You're Unbreakable
Notes
Transcript
You could almost hear Jesus. If you listen closely, you can hear His weak and worn voice. Barely above a whisper. I gave it everything I had to give. Overcoming self and satanic temptation took everything I had. It took all of my word. It took all of my strength. It took all of my energy. It took all of my everything. This is going to bless you. This season made me come face to face with every reason I would ever quit in my entire life. This season had every type of quitting I’ll ever face in my entire life. I was tempted to quit, but God. It’s too hard, but God. It’s taking too long, but God. I don’t have enough money, but God. I don’t have enough people or property, but God. Maybe this isn’t for me, but God. What’s your reason to quit? To give up? Don’t worry. This season is going to make you have to face all the reasons you want to quit, but God.
Some of us quit before we get started. Some of us get started but quit too soon. I want to suggest that there’s nothing wrong with feeling like quitting. All of us feel like quitting at some point. But don’t give up now. You fought too hard, prayed too long, fasted too much, suffered too long, endured too much, and come too far. The worse is behind you. After 40 days. After a long time without what you need, you’ll be tempted to do what you thought you would never do. It’s not temptation if it’s not tempting. The Devil knows how to tempt you just like God knows how to bless you. He knows when to tempt you just like God knows when to bless you. Temptation will walk up on you slowly. You hungry? Be selfish. Think only about yourself, think only about your needs, and turn these stones to bread. You feeling low? I’ll take you higher than you’ve been before. You feeling homeless? I’ll give you territories and kingdoms. Listen. Don’t avoid temptation face it. Face it with the word of God. See God bringing you out of this season of temptation and lack. Fight for it. Pray for it. Stand for it. Study for it. Fast for it. Discipline for it. Don’t quit in this season. It’s preparing you for undeniable success. Jesus showed us how to give it everything you have and overcome the struggle. Then the angels ministered to Him. They restored Him. They made Him whole. Then He knew He was unbreakable!
Jesus Responded with God’s word. Word on demand! Psalm 119:11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. God has a word for every situation we will ever face in life. His word is a light unto my feet and a lamp unto my path. His word helps me see where I’m going. Read it. Study it. Meditate on it. Use it. Become it. Respond to the temptation trying to break you with God’s word. After you respond you have to Resist until you’ve won. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. He gives us power to resist, but we have to use that power to resist. To hold out. Resist. To withstand. Resist. To fight against. Resist. The tempter says do it. You know it’s wrong, but in the moment it feels right. You have to exert force in the opposite direction. Resist temptation. Jesus resisted temptation until temptation gave up; lost it’s grip. Hear me. He wore temptation out. Your temptation isn’t stronger than you. Your temptation isn’t going to outlive you. It just feels like it. 40 days was a long time. Temptation was crazy and all over the place. But it didn’t last forever. Resist longer than the temptation. God is showing you that you’re unbreakable!
When the Union-Pacific Railroad was under construction, an elaborate trestle bridge was built over a large deep canyon in the West. It connected St. Louis and California. Before it was open for commercial use, the construction engineer wanted to test its strength. He loaded a train with extra cars and equipment to double its normal capacity (payload). The train was driven out to the middle of the bridge. They left it there for an entire day. One worker complained, “Are you trying to break this bridge?” “No,” said the engineer. “I’m trying to prove that the bridge is unbreakable.” Come here somebody. This season is throwing every reason you should quit at you. It’s a test. You can handle the pressure. You can handle the stress. You can handle the strain. You can handle the heat. You can handle it. You’re unbreakable!
Respond with God’s word. Resist longer than the temptation. John was arrested. Jesus withdrew. Prophesy was fulfilled. The people were helped. "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Verse 18. Jesus saw two sets of brothers, Simon and Andrew and James and John. Simon and Andrew were casting their nets into the sea. James and John were mending their nets. The Unbreakable One spoke to them. Follow Me. I’ll make you fishers of men. They left everything, boats, nets, fish, friends and family and followed Jesus. They followed the Unbreakable One!
Matthew wants this community of faith to know Jesus as a teacher that worked miracles. He went throughout all Galilee. Teaching in their synagogues. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Healing every disease and every affliction among the people. Then His fame spread throughout all Syria. He was famous for more than working miracles. He was famous for teaching, preaching and healing. Teaching. Explanation of spiritual matters. Preaching. Uncompromising proclamation of spiritual matters. Healing. Mending broken people. Restoring broken people. Refreshing broken people. Notice the order. Teaching. Preaching. Healing. Listen. Healing without relationship leads to abuse. Thank you for healing me, but I don’t need you. Thanking you for making my relationships, but I don’t need you. Let me make it clear. We go to the doctors when we are sick. They help us feel better, but we don’t know them. You know their name, but you don’t know them. When God heals you, He wants you to know He did it because He loves you. Not for your money. Teaching. Preaching. Healing.
Catch this. Where there is teaching and preaching, there will be healing. Teaching and preaching create an environment where God heals all manners of disease. I know you love listening to your gospel music. I do too. But you need to listen to teaching and preaching. It sets you up for God’s healing. That’s why I love teaching and preaching about God! It creates an environment for God to heal those that are broken. Teach until somebody around you can see God. Preach until somebody around you hears God’s voice. Live until they are healed!
His fame spread throughout all Syria and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, and those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics and he healed them. They were broken and Jesus put them back together! I know we’re living through a season of COVID-19 or Coronavirus. We need to hear what the health professionals and medical experts have to say. But I want to hear what the Unbreakable One has to say! We’ve watched the news and special reports all week long. I want to see what the Unbreakable One has to report. We could have streamed our service. But we can’t let fear lead us. We have to pray and seek God’s direction. We’re tempted to let fear be our God, but God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. They might empty the shelves, but we’re going to fill the pews. We’re going to pray to God, sing about Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Heal! In the name of Jesus. Heal somebody in this room this morning. Heal somebody on my row this morning. Heal somebody in my life this morning. Heal the drug addict. Heal the narcissist. Heal the young. Heal the old. Heal the rich. Heal the poor. Heal the believer. Heal the non-believer. Heal!
You healed people from the Flu pandemic. You healed people from the Cholera pandemic. You healed people from the Bubonic plague. You healed people from pneumonia. You healed people from HIV/AIDS. You healed people from smallpox and chicken pox. You healed us from the measles and the mumps. You healed people from malaria and MERS. You healed us from SARS and Ebola. And as we speak, you’re healing people from COVID-19!
There’s another virus. We have all been infected by it. Everyday of our lives, we battle against it. It makes us miss the mark. It makes us come up short in life. It makes us act out of character. It makes our souls sick. Sin. From the time of Adam and Eve, sin has been infecting humanity and making our souls sick and our thoughts evil. Tylenol nor Motrin can relieve sin. Clorox can’t disinfect sin. Rubber gloves can’t block sin. Heat can’t kill sin. Hennesey can’t drown sin. Weed can’t get you higher than sin. You need the blood of Jesus! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! What can make us whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Oh, precious is the flow. That makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Nothing but the blood of Jesus! It heals us from all our sins! Heal us from our sins. They make us weak. They make us frail. They make us doubt.
I’m done. You’re unbreakable! Before life gets tough, you need to teaching and preaching so you can hide the word in your heart. Every time something comes up, respond with the word. People start talking about COVID-19. Take precautions but respond with the word! People start talking about not being able to pay their bills. Budget, but respond with the word! People start talking about depression and anxiety. Rest. Seek counseling. But respond with the word! People start talking about evil plans and desires. Protect yourself around them but respond with the word! Whatever life throws at you, respond with the word! Respond with the word. Resist until you’ve won. That’s how you keep from breaking down! His word in you makes you resilient!
Healing. When life takes out of you what you need to thrive. Jesus puts it back better than new! That’s healing! You’re here this morning because life took some stuff from you that you needed to thrive. Jesus! Put it back better than new. That’s how He heals! You came broken, but you’re going to leave healed!
A man with leprosy came to Jesus. Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. Jesus touched the man. I will; be clean. Jesus! Put it back better than new.
A centurion had a paralyzed servant. Lord, if you only say the word, he will be healed. Jesus responded. Go; let it be done for you as you have believed. Jesus! Put it back better than new.
He healed two men possessed with demons. He raised a little girl from the dead. He healed the woman with the issue of blood. He opened blinded eyes. He healed a mute man. Jesus! Put it back better than new.