It’s Time for Another Ridiculous Battle Plan

Carter Conlon from the historic Times Square Church in New York City. You are the ridiculous battle plan of God and still not you are the one that God wants to use you who's addicted you who have trouble in your home and your family. You are just like everybody else and God is ever used throughout history. Thank you for joining us this week for a call to the nation with Carter Conlon will learn from Carter today that if you feel like you're the worst person in your neighborhood or your family. If you feel like you're despise if you feel rejected and unloved by God. If you feel like nothing then you are God's ridiculous battle plan in this generation, let's turn to first Corinthians 1 verse 18 and join Carter now. I personally believe this world is launching its final assault against the Lordship of Jesus Christ. You can read about that all through the Scriptures some particular chapters like Matthew chapter 24. For example, a deal exclusively, almost with this moment. Paul the apostle talks about it in Timothy and Luke two Thessalonians as well so you can take time and you can study that but we see this rising of lawlessness in our generation were beginning to realize that there is no hope for peace is no hope for reconciliation is no hope for justice to justice as according to the word of God. Godliness in our homes and families and our children apart from the divine sovereign move of God in this world. And as I have seen the news and study the word of God. I've come to a conclusion and it's the title of my story that it's time for another ridiculous battle plan.

There's no other conclusion I can come to you understand what I'm talking about in just a moment.

As we looked in the Scriptures and I want to start in first Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 18 we can start there and ready to go through almost right to the middle of the of the chapter for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but you also are being saved it is the power of God and doll and let me put it in context, that that means that Jesus Christ died to pay the price for our sin so that we might be forgiven when we place our trust in him for our salvation them is to be saved to be taken out from under the penalty of eternal separation from God and brought into relationship with God because we have trusted the Christ took our place on that cross. Now there's something of the power of God, not as a power obviously in God to forgive our sin we we all understand that. But there's another power.

There's a deeper part of the something that God has done for us, to the cross when he was raised from the dead. The Bible tells us in the New Testament by the power of God's Holy Spirit. The promise to you and I is that the one who raised Christ from the dead will also quicken our mortal bodies, so he will bring us out of a place of death will bring us out of a place of weakness or confusion or listlessness, or are just to have living lives that really don't amount to anything or bring any glory to God by the spirit of God, the promise of the cross is that we will be lifted out all of this place of weakness and darkness and brought into life and light as Pastor Patrick shared tonight an abundance of God will become ours. The strength of God will become ours and through each of our lives.

God will do something that he is determined to do things ofttimes that you and I have not even thought is able to do. I had no idea what God was going to do through my life. The day that I gave my heart to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

It was it was a so far out of my thinking. I couldn't have even conceived of it in my mind, but yet God in his mercy started leaving me out of the places I used to live in the ways I used to think into something brand-new that he had for my life a new place and it was going to take me and influence that he was going to exert through my life to bring other people to him the saving knowledge of who he is. So this is the message of the cross. It's redemption in living the redemptive life as it is, for it is written. Verse 19 I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the put another what I would do something that natural man can't reason it makes no sense to the natural man. The natural mind that is the mind apart from God. I will do something that will bring the wisdom of this world to nothing. I will go beyond what this world is able to achieve a goal beyond those who get to high places because of their influence or their degrees.

Other accessibility to the power and promise as this world offers it to them.

Verse 20 says where's the wise words describe where's the disputer of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world.

For since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom, did not know God, it pleased God to the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For the Jews request a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block into the Greeks and others to those who live by their own intellect and influence foolishness.

But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

There is an ability that God gives to those who belong to him in a wisdom that through the Holy Spirit and the word of God that is imparted into our minds as we trust in God that this world doesn't know anything about this will can give it, and thank God this world can't take it away either because the foolishness of God is wiser than men in the weakness of God is stronger than men so that as I read this as a member of the first the first years of engendering this many many years ago I was thinking that the foolishness of God. How could anybody even consider saying that the God has any foolishness propose is using it rhetorically in a sense, if you accuse God of being foolish, pulsing his his foolishness is wiser than all of your wisdom, put together. If you accuse God of being weak is weakness is stronger than anything that you can produce in this world because of the cross of Jesus Christ and the people of God.

All throughout redemptive history. God has chosen the weak things of this world and he has enacted battle plans the to the natural mind member that it's this foolishness of God is wiser than men to the natural mind the plans of God. Don't make any sense. The battle plans of God are absolutely ridiculous. You and I both know the examples. For example in the book of Exodus, the people of God are in captivity to a much more naturally powerful nation. They are being given tasks to do their discourage the depressed is like we have a lot of prayer request a people who are are down and and feel defeated and their children. The disappointment the children liposomes were being thrown into the river. The ground cannot be said that in our generation that our children are being thrown into there's a river of confusion whether it's gender confusion or doctrinal confusion or our doubt about the reality of God to their their minds are being out as I speak their minds are being indoctrinated with with ideals that are so far away from the ways of God that it's actually scary and I got to the point where the people of God of this generation began to cry out to God they didn't know what else to do the leg. They didn't have the resource to be set free from the suppression. The suppressive culture in the sense that had encircled them and was was imposing its will upon them and harming their children. It's all he knew to do was to cry out to God. And when when they cried out to God. God initiated the battle plan a battle plan to get his people out of captivity from under the influence and control of one of if not the most powerful army on the earth at this time. So God initiates a battle plan out in the world. If we were going to try to set millions that literally people free. We would be hiring foreign armies.

We would start military training. We would have tabs we be building chariots would be finding horses would be hammering swords. God's battle plan is to go into a desert in the backside of the desert as a matter fact and he found an 80-year-old man there a minimum standard might add, lost his ability to speak. This man had no weaponry of notes did no cherry did no access to power. All he had was a starter. He had a history of failure, and is as far as he could see and he was given a battle plan. I want you to go and stand before the most powerful leader on the earth of your time and with a stick in your hand in a one line sermon.

That's all he was given the do and the men were so weak he needed his brother to deliver the sermon and he stood before found it was just let my people go, that they may sacrifice, and to me in the wilderness that's that's all he had to do. That's that's your commission. I firmly believe that the only reason that Farrell didn't kill Moses and Aaron when they appeared in this court is because it was so humorous his seat to the to the natural man the power of God is foolishness to the natural man. So here's this old man is 80. He's got a stick is got no resorts, no power, no access to anything no army behind him and is it is so weak he can't deliver the one line sermon is 83-year-old mother asked to do the talking for him and I think the pharaohs is looking was just so so humorous.

That's only reason he didn't feel right on the spot.

And of course at a certain point it became a contest the power and Farrell at this point was and is a matter of pride. It was is a matter of whose power was greater his or these mentors who claim to be speaking for the living God ignored was God's plan is that his people free through this is dual of weakness as it was in the first thing when God came to Moses.

The first thing out of his mouth. This is cool. My that I could go on delivered your people out of captivity whom I that's the way you and I are.

That's the way you are up as I'm speaking these words, is it possible God is speaking a little spark of faith into your heart about something. Maybe he wants to do in and through your life that you haven't considered yet, but the very first thing I did many of us is who will not hold my that he would ever consider using my life I can do and I don't have any skill. I don't have the ability is nothing I can do the book of Judges, there was an an enemy army. The team, and every year hundred and 35,000 of them the night. They literally scooped up all the produce of the let everything to God's people were trying to build or are are procured to themselves as enemy army would come and adjust steel at all in the people God felt so hopeless and so helpless and yet a messenger of God appears to be young man called Gideon and calls him a mighty man of resource is first thing out of his mouth is. How can I save Israel. Don't you understand that my family is the weakest in all of the tribes and my am the weakest and least in my father's house I think you got the wrong address.

But God says no you see this is your resource I have sent you.

I've sent you and if I send you to do something, you will accomplish it.

Not in your strength or your wisdom, but in the strength and wisdom that I give to you. It will be done. The book of Esther. There was a law written that the people of God were to be oppressed and after that annihilated in all of their everything they had gained in their life was to be taken away from them. They were filled with fear and when the word of God came to this this young girl had been placed strategically in the Kings court. The first thing out of her mouth is.

I have not been called before the king for some time and it's it's like it's like the person tonight. This is all I don't think I can make a difference because II haven't really been in any kind of communication with with the Lord for quite a while now and I don't feel lovely. I don't feel like he wants me. That was her initial response and you going to the New Testament, the book of acts you have 120 people in an upper room and these people have all failed. They they have those strategy they have nothing they could offer the kingdom of God and the questions that would be in each of their mouse would be. Who are we in what chance do we have to overcome all that is now against us is a dominant culture called Roma consider themselves superior to the ways of the people of God. They've been conquered almost all of the whole known world.

The soldiers are everywhere. There they have the upper hand will even have weapons and and all of us. We will fail. They all knew that art are bolts of love and loyalty to God are our proximity to him and are leading on his heart, and every other display of affection or ordered statements were made about how loyal were to be is all fallen through our fingers. All fallen into the sand.

So who are we and what are we that you would even consider using our lives and what chance do we have to overcome all that is now against us to see it was time for another foolish battle plan another ridiculous battle plan.

That's the only way I can describe it because did you just imagine the battle plan is a God is used throughout the years and that's one verse 25 it says for the foolishness of God is wiser than men in the weakness of God is stronger than men say God could do it all himself. In just a moment of time.

The beauty of the Scripture is that he chooses to use you and me and he uses us not when were strong.

Quite often he uses us when were weak when we feel like our ministry moment like Moses passed us by. When we feel like Gideon like our houses were just so small and we've just accomplished so little in and we don't have heritage and wheat. We've got no influence or authority.

What whatever could come through our lives when we feel and lovely like a restaurant. Uncalled for unwanted like we we we had access once, but we don't have access to the throne of God anymore or is in the book of acts we feel like we failed him. He trusted us.

We told him we loved him when the time came to stand. We cowered.

We had we ran, and now all we can do in all we know how to do is pray the foolishness of God is wiser than men.

The weakness of God is stronger than men. In verse 26 now Paul is on them is bringing his whole thought to a culmination to a conclusion to a decision that has to be made in verse 26 he says, for you see your calling brother. Now here's my point. You are the ridiculous battle plan of God.

And so not you are God's ridiculous battle plan in the year 2021.

You are the one that God wants to use you you who's addicted you was despairing you are fighting discouragement and panic attacks you who have trouble in your home and your family.

You are just like everybody else and God is ever used throughout history.

You see your calling, Paul says you see your calling and that's my question to you. Do you see your calling, do you understand it's not many mighty you see your calling brother.

Not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world.

That's the foolishness of God, the reality that God has desired and designed to work through me to glorify his own name in the art to work through you, not in our strength.

But in our weakness in the book of Hebrews tells his own people. He says it is the invitation to his throne to commune with him is not when we are strong.

But when we are weak when we need mercy when we need grace when we need God to do something that only God can do. Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble, are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God's chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty and base things of the world and the things which are despised, has God chosen, and the things which are not art means nothing to bring to nothing the things that are so if you are foolish. If you are weak. If you feel like you're the worst person in your neighborhood or your family. If you feel despised.

If you feel even rejected and unloved by God.

If you feel like you are nothing, then you are God's battle plan in this generation.

Praise be to God, you are God's ridiculous battle plan. You are the next Moses and Aaron Gideon Esther book about Christians in the upper room, all praise be to God all praise be to God. Praise be to God.

It was sad because for years, especially in the Western world. We we forgot this somehow.

We left it off and we started trusting in the wise and we started trusting in the naturally strong the naturally noble the naturally mighty those it had 16° on their office while we started trusting in the strategist. Those who suggest we know how to do this with the strength to do this with the power to do this and here we are today in the same situation. The people of God in the Old Testament right up.

Acts chapter 2 found themselves in real we are one more time because flash has gloried in the presence of God and so we find the victory that was ours, or should have been ours now going back and farther and farther and farther back in the captivity and one more time one more time. I hear the heart of God. I hear the voice of God calling I hear them calling those of us who feel like were sealed behind a door in a tomb and have no life and have no strength.

I feel them calling the nobodies and nothings of society, one more time for one great and last, glorious visitation of God in the earth one last time one last time when men and women who are going to stand and say listen, you gotta hear me I was nothing in Christ became everything to me.

I was blind but now I see it hard to walk but not running. I had no resource but I'm finding there's a river of life starting to come from my inward parts to import towards together and I can't stop thinking incidental stances is up.

I didn't love anybody but myself of all the lovely now, the love of God is flowing through my heart for people everywhere. The simple message what Jesus Christ did for me can do for no pay.

Open my prison door and sent to my blinded eyes. My wounded heart restart my broken home, and this is silly as this is what he does. This is what he's able to do for you and tables that you will know I'm nothing.

I'm nobody I was among the weakest of the week of this world. I felt weak and despising them only unwanted but suddenly I heard a voice calling in my bedroom in my living room in my car on the bench was listing to private cell phone, I heard the voice of God calling.

Praise be to God, and I began to realize that I was God's end time battle plan to bring people out of darkness and captivity into the marvelous light and life of Jesus Christ.

Verse 29 Paul says that no flesh should glory in his presence. Hallelujah, the prophet Isaiah talked about the last days news that I hear from the earth in the midst of the fire's songs of glory to the righteous one gloried to him not to me not to my abilities, not to my denomination at the mud church but worry to him him and called me out of darkness into marvelous light yellow called out of the grave and gave me life to him and raise me up out of nothing and gave me a voice that is his to make a difference in my generation bosses, but of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that as it is written here glories let him glory in the Lord. Paul is basically say it is through Christ that were given everything we need to do what is called us to do as he said to Moses goal.

This is your strength absent you to Gideon go. This is your strength absent you faster.

You were raised for a moment such as this, and to the people in the book of acts is the just go and wait and pray until I come and I will give you what you need to do what I called you to do. Praise be to God hundred and 20 failures became God's ridiculous battle plan in the New Testament, they stood out in the public square, without weaponry, without a strategy without a plan had nothing written out on paper but they had in their heart. The presence of God they had in their lives. The power of God. They were speaking about him, not about themselves.

They were speaking about the things he was going to do and the things he was already doing in each of their lives, not about anything that they had strategized it was all about Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit and thousands that they sought thousands just melted into the dust or the religion failed them at that very moment because they saw God doing in the people that which only God can do. And yes, they suffered for many of them suffered for but they brought the gospel to you and to me into this whole known world because they were God's ridiculous battle plan for the moment, and so you don't need to be mighty to don't need to be noble. You don't need a natural wisdom. You don't have to be strong. You don't have to feel loved. You can feel despised. But God has chosen you and so the question is do you see your calling brother.

Do you see it is the God speaks by his word and then by his spirit. He brings his word to life in your heart if you don't let the Holy Spirit touch you than the words I speak are you read are just learning and and Paul warns in the New Testament about people, Lord always just learning but never brought to where that truth is supposed to take them. You have to just pray all Holy Spirit and living God make the things that I've heard from your word. Make them real in me and and I have nothing and I'm nobody but God. If you want to use me. You could have me if you want to send me where I could never go on yours if you want to give me what I could never possess here I am.

I open my heart to you. I open my life to Lord God take me and use me for your glory.

I remember getting on my knees at the altar, and as a God I don't have anything to give you.

I have a bad temper. If you need that I'm a lousy husband. I'm not a good father. I caved in empty broken wounded ashamed us of it if you can use it here it is in God enacted another one of his ridiculous battle plan for my life so I know what I'm talking about not bringing you some pie-in-the-sky theology that you can attain to. I know where you are. I know how you feel. I know what fear feels like I know what struggles are like I know the whole deal with, but I also know I'm going to ask you to give your life to Jesus Christ, not just for the forgiveness of your sins, but that you can be a person through whom God is the miraculous again in our generation. You been listening to Carter Conlon from Times Square Church in New York City. For more information and resources to help you in your walk in Christ. Log on to TSC.NYC TSC.NYC, be sure to be with us next week for a call to the nation with Hunter,