from the Lord? Here's a sign from the Lord. Matthew chapter 28, Jesus says, through his followers, therefore go into all the world and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything. I have commanded you.

Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and low. Low means pay attention, and I will be with you always to the very ends of the earth. Even crack land, even crack land. Or you want a sign, you need a sign from the Lord to understand what God's will is for your life. How about this? Also Jesus, before he ascends to the right hand of God, the Father, and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,

and you will be my witnesses. Where? Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the very ends of the earth. And you realize when he was saying that, this was the ends of the earth. There's your son. And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet. How is you going to climb? Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Like, why is it telling us that he used his hands and feet? Because he was in a very vulnerable position here. and his armor bearer after him. You see, bold faith is acting as if you actually believe God is who he says he is, and he always keeps his promises. It's one thing to think it. It's another thing to do it. And they all fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed them after him.

At the first strike, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, killed about 20 men within as if it were a half furrow's length in an acre. That's like a half an acre. And there was a panic in the camp. in the field among all the people, the garrison and even the raiders trembled and the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic. Here's what happened. God met Jonathan's faith with his faithfulness.

That's what happened. The miracle was right there waiting to happen, and all it required is when God nudged, Jonathan stepped, and God's faithfulness met the faith of Jonathan, and then God showed up in a miraculous way. it's like the book of Acts you realize that's how the church started that when they first start preaching people said about them these are ordinary uneducated men but they've been with jesus by the time you get to acts chapter 17 and the disciples show up they say come see these men who have turned the world upside down that was what's going on now why couldn't that be you Listen, from the moment that I felt like God called me in the ministry, I started praying this.

God, please use me in a way that is utterly disproportionate to who I am. I've prayed for decades now. God, do not lighten my load, but broad in my shoulders. I just want to pour myself out for the glory of God. And I don't know that I'm a very good example at all. But I'm telling you this, man, is that when God moves, if you don't, then you ain't going to be with him. People ask me all the time, man, so what's going on at the church of 1122? I don't know.

We do what everybody else does. We just sing and talk. But we make much of him in worship and we dive into His Word. It's what we do. But do you know why there are people worshipping at Bay Meadows right now? And you know why there are people worshiping at Mandarin right now? And you know why there are people worshipping at Arlington right now? It's not like I opened the Bible in the back and it shows us where to plant campuses.

I don't know. and you're like, you mean to tell me we're going to spend four or five million dollars on a place and you don't know? Absolutely. People are how you know it's going to work? What do you mean? Work. I have no idea if it's going to work. But maybe, maybe, maybe.

Do you know why we're in Baker Correctional right now? Because we just sat out. We said, hey, man, let's go. Let's go into the prisons. And maybe the Lord will show up. And so far 158 men have surrendered their life to the Lord. Jesus Christ. That's it. And you know why Fleming Island is opening in August? Because it may be that the Lord will work. You see, listen to me, we did not start 1122 to have just this big old

Jesus jacuzzi. Or you just get all in together, kind of awkward, a little too close, you know, but it's just kind of hot and steamy and we just tell each other's stories and look at each other's eyes. That's why a lot of churches die. I don't like the jacuzis. Every time I get in one, I thought, This is where they create the flu for next year, all right? But I'm telling you, that's not what we were created for. We were created to say, come on, come with me. Where are we going? Over there.

Why? I don't know, because God said, and what if, just what if? What if God works? I'm telling you, I don't operate in fear. I really don't. The fear of a missed opportunity keeps me up at night way more than fear of striking out. And so this is what they do. And then the watchmen of Saul and Gibia of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there.

And Saul said to the people who were with him, count and see who was gone from us. And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bear were not there. And so Saul said to Ahijah, bring the ark of God here, for the ark of God went at the time with the people of Israel. Now, while Saul was talking to the priests, the toment in the camp of the Philistines increased more. and more. Jonathan is out there battling the enemy and Saul's at home praying about it, but he really praying about it. He's just doing more religious activity so that he does not have to step out in obedience. When the Bible says, don't use the Lord's name in vain, it does not

just mean, don't say G.D. It means how dare you ever use prayer as an excuse to not be obedient to what God has already called you to do? Look, I am pro-prayer, but you pray before You pray on to go and you pray when you're done. Aren't you glad that when Jesus in Matthew chapter 25 says that he holds us accountable and he looks at the five-talent man and the two-talent man who by faith risk it all for the glory of God? He says to these men, well done, good and faithful. He does not say well-done, good, and fruitful. The fruit is up to him.

Stepping out in faith, that's what we get to do. do. And so Saul said to the priest, withdraw your hand, and then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. Oftentimes, a great move of faith, of somebody going first, breaks free the fate for everybody else to come with you. And you have no idea who it could be. You know, we partner with Compassion International. Compassion International was started by one individual named Everett Swanson in 1952. He was a pastor that volunteered to go to South Korea to preach to the soldiers. It's the first time he'd ever left the country.

When he was finished preaching to the soldiers as he was going back to the base where he was staying, a kid stole his jacket. He goes chasing after the kid, rounds the corner, and he's in these little shanties. And he sees his jacket laying on the ground, and he thinks the kid just dropped it. So he picks it up to take his jacket back. and there's a little kid, a little orphan kid, under his jacket, freezing and starving to death. As he begins to look around, there are kids in rags because they were orphans because their parents had been killed in the war. And he didn't know what to do.

When he went back to his room, he was just haunted with these words. These are his words. What are you going to do? What are you going to do? What are you going to do? He said that he would pray to God. God, what are you going to do about this? and he felt like God would say to him, I was asking you do the same thing.

So this one individual pastor went home to his church and began to raise money and match individuals in his church with individual children in this orphanage. That step of faith became what is now Compassion International. And currently over 1.5 million children, this, like right now, currently, had been rescued from poverty in Jesus' name. That man had no idea what God was going to do in him and through him and to him. So it goes on to say, and behold, every Philistine sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. And now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time,

who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan likewise when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing. They too followed hard after them in the battle. It's amazing who shows up after we start winning. Everybody's led a thing. It's like, oh, that's in the Bible.

That's in the Bible. So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Bethamon. You see, our job is to step out by faith and do what we can do and trust that God will do the rest. And just trust that God will do the rest. So listen, here's the point. It's all throughout the first. the scriptures, all things are possible for the one who believes. I mean, the empirical evidence here,

if the tomb is empty, then anything is possible, that anything is possible. So back to the question, we've asked it multiple times, if you could do anything for the glory of God and you knew that God would be all over it, what would you do? What would you do? And if you legitimately are like, I have no idea. Then look to where God is already out. work and jump into that place. Serve somewhere. Serve here at the church. Serve at one of our partners all over the city. Sign up to go on a mission trip. I can just tell you what it's not. God doesn't want you to do nothing. He wants you to put your faith to action. And here's the thing, man, you have no idea what hangs in the balance. And not only do you have no idea what hangs in the

balance for all those people that you could affect, you have no idea. You have no idea. You have no idea what hangs in the balance for how you will be affected. And I've been in ministry a minute, 26 years. I know. Some of you're like, did you start when you were 11, pastor? You know I had zero gray hairs before I planted the church? That's the fact, all right? I name every one of these after one of y'all, all right?

That's how that works. And at this point in my life, man, I have never been responsible for more. and I have never been more confident in what we are doing as a church and as a ministry. And I have never been more dependent for God to move. You see, where in your life have you stepped out in faith? And if God doesn't do his part, it's going to be a big problem. I dare you by the spirit of God and the faithfulness of the Father to say, come. let's go do this thing.

And it may be that God would show up in ways that we never expected. And again, man, it could be on a cosmic epic start a new ministry thing or it could be having one conversation with your one more that you gave up on three months ago because they kept saying no. I can't tell you what that thing is. But I can tell you this. Pray, guess, and go. Would you please stand?

Let me pray for you. and gracious Heavenly Father, God, I thank you, and I praise you that the battle belongs to you. God, the internal, interpersonal battles of addiction and bitterness and temptation, God, those battles belong to you. And then, God, the grand cosmic, epic battles of evangelism and missions and the Great Commission that battle belongs to you. God, I pray that you would speak so clearly. God, you would speak through your word,

you would speak through these sermons, you would speak directly to our souls, and then you would give us the faith to step out trusting that you still got the whole world in your hands. God, I pray for a supernatural amount of courage in the face of fear, and the people of 1122, to go out and pour themselves out for the glory of God.

And I know, God, in so doing, they will find a joy that this world just can't touch. God, I can't imagine the potential. God, I can't imagine the potential wrapped up in your church, this church. And, God, I pray that it explodes on the scene. Not just because the church is doing big things, but God, because the individuals that make this church up are doing it. exactly what you have called them to do. God, I pray against the spirit of fear,

because that doesn't come from you. And I thank you that you've given us power and of love and of self-control. And may everything we do be for the one name under heaven whereby we must be saved, the only name that deserves worship and honor and glory, the name of Jesus. And we pray this in his name.

Amen.