No Fear Series: Just Do Something

Greetings:  I’m sure for weeks to come we will hear of all the Lord has done and is doing through SEW…

1 Sam 14:1-7

14 One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cave at Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men, 3 including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 Within the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” 

ESV

Introduction:  I started a series week 1 of January…where we set the tone for the year.  In that first message we talked about the Power of a Choice within a Moment…Choice releases the potential that has been stored up or held back…

But if you are like me there seems to be this chasm between where I am and the Dreams I believe God has given me.  

The larger frustration is…they seem to never fully actualize.  

Transition:  So today I want to investigate the life of Jonathan and this story in 1 Samuel and see what we can find to help us…bridge the gap and possibly see a Move of God Actualized in our lives, families, Church and communities. 

1. Come Let’s Go
   1. Have you ever thought you were waiting on God?
      1. Waiting on a Now Word
      2. Waiting on Clarity
      3. Feeling as if God where are you…if you’d speak or lead, I’d go…as long as I know it is you.
      4. Well maybe the Lord, all this time has been waiting on You and I to take some initiative.
   2. Just Do Something
      1. No Fear
      2. As we have discussed, No Fear, doesn’t mean that Fear isn’t present or has completely vanished…it means we are choosing not to be afraid….
      3. See Fear often paralyzes us by too many options, not the few options. 
         1. I was told about 10 years ago…the older you get, What you say no to will be as valuable as what you say yes to.
         2. But that can paralyze you if you have this idea…I don’t want to mess God’s plan up
   3. But what if you and I have never been waiting on God….
      1. I know all my bible scholars are thinking:  “but Pastor Scripture says, “they that wait upon the Lord…’be still and know that I am God’….
      2. But the context of those verses is when someone is about to forfeit their future due to Running away in fear….
2. Philistines
   1. Let me give some historical context as it pertains to the story 
      1. The Philistines outnumbered the Armies of Israel 10 to 1.
      2. The philistines had conquered all the high places, so they controlled on the strategic advantages
      3. The philistines have also killed all the blacksmith’s in Israel…so that even the farming tools had to be brought to the Philistines for sharpening….
      4. Oh, yea there are only 2 swords in all of Israel…
         1. Jonathan has one…and he is willing to use it
         2. Saul has the other sword and he isn’t willing to use it.
      5. Israel also only has 600 men who are willing to fight, but that is so limited in comparison to the overwhelming size of the enemy
   2. I’d say that is a pretty stressful situation to say the lease…when it looks as if everything is against you…
      1. Have you ever considered your personal stress behavior
         1. Some eat when they are stressed
         2. Some hit the gym or pavement for a long run…physical exercise 
         3. Some when highly stressed they want to be Alone
         4. Some of us dive deep into our work
         5. Others stress behavior is they talk….
            1. When this is someone’s stress behavior there is never a period in the conversation…they are nervous or stressed….
         6. Maybe you are one who curls up and sleeps
            1. Now you may not stay in bed…but you move from the bed to the sofa, to the video games and the Netflix….
      2. This is how Jonathan’s father Saul deals with stress…laying under the Pomegranate Tree…another translation say, Hiding in a Pomegranate cave…

Transition:  When you lack initiative you may miss the opportunity to seize your divine moment or capture the dream you have been in pursuit of…

• It’s the conflicts you don’t want to address
• The decisions you don’t want to make
• The conversations you are attempting to avoid
• Here is what I have found in my own life…these things I won’t address and confront…as time passes they seem to get larger and I seem to get smaller.

If we are left with only Saul’s story it seems as if God isn’t going to do anything….

But in Jonathan’s side of the story…Jonathan takes Initiative…and when Initiative is taken you see God had been waiting all along…

1. Initiative
   1. Jonathan simply did something….
      1. I think at times we have misunderstood God or how he works in life…
      2. I believe we are informed by God, anointed by God, gifted by God…but then we have to take initiative
   2. You Did It
      1. Listen I know God does it through us…but you and I have to do something….
      2. We have this idea that if we do something Good…God did it.
      3. If it’s bad…I did it.
      4. So at times I am left paralyzed hoping God will do it…
      5. We write music that comes from the souls of people who love God….but God didn’t write that song…You the song writer did.
   3. See if we buy completely into this, we live life in Neutral….
      1. We become fearful to take initiative
      2. Here is the deal…”We are afraid we will mess up the will of God for our lives…”  
      3. If Hitler, stallen and Muscuolini didn’t mess up the sovereign will of God in the earth…how can one of his kids who is pursuing the heart of God….
      4. iv.1969 Chevy Truck with No Power steering…you had to start moving for it to be steered…. I could change directions as long as it was moving…but parked it was nearly impossible to turn that truck.  
   4. Desire
      1. Jesus has come to give Life….
         1. Jesus wants to give life…for us to move toward something, more specifically someone….
         2. He wants us to move toward our desires and passions…that are redeemed
         3. Scripture says:  “He will give you the desires of your heart…” 
            1. After you are saved…the fires and passions of God are so great they burn brighter than all my old passions. 

Transition:  Leonard Ravenhill said:  The Opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity.   

Defining moments are defined by 2 things:  They are defined by the moment and the person who is willing to step into that moment. 

1. 1. Illustration: 
      1. When people work for a Church, they think somehow it is so much easier…when honestly it is a lot harder….
      2. Every decision has a greater ripple effect and impacts more people…
      3. In the hiring process or soon after someone comes on the team…inevitably someone will ask….”how must time off do I get and when are my days off….”
         1. I’m like you can be off when you die…
         2. We’re in the middle of a revolution, fighting for people’s souls in eternity and you want to take time off…
         3. This isn’t a plant…this is a revolution. 
      4. I was talking to a Friend of mine and He informed me Donald you are not normal
         1. You wake up every day wanting to matter
         2. You want to influence the world
         3. You want to leave your finger prints on as many people as possible for the Kingdom of God….
      5. I told Him YES I DO….
         1. Listen to me, if that isn’t Normal, I Choose INSANITY
         2. I truly desire to Ruin You…I have no desire to help you find “your balance”
         3. I want you to wake up everyday knowing you were created to make a difference in the world….
2. Closing
   1. Come Let’s Go
      1. With all the Conditions against Him…Jonathan told his Armor Bearer…Come Let’s Go….
      2. Come let’s go make a difference this week
      3. Come Let’s Build a New Kids Wing
      4. Come Let’s build a Gym for our community
      5. Come Let’s Give a Million Dollars to Missions
      6. Come Let’s lay hands on the sick and see them recover….
      7. vii.Come Let’s go cast out demons…
      8. viii.Come Let’s invite our Friends, Neighbors and Family to come to Church…..
      9. Come Let’s Join the Revolution of Revival….
   2. Jesus didn’t die on the Cross because he wasn’t passionate….
      1. Matter of fact in the book of Acts, first chapter it says, “After His Passion…”
      2. If you want to know what someone is Passionate about…look at what they sacrifice for…
      3. If you want to know what God is Passionate for…Look what he sacrificed for….YOU AND ME