Services | Facing Goliath

Bulletin

FBCWest
June 6, 2021

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
​
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 148
“God So Loved”​​
“Raise a Hallelujah”

Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Facing Goliath”

PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“We Won’t be Shaken”

​
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate

Continued Praise and Worship
“Thrive”
“More Than Worthy”

Benediction “Egypt”


Acknowledgements and Announcements


Sermon Notes
1 Samuel 17:1 – 11
The situation
1 Samuel 17:12 – 19
Davis sent on a mission by his father
1 Samuel 17:30 – 27
David asks what is in it for the man who kills Goliath
1 Samuel 17:28 – 30
Davis’s brother has contempt for Davis
1 Samuel 17:31 – 37
David volunteers to kill Goliath
1 Samuel 17:38 - 40
Davis chooses his weapon
1 Samuel 17:41 – 54
The battle
Philippians 1:21
To live is Christ, to die gain
Galatians 2:20
Christ lives in me, not me

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

I once heard.

A pastor who was.

A pretty good preacher say that when it comes to sermons, what you do is you tell people what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.

I've never followed that instructions not going to start now, but I will tell you that this message is to come in kind of three parts, a fairly lengthy introduction to tell you why I'm bringing the message and then the second part is a pushback on the world, and then the third part is the pushback on other pastors and preachers, so I'll make everybody my enemy, maybe even some of you, but that's

the cross eyed bear I guess.

You can tell what a society thinks and what it wants by the advertisement that goes on.

And how they advertise?

In our culture, you'll see that everybody wants a good time, and so there are lots of commercial sewing. If you buy, this product will have a great time over. There are certain keywords that they say within either their product or their service, and some of those keywords are things like entitled.

Or sustainability, you know, sustainability everything from your clothes to the fish we you know, everybody's gotta feel good 'cause it's sustainable and they know that because they're selling to you and they want you to feel good.

But not all of their commercials work.

In some I find to be.

Defeating the purpose an I'm going to share two of these not to show why I'm differentiating it from this third commercial lot. Talk about.

I won't talk about the product, but probably if you've seen a number of these commercials, you'll know what I'm talking about. There's one commercial by a nonprofit that shows a boy who's basically lazy.

When he walked the dog, the dog is on a treadmill and he's laying on the couch and he does all these things and the purpose of the commercial is for them to tell you that you need to exercise.

Here's the problem. At the end of the commercial, the boy is sitting at a computer or some type of video game. He picks up his cell phone. He calls his grandmother who's in the same house. She's walking with a cane, answers the phone, and the boy says Grandma, would you get me a grape soda?

And then it says we need exercise. I'm going. No, that's not the problem of the little boy.

Little problem, the little boy is that he should be asking grandma can I get you a grape soda? Can I do something for you? Not for you to do something for me. The problem is not the lack of exercise.

And so.

I'm not brought those things up. My family hears those things in my ranting, raving, but that's the world. The second is. There is a pet food commercial where Lady sitting on a couch and she's just admiring her pet.

See, I'm not even telling you whether it's a dog or a cat. I'm trying to be really, you know, and so she just admiring the cat ran off in the distance you hear her son say mom, I fell.

She looks at her pet and says get a band aid.

And she goes, but I'm bleeding. Her responses get too.

Now the problem is, is that that's exactly the world the world is. I'm more in love with my pet than my own family.

Now me that offends me and I would I take that pet.

And do some with it. If it's that more important than my child. But again, it's the world, and so I'm not going to preach those messages because that's the world and there whatever but the third one has come into my territory.

And I'm going to.

Push back.

There is a commercial.

Or the woman says.

That in the situation of David and Goliath.

The David should cooperate with Goliath.

Now in our society there are some lexicons of things like.

Writing on the wall right in a wall doesn't mean there's graffiti.

It means you've been weighed in the balance found lacking, and you're not going to have a good day.

The other one is David and Goliath, and somehow they think that the story is about some little guy and some big guy and how they ought to cooperate as soon as it came out of her word. I am not cooperating with Goliath.

Goliath is the enemy, and the title of the sermon is facing. Goliath is not facing giants. There's a lot of difficulties that we comment face of this in this life, but they're not always enemies.

So kind of give you an example. There are plenty of people.

Who root for our fans of such teams as the Raiders and the Steelers? They're not bad people, they're just misguided.

And so you know you, they're not your enemy, they just haven't seen the light. And So what we're going to be talking about is not that type of situation. We're going to be talking about in this spiritual warfare.

Now in this setting, the spiritual warfare is as much spiritual as it is physical.

And so we're going to. If you have your Bibles turn to first Samuel Chapter 17, and we're going to talk about David and Goliath.

Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and they were gathered at so cool, which belongs to Judah. And then they camped between Socko, an ASCA and FS demmon.

So the setting is. This is where the philistines are. The Philistines are now occupying a part of the Land of Israel, if you will. They've invaded the land. They are the enemies, and they are seeking to take territory away from Israel installed being the king and the men of Israel were gathered and camped in the valley of Elah Andrew, up in battle raid to counter the Philistines.

And the philistines stood on the mountain on one side, while Israel stood on the mountain. On the other side, with a valley in between them. And so you've got this, where there are two armies are encamped on a Ridge of the mountains. There's a valley where the battle would take place, and their posturing, an Israel, saying, we're here. You can't go any further, and the philistines are saying, we want to fight you.

So in verse forces then a champion came out from the armies of the philistines named Goliath from Gath.

Whose height was six cubits and the spam. So he's somewhere about 9-6 to 99.

He's a really big guy, even by NBA standards. You know an NBA standard. A guy who's 7 plus is really, really tall. Here's a guy who's 9996.

And he had a bronze helmet on his head and he was clothed with scaled armor which weighed 5000 shekels of bronze. Now I know that means nothing to you, that's about £125.

So this guy is big enough that that part of his armor is £125.00 and is not going to limit his ability to fight.

He was also had bronze Greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders and the shaft of his fear was like a weaver's beam, so there's this really thick large javelin. It's not a little poll, it's a thick beam like a 8 by 8 if you will. It's it's a big one and the head of his spear weighed 600 shekels of iron. His shield carrier also walked before him, so.

Sometimes when we get the picture of Goliath, we think fury is standing out there.

Doing what I was doing, he also has a shieldbearer in front of him.

So there's two of them. You gotta get through the shieldbearer for you. Get to Goliath.

And he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, why do you come out and draw up in battle array? And nothing's going.

What you doing you been standing here for awhile? You pretend like you're ready to go. You pretend like you're drawn up right for battle but I don't see you coming.

So he's mocking them.

Am I not the Philistine and you the servants of Saul?

Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. And if he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and service. So he's making an offering saying, look at.

There's no need for this messy fight.

Worth thousands of people gonna die.

Pick one guy, I'll fight him. The winner wins. The loser becomes slaves of the victor.

Again, the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together.

So again, he's continuing to taunt them, saying you're all set up in battle. Just send me one guy.

Let's deal with this. Let's get it over with.

And when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed an greatly afraid.

Now First off, Saul is the King of Israel.

He's supposed to be their leader.

And the people will do what the leader does, and if the leader is afraid, then the people will be afraid. But Saul is king, he should be taking this personal not only because he's king of the people, but because in essence Goliath is taunting God's people and thereby God.

And he should be taken offense at that. That's why I say there is no compromise between Goliath and David. There is no compromise between the people of God and Goliath because Goliath wants you to serve his gods.

Now, from a human point you can say, well, well saw had the anointing of the spirit of God and then it left and went on to David.

OK, but he's still the king. He should have resigned if he's not going to represent the people that way. Secondly, we don't have that excuse.

'cause if you're a believer you have this fear to God.

So that's the scene.

Verse 12 now David was the son of an E3 might of Bethlehem, Energia, Doogee, Judea or Judah. Easy for me to say whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons, and David was the youngest.

And Jesse was old in the days of saw, advancing years among men.

The three older sons of Jesse had gone after salt to the battle and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were ilium, the first born, and the second a Bender. Death, and the third Jamal and David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from salt, attend his father's flock at Bethlehem.

The Philistine came forward morning and evening for 40 days and took his stand, so this isn't just a.

One or two day event.

Goliath has been taunting the army.

For 40 days.

Supposed to fight.

You're supposed to protect their land. They're supposed to remove the invaders from the promised land.

Instead, they hear the taunts of Goliath an are fearful and dismay.

Then Jesse said to David, his son, take now for your brothers and method of roasted grain and these ten Lowe's and run to the camp to your brothers. Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commanders of their thousand and look into the welfare of your brothers and bring that back news of them.

OK, the dad is concerned of his sons. How's the battle going? You know he can't read the Jerusalem Times or the.

I guess JNN or our MSN BJ or Fox Jerusalem. He doesn't have those things, so he says, OK David, your job has been to to take care of the sheep, but I want you to go and I want you to find out how your brothers are doing.

'cause I'm their dad, I'm concerned they're in battle there at risk. Little does he know there just standing on a hill doing nothing.

And he says, send this food to your brothers, but on top of that give some good food cheese to the commanders, make a blessing to other people who are leading them.

And again, partially probably because that away if you if you give the commanders the good stuff.

They won't give.

Jesse's sons, the terrible jobs to do so. He's probably doing it as a smart person.

And so he sends him off. And for Solon, they and all the men of Israel are in the valley villa fighting with the Philistines, or so that's what he thinks. He said. They're just standing on a hill.

Being scared as Goliath comes out for 40 days yelling and screaming and taunting.

So David arose early in the morning and left a flock of with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. So notice two things. One, David takes his responsibility seriously. He does. What is dead commands him to do, even though he's already been anointed. King David, say look at dad, I'm king. You do what I tell you to do. But dad is. But David is a good son and does what his father tells him to do, but he doesn't do it irresponsibly.

He make sure that his job is to make sure the sheep are taken care of, so we make sure there's somebody there to take care of the sheep while he does this other errand.

And he came to the circle of the camp, while the army was going out in battle array, shouting the war cry again. There you know they're making lots of noise, but doing absolutely nothing there. Making the war cry. Yeah, Israel. And in the Philippines grew up in Battle array army against army. Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. So he's there.

To find out how they're doing, he's doing what his father told him to do.

And as he was talking with them, behold, the champion of the philistines from Gath, named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines. And he spoke the same words. And David heard them, so the same taunts he's been doing day after day. Yeah, you're all in battle are a big deal come and fight me. You bunch of cowards. OK, and David tearing these things, and when all the men of Israel saw them and they fled from him, and were greatly afraid the men of Israel said, have you seen this man?

Who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel and it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter Anne make his father's house free in Israel. So there is an incentive to go face Goliath. And if you're victorious you get.

You get his daughter, which means you get to be a part of the fee royalty. You get a lot of good stuff and on top of that you have a tax free life.

In today's world, that would be very valuable.

And so they're saying here you go, this is what gets what happens if you go notice up until 440 days. Nobody's taking it on. Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, well, will be done for the man who killed this philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel. Notice?

David understands the situation.

It's the reproach of Israel because they're afraid of this man.

Or who is this uncircumcised philistine that he should taunt the armies of God? You see, David has contempt for this person who is showing contempt for God.

That's why I keep saying you cannot compromise.

With Goliath.

You don't cooperate with him.

There is nothing to cooperate with 'cause he is on a different side than us.

And the people answered him, in accord with the word saying thus it will be done for the man who kills him. So David is hearing these things. But he wants to hear from several different sources to make sure.

It's true, 'cause in an army camp whatever rumors can spread and whatever so he wants to make sure it's accurate. Now aliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men and aliab anger burn against David and he said why have you come down and with whom? Have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart and you have come down in order to see the battle.

You see, number one. Don't be surprised when even your own family doesn't understand you.

For UC Davis, not there to see the battle.

David was there to bring food to his brothers and to tell his father what was going on.

And yet the brother thinks not only is the guard there to see the battle.

And that's all he's there for. But notice that he.

He denigrates

David's position, he goes.

So you love those few sheep.

You have such a tiny job, you're so unimportant. Why are you here? And again, this is the oldest brother.

And he's treating the youngest this way with great contempt.

And then then he turned away from into a. I'm sorry and when he spoke this word to David.

I'm sorry.

And David said, what have I done now? Was and not just a question? Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing. And the people answered the same thing as before. So notice David isn't deterred, he's gone.

Just ask a question guy. Relax.

But he doesn't detur he still ask the same question.

Which I kind of find interesting.

I guess it's because you can do God's will and get rewarded at the same time.

He's looking OK. How do I get rid of Goliath and benefit?

And when the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to. It's all.

And he sent for him, and David said to Saul, let no one's no man's heart fail on account of him, your servant will go and fight with this philistine.

So David, I got this.

I don't care. He's 99, I got this.

Then Saul said to David, you are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you, or what a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth, he saying.

You're just a kid.

You haven't grown up yet and this guy has fought longer than you've been alive.

He knows too much kind of sounds like Hall when he tells Timothy don't let people put you down for your youth.

That's exactly what's on.

You're just the scrawny kid.

But notice what David says, but David said this all. Your servant was sending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock and I went out after him and attacked him and rescued it from his mouth. And and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.

He's gone, God has protected me and I not only took back the sheep.

I killed the lion and I killed the bear and I broke him apart.

I'm going to do the same thing to this 9 foot nine guy.

'cause he's taunted the armies of the living God.

And David said, the Lord will deliver me from the the Lord, who delivered me from the pool of the lion, from the pool of the bear, he will deliver me from the hand of this philistine.

And again, notice David doesn't say I'm so brilliant and I'm so strong that I killed the lion anibare he goes. God delivered me. He gives the credit to where the creditors do. He says God delivered me and God will deliver me from this uncircumcised philistine, the enemy.

Install said the David go.

And maybe the Lord. May the Lord be with you.

Is like.

It's interesting instead of stocks all getting a backbone and saying OK if the Lord will deliver you. I'm the King of Israel, the Lord, deliver me, I'll go fight the guy.

Now let's go send David.

Install Cloud David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head and he clothed him with armor. And David girded his sword over the armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested him. So David said this all, I cannot go with these for I'm not it tested him and David took them off now.

I think this is subtly humorous.

Because David's a youth.

Salsa big guy. The reason he's king is everybody goes, he's a man.

He can lead his real 'cause he's a man. He's such a man. He can't go fight the big guy.

So he gives him his armor and I can see David Walker and I can't fight in this.

It's not going to workout time. I get my arm up. My head will be gone.

Because I haven't, so he gives a good. I haven't tested them. I need time to test them. So let me take him off and we'll do it my way.

And David took them off and he took.

His stick in his hand and chose for himself 5 smooth stones from the Rook and put them in a shepherd's bag, which he had even in his pouch.

Anise Ling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine now.

I find some interesting things about. He takes his stick.

Why do you take a stick?

I'll tell you why I think he took his stick at a version.

Goliath is going to be so concerned about he's going to mention the stick.

He's not going to mention the slingshot.

So David takes a stick.

But this guy, who already said that God will deliver him then take one stone, then take 2 stones didn't take 3 stones, didn't even take 4 stones. He took 5 stones.

I want five shots at this guy and their smooth 'cause I don't want the raggedness to change the aerodynamics.

So it takes 5 stones.

Slingshot Anna stick.

Then the Philistine came on an approach, David, with the shieldbearer in front of him. So again I find this humorous. 9 foot nine guy.

Taunting the armies of Israel. Here comes the little scrawny youth.

With a stick and he's got a shieldbearer in front of him.

Don't think the world's not afraid of you.

And when the philistine looked and saw David, he had disdained him, and he was but a youth, an Rudy, with a handsome appearance like.

You should be up a model. You know you're a cute guy. Go back and go get vogue magazines but find send somebody else fight me 'cause you're just as the spread little kid the Philippines said today that am I a dog that you come to me with the sticks.

If he says yeah, 'cause the dog you throw a stick in the dogs chase it so he's the diverted from his attention. You come with me with a stick. That's why I think it's a diversion.

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

So it's bad enough to do whatever, but now he's swearing at him or in the movies. It's adult language.

And the Philistines also said to David, come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and the beasts of the field. Now here's a warning for those of you.

Who aren't believers?

Don't tell people what you're going to do to them.

Because what you say you're going to do to them.

All too often happens to you.

Ask Jezebel.

Ask a lot of people who are against the people of God who make all these commitments and then find themselves being the fulfillment of that commitment. So he's going to come here.

And like a Kung Fu fight.

Come here and I'm gonna feed you to the birds.

Then David said to the Philistine, you come to me with a sword in a spear and a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taught him. Taunted, David goes.

I'm a little guy.

Have a stick.

Have some stones, sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me, you know. And he goes and he says.

You come to me.

You you got the javelin, you got the sword, you got the spirit, you got.

You come.

David says, but I've come in the name of the Lord.

David has far more protection than all of this, other than Goliath has.

Just as in another Bible passage, it will say.

When the army surrounded the Prophet and his servant, the Prophet said there are more with us.

Then against us.

This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands and I will strike you down and remove your head from you and I will give the dead. Give the dead bodies of the armies of the philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know, that there is a God in Israel.

You see, David says this is now personal.

Not only are you going to die, but all those people up there, they're going to die.

So that everyone might know that God is the God and not the one you just cursed.

And their God takes it personal when you criticize and taunt his people.

Even the people up on the other Ridge who've been afraid and dismayed for 40 days.

And that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear, for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands.

David doesn't say I am a great warrior.

David says God is the one who gives victory.

The battle belongs to the Lord, and he's going to fight and you're going to lose.

Then it happened with the Philistine rose, and came and drew near to meet David. That David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. He closed the gap.

You would think that that would be the last thing you want to do, because closing the gap means that the spear in the javelin would be a more effective.

And David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the building, and David put in his hand into the his bag and took from it a stone, and slung it. So while he's running, he's

getting ready, any swings it?

As long as an struck the Philistine on his forehead and the stone sank into his forehead so that it fell on his face to the ground. Now once you know that this wasn't the death new.

He stunned him.

He knocked him out.

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him.

But there was no sword in David's hand. Then David's ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword, Andrew it out of its chief, and kills him, and cut off his head with it. So David didn't have a sword, so I know what I'll do. I'll use Goliath sword.

So it takes Goliath sword to cut off the lion's head.

With the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

Now who's afraid?

The men of Israel and Judah Rosen shouted and pursued the Philippines as far as a valley into the gates of Ekron.

And the slain philistines lay along the way to share rim even to Gath.

Which was where the Liath was from in Akron.

And the sons of Israel return from chasing the Philistines, an plundered their camps. Then David took the Philistines head and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his weapons in his tent. So David says.

Here's the head of this uncircumcised Philistine.

Going to show it to Israel, I'm going to hold on to the weapons so that if there's any doubt in my future that the battle belongs to the Lord, I'll have these weapons to remind me.

Now we love this story.

Because the little guy wins, but the little guy doesn't win the Lord winds, but the Lord choose David because David said I've had enough.

I will not allow you to continue to taunt God and his people.

David stands up.

For his people and for God.

And we love that. And that's why I did not name this facing giants because not all Giants are evil.

Some giants are just.

Misinformed

but when they taught God.

We stand up for God.

Now we all love success tales.

And we love to repeat those, and that's where.

I'm going to now shift from.

Pushing back on the world to start pushing back on a lot of pastors and preachers.

'cause the world says all is all about inclusivity and I'm saying not when it comes to evil.

Not when it comes to unrighteousness.

Not when it comes to spiritual wickedness.

I will push back. I will not be a part of it.

There are some other people that we love to talk about.

We find that in Daniel.

Daniel chapter.

I forgot.

Daniel chapter I think it's 3.

Daniel Chapter 3 we're going to take a look.

Starting with verse.

13 then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego. Then these men were brought before the king. The reason that these guys are have been seized is that there was a degree that said, whenever there was a trumpet sound, you're supposed to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar. They are not us.

And so Nebuchadnezzar, who thought he was a God, said, how dare these guys do this? And he was very, very enraged, and so he gets him.

And they were in a Robbie for the king, and never can. Azar responded and said to them, is it true? Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute Lear, tiger on sultry and beg 5 and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image that I have made very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

And what God is there who can deliver you out of my hands? So he's going.

As far as your concern, I'm God and I got your fate in my hands. You worship me.

Or you die.

And as far as Nebuchadnezzar is concerned, there is no God that can save them.

I want you to notice what they say.

Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king O Nebuchadnezzar. We do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. We don't got to think about it.

Our mind is already set.

We have already made a decision before you ever made this law that we would have no other gods before God our God.

If it be so, our God, whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire.

Because our God can, our God can deliver us.

And he will deliver us out of your handle king.

But

even if he does not let it be known to you oking that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

They're saying our God can, in our God will, but even if he doesn't, we would rather die serving our God than bow serving yours.

And that's the problem in the church today.

The problem in the church today is if you just have enough faith, everything will work out, and if it doesn't workout then you probably didn't have enough faith, even though the scripture says if you have the faith the size of most state, you can say to this mountain be moved and they can be moved.

So how much faith do you need? If a mustard seed does that?

But that's the teaching. If you just speak it, it'll become true an it will because you just have this faith and I can command God to do things because I have faith. And that's exactly the opposite of what they're saying here.

God can and God will, but even if he doesn't, even if it doesn't turn out the way we'd like it to.

We will not serve.

Yes, it worked out for David.

And yes, we will see if you continue reading that it worked out for them. It even though the fire got hotter and hotter and killed those who were throwing them into the fire. God delivered them and not only delivered them walked around amongst them.

Now I want you to turn.

To Hebrews Chapter 11.

Which.

Makes the point about the pushback.

And about halfway through verse 35.

It says this.

And others were tortured.

Not accepting their release so that they might obtain a better resurrection.

And others experience markings and encourage surgeons. Yes also changed and imprisonments. They were stoned and they were sought in two. They were tempted and they were put to death with a sword. They went about in Sheepskins and Goatskins. Being destitute, afflicted, ill treatment. Bill treated.

Man whom the world was not worthy wandering in the deserts in the mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us. So that apart from us they would not be made perfect. God saying, this is a collective thing. And yes, there will be some who win in battle, and there will be some who die and there will be some who avoid torture.

And others will die.

It's about God determining what's best.

For not only you but us.

The point is, we stand against those who stand against God, not because we win, but because it's right.

Because God is God.

And we follow him.

Whole thing is, I like to hear one thing. I hope if the time comes I'm able to say.

One thing I would love to hear.

When this life is over, is well done, good and faithful slave.

Another thing.

I would like to be able to say even though I'll tell you I'm like everybody else. I like an easy life.

This is, say.

That I was counted worthy.

To suffer for the name of the Lord.

As the Lord says, more bless it too.

Suffer for righteousness.

See disciples after the resurrection when they were imprisoned. Anbieten, an scourge, came out. Joyful saying, we were considered worthy to suffer.

And the second thing about worthy is, I hope if that's the case.

Doesn't it just said here?

That the world was not worthy of them.

40 inscription on a gravestone.

Her lie so and so.

The world was not worthy of him or her.

We all want to change the world.

Wouldn't it be awesome to just not be worthy of it?

Finally, if you'll turn.

So two more scriptures. One is Galatians chapter 2.

1st 20.

I have been crucified with Christ.

Notice it's past tense. I have been crucified.

Having been crucified means I'm dead.

I have been crucified.

Birth Christ and there is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in, the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.

This world in this life is not about you. It's about letting Jesus live through you in this life.

And then the final verse.

Is in Philippians chapter one, verse 21.

For to me to live is Christ.

He sang for me to live is not.

It's a good life.

Start the abundant life is not look how great Paul is.

He's such a great teacher in apostle Ann and all these other things. Look out now, he says for to me to live is Christ.

It's not about me anymore, it's about him.

And to die.

Is game.

He sang.

Take my life.

You just made it better.

Because not only do I not.

Live.

With him and him in me.

I will then be in his presence, seeing him exactly as he is.

No longer operating in faith, operating insight, no longer being hurt and discouraged and thick.

But having a body.

That will be.

Not subject to those things.

There was a preacher one time who said that we should be so bold?

As a charge hell with a squirt gun.

I thought about bringing a squirt gun, but everybody is so afraid of guns nowadays that.

People would freak out because it was a skirt squirt gun so I don't bring the visual.

I'm not asking you to charge hell with squirt gun.

I'm asking you to stand firm against hell.

Even with a squirt gun.

That if it means living in victory.

That should be the name of the Lord.

If it means dying in defeat, but Ultimate victory, bless it. Be the name of the Lord.

We should no longer be concerned about what the results are.

I will close with another movie reference.

Many of you probably seen movie called The Last Samurai.

And in that one of the head samurai guys dies in a violent.

Battle.

And the American who survives brings the samurai to give it to the emperor.

Who basically?

Fight against the Emperor and the emperor asks.

The American.

How did he die?

And the Americans response was let me tell you how he lived.

That's.

What people should say about us?

Not that he died in peace, or that she died in faith.

But we lived in faith.

Our actions and our commitments.

And are being.

Was in conformity with what we say.

That he is God.

That he is my Lord, that I believe that he rose from the dead.

And at the battle is his.

And if I die on the battle ground, that's fine, because the victory is gods. And if he spares me, plus it be his name because the battle is his.

Whether we're David Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego or these others who are names are never mentioned an our names will probably never be mentioned.

But it doesn't mean that God doesn't know and see and reward.

Let us live.

To be not worthy of this world.

That this world is not worthy of us.

And that when we see.

Spiritual wickedness

we stand against it.

And say no further.

You will not blasphemed and mock the name of my God.

We will not be like the armies.

Who are in dismay and fearful.

But we will not be shaken.

And all God's people said.