Faith At The Breaking Point Part 3

Looking to Jesus bring tribulation can be traced to the rage of Satan wants one last chance to read before facing one last chance to get people to worship him instead of God, and one last chance to destroy the faith of those still alive believe in Jesus today overcome our mortal enemy from the Moody Church in Chicago this morning to when books are clear.

Teaching helps us make it across the line. This is been a tough message to hear and I'm sure a tough one for you to arrange what will your takeaways be as you conclude faith at the breaking point.

Will David takeaways going to be. Of course that they overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, but I need to say yes a difficult message to preach a difficult message to contemplate, but there it is in God's holy word and my dear friends today to all who are listening. I have such a burden that you listen carefully to this message that I'm going to and my talk right here and were going to go directly to the pulpit of Moody church no matter where you are, whether you're in a car or in an office or at home. Wherever you are listening listen very carefully and you're going to especially see the power of the ending of this message. Their joy so happens and you who dwell in them, but woe to you on the earth and see for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows his time is short. People debate as to when this happened.

Many of us believe it's probably during the tribulation. But notice there's three reasons why Satan full of rage. Number one he couldn't kill Christ. When Christ was here on earth, number two, he's thrown out of heaven. He's humiliated. He no longer has direct access to God where he can accuse us before the throne is evidently he did in the book of Job, and third he knows his time is short. 3 1/2 years and then hell awaits.

Now he was really wise. He wouldn't oppose God because then he knows that his suffering in hell would be just a little less but he can't help himself. He so hates God and God's people that as long as he still has existence on this planet before he is turned into hell forever. He's going to do all the possible damage he can. Woe to the earth for the rage of the devil. Is there but how did the saints overcome him. Where did they get the strength to stand in the midst of such opposition.

Where does a Christian get the strength to stand for Christ, even if nobody in his old district is standing for Christ and he has to die alone as a believer where is that strength they overcame him number one because of the blood of the Lamb. The fact is that when Jesus Christ died on the cross. His crucifixion was a tremendous victory he was buying out from this earth. People from every tribe and tongue and nation and was purchasing them and there was nothing that the devil could do about it.

The devil tried to oppose him, but he couldn't in the presence of Jesus. He had to stand down and give in and let Jesus do it.

The resurrection proves the fact that Jesus triumphed over death and that Jesus ascended into heaven totally victorious above all principalities and all powers and every name that his name and Jesus is there today with all authority under his feet. That's what he told us we could evangelize onto me at all authority given at every level. Jesus Christ conquered Satan he disarmed him and he guaranteed the fact that for Satan the hell would be forever.

It would be just that it would be a place of torment. Don't ever think that Dante was right that they're going to be demons in hell tormenting people listen in hell. Satan is not the torment tour. He is the torment said that he's the one who is going to justly suffer and he knows it and is angry and he accuses us still before the father. Look at that Christian he believes in Jesus look at the war with lust that he lost this past week. Look at the war with anger. Look at the Hyde Park receipt and remember. Don't ever argue with the devil when he comes and shows you your sin because you will lose and he knows a lot more about you than you even want to know so don't argue with. What do you do you go to the blood of Jesus and say that all of this may be true, but before the throne.

My sureties stands. My name is written on his hands. He died for me.

His blood was shed that's the ground of my victory. That devil is defeated. His accusations have no power against us because Jesus paid it all and then it says they overcame him by the word of their testimony that doesn't just mean you know a testimony meeting where everybody stands up and says what Jesus means to them. It's talking about the fact that these believers stood upon the ground of the shed blood of Jesus Christ in the victory of the cross and the resurrection and that these believers stood on that and it was their testimony in that finished work of Jesus that gave them the strength and the power to be able to say no to the devil and to be able to say we are willing to die for Christ, even if nobody stands with us, and then notice the next phrase I love it and it's very important and they did not consider their life even unto death. What saying is this, they love Jesus more than life itself. As the apostle Paul said for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

They said to me, death is gain. Because of Jesus. And isn't it Jesus dies on a cross. And while there burying him.

What is he doing he's having supper with a forgiven thief and their hobnobbing on the other side.

So what Jesus is really teaching us and what the writer of Revelation is teaching us is the fact that you and I should not love our lives more than we do Jesus and let me say this. If today you love your life more than you love Jesus.

Very probably you will not have the strength when the persecution, and throughout history there have been many examples of people who did not love their lives more than they love Jesus.

If you read Fox's book of martyrs. You'll discover that there were times when little children were being tortured and their parents said to them, don't get then be brave for Jesus. He is with you and the parents encourage their children who were being tortured to be faithful for Christ church history is strewn with examples like.

Let me give you a contemporary one about four or five months ago in Egypt with all of the outbreak of persecution which is worse now than it was previously where the Arab spring is turned into the Islamic winter.

There were a group of teenagers, Coptic Christians marching down the streets of Cairo with T-shirts that said marcher on request. In other words, if you want to kill me.

Here I am, I volunteer to die for Jesus when it be wonderful if in America today. We had that kind of courage would not that be an example of God's greatness and power you say will Pastor Luther, you raise the issue though regarding children. What would we do well first of all let me say we don't know exactly what we would do because we've never been in that situation, but no doubt throughout history there have been parents that have been so committed to Jesus and so committed to him that they love Jesus more than their children and were willing to entrust their children into God's hands, believing that their souls will be saved, even if they are taken from them and even if they also become martyrs for the faith or if they are abused to believe that eternity is a long time is short and we must be faithful to Christ no matter what. What an amazing difference a couple of chapters make in chapter 13. I read to you how the saints they were overcome by the antichrist. It says power was given on to him to overcome them to conquer them. That's a real downer is in it. To think that antichrist is given power like this and then we turn to chapter 15 and this is what it says I'm going to quote some of the verses slowly, but I want you to follow. It says and I saw a sea of glass mingled with fire and them who had gotten the victory over the antichrist over the beast, and over his image and over his mark, so yeah, he conquered them here, but now there on a sea of glass, and they'd gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image and over his mark and they stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God, and they sing the song of Moses the servant of the Lord in the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God in Almighty just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints who shall not fear the old Lord, and glorify thy name and there they are singing victorious songs in the presence of God because they loved not their lives even to the point of death.

I believe that the church of Jesus Christ today has to be delivered from fear, not just fear of martyrdom, but fear of witnessing fear of political correct fear of this in fear of that fear of the future. Fear of the economics of the future because it is only when we are free indeed.

Can we live like free men and women on intimidated by what is going on around us, because the truth has set us free to believe that truth is that if so, what were going to do now is to be delivered from fear. Aren't you glad you came right for five of you are. I wrote a prayer that all of us are going to pray together. It takes a few minutes to pray it but if you look at the commas and if you are in the cadence of the prayer and I will of course lead you.

Let us pray it together in faith, would you stand please everyone stand. The prayer is going to be on the screens so that we can say it together for the honor and the glory of God.

Let us pray at insincerity. Let us pray it in the hope let us pray it in great faith because we are on the winning side no matter what Earth looks like we know what heaven looks like, and we know where we are going. Praise God, and now are you ready let's read it together. Father, help me to agree with you that I am not subject to fear but am a child of your love. I reject fear of the future, for I believe that the future is in your hands.

I reject fear of evildoers for your word says though an army camp against me, my heart shall not fear the war rise against me yet. I will be confident, for he will hide me in the shelter in the day of trouble. He will conceal me under the cover of his 10. He will lift me high upon the wrong I renounce fear of rejection for David wrote in your holy word for my father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. I renounce fear of witnessing about Christ because your word warrants the fear of man brings his hand. Therefore I choose to hear you more than I do any human being. I affirm the Lord is on my side I will not fear what can man do to me.

I renounce the fear of losing my property and possessions for your word says I have learned in whatever situation I am content. I know the secret of facing plenty and hunger abundance and need I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I renounce fear of Satan for your word says he has already been, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. I renounce the fear of saying goodbye to it terminally ill love for Jesus promise. Let not your heart be troubled in my father's house are many rooms. I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.

I renounce fear of death. Brian affirmed with the apostle Paul for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Thank you for the promise death is swallowed up in victory. I renounce fear of martyrdom for your word declares do not fear those who are able to kill the body but fear him, rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. I renounce fear of loneliness, for we are promise our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. And also I will never leave you nor forsake you. And again peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I renounce fear of intimidation for Jesus said if the world hates you, know it is hated me before it hated you in the world you will have tribulation, but take heart I have overcome the world.

I renounce fear of false accusations. I accept this promise. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you. I renounce the fear of being treated unjustly for Jesus. We read when he was reviled. He did not revile in return when he suffered, he did not, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. I renounce the fear of radical Islam and its desire to intimidate us.

I renounce fear of political correctness. I declared that the truth shall set me free and I choose to live as every person in Christ Jesus.

I shall speak and not be silent. I renounce fear of curses either known or unknown, spoken against me and my family. I renounce fear of manipulation and control.

I renounce the fear of being involved in public or political activity. I declared that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, I submit to Jesus as Lord of every area of my life. Jesus is Lord of my home. Jesus is Lord my relationships. Jesus is Lord by city and Jesus is Lord of my nation. Jesus Christ is Lord above all gods and religion.

Jesus is Lord Lord over all the nations of the year I committed myself to be a living witness for Jesus Christ as Lord, I am not ashamed of his cross God for that I should glory except in the cross of Christ I ask now that you will fill me with your Holy Spirit and pour upon me all the blessings of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, grant me the grace to understand the truth of your word clearly and to apply it in every area of my life. Give me words of hope and life as you promise open and bless my lips so that I can speak to others with authority and power in Jesus name. Give me the boldness to be a faithful witness for Christ. Give me love for all people, and the passion to share the love of Christ with them, grant that I shall carry your cross as a badge of honor. In Jesus name, amen. My friend, this is Pastor Luther. What do I say after the simple fact is we honor God by taking his promises and his word and committing ourselves to him no matter what the future might hold. Rejecting fear trusting God and believing to the very end. Would you like to have this series of messages permanently so that you can listen to them again and again and share them with your friends. Here's what you can do for your gift of any amount you go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 now I have to say that this is one of the last times where making this sermon series available and also the prayer that you have just heard a printout of it will be sent to you. Thank you in advance for helping us as we share the good news of the gospel of Christ in a very troubled world where persecution and alienation of those who love Christ is happening before our eyes. Let me give you that contact information again and thanks in advance for helping us. You go to RTW offer.com. Of course, as you might guess, RTW offer is all one word RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

You need these messages, famines, deserts and other hard places because you may be going through a very hard place. These messages will give you the instruction.

The encouragement and also the example from Scripture as to how we can navigate an uncertain future. Go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Remember you will be getting a copy of this prayer. Many people keep it in their Bibles so that they have it handy, reminding themselves that the promises of God. Thanks in advance.

As I've already mentioned, for helping us because together we are making a difference as we run together all the way to the finish line it's time now for you to ask Pastor Luther a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Divorce is getting pretty common these days. Even in many churches. Clio is written to us wondering this countercurrent pastor be divorced.

Clio I need to tell you that I really don't have enough information from your very brief question. For example, there may be instances in which a wife is divorcing her husband and maybe the husband is the quote innocent party and maybe he can continue to serve in the church.

There are instances like that. Even some contemporary instances where that has happened and I'm not qualified to judge all the details. But if a pastor is going through divorce, especially if he's the one who is filing the divorce or the divorce is happening and being played out as it were in the front of the congregation, as these things would be in the case of the pastor. Of course I think that this means that his credibility is is deeply in question. So I would say that the answer in those kinds of circumstances is no whether or not he can ever serve again. There are various understandings of this all simply leave that up to you and to your church into your leadership. But at the end of the day. There are very high qualifications for leadership in the church and surely someone who is going through a divorce I cannot simply stay in the pulpit and pretend that nothing is happening. I've always said that every pastor should be able to preach on all aspects of the Christian life in one of those aspects is the family and marriage. If a pastor can preach about those because his own credibility has been eroded. I think that he needs to step down.

Thank you Cleo and thank you Dr. lutes are if you'd like to hear one of your questions answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor Luther or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614.

There comes a time in the neckline of the nation that God will no longer delay judgment at that time things get really bad. America may be at that point and believers are caught up with everyone else when calamity strikes, how should we live when they're really hard times, next time guidance from an Old Testament who thought times like ours coming this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the teacher