Just Take a Breath

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Introduction

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

• Today is Pentecost and I really wanted to preach about Pentecost today, but it will have to wait until next week.
• I already pushed today’s sermon back because Mother’s Day needed to be about mothers.
• What is it that is so important that it can’t wait another week?
• The Holy Spirit wants me to address an issue that is threatening our church.
• I want you to look around this church and tell me what you see in the pews around you.
• Are they empty? WRONG!!  They are occupied by the enemy.  You just can’t see them.
• Mark’s Gospel proves it in 1:23-24

Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

• You see this church has become popular and now has become a giant target.
• The Holy Spirit is concerned about this church so you can bet that demons aren’t the only ones sitting in these pews.
• When Lucifer fell from heaven, he took a third of the angels with him according to Revelation 12:4.
• That means that for every demon, there are two angels that God can send to help us.
• So, look around again at those empty pews there’s angels here as well.
• And I don’t just mean the angels you know and recognize – I mean the invisible ones that God is using to protect His precious church – this church – that is doing His work.
• I don’t mean to be an alarmist, but I mean to shine a light on what is going on:

1. Why is this happening?
2. How is it happening?
3. What are we going to do about it?

1. Why is this happening?

• This church was on the decline and discouraged, the enemy figured his work was done.
• But there was a remnant here of families who refused to give up on this old church.
• They looked upward and stepped out in faith with a commitment to serve their neighbors.
• God saw what was happening here and He called it righteous just as He did with Noah in Genesis 6:5-8:

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.  The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.  So, the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

• We are building an ark here where people in need can come to get help with their lives.
• Whether they need food or clothes or whether they need a place to help others.
• And because of our obedience to God, WE have found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
• What does all this mean for us in the eyes of Satan, the enemy? We are now a priority.
• Verse 22: “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”
• This is our mantra here – we strive to do everything just as God has commanded us.
• And in return for our hard work, we are being richly blessed.
• And now the enemy sees us as a threat, and he is on the attack.
• I know this because I see and hear about numerous attacks from my people.

2. How is it happening?

• The only way the enemy can stop us is to divide us from the inside and pit us against each other.
• In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus addresses this specifically in 12:22-28:

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.  All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”  But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?  And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

• A house divided against itself cannot stand. The enemy knows this.
• What is going on preacher man? What are you talking about?
• The enemy that is sitting in these pews beside you and amongst you is paying attention.
• They are listening for every little detail that they can twist around and use against you.
• They know your vulnerabilities and are focusing on your weak points.
• If you are a person who has been away from church and giving it another chance, your vulnerability may be: “look at how these people act – this is why I haven’t gone to church.”
• If you want to pitch in and be a part of things and you are a person with ideas, your vulnerability may be: “nobody listens to me, and I really don’t matter.”
• If you are a rule follower, your vulnerability may be: chaos and disorganization and lack of order and it frustrates you.
• If you have been here all your life, your vulnerability may be: you don’t want things to change.
• I could go on and on and on – but I’ll stop because I think you are getting the point.
• Just realize that we all have them – even me. What is my vulnerability?
• I’m pretty naïve sometimes about the risky situations I sometimes get into trying to help.
• So, the enemy finds our most vulnerable places and then arranges to exploit them.
• He makes you feel insecure about your place in this fellowship – I get that, it’s OK.
• He makes you angry at other people because you are sensitive to things they say.
• He makes you cry because of what other people say to you.
• He makes you question why you came here in the first place.
• He divides us against each other – A house divided cannot stand.

3. What are we going to do about it?

• I’m not just stirring things up to stir things up.
• With the help of the Holy Spirit who mostly wrote this sermon, I’m going to help.
• How can we fight back and avoid becoming divided? Any ideas?
• First, we can become AWARE of what is going on behind the scenes around us.
• KNOW that the enemy and his demons are sitting here among us.
• REMEMBER that God’s angels are sitting here among us. Ephesians 6:12:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

• This stuff is for real, and we will make great progress against it if we ACCEPT it is real.
• Now that we know what the enemy’s game is, we can equip ourselves to defend against it
• Paul gives us the answer in verses 13-17:

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

• Let’s unpack this in a way that works practically for us because the day of evil is HERE.
• Decide to stand firm – you’re not gonna give up and run for the door no matter what.
• Look for the truth – we need to change, we need to work hard, yard sales are messy, people take advantage of us, things break in a 100-year-old building, money’s tight, people get sick, tempers flare, accusations fly, people are tired, life is unfair.
• These are TRUTH – accept it for what it is and don’t let it get a grip on you.
• Keep your eyes on the prize – remember GOD sees you and your work as RIGHTEOUS.
• Be ready to find PEACE in every conflict, every edgy joke or snarky comment – PEACE.
• We’ve been seriously tested in this even though we meant well – use the FORCE, PEACE
• Paul tells us to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
• Get ready and stay ready because you WILL be tested – probably here today.
• Paul says use your faith as a SHIELD. THAT, my friends, is WHY WE ARE HERE.
• Faith in Jesus Christ means salvation from death and evil, and eternal life with Christ.
• I have faith in Christ, and I have faith in all of you – ALL of you – EVERYONE.
• Back to our Scripture, I want to point out a few things:
• Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
• God has sent each of you to bring something special here and you are VITAL to the plan.
• You may be an organizer, a musician, an artist, a decorator, a writer, a planner, a craftsman, a landscaper, a chef, a teacher, a caregiver, a card-writer, a technologist, a designer, a preacher, an evangelist, a nurturer, or an encourager – the list goes on and on.
• Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
• Don’t ever forget it.