HIGHLIGHTS: GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY, DEPENDENCE ON HIM – SURE ANSWER TO CRISIS TIMES

Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased – Psalm 115:3

To say that God is sovereign is just another way of saying that God is God. God has the right to do as He pleases. He is in charge, He is working His will and accomplishing His purposes.

Recognizing the truth of sovereignty gives us the right view of the character of God. He has power over all (Psalm 99:1).

He is holy and just (Isaiah 6:1-7).

All things are for His glory (Revelation 4:11).

God is not frustrated or disappointed, as He is sometimes represented, but is working all things after the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11).

This truth provides a great sense of security and hope for His people. They see that no vicious enemy, no catastrophic event, no unexpected trial can affect God’s sovereign reign.

As Psalm 46 declares, even if the earth was removed or the mountains carried into the sea, God is a refuge for His people. And they are further assured that what may be a long night of affliction can be turned into brightness as the heavenly Father teaches His children in their time of trouble.

God’s sovereignty gives assurance in salvation. We see that human merit or mere human choice is not the basis of salvation; rather, it is all of grace originating with God’s choice, being based on the death of His Son, and ultimately consummated because of His effectual work.

What peace comes by resting our case in the hands of Jesus, knowing He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Understanding the truth of sovereignty will evoke praise to His great name because we recognize all glory belongs to Him. Our God is in the heaven.

His Attributes    “From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God “- Psalm 90:2

Because we are such self-centered and existentially focused creatures, it is hard for us to take in the fact that our parents were once teenagers or newlyweds, that there was a time when we did not even exist, or especially that there have been hundreds and hundreds of generations that have lived before and that will live after us, if Christ does not come back first. There existed a four word statement!

But there is one Person who still lives today who witnessed the Constitutional Convention in 1787, who saw Luther nail his 95 theses to the door of Castle Church in 1517, who was present at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who observed Moses as he led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, who talked with Adam in the Garden of Eden, and who existed in perfect satisfaction before the earth was even created. He made a four word statement then!

God is eternal. He has always existed and always will exist. He predates and will last longer than time. He has no beginning and no end. But the psalmist reminds us of a truth more impressive still: not only has God always existed, but He has always existed as God. He did not have to work His way up to the position or earn the right to be God. He has always been, and will always be, God. A four word statement in operation!

His power, His dominion, His wisdom, His love, His goodness will not be diminished in any way by time or circumstances or world events. He made a four word statement by His action!
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What a great encouragement to our faith, to know that we believe in and trust a God Who is eternally God-from everlasting, to everlasting He is God.

Isaiah 44: 24 – 28

24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He Who formed you from the womb: I am the Lord, Who made all things, Who alone stretched out the heavens, Who spread out the earth by Myself [who was with Me]?–
25  [I am the Lord] Who frustrates the signs and confounds the omens [upon which the false prophets’ forecasts of the future are based] of the [boasting] liars and makes fools of diviners, Who turns the wise backward and makes their knowledge foolishness,
26  [The Lord] Who confirms the word of His servant and performs the counsel of His messengers, Who says of Jerusalem, She shall [again] be inhabited, and of the cities of Judah, They shall [again] be built, and I will raise up their ruins,
27  Who says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers,

28 …..Jerusalem, She shall [again] be built, and of the temple, Your foundation shall [again] be laid.

He frustrates the tokens of liars and makes the diviners mad. He turns the wisdom of wise men (deceivers, false prophets, witches and occultists) backwards, so that is boomerangs on them.

That is the God we serve. He is not in a hurry because of time. Time?

He is not bound by time but OUR TIMES ARE IN HIS HANDS!

2 Chronicles 15: 1, 2

2 Chronicles 34: 20 – 22

Psalm  121: 1 – 8

Isaiah 40: 28 – 31

Proverbs 3: 5 – 11

A middle-aged man is having a tough time.

a. His father and mother are both dead now, and he misses them.

b. He’s got problems with his teenage children.

c. Economic problems and severe shortages in all the necessities of life hit the region where he lives.

d. To make matters worse, it seems as if every time he accomplishes anything, someone else comes along and grabs what he’s worked hard for all his life.

e. It’s enough to make anyone want to give up…

But FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION.

A young man runs away from home.

a. He knows that one of his own family members is out to kill him.

b. He finds himself all alone and afraid in a place he’s never been before.

c. His future looks grim.

But FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION.

A sincere and honest employee works hard, is honest and productive, and yet has to put up with constant sexual harassment from one of the bosses.

a. After refusing these unwanted advances, day after day, this honest, hard-working employee is accused of sexual misconduct by the very person who has been guilty of the harassment.

b. The employee is thrown in jail to serve out an unwarranted sentence.

c. The outlook is bleak.

But FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION!

An 80-year-old man is prompted to confront the world’s most powerful leader and demand freedom for his people.

a. He doesn’t want to do it.

b. He feels weak and afraid, and completely inadequate.

But FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION!

Another man just lost his best friend and mentor and is called on to take his place.

a. The man is filled with grief.

b. He knows that his dead friend was the sort of man that cannot be replaced.

c. How can he possibly handle the responsibility of it all?

But FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION.

A young man feels like a rabbit hiding from a fox.

a. Enemy troops occupy his country.

b. They’ve been seizing everybody’s food supplies, and this young man sneaks around trying to find and store food for his family.

c. He is swamped with a feeling of worry, weakness, and worthlessness.

But FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION!

An entire nation is just bouncing back from the ravages of war and exile that it brought upon itself.

a. But in the midst of reconstruction, the people’s priorities become mixed up.

b. Their situation keeps going downhill.

(1) They are warned that change was necessary or they would slip right back into disaster.

(2) They are filled with the feeling of guilt and discouragement.

(3) They wonder if they truly have a future.

(4) They hope its not too late to turn things around.

Then, FOUR WORDS CHANGE THE EQUATION.

8. A young woman from a poor family is engaged to be married.

a. She has modest hopes because she has no great dowry to cause a man to want her.

b. She is in no position to have any grand dreams.

c. She has no reason to think she’ll ever be prominent or exceptional in any way.

The FOUR WORDS CHANGED THE EQUATION FOR HER FOREVER!

There are four words that changed the situation for all these people.

These are four simple words. Each word contains only one syllable.

But these four words change everything when the One who speaks these words is God.

He told Haggai to tell the people, “I AM WITH YOU.”

When God speaks those 4 words to our hearts EVERYTHING CHANGES!

Even the harshest of situations have to succumb to the promises and power of God!

Psalm 46:  1 – 7

Psalm 27:  1 -3

Note that

(1) Those four words changed everything for a middle-aged struggler named Isaac.

(2) They changed the life of a frightened runaway named Jacob.

(3) They vindicated a wrongfully imprisoned employee named Joseph.

(4) Those four words changed everything for Moses, the timid 80-year-old.

(5) They gave strength to Joshua, the man who had to fill the shoes of Moses.

(6) And for Gideon, the scared rabbit, those four words made him a mighty man of valor!

Those four simple, one-syllable words, “I am with you,” make a deciding difference in any situations.

They changed everything for the confused and guilty nation of Israel.

And they changed everything for an insignificant young lady named Mary.

 No matter what your situation might be, when the living God declares, “I AM WITH YOU,” it changes

everything! God’s presence is all you need in any situation.

And, our dependence and reliance on Him will make us the victors!

Consider with me the man, Isaac.

He’s in his middle years.

His father, Abraham, and his mother, Sarah, are dead and his heart still feels the emptiness.

He loves his wife, Rebekah, and his sons, Esau and Jacob, but there is unwanted tension in the home.

(1) Isaac tends to favor the brawny son, Esau, while Rebekah prefers the brainy son, Jacob.

(2) Meanwhile, a famine consumes the land, causing serious shortages.

(3) Isaac is forced to move to another region – the land of the Philistines.

In many ways, Isaac is the typical middle-aged man:

a. His parents are gone.

b. His family is under stress; and…

c. Economic conditions cause him to move his family away from his home so he can provide sufficiently for them.

There are a number of people who can identify with this situation.

It’s not an ideal situation, to say the least, but then the Lord speaks to Isaac.

He promises to be with Isaac and to bless him.

Soon, Isaac and his family become very rich.

Being immersed in envy, the people around him begin to resent his success and his family becomes very rich.

This happens, not once, but three times – Isaac moves, digs a well, is forced to leave, has to start all over again – three times!

Hearing these words from God – having the promise restated by the One Who keeps all His promises gives Isaac the strength to go on.

Isaac knew that he wasn’t alone.

He knew that in the muddle, God was present with him.

And, when a person knows this, and understands its implications, everything is seen in a different light!

Isaac’s son, Jacob, found that those same four words provided encouragement and a sense of destiny. You know Jacob – the one who connived away his brother’s birthright, and then outright stole his brother’s blessing.He had to run away from his home country to escape his brother’s wrath. It is while Jacob slept on a pillow of stone, in a place called “Certain,” that he had a dream and wrestled with an angel. He hears the voice of God promising to make him a great nation.

Throughout the rest of his life…Through the ups and downs; Through the good times and the bad;

Through all his sins, mistakes and sorrows, Jacob knows one thing for certain: God is with him!

If you are alone and afraid and running from something, God has sent me with a message for you: God has sent me to tell you…I AM WITH YOU!

Jacob’s son, Joseph, had to deal with jealous brothers who sold him into slavery.

But, according to Genesis 39:2 “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.”

Joseph was promoted to the top position in Potiphar’s house.

He was doing quite well until Mrs. Potiphar developed a crush on him.

When he resisted her passes, she turned on him in the most bitter and ugly way…

She accused Joseph of carnal misconduct and had him put in prison!

Through it all, God was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did

(Genesis 39:20-23).

Maybe you’ve been treated unjustly…….Perhaps you are in a situation that seems hopeless.

Don’t give up!

Don’t allow the seed of bitterness to plant its ugly likeness in your heart!

Joseph refused to declare himself a helpless victim!

He refused to waste all his energy hating his brothers and Potiphar’s wife.

He had the same promise that you and I have today!

Four words that made all the difference in his life, no matter what the situation.

Joseph had such an understanding of God’s promise and His plan that he was willing to tell everyone who had done him wrong:  “You meant it for bad, but God meant it for good!”

when God is with you, even prison can’t keep you from success! And, unjust actions on the part of others cannot keep you from fulfilling God’s plan for your life!

Forgive and go on, because the Lord is with you!

Knowing and understanding the power that is in the promise of those four words will change everything in the way you view life!

With this liberating knowledge, you are not trapped in the victim-mentality;

You are free to succeed no matter what your debilitating circumstances may be.

You are one who understands that God is on your side, and He has a plan for your life!

With the knowledge of these four words, you can overcome disappointment and hardships.

You can face challenges that seem insurmountable!

Moses was an 80-year-old sheepherder when God told him to go and confront Pharaoh, demanding the

release of the Israelite slaves. He questioned God’s choice – a backwoods sheepherder with a speech impediment.

But God gave Moses a sure promise:

And, with God at his side, Moses was able to lead the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Listen to Bro Toks:

You may feel like you’ve been on the back side of a deserted mountain and out of touch with society for so long that God can’t use you…

But that’s exactly where God wanted Moses to be, and that’s probably where Moses wanted to be.

It was those 40 years on the back side of a mountain, working for his father-in-law herding sheep that

Moses learned the patience that he would need to lead the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt!

If you think you are too ill-equipped to handle the job God has seen fit to place you in, instead of asking,

“Who am I?”, start asking, “Who is with me?”

If God is with you, it doesn’t matter how weak and insecure you happen to be.

If God is with you, you can do anything!

After the death of Moses, the Israelites were standing on the border of the Promised Land.

Joshua had an enormous challenge:

(1) How could he go on without his friend and mentor?

(2) How could he possibly take the place of Moses?

(3) How could he conquer all those well-armed and fortified cities?

It is in his time of questioning that Joshua hears the unmistakable voice of God:

Joshua no longer had the security of Moses, but he had God!

No matter what Joshua faced – God was with him and victory was certain!

Like Joshua, maybe you are faced with a situation where someone you depended upon is gone.

I want to serve you with an abounding assurance…

God is with you; and He will never leave you!

And, when God is with you, all things are possible!

Gideon faced an enormous army with just 300 men and a promise.

God told Gideon in Judges chapter 6,  “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

Maybe you have doubted the promised victory, but if God says He is with you, He means it…

And, He will give you the power to do what He has called you to do!

These four words – “I AM WITH YOU” – mean:

a. Vitality to the weary.

b. Courage for the fearful.

c. Hope for those at a dead end.

d. Comfort for the grieving.

e. Strength for the weak.

And finally, they also promise a pardon for the guilty.

The Children of Israel once fell so far into sin that God allowed them to be conquered by Babylon and

carried off into exile. When they were returned to their land, they worked feverishly on their personal gain – building nice homes and cultivating the land – but they left God’s temple in ruins.

No matter how hard they worked for success, they could never get ahead; something always went wrong.

God sent the prophet Haggai to tell them what the problem was.

Through Haggai, the Lord condemned their selfishness and their mixed-up priorities.

INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD:

He told them to start working on the House of God and to start worshiping Him again; or else they would continue to fail at everything they attempted to do.

RESPONSE:

(a) Israel heard.

(b) They realized their sin.

(c) They obeyed Haggai’s message; and…

(d) They feared the Lord.

THEIR FEAR:

Was it all too little too late?

Would God forgive them and give them another chance?

GOD’S RESPONSE:

Hearing the questions, God prompted Haggai to preach the shortest sermon recorded in the entire Bible:

“I am with you,” declares the Lord,” (Haggai 1:13).  That’s it!

But that’s all that the people needed to know!

It meant that God had forgiven them and that He would help them in the work of rebuilding the temple and the nation, as well as their own homes. “I am with you,” declares the Lord…

And that means that everything is going to be all right!

Everything I have shared with you has come from the Old Testament, but they all lead to the supreme promise and revelation of  “God With Us” that is declared in the New Testament as well.

The angel Gabriel appears to an humble peasant girl named Mary, and the first thing he says to her is:

He explained that through a miracle of the Holy Ghost, she would give birth to the only begotten Son of

God.

The birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is God’s supreme way of perpetually saying,

Those four words change everything, because Jesus changes everything!

If you want to hear God telling you, “I am with you,” then accept His offer to fill you with His Holy Spirit as your Comforter.

He is, indeed, Emmanuel, God with us!

He took on flesh and blood to live among us, and…

He has given us His Spirit, not only to be with us, but also to live in us and to comfort us.

When we put our faith in God, He is with us and nothing can separate us from His love.

The final chapter of Matthew reports that the last words the resurrected Christ told His disciples before He ascended into heaven were:

If you don’t know Jesus…If you have never received His Spirit, which is evidenced by speaking in other tongues…If you don’t have the assurance that God is with you…

I have come with four words that can change your life:

Jesus told His disciples, “I am with you, but one day I will be IN you.”

If you will believe His words and receive His promise, you’ll b able to face 2012 to the end and beyond with a new sense of calm and confidence…And you can face eternity with joy and eagerness

Once you come to understand and accept that Jesus came to be “God with us”…

That He died to remove the sin that separates us from Him…

That He rose from the dead to give you eternal life; and…

That His Spirit lives in you and directs your life…

Then your life will stand on the firm foundation of four simple words:

When you have this foundation, nothing can shake you!

You can face any challenge when you hear God telling you the four words that change everything:

With great confidence in Him, rejoice and be glad!

A merry heart works better than medicine.

If God be for us, who, then, can be against us? When our enemies, our adversaries, come up wanting to eat up our flesh, they SHALL stumble and fall, Amen. This God is our defense, our shield and buckler. This God is our rock, our high tower, the glory and the lifter of our head.

Our Times Are In His Hands! Hallelujah!

PRAYER: For we ought to always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation of insight into mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him. KNOWLEDGE TO SEE GOD’s EXPECTED END OF US: This depth of knowledge comes by having the eyes of our heart flooded with light, so that we can know and understand the hope to which He has called you and i and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (we, His set-apart ones). CONTINUOUSLY RELEASED POWER TO ‘BURN’ THROUGH: The intent of this is that we can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His POWER in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength. This power is available to help us burn through, bear through and breakthrough every obstacle in our path towards the fulfilling His divine intent for our individual lives. PROPER ALIGNMENT TO MAKE THE POWER INCIDENT: Individually, we must re-position and re-locate ourselves spiritually to be able to positively, productively and optimally benefit from this unending release of immense power from our Father, to work for us. We must re-align our thoughts and confession to the fact that He is JUST, HOLY and LOVING, period! Bow down before Him the assurance of mind that His thoughts towards you and I are thoughts of peace and not evil. WHAT HE DOES: He exert His power in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand every title that can be conferred, not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come. THE ‘ULTIMAX’: He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church a headship exercised throughout the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself.

THE CONFESSION: DAMN THE HINDRANCES AND DISTRACTIONS, I AM IRREMOVABLY PART OF HIS BODY! Glory! I am moving ahead in God towards ‘entering THE JOY’ of my God, Amen!