Quitting is not an option Part IV, “I’m in a better place” Sermon 09/26/10

Quitting is not an option Part IV

I’m in a better place

Synopsis of Sermon 9/26/10

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

Romans 5:1-5 ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  ⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Anyone that has had an authentic relationship with Jesus will tell you that there is power in transformation. Transformation is validation that your conviction was real. There is no way to experience a relationship with Jesus and no experience change. God will come into your life and change your life circumstances and view on life. Many of us come with a variety of backgrounds and experience, but God saved us. He looked beyond our faults and supplied all our needs. Whatever God has blessed you with; you ought to thank him that he saved you beyond all of your mess.

When you look at this letter in Romans, you see an amazing revelation. It is really a chronicle of the human condition. We need to first go back through and see what the books of Romans reveals to us.

a. In Romans 1- Paul gives a Salutation. In other words, Paul greets them.

b. In Romans 2 we see investigation. God looks at life of the people.

c. In Romans 3 we have adjudication. God explains that no man can judge you. He is the righteous judge.

d. In Romans 4 we have Justification. It clears of us of stuff in our life.

e. Romans 5 give us Motivation. Those that received justification now has motivation.

f. Romans 6 is about Obligation. We are obligated to represent God in the earth realm.

g. Romans 7 is about Situation. Paul explains that he is in a situation. That he doesn’t want to do, he finds himself doing…

h. Romans 8 talks about condemnation. There is no condemnation who walks after the spirit of God.

i. Romans 9 talks about God’s determination. Gods desire to save us

j. Romans 10 reminds us of our salvation. If we confess with our mouth believe and believe in our hearts, we shall be saved.

k. Romans 11 is about restoration. God won’t leave anyone out. He wants to restore those that have been lost.

l. Romans 12 talks about consecration. God wants to clean us ourselves up.

m. Romans 13 talks about expectation. We live expecting God to at anytime, step in our situation.

n. Romans 14 talks about liberation or being free in Christ. We have been set free of our sin.

o. Romans 15 reminds us of our affiliation. Be careful the crowd you hang around.

p. Romans 16 talks about conservation. This deal with the way we talk and deal with people should be in love.

As we walk through this, Paul deals with salvation and being justified by faith. This means that we are saved meaning we are turning from old ways and turning towards God, then we are sanctified, and then we are positioned then for glory.

Some people are beginning to count the cost their past and they can see what their past has cost them. People are looking at you as a victim. Sometime people will try and make you remember where you been, but you can declare that you are truly in a better place now, than ever before. Now you probably couldn’t say this a month ago, a yr ago, or even 2 yrs ago. God has shifted you and you are in another place. Things that used to break you can’t break you any longer. You are in another place. Your response has gotten greater because you in a greater place. It is your response to what God has done in our life.

I. Peace with your past

Romans 5: 1 says ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

1. Only through this relationship will we have peace. When the promise of God is on your life, the devil will assign people to bring up your past constantly. These people can recall everybody’s past but their own. The devil is so stupid he doesn’t understand that you have peace about the very thing he is trying to call attention to. When you got saved, God dropped the charges and made it as if you never done it. That is what justified means. God abolished it out of our record.

2. Be careful being around people are always talking about others. You can be sure that they are talking about you when you aren’t round. As the song writer says, “Sweep around your own front door before you try and sweep around mines.” This is why some are not elevated. Their hate-ration is stopping their elevation

3. Those that have peace with God, don’t trip about their past. While other people are worried about our yesterday, we are looking at our tomorrow. We have a new relationship with Christ.

4. We are not in denial about our past:

A. We own it. Most of the stuff the enemy tries to bring up about us is true, but we own it. We don’t deny, but we are past it. That was my drunk, high, or sleeping around it, but we are past it.

B. Oppressed by it – At one time we were oppressed by our past. It had a hold on us. It was taking control of our life. Some people may wonder how we can be in church if we own it. What gives us the right do we have to speak of righteousness and bring someone else to Christ? It is because of the next point. We overcame it!

C. Overcame it- We are over it now. We are over-comers! God has allowed us to have some mess in our lives, but it gave us awesome testimonies. Some of us build testimonies on others with cookie cutter build a bear testimonies. For example “Bridge over troubled water” and “Shelter in the time of the storm.” We need to be able to tell our real testimony. We don’t look like half of our testimony. You can deal with a person’s past if you want, but know they have peace about it. Good took your past and put it in the sea of forgetfulness and then he posted a no fishing sign.

II. Provisions in his presence.

Romans 5:2 says ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

1. We have the awesome opportunity to get stuff because we know it is available, even though we don’t deserve it (that’s grace), because we are in relationship with Christ. When Christ comes into our life we have access to certain things.

2. God can’t be separated from what he gives.

3. The transition is difficult. This is because we have been depending on others. We don’t depend on people for this, because we have access. We have access to the grace we stand in. We have that access through faith. For years, people didn’t know what they had. We understand that he has all that we need, but more than that, he can’t be separated from what he gives us. We can be separated from what we give, but God can’t. Whatever God gives, he can’t be separated from. For example, he don’t just give joy, he is joy. He doesn’t just give peace, God is peace.

4. We didn’t realize what we had. Paul says we have access by faith. Ex-Bishop explains that he had a connecting flight in Dallas Texas. He learned that he was going to have 2 – 4 hr layover. Sitting there he was kind of agitated. There were babies crying, he was hungry, and it was crowded. It is 5:30 in the morning and somebody was talking real loud on the phone. Who on earth could you be talking to on the phone at 5:30 in the morning? All of the sudden, Bishop looks up and he see some seats and something is flashing upstairs. All of a sudden it hit him. It was a priority club and he remembered that he had received a card for a membership to this club in the mail, because he flies so much. In other words, he had access to the club level. Bishop didn’t know what he really had in the card, so he pulled out his laptop to see what all he really had in the card. After viewing the information on the web, he realized he could go to the priority club and get orange juice, food, drinks and sit back and relax and watch TV. They would even wake him up tell when flight is about to take off if he falls asleep. Bishop took his bags and went up elevator like he was really somebody. What he really was doing was leaving a level of confusion and mess to go to another level. We have to walk in our access.

5. When you have the spirit of expectation, you actually get on peoples nerves, because you are always expecting something to happen.

6. By going to another level, we get:

a. Retreat-We get a retreat from the drama in our lives.

b. Refreshments – We get the opportunity to be refreshed from our situation.

c. Rest-This is kind of access is by faith. Like Bishop having the card, these people didn’t know what they had. God gave you access. You don’t have to hang with drama. Come on up a little higher. Tap into your access. Paul says we have hope and this is called expectation. The amazing thing about this is we are rejoicing before God shows up in verse 2. Some are going into another situation and leaving others behind. You have to always go through looking like something is going to happen. Be expecting something to happen. We believe God is going to show up in our situation and at any moment and turn things around.

III. Praise him through your problems

Romans 5:3 says ³And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

1. We act a fool, because even in trouble, we know something. Tribulation works patience and patience is dependence on God.

2. Our portfolio is being expanded through our experience. Romans 5:4 says ⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope:- It is because of this experience, we have hope.

3. Hope makes us not ashamed. Romans 5:5 says ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

4. We know how to handle adversity. The devil doesn’t understand that adversity makes us better. It is because we have learned how to praise God through it. If you knew what we did in our past, you would act like we act. The trial came to make us dependent on God. We are at a point where we are totally dependent on him

5. Many of us have the demon of worry. It will keep you all night long watching reruns of Gunsmoke. You got to understand, God will put you in situation where nothing else works, and then we have no choice but to go to him. God wants to see how long it will take for you to see that only he can work it out.

6. Tribulation works patience. Patience works experience. The next time you say you have Christian Experience, you need to check yourself. Christian experience is the stuff you have gone through. You got the scars to prove it. Some of you, experienced are so varied; it is amazing you are in your right mind. Ex – Imagine God telling one of the angels, come down and interview you for a promotion. Based on what we have gone through, you are able to say you are still in your right mind. God promotes you because you pass test, not because of tenure. Experience brings hope. God gives you a new attitude.

7. Hope makes us not ashamed. What sustains us is the hope that we have. Romans 5:5 says ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is, the Holy Spirit reminds us how much God love us, regardless of what we go through. – Without the Holy Spirit reminding us how much God loves us, we would think God hates us. Because we are saved, the Holy Ghost keeps reminding us so we don’t think God is punishing us for what we did in our past. The Holy Spirit reminds us that no matter what we go through, God still loves us. Ex- Bishop went to the dentist a couple yrs ago. You got to be true teeth or they will be false to you. Bishop had extensive dental work done. Like most men, Bishop can’t take pain like women can. Bishop has phobias about the dentist. Bishop got anxiety about this needle situation. When he finally gets to the dentist, they lay me back, turn the music on sooth him The dental assistant came to give him a shot in the gums. Bishop’s toes start tightening up. She said you going to feel a little pinch. She gives him the shot in his gums. She said we done and few moments later Bishop noticed his mouth feeling funny. In that area it was is numb. Dentist comes in with dental assistant and they have all these drills and stuff. This is stuff that he knows that will cause more pain. The Dentist got him in position, because the prep work had been done. Bishop noticed that when the dentist used the tools that was supposed to hurt, he could hardly feel it. The reason he couldn’t feel it is because the dental assistant gave him a shot in area that they were going to work on. They numbed it enough so when the Dentist came to work in the area it would not hurt. The area was prepared. What God allowed you to go through a few yrs. Ago was a little pinch that prepared you for what you are going through now. You are not hurting while you are going through, because what you have gone through, numbed that area.

Quitting is not an option Part IV

I’m in a better place

Synopsis of Sermon 9/26/10

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

Romans 5:1-5 ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  ⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Anyone that has had an authentic relationship with Jesus will tell you that there is power in transformation. Transformation is validation that your conviction was real. There is no way to experience a relationship with Jesus and no experience change. God will come into your life and change your life circumstances and view on life. Many of us come with a variety of backgrounds and experience, but God saved us. He looked beyond our faults and supplied all our needs. Whatever God has blessed you with; you ought to thank him that he saved you beyond all of your mess.

When you look at this letter in Romans, you see an amazing revelation. It is really a chronicle of the human condition. We need to first go back through and see what the books of Romans reveals to us.

a. In Romans 1- Paul gives a Salutation. In other words, Paul greets them.

b. In Romans 2 we see investigation. God looks at life of the people.

c. In Romans 3 we have adjudication. God explains that no man can judge you. He is the righteous judge.

d. In Romans 4 we have Justification. It clears of us of stuff in our life.

e. Romans 5 give us Motivation. Those that received justification now has motivation.

f. Romans 6 is about Obligation. We are obligated to represent God in the earth realm.

g. Romans 7 is about Situation. Paul explains that he is in a situation. That he doesn’t want to do, he finds himself doing…

h. Romans 8 talks about condemnation. There is no condemnation who walks after the spirit of God.

i. Romans 9 talks about God’s determination. Gods desire to save us

j. Romans 10 reminds us of our salvation. If we confess with our mouth believe and believe in our hearts, we shall be saved.

k. Romans 11 is about restoration. God won’t leave anyone out. He wants to restore those that have been lost.

l. Romans 12 talks about consecration. God wants to clean us ourselves up.

m. Romans 13 talks about expectation. We live expecting God to at anytime, step in our situation.

n. Romans 14 talks about liberation or being free in Christ. We have been set free of our sin.

o. Romans 15 reminds us of our affiliation. Be careful the crowd you hang around.

p. Romans 16 talks about conservation. This deal with the way we talk and deal with people should be in love.

As we walk through this, Paul deals with salvation and being justified by faith. This means that we are saved meaning we are turning from old ways and turning towards God, then we are sanctified, and then we are positioned then for glory.

Some people are beginning to count the cost their past and they can see what their past has cost them. People are looking at you as a victim. Sometime people will try and make you remember where you been, but you can declare that you are truly in a better place now, than ever before. Now you probably couldn’t say this a month ago, a yr ago, or even 2 yrs ago. God has shifted you and you are in another place. Things that used to break you can’t break you any longer. You are in another place. Your response has gotten greater because you in a greater place. It is your response to what God has done in our life.

I. Peace with your past

Romans 5: 1 says ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

1. Only through this relationship will we have peace. When the promise of God is on your life, the devil will assign people to bring up your past constantly. These people can recall everybody’s past but their own. The devil is so stupid he doesn’t understand that you have peace about the very thing he is trying to call attention to. When you got saved, God dropped the charges and made it as if you never done it. That is what justified means. God abolished it out of our record.

2. Be careful being around people are always talking about others. You can be sure that they are talking about you when you aren’t round. As the song writer says, “Sweep around your own front door before you try and sweep around mines.” This is why some are not elevated. Their hate-ration is stopping their elevation

3. Those that have peace with God, don’t trip about their past. While other people are worried about our yesterday, we are looking at our tomorrow. We have a new relationship with Christ.

4. We are not in denial about our past:

A. We own it. Most of the stuff the enemy tries to bring up about us is true, but we own it. We don’t deny, but we are past it. That was my drunk, high, or sleeping around it, but we are past it.

B. Oppressed by it – At one time we were oppressed by our past. It had a hold on us. It was taking control of our life. Some people may wonder how we can be in church if we own it. What gives us the right do we have to speak of righteousness and bring someone else to Christ? It is because of the next point. We overcame it!

C. Overcame it- We are over it now. We are over-comers! God has allowed us to have some mess in our lives, but it gave us awesome testimonies. Some of us build testimonies on others with cookie cutter build a bear testimonies. For example “Bridge over troubled water” and “Shelter in the time of the storm.” We need to be able to tell our real testimony. We don’t look like half of our testimony. You can deal with a person’s past if you want, but know they have peace about it. Good took your past and put it in the sea of forgetfulness and then he posted a no fishing sign.

II. Provisions in his presence.

Romans 5:2 says ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

1. We have the awesome opportunity to get stuff because we know it is available, even though we don’t deserve it (that’s grace), because we are in relationship with Christ. When Christ comes into our life we have access to certain things.

2. God can’t be separated from what he gives.

3. The transition is difficult. This is because we have been depending on others. We don’t depend on people for this, because we have access. We have access to the grace we stand in. We have that access through faith. For years, people didn’t know what they had. We understand that he has all that we need, but more than that, he can’t be separated from what he gives us. We can be separated from what we give, but God can’t. Whatever God gives, he can’t be separated from. For example, he don’t just give joy, he is joy. He doesn’t just give peace, God is peace.

4. We didn’t realize what we had. Paul says we have access by faith. Ex-Bishop explains that he had a connecting flight in Dallas Texas. He learned that he was going to have 2 – 4 hr layover. Sitting there he was kind of agitated. There were babies crying, he was hungry, and it was crowded. It is 5:30 in the morning and somebody was talking real loud on the phone. Who on earth could you be talking to on the phone at 5:30 in the morning? All of the sudden, Bishop looks up and he see some seats and something is flashing upstairs. All of a sudden it hit him. It was a priority club and he remembered that he had received a card for a membership to this club in the mail, because he flies so much. In other words, he had access to the club level. Bishop didn’t know what he really had in the card, so he pulled out his laptop to see what all he really had in the card. After viewing the information on the web, he realized he could go to the priority club and get orange juice, food, drinks and sit back and relax and watch TV. They would even wake him up tell when flight is about to take off if he falls asleep. Bishop took his bags and went up elevator like he was really somebody. What he really was doing was leaving a level of confusion and mess to go to another level. We have to walk in our access.

5. When you have the spirit of expectation, you actually get on peoples nerves, because you are always expecting something to happen.

6. By going to another level, we get:

a. Retreat-We get a retreat from the drama in our lives.

b. Refreshments – We get the opportunity to be refreshed from our situation.

c. Rest-This is kind of access is by faith. Like Bishop having the card, these people didn’t know what they had. God gave you access. You don’t have to hang with drama. Come on up a little higher. Tap into your access. Paul says we have hope and this is called expectation. The amazing thing about this is we are rejoicing before God shows up in verse 2. Some are going into another situation and leaving others behind. You have to always go through looking like something is going to happen. Be expecting something to happen. We believe God is going to show up in our situation and at any moment and turn things around.

III. Praise him through your problems

1. Romans 5:3 says ³And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

2. We act a fool, because even in trouble, we know something. Tribulation works patience and patience is dependence on God.

3. Our portfolio is being expanded through our experience. Romans 5:4 says ⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope:- It is because of this experience, we have hope.

4. Hope makes us not ashamed. Romans 5:5 says ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

5. We know how to handle adversity. The devil doesn’t understand that adversity makes us better. It is because we have learned how to praise God through it. If you knew what we did in our past, you would act like we act. The trial came to make us dependant on God. We are at a point where we are totally dependent on him

6. Many of us have the demon of worry. It will keep you all night long watching reruns of Gunsmoke. You got to understand, God will put you in situation where nothing else works, and then we have no choice but to go to him. God wants to see how long it will take for you to see that only he can work it out.

7. Tribulation works patience. Patience works experience. The next time you say you have Christian Experience, you need to check yourself. Christian experience is the stuff you have gone through. You got the scars to prove it. Some of you, experienced are so varied; it is amazing you are in your right mind. Ex – Imagine God telling one of the angels, come down and interview you for a promotion. Based on what we have gone through, you are able to say you are still in your right mind. God promotes you because you pass test, not because of tenure. Experience brings hope. God gives you a new attitude.

8. Hope makes us not ashamed. What sustains us is the hope that we have. Romans 5:5 says ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is, the Holy Spirit reminds us how much God love us, regardless of what we go through. – Without the Holy Spirit reminding us how much God loves us, we would think God hates us. Because we are saved, the Holy Ghost keeps reminding us so we don’t think God is punishing us for what we did in our past. The Holy Spirit reminds us that no matter what we go through, God still loves us. Ex- Bishop went to the dentist a couple yrs ago. You got to be true teeth or they will be false to you. Bishop had extensive dental work done. Like most men, Bishop can’t take pain like women can. Bishop has phobias about the dentist. Bishop got anxiety about this needle situation. When he finally gets to the dentist, they lay me back, turn the music on sooth him The dental assistant came to give him a shot in the gums. Bishop’s toes start tightening up. She said you going to feel a little pinch. She gives him the shot in his gums. She said we done and few moments later Bishop noticed his mouth feeling funny. In that area it was is numb. Dentist comes in with dental assistant and they have all these drills and stuff. This is stuff that he knows that will cause more pain. The Dentist got him in position, because the prep work had been done. Bishop noticed that when the dentist used the tools that was supposed to hurt, he could hardly feel it. The reason he couldn’t feel it is because the dental assistant gave him a shot in area that they were going to work on. They numbed it enough so when the Dentist came to work in the area it would not hurt. The area was prepared. What God allowed you to go through a few yrs. Ago was a little pinch that prepared you for what you are going through now. You are not hurting while you are going through, because what you have gone through, numbed that area.

Life in perspective today Part I, “I almost quit” Sermon 12/06/09

Life in perspective today Part I
I almost quit
Synopsis of sermon 12/06/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text: Jeremiah 20:7-9, 11-13 7O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. 8For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.9Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. 11But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. 12But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.13Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.
One of the things that the bible gives us is this idea of incredible testimonies. The bible is highly testimonial with personalities within the bible. It gives us a glimpse of the struggles and successes of folks that went through some things. This is import. Without these testimonies, we would never have a sense of transparencies. Without these transparencies, we would think that we were the only ones who went through what we are going through. Like it was with Jeremiah, we will see how one man shows us how to respond by becoming transparent when you come to the break or boiling pot and you begin to contemplate quitting or giving up on your assignment. Jeremiah is the author of the book Jeremiah and Lamentations. It is no secret that he is referred to as the weeping prophet. He was called at an early age, and he was called to a great assignment, but Jeremiah felt that his assignment for him was too great for him. The persecution that he endured as a result of doing what God called him to do forces him to throw his hands up and tell the Lord that he wanted to quit! This message today is for people just like Jeremiah. You know that God has a great assignment for your life, but the truth is you are at a place in your life where you are contemplating just giving up. Many of you have assignments and you are contemplating giving up. Some of you woke up this morning declaring if I don’t get a word today I am done! You have decided that you are not going to fight for it anymore. Your frustration is at an all time high. You love the Lord, but you have decided that God is going to have to find somebody else to finish your assignment. It is amazing how God will send his word at the right time, to give us the word that you need, so you cannot walk away from the awesome thing that God is going to do in your life. There are two things we would like for you to remember. One is you are necessary. No matter what the enemy is doing with you, we have to realize that our life is necessary. Secondly, you are significant to the Kingdom. There is a larger thing playing out and your life is part of God’s Kingdom Manifestation in the earth realm. The devil realizes that if he can make you give up, he will literally manipulate Gods agenda in the earth realm. You have to recognize that quitting is not an option. This word is being preached today because for many of us you are too far out here to be contemplating quitting. You have been too much and made it through too much, so you might as well hang in there. We know you almost quit, but you can’t give up now!
I. Assignment is tough
1. Jeremiah assignment was to prophesy concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s assignment was to go to the people of God who had fallen into apathy. These were people that had become lukewarm and that chosen to fall away from God. These were people that God had been good too, but had now chosen to live contrary to his word and as result had become so arrogant that they walked around saying they could do what they wanted to do, because God was with them. These were the people that Jeremiah had to prophesy to.
2. When God gives you and assignment, the assignment is never to make the conformable more comfortable. The assignment is always to make the comfortable uncomfortable. The assignment is always to effect change. It is to push you into their destiny whether they like it or whether they don’t. This is why you have to be called to this. Jeremiah 1:5 says 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.-Before you were born, God called you to this. God will not call you to something that he will not walk with you through. You were born too solve a problem. You will always know when God has placed a call on your life. It will be validated by conflict. This is why some go and others were sent.
3. How do you know if you have an Authentic call:
a. Conflict of your flesh. Your flesh will always war with your spirit. Your flesh will say maybe you need a drink to face this. Whenever you have this conflict in your flesh you will know you have been called to an assignment. You spirit will know what it is supposed to do, but your flesh will always fight against it. Jeremiah’s conflict was he thought he was too young. God told him not to worry about his age, because he had already laid his hand on his mouth. He said as a result, the words he spoke would not be his words. Instead they would be God’s words.
b. Challenges of folk- Whenever you are in your call remember you are going to run into difficult people. It was in Jeremiah’s case, Pashur. Pashur was the governor of the temple. There were 24 governors of the temple and Pashur was one of the original ones. He was one of the original gangsters who really didn’t want people to contradict the lifestyles of people that were living in that day. Jeremiah 20:3: 3And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.-Pashur put chains on Jeremiah hands and feet. The stocks mean they put Jeremiah into an awkward position. Pashur’s name meant on all sides. Jeremiah says God wasn’t calling Pashur what the others were calling him, he said his name to God was Magormissabib. Magormissabib means terror on every side. In other words Jeremiah is saying to Pashur that he wasn’t what people called him (on everyone’s side). His says God know who he really was (Magormissabib-terror on every side). He says he was trying to act like he was with everyone, but at the end of the day they know that Pashur is a private hater. You have people that show up like Pashur, but they are really terrors on every side (Magormissabib). When you are in your assignment, everyone is not going to like you. If you want everyone to be just like you, you will never walk in your assignment and your call.
c. Constant frustration-It is a systematic plot of the enemy. In the text the enemy was trying to use:
i. Intimidation (stop you). The enemy is trying to stop you so the assignment will never come to fruition.
ii. Humiliation on (stop others) – The enemy tries to put you stocks on your and put you in unusual or awkward positions, so other folk would be scared to do what you did. Ex- If they see you were following God and ended up in that situation, they will be scared to go the same way
iii. Annihilation (stop God)-The devil is so stupid, he don’t realize you can’t hinder God’s work. You are not the only one who has gone through tough assignments. Nehemiah had the tough assignment of building a wall, but he could not come down because he had agreed to do the work. Paul went through, and he kept doing what God told him to do. He said nothing would separate him from the love of God. He knew he could do all things through Jesus Christ. Even Jesus said let this bitter cup pass from him, but he later said let it not be his will, but instead God’s will. God says we are so close, we can’t quit.
4. Why can’t we quit? It is because you are anointed for this trail
II. Anointed for the trial
1. Jeremiah means Jehovah appoints. Wherever God appoints, he anoints. All of us have lamented (cried) over what we have gone through while trying to do God’s will. No matter what others tell us, we are anointed for the assignment. It is a test of our character. God wants to know if you will represent him while you are going through what you are going through. Anyone can praise him when there is a mall in their closet or a traffic jam in the drive way (from all the cars you own), but can you say this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it when all is going bad? It is about how you will act under pressure. So many of us are going through so much, we think the devil only has our address. If you would look back over your life, you will realize that you should be dead or out of your mind by now, but you are still here because of your anointing. You were anointed for your assignment.
2. This is really about a commitment:
a. You have to realize the Sovereignty of God. Jeremiah 20:7: 7O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.-This is why you have to be called to your assignment. Jeremiah says, “O LORD, thou has deceived me…” In other words he was saying if God would have told him in verse one what came with the assignment, he would have never arrived at verse 7. You have got to realize that you didn’t choose the assignment, the assignment chose you.
b. You must understand the scope of your assignment-there will be people that benefit from your assignment. If you give up, some body’s life will be affected. Salvation is always available. God won’t let you go where salvation is not available. Peter said I was doing what I was supposed to do. There church was praying while I was in prison, but God got him out. Paul and Silas said they were doing what God wanted them to do, yet they were still locked up, but God brought them out. You are anointed for this trail. All you need to do is just remember something. God is sitting you up for an awesome testimony.
III. Awesome testimony
1. Nobody wants to talk about our point of contemplation. How many times have you woke up on Sunday morning and looked in your closet and looked at your bed and decided you really didn’t want to come to church? How many times have you waked up in the middle of the night and looked at your spouse and decided you should just leave? Verse 9 is such a power statement. It says in Jeremiah 20:9: 9Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. – It says in the “a” portion of this verse that Jeremiah had decided to quit. He said he wasn’t even going to mention God’s name anymore. He was convinced that every time he tried to do what God told him to do; he got all kinds of attacks and drew all kinds of trouble. Many of us have the same testimony. If we had just tried to leave alone what God wanted us to do, all that trouble would not have happened to us? We feel like we ought to get some kind of credit for doing God’s will. The whole time we try to do what God called us to do there seems to be trouble all around us. In verse 9 Jeremiah was convinced that he was going to give up and let God get somebody else to do what he wanted him to do. Jeremiah’s testimony is remembering. Jeremiah said “but, his word was in mine heart like a burning fire shut up in his bones”. Jeremiah realized he could not stay in this rut another day.
2. God put forth his hand and anointed Jeremiah and told him that the words he spoke would not be his words. He told him that his words would be God’s words. Jeremiah 1:8-9: 8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
3. Jeremiah forgot God had anointed him for this assignment.. Jeremiah 1:10 says 10See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.- Somebody reading this is contemplating giving up, but God says you got to complete your assignment!
You got a:
a. Situation- It bought you to a point of resignation.
b. Resignation – In this place, you must remember you consecration.
c. Consecration – When you remember your consecration, it will remind you of your obligation.
d. Obligation – While remembering your obligation, God’s revelation will come to you.
e. Revelation – When God’s revelation comes to you, it will give you determination.
f. Determination – While you are getting your determination, don’t worry about your haters, because God will be your vindication.
g. Vindications – While God is dealing with your enemies go on and have your celebration.
h. Celebration – You came here today with a situation that got you to a point of resignation and now God sent this word to remind you that you have been anointed for the trial. You have been consecrated for this. Because of your consecration, you have obligation. You can’t be anointed and not obligated to fulfill your assignment. Thank God for his word revelation. Just when you are about to give up, God will send a word to quicken or ignite you. His word ignited a fire in your life and gave you determination. He is your vindicator so a result you can celebrate, because God delivers. God delivered Jeremiah out of the hands of the enemies. Ex-Bishop explains he had his first car. He was out one night going to pick up his girlfriend and the car quit. Now the worst thing that can happen to a teenager is to have your car breakdown while you are going to pick up your girl. The car would not start, the lights would not turn on, and the engine would not blow. (This is much like someone that sits beside you at church. They are there, but you know something is wrong because instead of being bubbly like they usually are, their horn is not working. ). Bishop called his Dad and told him that his car quit working and he went on to explain that the horn would not blow, the lights wouldn’t cut on, and it wouldn’t start. He was actually crying when he called. He told his Dad that he was getting ready to call and have it towed away. Bishop thought the car was done for and it was time to just have it towed away. (Just like this, the devil makes you think it is all over so you are just ready to have your situation towed way) Bishop’s father started laughing and told him that he didn’t need to tow it. He told him all that he needed to do is boost it off. Bishop’s father came and gave the car a boost and the car started back running and everything on it begin to work again. Just like this, you don’t need to be towed off. You don’t need to quit. All you need is a boost. Go to God and get a boost and suddenly you will be able to work again!.