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(Genesis 4:7)—God speaking to Cain, “If you do well, will
you not be accepted? And if you do not
do well, sin lies at the door. And its
desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” God looks at the heart. Offering to God second best reveals what’s in
the heart.
Payment for Sin—Exodus 29:36—“and you shall offer a
bull every day as a sin offering for atonement…” Seven days of Atonement.
Leviticus 17:11—The Lord said: “For the life of the flesh is in the
blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your
souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” “
Atonement” means to cover, to expiate, to cancel, to
appease, to reconcile
1 John 2:2—and Christ, “Himself is the propitiation (covering) for our
sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
Guilt associated with Sin—Psalms 51:3—“my sin is ever
before me---“
God gave man a
conscience.
Protection Against Sin—Psalms 119:11—“thy Word have I
hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.”
Sin’s domination—John 8:34—Whoever commits sin is a
servant of sin.”
Romans 14:23—“for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
Sin hardens the heart—Hebrews 3:13—“but exhort one
another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin.”
The Devil Didn’t Make You Do It—James 1:14,15—“But
each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. The, when desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
Sin of Omission—James 4:17—“for a man to know to do
right, and not do it, to him it is sin.
Self-Deception—1 John 1:8—“if we say we have no sin
we deceive ourselves.”
Sin’s Revelation—Numbers 32:23—“be sure, your sin
will find you out.”
Sin’s Solution—1 John 1:9—“if we confess our sins He
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
Tearing Down Strongholds:
What is a stronghold? Stronghold means “fortress”. It is a place of safety.
David said in Psalms 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my
fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my
buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
Nahum the prophet said in Nahum 1:7—“The LORD is good, a
strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Judges 1:1—“Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass,
that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us
against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?”
Principle One:
You Must Seek GOD Concerning Your Situation.
Joshua 3:10—“And Joshua said, Hereby you shall know that the
living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before
you the Canaanites, …”
Seek the LORD:
2 Chron. 26:5—Uzziah took the initiative to seek God, “He
sought God…as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.”
Verse 8 “he became exceedingly strong.”
Vs. 16—“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to
his destruction…”
- Blessings
can either humble us and draw us closer to God, or allow us to become full
of pride and self-sufficiency.
- See
God Earnestly
- God
desires Obedience
- God
hates a Prideful Heart—James 4:6 “God opposes the proud…”
Principle Two:
Praise must go up.
Judges 1:2—“And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have
delivered the land into his hand.”
The name Judah
means “to praise or to worship”
Praise the LORD:
- How’s
your Praise Life?
- “The
LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing
love.”
- “I
will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter His
courts with PRAISE.”
You must know that you cannot obtain the victory on your
own:
Principle Three: You must know that you cannot obtain
the victory on your own.
Judges 1:3—“And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up
with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise
will go with you into your lot. So
Simeon went with him.”
Judah
means ‘praise’ and Simeon means ‘hearing’.
Principle Four:
You must have Faith
Judges 1:11-13—“And from there he went against the
inhabitants…”
Caleb and Othniel (Caleb’s nephew), men of faith.
Faith: Hebrews 11:1—“Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
11:6—“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him.”
You must have faith:
- Faith
Caused Abel to Worship God—Gen. 4:4
- Faith
Caused Enoch to Walk with God—Gen.5:21-24
Faith Caused
Noah to Work for God—Gen. 6:7-8; 14 |
