As you begin to fear the Lord, you will notice this strange occurrence take place. It is strange because you would think every Christian would want you to grow stronger and closer to Jesus, but as scripture and life shows us, that is simply not true. 1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” I heard a quote one time that said, anyone who loves Jesus more than you do is considered a “Jesus Freak”. DC Talk had a song called Jesus Freaks and the chorus goes like this. “What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus freak. What will people do when they find that it's true? I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak, there ain't no disguising the truth.” This verse is also found in the book by the same name “Jesus Freaks” by DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs. Read this book as it is dedicated to all those who refused to deny Jesus. Kevin Max said of the Jesus freak, “The rest of the world called these over-zealous young people “Jesus Freaks” as a derogatory term. But decades later, a new generation is embracing that same passion for expression. Jesus freaks are more than hippie kids and rock and roll. They are dedicated followers of Jesus Christ who place His name above any other need or desire. And as a Jesus Freak, I stand with thousands of martyrs around the world today who still face persecution because Jesus means more to them than their own lives or comfort.”
If you read this book you will see the persecution of believers but mostly in other countries. To stand before God in the face of persecution means you fear God more than you fear man. You know in your heart not to Matthew 10:28 “not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Due to a lack of fear in God, man has been seduced by demonic doctrines that say; relax, be happy, God will not allow you to be persecuted, you will be raptured. WRONG! That is not what scripture say. So what they are saying is North America is we are exempt from the persecution other Christians are facing in their countries. As soon as the church starts proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and are willing to take a stand for their faith, we will be persecuted. At that point the seduction of a watered down gospel and cheap grace will not stand in the face of the power of darkness. The only way to defeat the enemy is by the power of the Holy Spirit, which most in this country no longer believe is available for this day.
As you turn and humble yourself from your wicked ways, God said he will hear your cry but be prepared for the friendly fire along with the flaming arrows of the evil one. This is fire that injures or kills an ally usually from those who are supposed to be on the same side. Sadly some of the greatest persecution you will face will come from those who say they believe the word of God. So there you stand in the fear of the Lord with your shields up and you notice the fiery darts are flying in both directions. You say to your self, hey wait a minute I am being shot at from my own people. There will be many who will be used by satan as his mouthpiece and have no problem speaking against you. These attacks can really throw you off but you must persevere just as you would in the face of the enemy. These attacks are used to get you to turn from the journey God has called you on but you must not turn to the right or to the left. You need to have a very thick head. Ezekiel 3:9 “I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” As you stand before the Lord this strange occurrence will happen in the form of jealousy and bitterness and many will turn against you.
Yesterday we talked about David slaying the giant in the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Samuel 16:13 “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.” Now there are two things two observe here. The first is you have Saul the reigning King who has been told he would no longer be king. 1 Samuel 15:26 “But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!” The second was David was anointed in power in the presence of his brothers. 1 Samuel 16:1 “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” Now this is were the root of bitterness and jealousy begins to grow. Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Don’t be deceived by looks. 1 Samuel 16:6 “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab (the first born) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” A little later we see the true heart of Eliab as he was passed over. David comes to the battle and hears the taunts of Goliath. 1 Samuel 16:22 “David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. 25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel. 26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.” So we see the true heart of Eliab. David did the right thing and turned away to someone else.
As time went on Saul grew more and more jealous of David. God had already said to Eli, 1 Samuel 2:35 “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always.” Then later Jesus was the fulfilment of the promise to David and those who continue in the fear of the Lord with also be part of the promise. We are still going to be rescued from our enemies in the power of the Spirit. Saul knew the David would be king. 1 Samuel 24:20 “I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.” Then Saul died. David had said, 1 Samuel 26:10 “Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 2 Samuel 3:1 “The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.” 2 Samuel 3:17 Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. 18 Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.” Also you need to know that God’s timing is different than ours. God still wants to keep his promise to defeat our enemies but we must fear him. 1 Samuel 5:10 “And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.”
The lack of fear of the Lord will lead to a bitterroot and jealousy of God’s anointed. Instead of the church listening to those called by God, they fight against them trying to bring them down to their level. There was nothing Saul could do about David but he still tried to kill him. Acts 5:39 “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Yes at this point (Canada) the sword may not kill you but they will use gossip and other words of bitterness. They will say things like, who do you think you are and try to discredit what God is doing through you. Instead of building the church up, the bitterroot of jealousy tears it down, “and causes trouble and defiles many.” That is not how it supposed to be because the Lord calls and anoints those for his service and the church is built up. Not everyone is the same. Ephesians 4:11 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” So as God calls and gives us His gifts accordingly, remember bitterness and jealousy is from satan and only tears down. Listen to His word. Hebrews 2:4 “This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” 1 Corinthians 12:4 “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” Just a reminder this is not a one-time event as so many teach but an on-going anointing available for all who believe Ephesians 1 and Mark 16 describes.
As God has called you, do not give up or shrink back because of so–called friendly fire from those who only seek to tear you down. You will not stand before them on judgement day but before our Lord and Sovereign King and you only want to hear, Matthew 25:21 “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Do not fear the words of those whose only desire is to tear you down but hang on to the words of Jesus who has sent you. Exodus 14:13 “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Do a word study of “stand firm.”
