C. BOSTIAN EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED 12/27/08
Jer 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the
heaven and the earth by thy great power and
stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: (KJV)
Jer 32:18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands,
and
recompensest the iniquity of the fathers
into
the bosom of their children after them:
the
Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, (KJV)
Jer 32:19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for
thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the
sons
of men: to give every one according to
his
ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: (KJV)
Jer 32:20 Which hast set signs and wonders in the
land
of
Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel,
and
among other men; and hast made thee a
name, as at this day; (KJV)
Jer 32:21 And hast brought forth thy people Israel
out
of
the land of Egypt with signs, and with
wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a
stretched out arm, and with great terror;
Jer 32:22 And hast given them this land, which thou
didst swear to their fathers to give them, a
land
flowing with milk and honey; (KJV)
Matt 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them,
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (KJV)
Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are
impossible
with men are possible with God. (KJV)
Jer 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all
flesh:
is
there any thing too hard for me? (KJV)
THIS MORNING I WANT TO START A 2 PART SERIES ON EXPECTING THE
UNEXPECTED AND THEN WE WILL GO BACK AND FINISH UP THE SERIES ON GOD’S
INCREDIBLE AMAZING GRACE. WE HAVE A WAY
OF PUTTING A LIMIT ON GOD OR PUTTING HIM IN A BOX BASED ON OUR PAST
EXPERIENCES. SO WE HAVE TO OVERCOME A TENDENCY TOWARDS
UNBELIEF THAT ACTUALLY HAS AN EXAGERATED PER-CEPTION OF HOW BIG AND POWERFUL
THE DEVIL IS. JESUS DEFEATED THE DEVIL
AT CALVARY, AND HAS SPOILED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS AND IS NOW SET DOWN AT
THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD EXPECTING HIS ENEMIES TO BE MADE A PLACE UNDER HIS
FOOTSTOOL. THIS MORNING YOU MIGHT FEEL
THAT YOU'VE BEEN UNDER THE DEVIL'S FOOTSTOOL BUT YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE SEATED
TOGETHER WITH CHRIST IN HEAVENLY PLACES, FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITIES, POWER,
MIGHT AND DOMINION. WE NEED TO BELIEVE
IN THE AWESOME, INCREDIBLE ABILITY OF GOD TO OVERCOME ALL THE DEVIL WOULD DARE
THROW AT US. WE NEED TO BELIEVE IN THE
UNEXPECTED. WE NEED TO BELIEVE THAT GOD
IS STRONGER THAN THE DEVIL AND THAT IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US; HE
THAT SPARED NOT HIS ONLY SON HOW SHALL HE NOT WITH HIM ALSO FREELY GIVE US ALL
THINGS. WE
NEED TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED BECAUSE OF THE UNLIMITED
RESOURCES THAT GOD HAS TO
DELIVER US AND BRING US OUT OF ANY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE OR PROBLEM. GOD CAN QUICKLY AND SUDDENLY REVERSE YOUR
PRESENT DILEMMA. GOD CAN AND WILL DO SOMETHING FASTER THAN WE THINK HE CAN, IN
A WAY WE NEVER THOUGHT HE COULD, TO BRING A SUDDEN CONCLUSION TO YOUR
PROBLEM. THE DIFFICULTY WE HAVE IN
BELIEVING IS A LITTLE MORE DECEPTIVE THAN NOT BELIEVING GOD'S ABILITY. EVERYBODY CAN SAY, I KNOW GOD COULD, I KNOW
GOD CAN BUT YOU DON'T BELIEVE HE WILL OR THAT HE WANTS TO. THERE ARE DIFFERENT SEASONS IN YOU CHRISTIAN
LIFE. SOMETIMES YOU'RE IN A WINTER
SEASON. ONE THING YOU CAN BANK ON, ALL
THE SEASONS CYCLE IN YOUR LIFE AND NOTHING IS CONSTANT BUT CHANGE. THE SEASON I WANT TO DISCUSS THIS MORNING IS
THE SEASON OF GOD'S QUICK OR SUDDEN CHANGES SO THAT WE CAN LEARN TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED AND TO BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE!
2 Chr 20:1 It came to pass after this also, that the
children of Moab, and the children of Ammon,
and
with them other beside the Ammonites,
came against Jehoshaphat to battle. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:2 Then there came some that told
Jehoshaphat,
saying, There cometh a great multitude
against thee from beyond the sea on this
side Syria; and, behold, they be in
Hazazon-tamar, which is Engedi. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to
seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to
ask
help of the LORD: even out of all the
cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
2 Chr 20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation
of
Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the
LORD, before the new court, (KJV)
2 Chr 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art
not
thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over
all
the kingdoms of the heathen? and in
thine hand is there not power and might, so
that none is able to withstand thee? (KJV)
2 Chr 20:7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out
the
inhabitants of this land before thy
people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of
Abraham thy friend for ever? (KJV)
2 Chr 20:8 And they dwelt therein, and have built
thee
a
sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
2 Chr 20:9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the
sword,
judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand
before this house, and in thy presence, (for
thy
name is in this house,) and cry unto
thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon
and
Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not
let Israel invade, when they came out of
the land of Egypt, but they turned from
them, and destroyed them not; (KJV)
2 Chr 20:11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to
come
to
cast us out of thy possession, which
thou hast given us to inherit. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for
we
have no might against this great company
that cometh against us; neither know we
what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
2 Chr 20:13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with
their little ones, their wives, and their children. (KJV)
LITTLE JUDAH, LIKE KUWAIT, IS ABOUT TO BE BESIEGED BY 3 MAJOR
NATIONS AND THEIR ARMIES AND ANNIHILATED AND THEY DON'T HAVE A PRAYER.
2 Chr 20:14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah,
the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the
son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of
Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the
midst of the congregation; (KJV)
THIS LONG LIST OF GREAT NAMES IS GIVEN HERE BECAUSE
THIS MAN IS ABOUT TO
PROPHESY TO THE NATION AND GOD
WANTS THE PEOPLE TO KNOW
THAT HE'S NOT JUST ANYBODY BUT
THAT HE COMES FROM A LONG
LINE OF MAJOR PROPHETS THAT
ARE REPUTABLE AND CREDIBLE
WITH THE LORD. THIS VERSE
STATES THE CREDENTIAL OF
THIS PROPHET BEFORE HE SPEAKS
TO THE NATION SO THE PEOPLE
WILL STAND UP AND LISTEN
AND KNOW THAT IT IS GOD WHO
IS SPEAKING.
2 Chr 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and
ye
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king
Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you,
Be
not afraid nor dismayed by reason of
this
great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:16 To morrow go ye down against them:
behold,
they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye
shall find them at the end of the brook,
before the wilderness of Jeruel. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this
battle:
set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the
salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and
Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to
morrow
go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his
face to the ground: and all Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the
LORD, worshipping the LORD. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:19 And the Levites, of the children of the
Kohathites, and of the children of the
Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God
of
Israel with voices loud and high. (KJV)
DON'T
TALK TO ME ABOUT IT BEING TOO LOUD
AND TO TURN IT DOWN BECAUSE THAT'S NOT IN
THE BIBLE: ITS LOUD, AND ITS ON HIGH....
2 Chr 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and
went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa:
and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood
and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye
inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the
LORD your God, so shall ye be established;
believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
PROSPER:
Strong's # 6743 tsalach (tsaw-lakh'); or tsaleach (tsaw-lay'-akh); a
primitive root; to push forward, in various senses (literal or
figurative,
transitive or intransitive): KJV-- break out, come (mightily), go
over, be good, be meet, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to, send)
prosper (-ity, -ous, -ously). (DIC)
2 Chr 20:21 And when he had consulted with the
people,
he
appointed singers unto the LORD, and
that should praise the beauty of holiness,
as
they went out before the army, and to
say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:22 And when they began to sing and to
praise,
the LORD set ambushments against the
children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir,
which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood
up
against the inhabitants of mount Seir,
utterly to slay and destroy them: AND WHEN
THEY HAD MADE AN END of the inhabitants of
Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
2 Chr 20:24 And when Judah came toward the watch
tower
in
the wilderness, they looked unto the
multitude, and, behold, they were dead
bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came
to
take away the spoil of them, they found
among them in abundance both riches with
the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which
they stripped off for themselves, more than
they could carry away: and they were three
days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:26 And on the fourth day they assembled
themselves in the valley of Berachah; for
there they blessed the LORD: therefore the
name of the same place was called, The
valley of Berachah, unto this day. (KJV)
2 Chr 20:27 Then they returned, every man of Judah
and
Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront
of
them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy;
for the LORD had made them to rejoice over
their enemies. (KJV)
OUR KEY TEXT THIS MORNING IS 2 Chr 20:20 "Hear me O
Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall
ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. SO JEHOSHAPHAT IS SAYING THAT THE
PROPHESY THEY HAD RECEIVED FROM THE LORD WAS THE GOD WAS GOING TO RESCUE YOU
QUICKLY OR SUDDENLY IN A WAY THEY HADN'T EXPECTED. TWICE IN THIS PROPHESY HE SAID THE WORD "TOMORROW,
"TOMORROW" IT GONNA HAPPEN SOONER THAN YOU THINK, QUICKLY OR SUD-
DENLY.
NOW LET ME PAINT THE PICTURE FOR YOU THINS MORNING.
SO OFTEN WE READ A BIBLE
TEXT LIKE THIS AND WE FORGET
THAT THESE WERE REAL PEOPLE
WITH REAL PROBLEMS. THEY
HAD A REAL ENEMY, THREE
NATIONS, WHO WANTED TO DESTROY
THEM AND WIPE THEIR NAME OFF
THE MAP. WHEN TROOPS
COME, PEOPLE ARE KILLED, AND
WOUNDED. FAMILIES ARE
BROKEN UP, CHILDREN ARE
TAKEN AS SLAVES, THE FATHERS
ARE BEATEN AND SENT TO SLAVE
CAMPS AND THE WOMEN ARE
RAPED. SO CATCH THE FEELING HERE, THESE PEOPLE ARE
FACING A CERTAIN DOOM UNLESS
GOD INTERVENES. HAVE YOU
EVER FACED A PROBLEM OF
INSURMOUNTABLE PROPORTIONS THAT
LOOKED IMPOSSIBLE IN THE
NATURAL? YES, WE ALL HAVE AT
ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. OUR BUSINESS AND HOMES HAVE BEEN
ATTACKED BY THE DEVIL. HE WANTS TO ENSLAVE OUR
CHILDREN WITH DRUGS,
REBELLION, PRE-MARITAL SEX. HE
TRIES TO DIVIDE THE HOME AND
SEPARATE THE CHILDREN FROM
THEIR FATHER OR MOTHER. BUSINESS GO INTO BANKRUPTCY
AND INSTEAD OF HAVING THE
JOY OF THE LORD PEOPLE LIVE
UNDER OPPRESSION AND
DEFEAT. IN VERSES 3 - 15 WE CAN
LEARN WHAT THE INHABITANTS
DID TO PREPARE THEMSELVES
AND TO GET READY FOR GOD TO
WORK IN THEIR LIFE AND
DELIVER THEM FROM THEIR
PROBLEM. THE OBJECTION OF OUR
LESSON THIS MORNING IS FOR
YOU TO BE FREE TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED.
Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it
short in righteousness: because a short
work will the Lord make upon the earth.
(KJV)
CUT SHORT: Strong's # 4932 suntemno (soon-tem'-no);
from 4862 and the base of 5114; to
contract by cutting, i.e.
(figuratively) do concisely (speedily):
KJV-- (cut) short. (DIC)
NOW LOOK AT VERSE 23......"AND WHEN THEY HAD MADE AN
END OF THE INHABITANTS OF
SIER..." THE BATTLE WAS OVER
BEFORE IT EVER GOT
STARTED. GOD HAD WORKED IN A
STRANGE WAY, IN A
SUPERNATURAL WAY TO COMPLETELY DEFEAT
THE ENEMY AND IT HAPPENED
QUICKLY, SPEEDILY AND
SUDDENLY.
Prov 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but
when
the desire cometh, it is a tree of
life. (KJV)
SICK: Strong's
# 2470 chalah (khaw-law'); a primitive root [compare 2342, 2470, 2490];
properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence
(figuratively) to
be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve,
make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat:
KJV-- beseech, (be) diseased, (put to)
grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to
pain, X pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make
suit (X supplication), woman in travail, be (become) weak, be wounded. (DIC)
NOW HERE'S THE PROBLEM WE FACE:
WE HAVE A SITUATION, A PROBLEM OR A DIFFICULTY THAT WE CAN'T
RESOLVE, WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH THIS PROBLEM
FOR A LONG TIME, FOR MANY YEARS. WHAT
HAPPENS IS THAT WE BEGIN TO REASON WITH OURSELVES THAT MAYBE WE OUGHT TO LEARN
HOW TO COPE WITH THIS PROBLEM MAYBE WE SHOULD TOLERATE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE ITS
A HELPLESS AND HOPELESS SITUATION. SO
WE CONCLUDE THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS FOR A LONG TIME OR A LIFETIME UNTIL
JESUS RETURNS. WE WANT TO BELIEVE IN A
POSTURE OF FAITH THAT ENDURES PATIENTLY BECAUSE SOMETIMES CERTAIN SITUATIONS
REQUIRE THAT. THE BIBLE SAYS, HAVING
DONE ALL TO STAND, STAND THEREFORE. YOU
HAVE NEED OF ENDURANCE SO THAT AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD YOU MIGHT
OBTAIN THE PROMISE. THE GK. WORD FOR
ENDURANCE IS THE SAME WORD FOR MARATHON RUNNER. 26 MILES ISN'T GONNA BE
QUICK, YOU GOTTA GO THE DISTANCE. LIFE IS A LOT LIKE THAT, RIGHT? I WANT TO GIVE YOU TODAY A DEPOSIT OF FAITH
THAT SAYS, TODAY, I'M GONNA BELIEVE GOD TO CHANGE THAT LONG TIME PROBLEM AND
DIFFICULTY THAT'S BEEN TREKKING IN MY LIFE.
IT COULD BE HABITS, BAD MEMORIES, ATTITUDE, PHYSICAL PAIN
OR SICKNESS, FINANCIAL LACK,
OR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT JUST
WON'T GO AWAY. VERSE 23 SAYS, WHEN THEY HAD MADE AN
END LIT. MEANS A DETERMINED
CONCLUSION TO SOMETHING.
GOD HAS A DETERMINED
CONCLUSION TO YOUR PROBLEM AND
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TO
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH
AND BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL
SUDDENLY OR QUICKLY BRING A
DETERMINED END TO THE
PROBLEM OR DIFFICULTY. NOW WE
CAN'T SEE LIGHT AT THE END
OF THE TUNNEL SO WE HAVE TO
KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS THE
AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR
FAITH. GOD SEES AND KNOWS WHEN THE DETERMINED OR
APPOINTED TIME OF OUR
DELIVERANCE, RESCUE, HELP OR
SALVATION WILL COME! THERE
IS A DETERMINED END TO EVERY
PROBLEM YOU FACE WHEN YOU
CAST ALL YOUR CARES ON HIM
BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
NOW IN OUR STORY THIS MORNING WE SEE GOD FIGHT FOR
THE INHABITANT OF JUDAH IN A
WAY HE'S NEVER DONE
BEFORE. YOU SEE WE PUT GOD IN A LITTLE BOX AND PUT A
LIMIT ON THE OMNIPOTENT
ABILITY OF GOD TO DELIVER US IN
A WAY HE'S NEVER DONE
BEFORE. IF GOD HAS TO USE HIS
CREATIVE POWERS, OR
SOMETHING STRANGE AND WONDERFUL HE
WILL BRING A SUDDEN END TO
YOUR PROBLEM OR DIFFICULTY.
THE INHABITANTS OF JUDAH
DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO DRAW THEIR
SWORDS BECAUSE GOD HAD
INTERVENED AND CAUSED THE ARMIES TO FIGHT AND DESTROY EACH OTHER. ALL THE PEOPLE HAD TO DO WAS GO IN AND TAKE
UP THE SPOIL OF JEWELRY, SILVER, GOLD, ARMONIE SUITS, THE ROLEXES AND IT TOOK
THEM 3 DAYS TO DO IT. GOD'S WORD FOR US
AT THE CLOSE OF 1998 AND GOING INTO 1999 IS TO BELIEVE GOD AND TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED. BE FREED FROM NOT EXPECTING
THE UNEXPECTED AND TRUST IN GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
2 Chr 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and
ye
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king
Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you,
Be
not afraid nor dismayed by reason of
this great multitude; for the battle is not
yours, but God's. (KJV)
THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED IS FOUND
IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROPHESY IN VERSE 15.. THE PROPHET SAYS, HEARKEN UNTO
ME ALL OF JUDAH. THE WORD HEARKEN LIT.
MEANS TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR PEOPLE TALKING TO YOU AND
YET THEY DON'T REALLY HEAR WHAT YOUR SAYING.
I CAN BE SITTING DOWN WATCHING THE NEWS, READING A MAGAZINE AND MARY
TALKING TO ME ALL AT THE SAME TIME. NOW
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW I AM HEARING WHAT MARY IS SAYING TO ME BUT I'M NOT REALLY
LISTENING TO HER. IF SHE ASKED ME TO
REPEAT SOMETHING I COULDN'T. I'M
HEARING HER BUT I'M NOT REALLY LISTENING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEN WHO CAN IDENTIFY WITH ME THIS MORNING? IF WE WERE TO TRANSLATE THIS WORD HEARKEN IN
THE N.T IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS PHRASE:
"HE THAT HAS A EAR LET
HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS
SAYING TO THE CHURCH."
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIS-
TRACTIONS OUT THERE THAT
MAKE HEARING FROM GOD VERY
DIFFICULT: IT COULD BE
STRESS ON THE JOB, FAMILY PRESSURES OR AN ATTACK FROM THE ENEMY. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ITS HARD TO HEAR THE
LORD WHEN YOUR UNDER ATTACK. HERE WE
SEE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FACING A CERTAIN DOOM, A Y2K PROBLEM, AND THEY CAN'T
HEAR FROM GOD. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW
THAT FEAR HAS A LOUD VOICE THAT CAN DROWN OUT THE VOICE OF GOD. SO THE EXHORTATION IS TO HEAR WHAT THE LORD
HAS SAID THROUGH THE PROPHET AND IF YOU WILL HEAR YOU WILL BE ESTABLISHED.
2 Chr 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and
went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa:
and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood
and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye
inhabitants
of Jerusalem; Believe in the
LORD your God, so shall ye be established;
believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
FAITH COME BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE REHEMA WORD
OF GOD. CAN YOU HEAR GOD SPEAK OR ARE YOU JUST HEARING
THE VOICE OF YOUR
CIRCUMSTANCE? WHEN WE HEAR GOD SPEAK
WE DON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED! SO
JEJOSHAPHAT STANDS UP BEFORE
THE PEOPLE AND SAYS, HEAR
WHAT THE LORD HAS
SPOKEN.......AND YOU WILL BE ESTABLISHED.
WHAT DOES THIS WORD ESTABLISH MEAN, EVERYTHING OPPOSITE TO WHAT THE FEAR
WAS PROCLAIMING. WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN
TO BE ESTABLISH AND TO PROSPER? THE
IDEA OF PROSPERITY GOES BEYOND JUST ECONOMICS, IT INCLUDES THAT, BUT ITS MUCH
MORE. ITS THE IDEA OF ADVANCEMENT
COMING INTO YOUR LIFE, YOUR LIFE BECOMING WHAT ITS SUPPOSE TO BE. ITS YOUR LIFE REACHING ITS REALIZED
POTENTIAL, PURPOSE, DESTINY, THAT'S
PROSPERING. YOU DON'T WANT TO FINISH LIFE WITHOUT
FULFILLING YOUR POTENTIAL. WHEN I GET
TO HEAVEN I DON'T WANT THE LORD TO SHOW ME WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN,
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, FOR
THIS CHURCH OR FOR MY LIFE!
I WANT TO FULFILL EVERYTHING
THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME THE
POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE, I
DON'T WANT TO COME SHORT OF
ANYTHING AND NEITHER SHOULD
YOU. HOW ABOUT YOU? ARE
YOU JUST SUPPOSE TO PUMP
BLOOD AND LET YOUR ARTERIES
HARDEN, ARE YOU JUST SUPPOSE
TO BUMP ALONG WITHOUT
SEEING ANY OF YOUR DREAMS OR
GOALS FULFILLED. WE SHOULD BE LIVING
LIFE BY DESIGN AND NOT BY DEFAULT. DO
YOU JUST TAKE WHATEVER COMES TO YOU AND LIVE YOU LIFE FROM ONE SITUATION OR
CIRCUMSTANCE TO THE OTHER. HOW MANY OF
YOU KNOW THAT THE DEVIL CAN ORCHESTRATE SOME OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU
NEED TO RISE UP AND TAKE AUTHORITY OVER CAUSE ITS AN ATTACK AND ITS YOUR
DESTINY TO BECOME AN OVERCOMER BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF YOUR
TESTIMONY SPEAKING TO THAT MOUNTAIN OF OPPOSITION UNTIL VICTORY COMES! ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL
TODAY? IF WE'D BE HONEST TODAY WE'D HAVE
TO SAY NOT YET BUT I'M GONNA PRESS TOWARDS THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH
CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. MOSES
DIDN'T REACH HIS POTENTIAL TILL AFTER 80.
JOSHUA SAID TO CALEB THAT WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE WONDERING IN THIS
WILDERNESS WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO BUMP ALONG AND GO NO WHERE
AND ACCOMPLISH NOTHING LONG ENOUGH.
AFTER 40 YEARS THEY
WERE PERMITTED TO START
THEIR CONQUEST FOR THE PROMISED
LAND. CORONAL SANDERS STARTED HIS KENTUCKY FRIED
CHICKEN
BUSINESS WHEN HE WAS 70
YEARS OLD AND LOOK WHERE'S HE'S
AT TODAY. IF YOU HAVEN'T REACHED YOUR POTENTIAL YET
AND YOUR 70 OR YOUNGER, ITS
STILL WAITING FOR YOU TO DO
IT, SO GET READY TO EXPECT
THEN UNEXPECTED.
Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might
be
by
grace; to the end the promise might be
sure to all the seed; not to that only
which is of the law, but to that also which
is
of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (KJV)
Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a
father of many nations,) before him whom he
believed, even God, who quickeneth the
dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Romans 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that
he
might become the father of many nations;
according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he
considered
not his own body now dead, when he was
about an hundred years old, neither yet the
deadness of Sarah's womb: (KJV)
Romans 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he
had
promised, he was able also to perform.
SARA WAS 90 YEARS OLD WHEN
THE PROMISE TO HER AND ABRAM WAS TO BE FULFILLED. LISTEN, ABRAH DIDN'T HAVE VIAGRA BACK IN
THOSE DAYS AND HE WAS 100
YEARS OLD. HOW MANY OF YOU
WOULD SAY IN THE NATURAL
THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR
THEM TO EVEN CONCEIVE OF
HAVING A BABY. BUT WHEN THEY
EXPECTED THE UNEXPECTED, EL
SHADDAI, THE GOD WHO
CONSTRAINS NATURE AND MAKES
IT DO JUST ITS OPPOSITE,
THE MIRACLE WORKING,
CREATIVE, OMNISCIENT, OMNIPOTENT
GOD COMES ON THE SCENE AND
CAUSES THE IMPOSSIBLE TO BE
TO BE REALIZED AND MADE VERY
POSSIBLE. DON'T DIE EMPTY
DIE FULL HAVING REACHED YOUR
FULL POTENTIAL IN CHRIST!
DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER
AND FIGHT THROUGH THE WORD
WAIT UNTIL THE PROMISE IS
REALIZED BUT DON'T EVER TAKE
NO FOR AN ANSWER. YOU MAY NEED TO REMIND GOD FROM TIME
TO TIME, YOU SAID THIS OR
YOU SAID THAT AND I'M GONNA
STAND ON YOUR WORD COME HELL
OR HIGH WATER. (JOKE)
WE JUST CAN'T BE THINKING
ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH TO GET BY
OR TO PAY THE NEXT BILL, WE
GOT TO START THINKING AND
BELIEVING ABOUT
PROSPERING. DEREK PRINCE DEFINED
PROSPERITY HAS HAVING ENOUGH
TO DO GOD'S WILL AND A
LITTLE MORE TO GIVE TO
OTHERS. YOU NEED TO ASK
YOURSELF TODAY? ARE YOU
PROSPERING AND HAS THE LORD
ESTABLISHED YOU IN THE FULL
REALIZATION OF YOUR
POTENTIAL IN CHRIST. IF NOT, PRESS ON AND EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED BECAUSE YOU NEVER
KNOW WHEN YOUR
BREAKTHROUGH WILL COME, WHEN
THE GOD OF THE SUDDENLIES
WILL DO A QUICK WORK AND
FINISH IN A DAY THAT YOU'VE
BEEN WAITING FOR AND
BELIEVING FOR AFTER MANY, MANY
YEARS.
Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it
short in righteousness: because a short
work will the Lord make upon the earth.
THE PHRASES, CUT IT SHORT AND A SHORT WORK LIT.
MEANS TO DO A SUDDEN WORK,
TO DO IT QUICKLY AND
UNEXPECTEDLY. GOD'S GONNA FINISH THE WORK IN YOUR LIFE
AND MINE, SUDDENLY OR
QUICKLY, OR SOONER THAN YOU
THOUGHT, SO BEGIN TO EXPECT
THE UNEXPECTED. I THINK
GOD TAKES GREAT JOY AND
PLEASURE BY BREAKING INTO OUR
MUNDANE, DAY TO DAY LIVES
AND WITH HIS MIRACLE WORKING
POWER TO LIFT US OUT OF THE
NATURAL INTO THE
SUPERNATURAL, TO TAKE US OUT
OF THE ORDINARY TO THE
EXTRAORDINARY. SO PUSH YOURSELF ON THIS MORNING TO
BELIEVE FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE
AND TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED. DON'T JUST HEAR THIS MESSAGE AS ANOTHER
GOOD TEACHING BUT BE
ENCOURAGED TO APPLY IT TO THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR LIFE
AND DARE TO BELIEVE AND
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
2Chron 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and
went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa:
and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood
and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye
inhabitants of Jerusalem; BELIEVE in the
LORD your God, so shall ye be established;
believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Strong's # 539 'aman (aw-man');
a primitive root; properly, to build up
or support; to foster as a parent or
nurse; figuratively to render (or be)
firm or faithful, to trust or believe,
to be permanent or quiet; morally to , true or certain; once (Isa.
30:21, interchangeable with 541) to go to the
right hand: KJV-- hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, +
fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing
father), (put), trust, turn to the right. (DIC)
THE NEXT THING WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN THIS VERSE IS
THE COMMAND, BELIEVE. ITS THE HEBREW WORD "AMAN." NOW
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WE USE
THE WORD AMAN OR AMEN. ITS
USED IN THE O.T FOR THE
TAKING OF A CHILD THAT HAS BEEN
ORPHANED OR REJECTED AND IS
TAKEN BY FOSTER PARENTS AND
IS NOW NOURISHED, SECURED,
NURSED AND SETTLES. THE
LORD SAYS,
"BELIEVE!" BECAUSE HE'S A
FATHER TO THE
FATHERLESS. YOU MAY FEEL THAT YOUR SITUATION HAS BEEN
ABANDONED OR REJECTED, THE
LORD SAYS COME ON BELIEVE
ME. ANOTHER WAY BELIEVE IS USED IS TO REFLECT
THINGS
THAT ARE FIXED OR SECURED
VERY FIRMLY. SOMETHING THAT
HAS BEEN MADE FIRM OR
STRONG. SO THE LORD SAYS,
BELIEVE FOR I AM YOUR PILLAR
OF STRENGTH. I CAN HOLD
YOU UP WHEN YOU ARE WEAK AND
TIRED AND THERE'S NO
SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM IN
SIGHT. AMAN IS THE WAY OF
SAYING THIS WORD OF THE LORD
IS TRUE, ITS FIRM AND WE
SAY AMEN. SO WHEN GOD SAYS TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED WE
NEED TO EXPECT GOD TO
BREAKTHROUGH IN THIS CHURCH OR IN
YOUR LIFE THAT YOU DIDN'T
WORK FOR, YOU DIDN'T BATTLE
FOR, OR YOU DIDN'T DO SOME
RELIGIOUS PERFORMANCE FOR
BUT SIMPLY BELIEVED GOD,
TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD AND SAID
AMAN, AMEN!
2 Cor 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was
preached among you by us, even by me and
Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea
and nay,
but
in him was yea. (KJV)
2 Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are
yea,
and
in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (KJV)
2 Cor 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in
Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; (KJV)
2 Cor 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the
earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (KJV)
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he
not with him also freely give us all things? (KJV)
1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of
the
world, but the spirit which is of God; that
we
might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (KJV)
NOW WHAT HAPPENED TO JUDAH, THREE ARMIES IN ALLI
WITH ONE ANOTHER CAME TO
DESTROY JUDAH BUT IN THE
PROCESS TURN ON THEMSELVES
AND UTTERLY KILL AND DESTROY
THEIR ALLI ARMIES. THAT IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL, IT IS
TOTALLY UNEXPECTED AND YET
GOD DID IT. ALL THEY HAD TO
DO WAS TO BELIEVE, TO AMAN
GOD'S SPOKEN WORD BY THE
PROPHET. NOW YOU NEED TO BELIEVE FOR YOUR PROBLEM AND
SITUATION TO TURN AROUND AND
WE NEED TO BELIEVE FOR
THIS CHURCH TO TURN AROUND
BECAUSE THERE IS A CHANGING
OF OUR SEASONS. WE ARE COMING INTO A SEASON OF GOD
QUICK AND SUDDEN DELIVERANCE
AND ITS NOT JUST FOR THIS
CHURCH IT FOR EVERY ONE OF
YOU IN YOUR BUSINESS, IN
YOUR FAMILY, AT HOME AND AT
WORK. REMEMBER, WE ALL GO
THROUGH DIFFERENT SEASONS
AND WE'RE ABOUT TO CHANGE
SEASONS. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW AFTER WINTER COMES
SPRING, WHEN NEW LIFE COMES
AND THE SOUND OF THE SING
OF THE BIRDS HAS COME. GET READY FOR THINGS TO COME
ALIVE IN YOUR HEART AND LIFE
AND DARE TO EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED. SUDDEN GROWTH, AND INCREASE OF FINANCE, A
SUDDEN BREAKTHROUGH, A
SUDDEN ADVANCEMENT IN YOUR JOB,
A SUDDEN DELIVERANCE ON THAT
CHILD OR A SUDDEN
DELIVERANCE IN YOUR
DELIMA. NO THERE'S NO NATURAL SOL-
UTION THAT LOOKS QUICK OR
SUDDEN UNLESS GOD GETS IN AND
SAYS I'M GIVING YOU A
SUDDENLY. SO HE HAS TO GIVE ME
SOME ILLUSTRATIONS THAT ITS
POSSIBLE, THAT ITS HAPPENED
BEFORE, THAT HE WANTS TO DO
IT AND THAT HE'LL DO IT.
SO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED,
SAY AMAN, AMEN TO THE WORD OF
GOD SPOKEN INTO YOUR LIFE.
NOW NEXT WEEK WE I WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS MESSAGE AND GIVE YOU
10 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO POSTURE YOURSELF TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
