Fear and Doubt Limits God
Don’t limit God by what you can or cannot do in the natural (Romans 8:5-8) “for
they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are
after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to
be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God; for it is not subject to the law of God; neither indeed can be. So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God”.
Remember that God says that He will never leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 12:
1-3 tells us “wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of
sinners against Himself, less you be wearied and faint in your minds”.
God gives a vision (Habakkuk 2:2-3), which says “and the Lord Yahweh
answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he
may run that read it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak; and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it
will not tarry”.
The vision of God is always more than we can comprehend in the natural.
Many people look down on Abram and Sarai when they agreed to help God by
using Hagar to bear a son for Abram (Genesis 16:1-4,15) “now Sarai Abram’s
wife bare him no children; and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name
was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, behold now, the Lord Yahweh has
restrained me from bearing; I pray you, go in to my maid; it may be that I may
obtain children by her, and Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai
Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years
in the land of Canaan, and gave her o her husband Abram to be his wife. And
he went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had
conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Hagar bare Abram a
son; and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael”.
We can’t be to harsh on them, because even today many people are still trying
to help God bring forth their vision. I myself have had a Ishmael, it was called the
Women’s Coalition for the disadvanced. You see I had a vision of opening up
group homes for the disadvanced and at the time I was in Real Estate and
Mortgage, so I told some of my associates and we came up with the idea of
buying homes for no money down and converting them into group homes. It
seemed right at the time because we were helping a lot of people find housing,
but it was not of God, because we had to lie to get the houses.
Now lets look at Moses, when he became of age; Acts 7:23-25 which says “and
when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the
children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and
avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian. For he supposed his
brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them;
but they understood not”. You see it was in his heart to deliver Israel, but not
knowing how, he used the flesh, and that cost him forty years in the wilderness.
This time when God called him, he was careful to follow instructions, and God
was able to use him to deliver the Israelites from the hand of Egyptians.
God gives second chances, I myself have been given a second change, and I am
glad that it didn’t take me forty years in the wilderness; I am called to be a
teacher, and to teach others how to trust God instead of going on in their own
strength, and let God do what only He can do. The Bible tells us that “then he
answered and spoke to me, saying, this is the word of the Lord Yahweh to
Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord
Yahweh of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
When you think of it in the light of the word, you will see that those who try to
help God, don’t really trust Him, they believe that they have to make it happen.
But that is farthest from the truth. When we put our hands in it, then God
removes His hands; you see He will not share His glory.
The Bible tells us to cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us. As He gives us a
vision, and we don’t know how to perform it, we must go to Him and ask Him what
to do (James 1:5-8), “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to
all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in
faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of
the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways”. We have to
remember as it says in Hebrews 11:6 “but without faith it is impossible to please
Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him”.
Now lets look at a new testament example; Peter was tempted, Jesus says in
Luke 22:31-32 says “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, satan has
desired to have you; that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you,
that your faith fail not; and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren”.
Peter denied Jesus three times, yet on the day of Pentecost, he was used to
speak to the multitude and over three thousand were added to the church (Acts
2:22-40).
Many well meaning people, when they hear that you have a word from God will
ask you, how are you going to do it? But the truth is that you should not try to do
it on your own; but when you yield yourself to God, He can use you do mighty
things. Jesus in His parable of the sower, explains (Mark 4:26-29) “and He said,
so is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground. And
should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up,
he knows not how. For the earth brings forth fruit of itself, first the blade, then
the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth,
immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come”. We don’t have
to know everything, we just have to trust and follow God’s leading. After all “all
things are possible with God”.
Jesus was asked what to do, “then said they to Him, what shall we do, that we
might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, this is the work
of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent” (John 6:28-29).
Let us draw near to God so that He can speak to us, His vision for our life, and
then let us continue to ask for instructions from God to complete it.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 7, 2011
Don’t limit God by what you can or cannot do in the natural (Romans 8:5-8) “for
they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are
after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to
be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God; for it is not subject to the law of God; neither indeed can be. So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God”.
Remember that God says that He will never leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 12:
1-3 tells us “wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of
sinners against Himself, less you be wearied and faint in your minds”.
God gives a vision (Habakkuk 2:2-3), which says “and the Lord Yahweh
answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he
may run that read it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak; and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it
will not tarry”.
The vision of God is always more than we can comprehend in the natural.
Many people look down on Abram and Sarai when they agreed to help God by
using Hagar to bear a son for Abram (Genesis 16:1-4,15) “now Sarai Abram’s
wife bare him no children; and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name
was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, behold now, the Lord Yahweh has
restrained me from bearing; I pray you, go in to my maid; it may be that I may
obtain children by her, and Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai
Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years
in the land of Canaan, and gave her o her husband Abram to be his wife. And
he went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had
conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Hagar bare Abram a
son; and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael”.
We can’t be to harsh on them, because even today many people are still trying
to help God bring forth their vision. I myself have had a Ishmael, it was called the
Women’s Coalition for the disadvanced. You see I had a vision of opening up
group homes for the disadvanced and at the time I was in Real Estate and
Mortgage, so I told some of my associates and we came up with the idea of
buying homes for no money down and converting them into group homes. It
seemed right at the time because we were helping a lot of people find housing,
but it was not of God, because we had to lie to get the houses.
Now lets look at Moses, when he became of age; Acts 7:23-25 which says “and
when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the
children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and
avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian. For he supposed his
brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them;
but they understood not”. You see it was in his heart to deliver Israel, but not
knowing how, he used the flesh, and that cost him forty years in the wilderness.
This time when God called him, he was careful to follow instructions, and God
was able to use him to deliver the Israelites from the hand of Egyptians.
God gives second chances, I myself have been given a second change, and I am
glad that it didn’t take me forty years in the wilderness; I am called to be a
teacher, and to teach others how to trust God instead of going on in their own
strength, and let God do what only He can do. The Bible tells us that “then he
answered and spoke to me, saying, this is the word of the Lord Yahweh to
Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord
Yahweh of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
When you think of it in the light of the word, you will see that those who try to
help God, don’t really trust Him, they believe that they have to make it happen.
But that is farthest from the truth. When we put our hands in it, then God
removes His hands; you see He will not share His glory.
The Bible tells us to cast our cares on Him, for He cares for us. As He gives us a
vision, and we don’t know how to perform it, we must go to Him and ask Him what
to do (James 1:5-8), “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to
all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in
faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of
the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways”. We have to
remember as it says in Hebrews 11:6 “but without faith it is impossible to please
Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him”.
Now lets look at a new testament example; Peter was tempted, Jesus says in
Luke 22:31-32 says “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, satan has
desired to have you; that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you,
that your faith fail not; and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren”.
Peter denied Jesus three times, yet on the day of Pentecost, he was used to
speak to the multitude and over three thousand were added to the church (Acts
2:22-40).
Many well meaning people, when they hear that you have a word from God will
ask you, how are you going to do it? But the truth is that you should not try to do
it on your own; but when you yield yourself to God, He can use you do mighty
things. Jesus in His parable of the sower, explains (Mark 4:26-29) “and He said,
so is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground. And
should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up,
he knows not how. For the earth brings forth fruit of itself, first the blade, then
the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth,
immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come”. We don’t have
to know everything, we just have to trust and follow God’s leading. After all “all
things are possible with God”.
Jesus was asked what to do, “then said they to Him, what shall we do, that we
might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, this is the work
of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent” (John 6:28-29).
Let us draw near to God so that He can speak to us, His vision for our life, and
then let us continue to ask for instructions from God to complete it.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 7, 2011
