SERMON: MT. DESCENT
TEXT: 2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give diligence to make your calling and election
sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
INTRO: TRANSITION:
We want to be “high value
targets”! And That is what we are especially
when travelling up and down the mountain.
1.Mountain Warfare:
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye
may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. It makes sense - our enemy does not have
unlimited capability or ammunition, so he's going
to look for a high value target to attack. Especially
if that enemy is the ultimate terrorist, the devil
himself. He takes careful aim - and he devotes
special attention - to bringing down what he
considers a high value target. Like you, perhaps?
Eph6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole
armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand
in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The
Devil watches and sets ambush as we walk the
mountains to God. And I say mountain(s) We all
know that as we live we go through valleys and
over mountains. Last weekend was a mountain
experience. Many of us felt the opposition and
attacks and snares the enemy set up as we
approached the mountain top!? What happens
then, we get filled with God’s power and will for
our next valley so we can be productive.
Productive, thats the point.. Thats Satan’s worst
liked thing. He aims at “high value targets”
becuase they shake the world for God! So when
we aim to do for God, Satan aims to hinder. So
today I want to talk about Mountain warfare! 1Pe
5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty
hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for
you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour: It's
interesting that this familiar verse is in a passage
that is primarily about Christian leaders. Those
who are making a difference - or are about to
make a difference - for Jesus Christ become
special targets for enemy attack. We are making a
difference? - or are about to make a difference?
Amen!? So guess what? Better be sure your armor
is in good shape! 2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fall: Is your armor on and ready?
2. Peak Experience:
1Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this
people may know that thou [art] the LORD God,
and [that] thou hast turned their heart back
again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and
consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and
the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water
that [was] in the trench. 39 And when all the
people saw [it], they fell on their faces: and they
said, The LORD, he [is] the God; the LORD, he
[is] the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take
the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.
And they took them: and Elijah brought them
down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
This is some of what took place this past week, we
went to the peak and conquered and were freed
and made headway, and moreso were given new
strength and comission! Now you have a choice in
the coming weeks, to keep the fire burning on the
way down, or let it go out. Now you might be
saying, Pastor, you missed the 3rd option, stay at
the peak! I don’t want to leave the mountain top!
But that isn’t really an option, for to stay when
God has done is to also let the fire go out. See, the
fruit we bear is made in the fertile valleys! So,
again you have a choice in the coming weeks, to
keep the fire burning on the way down, or let it go
out. If you don’t want the Devil to aim at you and
choose to hog the blessing God has just given you
then you can just hide the fire and eventually lose
your power with God. In Acts 19, the sons of a
Jewish priest watch how Paul casts out demons in
the name of Jesus - so they decide to try it. The
Bible says, "The evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"(Acts 19:15) . The demon-possessed man then
jumped on those boys and nearly beat them to
death. Notice - there are names that have made it
onto hell's "watch list" - Paul was on that list. In a
way, it is one of life's great honors to have made it
onto hell's target list, to be considered by the devil
someone who could do a lot of damage to his
plans. And what an insult to realize that they've
never heard of you in hell! Heb 4:11 Let us labour
therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall
after the same example of unbelief. Get the
oxymoron here? Labor into rest. While we are on
this side of heaven, we toil for the Kingdom until
we enter God rest. Our valleys are the day to day
work at home, church and jobs/school, where we
aim to grow fruit in ours and others lives. Now
the Mount top gives us a breather, but we must be
sure to take that renewal and be zealous. So who
does Satan consider high value targets? We can
make some Biblically educated guesses. A parent
who is raising his or her children to love and
serve Jesus Christ . . . someone who has stepped
up to spiritual leadership - or who is considering
it . . .any believer who is - or who could be - a
warrior for Christ, who could end up leading
people away from hell and toward heaven. Your
name may never be widely known on earth, but
your name may be very well known in hell,
because of the difference you're making! We love
the mountain tops, because God shows Himself
so strongly, but the reason He does so is to send
us back to show ourselves strongly for Him in the
valley. Will you? 2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather,brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fall:
3. Mountain Descent:
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know
[these things] before, beware lest ye also, being
led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own stedfastness. This past week, may have
surprised you by an attack from the clear blue!
Some turmoil or fear or doubt that came off guard
because “I was at the mountain top, untouchable,
what happened” Your coming back to the valley.
1Ki 19:3 And when he saw [that], he arose, and
went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which
[belongeth] to Judah, and left his servant there. 4
But he himself went a day's journey into the
wilderness, and came and sat down under a
juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he
might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD,
take away my life; for I [am] not better than my
fathers. Coming down the mountain can be as
harder or harder as going up! When you least
expect it - BOOM! 1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. I feel God wanting us to be rady to not let the enemy steal nor hinder what God has done on the
mountain. Which leads us back to Ephesians 6,
beginning with verse 11,"Put on the full armor of God
so that you can take your stand against the
devil's schemes...Put on the full armor of God so
that when the day of evil comes, you may be able
to stand your ground." Its easy to stay relaxed and
become unready, that much more with the
holiday/summer season coming up on us! 1Pe
3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and
[be] ready always to [give] an answer to every
man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is
in you with meekness and fear: We have a choice
in how we respond to the blessing of God word
this past week. Mt 13:18 Hear ye therefore the
parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth
the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it]
not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth
away that which was sown in his heart. This is
he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he
that received the seed into stony places, the same
is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy
receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but
dureth for a while: for when tribulation or
persecution ariseth because of the word, by and
by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed
among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and
the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of
riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground
is he that heareth the word, and understandeth
[it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth,
some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
You must take that armor and guard your heart
and mind. God doesn’t just lead us to the
mountains. Take God’s hand today and let Him
lead you down the mountain and through the
valley. Baptism, this too is a mountain top time...
1st, understand, you have to go back to the valley.
Elijah was taken by surprise, because He was still
living on the mountain when God wanted him in
the valley. 2nd, understand the enemy wants to
target you! The more ready and prepared you are,
the more productive you will be! Lastly, be on the
offence and set your mind to that single focus of
being productive for Christ. To take the refreshing
blessing from the mountain and use it, share it
with your brothers in church, neigbors at home,
family and friends! This also means keeping your
disciplines up, praying, studying, fellowshipping,
worshipping and denying yourself. We cannot
afford to be spiritually careless - about what we
watch, what you listen to, what you say, what you
laugh at, and what you allow into your mind and
heart. You cannot afford to be careless about how
you're raising your family, how you're handling
your money, about telling the truth, and about
avoiding temptation.
CONCLUSION:
This is not to discourage you, to make you think
that to do God’s work, we must be unhappy and
suffering. On contrare, the Joy of the Lord is our
strength, serving is an honor. But I don’t want the
devil to intimidate you, or for you to stall and stay
unproductive. To keep the mountain top
experience and zeal, we must use what was given!
Understand, that God’s blessing and refreshing
are not limited to the mountains peaks, but He
has more waiting for you in the valley! You are
more valuable to the work of God than you know
- and more in Satan's sights than you know. If you
stand your ground, put on God's armor, keep
your eyes on Jesus, you have nothing to fear from
your enemy's artillery. But you need to remember
that you are not on a peacetime mission where
you can be casual and careless - we're at war and
you are a target. Don't hand the enemy any
ammunition to shoot you with. It's not just your
life that's at stake - it's all those lives your life is
going to touch. 2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fall: Are you armed and ready? Or relaxed
and unaware? Are you using your blessing?
Being productive? Or Hogging it to yourself? Are
you willingly coming down to the valley? Or
stalling at the peak? Will you prepare for the
Mount Descent and share God’s glory!
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