The Glory of God: Satan Wants to Steal It

The Glory of God

Last week, the message was about how Adam lost his connection to the glory of God and felt fearful and naked because of the fall. But we also learned that God’s glory is closely associated with light and splendor. Through the progression of God’s plan, He has brought His glory closer to man. Through Jesus, a portion of His glory is in us now (Jn 17:22) and a future promise of more to come. Through this process we are being metamorphed, changed from glory to glory, looking more like Jesus and less like us. There were 3 places where the word metamorphosis was used: (1). Matthew 17:2 Jesus was transfigured before them. His face shined as the sun and His clothing became white before them. (2). 2 Corinthians 3:18– we behold as in a glass His glory and are being changed from glory to glory. The closer we get to Jesus, the closer we get to His glory.

(3). Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

• Present- to place a person or thing at one's disposal— present and accounted for sir

Jesus, the Word, who was God, became man, and laid down His life as a sacrifice for sinful man. He paid the penalty for our sin. Exposure and faith in this truth resulted in a new creation. Now, , it’s our reasonable service to present ourselves and make ourselves  available to His work. That doesn’t mean that you have to keep the nursery, clean the church or help w/ children’s ministry… most ministry for the Lord is needed out there. Put Jesus in us and then bring Him out there.

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

• How much time is spent watching regular tv?

• How much time is spent listening to secular music?

• How much time is spent in carnal conversation?

• How much time is spent in God’s word?

• How much time is spent in God’s presence?’

God has given us a portion of His glory, and it’s a treasure—it’s a precious thing. He expects us to treat it that way— like it’s a precious treasure. His presence can be practiced. Because He died you can step into His glory (illustration of Niya’s story-man w/sword). Prayer, worship, intimacy are ways we can access and practice His presence. But if we esteem God’s glory as a common thing and prefer over His presence, activities the world has to offer, we will experience a minimal portion of God’s glory/presence on this side and that will affect our reward in eternity. He has given us a portion now, and as we submit to His will, we are being changed from glory to glory and there is more to come for God’s people and there is more for all of creation in the ages to come:

Habakkuk 2:14

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11:9

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

These scriptures promise that there is a new day coming when the glory and knowledge of God will fill the earth. By now, most true believers are hyper aware that the earth is filled with darkness and if you start talking to people about the Lord, you quickly realize that there is very little knowledge about God in the hearts of most people—many times even in the church. Nevertheless, God promised that believers would receive a glorified body, and He promises in His word that the world will be filled with His glory.

Even though the days grow darker, our lights will burn brighter. There is a world of Adam’s out there. A world of people who have only been born once and are separated from God’s presence. They’re naked, without His glory, hurting and sick: physically, spiritually and emotionally and the Jesus in you can heal them— will you be made whole.

The same way that Satan stole Adam’s glory, he wants to steal every human’s opportunity to regain the glory of God through faith in Jesus and His sacrifice. He wants to steal that opportunity from your family, your friends, your co workers. It’s what he does:

John 10:10-11

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Satan can try to steal it from them, but the mystery of hope can be unlocked in our hearts and released out of us and into them and they can regain the glory that was lost in the first Adam but regained in the last Adam—Jesus.

Colossians 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The thief steals through deception. Paul warned in the second letter to the Corinthians that Satan was going to try to deceive not only the world but also the church:

2 Corinthians 11:12-15

12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Satan’s workers transform themselves to deceive, just as he transforms himself to deceive. The word is not the same as metamorphosis in the Greek but it can take on the same meaning as to be transfigured, so he disguises himself in order to bring deception.

And that was Paul’s concern that God’s people would lose their purity, just as Eve lost her purity, because Satan, in his subtlety would present himself as an angel of light and present a different Jesus with a different spirit and that people would receive an altogether different gospel that they would think was right, but it wasn’t right:

2 Corinthians 11:2-4

2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

What we must understand is that Satan is well acquainted with the glory of God. As we spoke last week, I mentioned that the cherubim were closely associated with the glory of God, well Satan, before he fell was the anointed cherub that covered. God prepared a mercy seat on earth with cherubim that covered the place where God promised His presence would dwell and God explains that the earthly tabernacle instructions were given to Moses based off the heavenly instructions:

Heavenly tabernacle blueprints

Hebrews 8:4-5   4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

But I guess being the Cherubim that covered that sacred spot in heaven wasn’t good enough for Satan. He wanted his own glory. Let’s look at a couple of those scriptures, but as we do, let’s remember that he was so close to God, it’s hard to believe he didn’t radiate God’s glory, and by wanting to steal God’s glory, he lost access to the glory of God, and now posing as something he’s not, he transforms himself as an angel of light, because just as he stole Adam and Eve’s glory, he also wants to steal our opportunity to regain the glory of God in our lives. Remember— He can only offer a Counterfeit

Ezekiel 28:2

Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

Ezekiel 28:12-17

12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Isaiah 14:12-15

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

He destroyed his position and access to God’s glory by demanding his own and rebelling against God’s will. Through His subtlety and deception, he has caused man to follow in his footsteps. Ephesians 6 explains to us that he has a hierarchy of evil, which is made up of various levels of fallen angels and demonic spirits and through their combined efforts, they have been able to deceive and weaken the nations. They have been able to cause the leaders of nations to spread their deception on earth and attempt to steal God’s glory from the human race, but God will not be mocked. He has a remnant. He has always had a remnant. He has a people and to them, He speaks and reveals His glory and they accept, and they cultivate and they spread that glory—unless they are deceived and then they’re at risk of losing the glory.

The glory leaves the temple

Ezekiel 10:15-19

15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. 16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. 17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. 18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. 19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

When you read this passage, in context with Ezekiel 8, you realize that God’s people were finally able to offend Him enough that He departed and took His glory with Him. They had embraced an image of jealousy, some form of idolatrous practice that they allowed into their temple and thought that they could just allow that to coexist with God’s glory, but God is not going to continue to remain in an unclean environment. He is patient, He is kind, He is loving and longsuffering. Trust me. I know, but don’t put Him to the test church. It’s not wisdom.

Psalms 24

A PSALM OF DAVID.

1 The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. 7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

The Glory 1

Glory— The glory of the Lord is directly associated with God’s presence. When God’s glory and presence enters the natural realm, it affects the atmosphere, it affects people, it changes situations and circumstances. [Leviticus 9:6-7] God’s presence in the New Testament saints is directly related to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the believers acceptance of that sacrifice.

Colossians 1:10-14

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [qualified] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered [to rescue] us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [to transpose, transfer, remove from one place to another] us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption [deliverance or release by payment] through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

The glory of God is associated with the splendor and brightness of God. In the Old Testament, the glory was physical and very dramatic. Today, it can be that way also in that healings and miracles are associated with the glory of God.  The glory is associated with His presence, and when it is released into the atmosphere, it is felt and changes things, even if it’s not as dramatic as a true miracle, when His presence is released, His glory is released, and when His glory is released, it has an affect in the natural realm and it affects the people that are around it.

In the Old Testament,  it often took the form of a cloud, sometimes it was associated with fire (Ezekiel’s Cherubim had fire in the midst). Simply stated the glory of God is the presence of the Lord, and where the presence of the Lord is there freedom, liberty, power. When a person spends time in the presence of God and is affected by the glory of God, they begin to emanate the glory of God. His presence flows from them into others. All sorts of miracles of transformation show up when the glory shows up.

WHAT WAS REMOVED FROM ADAM TO MAKE HIM REALIZE THAT HE WAS NAKED?? Can’t explicitly prove that Adam was clothed in God’s glory, but let’s work backwards a little bit in the scriptures related to God’s glory and see if we can make a case for the fact that God’s intent is that man would be a carrier of His glory.

Because: Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Revelation 21:22-23. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

John 1:4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Other translations say: overcome it. Darkness can’t understand it to lay hold of it, so it can’t overcome or defeat it

John 1:8. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

That men might believe through Him vs 7 and that they might become the sons of God vs 12

Philippians 3:21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The glorified body

1 Corinthians 15:35-58 NASB

35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?”

The glorified body: We are being conformed into His image through sanctification. We will be changed into His image through glorification.

36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

The sun, having its own splendor and glory given to it by God, releases its glory into the atmosphere. Then the moon receives the glory of the sun and reflects it outwardly so that it’s glory can be seen, but anyone that knows what’s really up understands that the moon is a reflection of the sun.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;

43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

Vision of privilege and promotion

44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

He releases His life, He releases His glory into us

46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.

People who either are not saved or are led by the flesh instead of the Spirit will act like sinful earthlings; whereas, those saved and led by the Spirit, will act like Jesus, because He was always led by the Spirit, and the scripture says that we’re heavenly beings, even now, in that we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).

49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

But, there’s more heavenly glory to come. He’s not done with us. The inheritance will be fulfilled in eternal glory.

50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Exodus 34:29-35 NASB

Moses’ Face Shines

29 It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

Exodus 34:33 KJV

And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, 35 the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

Exodus 34:10-14

10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. 11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

God’s glory will not remain forever in a location of wickedness. He is merciful and longsuffering, but He won’t stay there forever—Ezekiel 8:3-6;10:18.

The land/ earth is polluted with sin and darkness, which is the opposite of the glory of God. When Satan has his way with humanity, he is able to do the opposite on earth from God’s original intent. This is only temporary. God is looking for Joshua’s and Caleb’s. He is looking for Naboth’s to hold fast to His promises. In the current time frame that we are living in, this is how He fills the earth with His glory.

Because: Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: 13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

The land is filled with corruption, it is defiled, it bears the image of sin. God wants it eradicated. His people aren’t supposed to join them. His people carry the glory of God for heaven’s sake!

2 Corinthians 3:7-13

7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

2 Corinthians 3:13 NASB

and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.

2 Corinthians 3:14-18

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

μεταμορφόω

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This word in the Greek Metamorphoo is where we get the word metamorphosis. The idea of metamorphosis- a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means_ New Oxford American dictionary. The caterpillar has butterfly DNA in it. Christian has Jesus DNA in them. The caterpillar dies in a cocoon. Christian dies with Jesus on the cross and is buried in the tomb. The caterpillar comes back to life as a butterfly. The Christian resurrects to newness of life, but this is just a partial,down payment. We are being changed from glory to glory into the same image as our Lord. Do you understand this. You’re not a Mormon. You’re not going to ascend into being a god. You’re going to metamorph into a fuller resemblance of the image and likeness and glory of Jesus who is the express image of God’s person and glory (Hebrews 1:3).

Matthew 17:1-3

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

μεταμορφόω

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

We see this in Jesus. As the deity “Godness” in Him transfigured or “metamorphed”

3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

μεταμορφόω

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Paul exhorts Christians

Moses, in God’s presence radiated God’s glory— Adam used to walk in God’s presence and I believe that he emanated God’s glory and that’s why he knew he was naked after the glory left.

Jesus transfigured in front of His disciples and Moses is there

John 17:21-24

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

You have God in you. You have God’s glory in you! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to release some of this out there. 🎼 Day and night, night and day, let incense arise…

Because: Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

I might be coming to your neighborhood soon.

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

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Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

__________________________________________________________________________________  μεταμορφόω

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

You are a Vehicle for the Glory of God!

Numbers 13:23-14:21

Numbers 14:21

but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD

Numbers 14:6-10

6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” 10 But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.

I titled my message: You are a vehicle for the glory of God! Originally, I was going to title it: God couldn’t do it, because Christian wouldn’t let Him. Then I struggled with the title. I couldn’t figure out why the struggle, was it because it was too negative and God didn’t want me to be negative? Then, I realized, no it wasn’t that. The reason why is because it simply wasn’t true. The truth was that God promised He would fill the earth with His glory, and the way that He is doing it is by using His people to bring his glory where He asks them to bring it. But it is also true that He could not do it through the 10, because they would not let Him, so with that said, which one will we be?

Will Christian let God work through Him?

When we face something that looks impossible, we need to remember that God’s work is performing the impossible. Christian’s work is believing God to do the impossible.

I can only imagine the chaos and confusion that was going on at that time. Fear had stricken the majority and confusion had gotten the best of the 10 spies, there was no turning back for these guys. Their faith was destroyed! They saw the enemy and gave up. Joshua and Caleb tried to speak godly truth, but it just made them more angry. They wanted to stone them.

• hatred,

• variance

• wrath

• strife

• seditions

Troubles sometimes arise in our lives like a sudden storm on open water, and there are other times that there are chronic problems in our lives that never seem to go away. And whether it’s acute or chronic, there is danger that the believer will not keep his part of the agreement for the circumstance, and his part is to trust, believe, surrender and act in faith.

As I was praying and thinking about the tactics of the enemy: fear and chaos are tools Satan uses to bring doubt and unbelief. These feelings can quickly spread amongst God’s people like they did in the story. The purpose of the enemy is to focus the eyes of God’s people on the problem instead of God’s power and without even realizing it unbelief takes root and faith  erodes.

We can be certain God watches over His people:

Psalms 121:5-8 NASB

5 The LORD is your keeper;

The LORD is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun will not smite you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will protect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul.

8 The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and forever.

Psalms 33:18-20 NASB

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,

On those who hope for His lovingkindness,

19 To deliver their soul from death

And to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD;

He is our help and our shield.

In prayer, God reminded how, His presence is poised and ready to move in chaos

…without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep…

• without form- waste; a desolation. A place of chaos

• void- ruin, waste, emptiness

…And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

As I prayed, I also heard: “Haman’s gallows”

Haman built a 75 ft high execution device to kill Mordecai because he refused to worship anything but God.

3:14…A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province..3:15…Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews…the city of Susa was in confusion…

In the end, God turned the whole plan around and Haman was executed on his own device. When it looks like the devil is winning child of God, we must remember that God is faithful to deliver! God is planning to turn the whole situation around. His job is to deliver and our job is to believe, surrender and pray!

Believe and trust God… Job 39:11  “Will you trust him because his  strength is great And leave your labor to him?

Surrender… Surrender your will to God’s will—James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Make self subordinate, bring self under subjection to the will of God

Pray- 2 Kings 6:17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha—you’re not alone child of God, it  might feel like it sometimes, just pray, “open my eyes Lord”

Seek the face of God, call on His name and put Him in the battle. But it’s getting worse! That means it’s time to press in, not retreat. But the more I seek God, it seems worse. You’re in an ongoing battle for your faith— Satan wants to make you quit and walk away.

In the end, anything that can be shaken will be shaken.

Hebrews 12:25-29

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

There is true Christianity and there is something else, that something else will be shaken and will not remain, the something else will lead you to focus on yourself and your best life now, and then, there is Jesus! True Christianity will always result in the magnification of Jesus,

But I just want to go to a church where all my girlfriends are like me and we sip coffee and get our toenails done together. Hold on, I thought of something. That’s not a bad idea.

There is nothing wrong with you and your girlfriends sipping coffee and getting your nails done, as a matter of fact, could you do me a favor and try to arrange something like that for the ladies that would be interesting, but do me one favor when y’all go, we can add verses to the song. “Jesus on the mountain, Jesus in the streets, Jesus with our coffee and while they do our feet, Jesus for my family. I speak the Holy name Jesus!

Jesus when you pick up your kid from school speak Jesus, but they’re going to think that I’m weird. They won’t think that you’re weird if you’re filled with the Holy Spirit and when you say His name, it sounds like honey dripping off your lips. No! They will want what you  want, or they will think your weird then, and when they lie in bed at night, they will toss and turn as the Lord reminds them of your words and He speaks Jesus to their hearts.

Jesus on the mountains. Jesus in the streets. Jesus in the darkness over every enemy. I speak the holy name Jeeessus. Your name is power!

Unbelief will cause death to the promise

Hebrews 3:17-19

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Carcasses- a member of a body, particularly the more external and prominent members esp. the feet a dead body, corpse, in as much as the members of a corpse are loose and fall apart—the scattered corpses like individual members that didn’t make it, but it represented a whole portion of the congregation

Jacob wrestled with God

Genesis 32:24-25

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

Chaos, Esau was around the corner…the story says that God could not prevail. The mind asks what kind of God can’t win a wrestling match with a man? It’s not that He can’t. He will not transgress man’s free will.  Jacob refused to give in, and the word says that when God saw that He could not prevail, he touched him in his hip. It’s not that God can’t out wrestle a man. And if you choose to refuse to surrender, at some point, He’s going to allow something to touch you to the point that you will give in to Him.

Paul said that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood; instead we wrestle against spirits It’s not always spirits that we’re wrestling, many times, it’s our own will and our own flesh

Galatians 5:24

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Luke 9:23

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

I love Caleb

Numbers 13:30

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.”

Doesn’t that sound like the voice of faith? The HOLY spirit speaking to the child of God and encouraging him to trust and put his eyes on Jesus, to move forward with the plan, instead of looking at the problems, look to the solution.

The Lord has been telling me in prayer I want my Son magnified. I want the name of Jesus preached. I want to pour out my Spirit and move in the lives of my people, and I want this church exalting HIM. I have a hard time believing that He doesn’t want that from every church. I have a hard time believing that he doesn’t want to speak to every Pastor and tell him the same thing, but I’m not them, I’m me and all I know is that this is what a he’s telling me.

The voice of unbelief, is a voice that displeases God

God is asking His people to carry His glory into the land and the  question is… will He find someone faithful to do what He is asking? Will people have the fortitude, the tenacity, the sticktoitiveness to finish the race? Not without the help of the Holy Spirit they won’t, but even with His help, if they want their own will rather than the Lord’s will they won’t endure, because part of learning God’s will requires a willingness to let the cross have its way, a willingness to let self and self desires go

Numbers 14:19-24

Moses: 19 “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

The LORD Pardons and Rebukes

Yahweh: 22 Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. 24 But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.

Sometimes the battle looks too fierce, the enemy seems too big, the chaos and confusion starts to wear us down and for a moment, we wonder if we will make it. Some points that we should be made aware of:

1. God made promises in the past v23

2. People who refuse His voice, will not see the promises

3. When people don’t listen, he takes it personal spurn-treat w contempt

A dream – the glory of the Lord is in the earth, it is going deep into the mud deep into the earth, The glory is moving through the depths of the earth, in and out of the earth and it’s breaking up the earth. It’s breaking up the fallow ground!

A Vision, a man on an old plow. He’s plowing the earth. He seems alone to the eye. He seems weak, he seems feeble and small, he plows with an old plow, I can’t see the animals, there are no animals, there is something else that cannot be seen pulling the plow.

It doesn’t look like much to the physical eye, but the same one that is pulling the plow is the same one that is releasing his glory into the earth, and breaking up the fallow ground!

Don’t take your hand off the plow child of God! Then the seed starts flying, the seed is raining in the air and falling onto the broken ground, entering into the broken ground. The Spirit is plowing hearts, the Spirit is breaking the fallow ground, in the breaking, ugly is revealed, confusion, chaos, irritation, it’s because it’s within the heart, within the heart, things are being exposed: your heart, my heart. Its being exposed, so it can be moved out of the way, wrong intentions, wrong thoughts, God wants them gone!

And then the seed enters the plowed earth, and what looked like gallows for the hanging, for my hanging, for the church’s hanging is suddenly turned into a victory. For a while, the chaos and confusion looked momentarily looked like an opportunity for Satan to prevail, it was an opportunity allowed by me, says the lord for you to trust me. Trust me, child of God, trust me, Church, let me cleanse you deeply, let me reach into the depths of the soil of your heart include you in preparation for your personal harvest, so I can use you in my harvest!

Let my glory, fill the Earth!!