Inspired Sermon Right After 911
Posted by Brother Freedom
The Lord has been speaking to me and showing me that it would be unfair to all of you if I didn’t have some “real” problems that I have to face.
We have a tendency, as human beings, to compare–to say, “Well, he’s got it easier. That’s why he’s doing better.”
That is what they told about Job. The enemy said of Job, “You know, God, if you would take down all these protections Job would curse You too. It’s because you are so good to him–that’s why Job loves You.”
You know, many times–and I’ve seen it, when you get deeper in the Lord you have to hold and lift up things that you didn’t have to before that. And, it is one thing that we don’t want.
But, the Bible says, see, we are always on even territory. He [the Lord] is able to bear anything that we can’t bear. When we come up at the end of our [strength] God will bear it. But there comes a time that we have to SHOULDER that problem. We have to shoulder [the problem for a time]. And we are always walking on even status, even steps, each one of us. You say, “Well I would like to be like [so and so].” NO you wouldn’t. You probably couldn’t handle it. And that’s when we get in trouble with God, because that is when we are looking to someone else.
We should be SO in love with God that what God has for us: we love that situation, that we love where God has us. You see Israel was never, ever satisfied with what God had done for them. They said, “We wish we was back in Egypt, eating the garlic, and all the things down there.” [Exodus 16:3] They were NOT satisfied! They could have went to the Promised Land in just a short time. But, because of their heart, the indifference they showed to God, they didn’t even make it in!
And, so, we as God’s people have to continually work on “old self.” It’s 99 and forty-four one hundredths percent of our ministry. If we give God the 99 percent, then [with] that one percent, I’m persuaded, God will just open the windows of heaven to you. And that ministry will flourish, it will do as the Spirit wants.
And I’m persuaded that one tenth of one tenth, 99 and 99 one hundredths, if you give it to God, [that’s yourself], that one hundredth of one percent God is able to manefest that to bless it that we will be a blessing.
And I think that is why we really need to take heed, that we realize it is not ourselves, basically [that does the work]. It is beyond what we can do. Do you understand what I am saying?
We must prepare this, [yield ourselves]. Yes, that is our part. But, after we do that, then we don’t have to worry what we do. God will take care of it. But, that is the part that we have a part of.
I don’t have to go preparing at Bible School, or something like that. I do have to, continually, contend and to be able to not go by feelings. That is where God is putting me at the base. But I know who I am through the Lord.
And I believe that there is going to be hard times we’ve never seen before. I believe that the coming of the Lord is truly very soon. It is prophesied in the Word of God.
In First Thessalonians 4:16-18 it says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” [Rev. 3:11-12]
It says, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” [Rev. 3:21]
There is a lot of emphasis about overcomers. And this is the part that a lot of people don’t even want to [hear]. I feel I am struggling right now because it is a hard area.
An overcomer is one that tries to do better, is not satisfied with what they have done, one that is endeavoring continually to walk closer to the Lord. In Revelation three and ten–and this is why I believe–this is from me. But I believe God is going to take the church home before it gets really “heavy duty.”
It says, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” [Rev. 3:10]
That is speaking to the Christian, the child of God. But, the Bible says that God was literally [not pleased]. HE says, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” [Rev. 3:15-16]
HE’s talking to the Christian. HE’s talking to you and me. HE’s talking to [us]. Where in [this] area is lukewarmness?? I believe it is in ONE area, truly. It is with the Spirit [The Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit Area]! That is the only area that most of us have trouble staying [in]. We have a tendency, I believe, of us wanting to produce the works in ourselves. We have learned this in schools, because we have been taught in schools that if you will study certain things, that pretty soon that is [or becomes] part of you, which is good to a certain degree.
But, I think that God proceeds beyond that. And I think that is what God is trying to wean us–hear me–wean us [away] from, as being indoctrinated to the place that we take heed to what we see, what we hear, what we face. Those are the things that literally direct our lives. We are directed by what [takes] place.
And God spoke to my heart [that] there was going to be many diverse things that would cause our eyes to be lifted from GOD! And these are like diversities and things that would move us from the eyes of the Lord.
And the Bible says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” [Psalm 121:1]
We are living in a time when God is coming, I believe, through the clouds of glory. And Jesus is coming back. It says that Jesus is going to come through the clouds. Revelation one and seven, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” [Rev. 1:7]
That’s OUR Lord! And you know, I believe, that it is not going to be easy for the average [person] to see Jesus. And I believe this is why it is going to take something WONDERFUL about your’s and my experience: that I believe, that if we are out here doing something that we shouldn’t do–I’m persuaded that maybe we are going to miss it.
Maybe we will make it? But you know, the other way, if we miss this wonderful event (the rapture), there is going to be problems that are going to face America, and this World that it has never seen before! This thing that we have seen now [the 9-11-01 attack on the City of New York] is just going to be a little beginning of what is going to take place.
And our opening is that God, I believe, wants to take the church home. That is my belief. And I feel it. And that is why HE talks about dying out. But that is taking our body [such] that it becomes a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God [Romans 12:1]. That is why God said that! And it [Romans 12:1] is really to this last hour church, more intently than it has ever been to any other group of people, because HE is trying to single us out that we are not going to even face death. We are going to be caught up in the coming of the Lord and meet the Lord. What a blessed time! You’ve talked about all the deaths that have taken place, which is awful, atrocities!
But, yet, God is reserving for HIS children a wonderful EXIT out of this Land that doesn’t take no basic pain…BUT THE PAIN IS NOW, INDUCING UPON YOURSELF THE PAIN OF DYING—THE PAIN OF TAKING OVER AND DOING THE WILL OF GOD, THAT PAIN OF SERVING GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL. A PAIN OF BEING IN THE PLACE THAT GOD WOULD HAVE YOU TO BE–TO BE ABLE TO REST UNDER THE LOAD THAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE ABLE TO CARRY; THAT WEIGHT OF OBLIGATION THAT WE MIGHT SUPPORT AND BE BLESSED BY THOSE THAT DO NOT EVEN LOVE US, WHEREVER WE ARE. THAT WHEN YOU WALK IN THE DOORS [of various places] THAT GOD IS GOING TO BLESS BECAUSE YOU ARE THERE! THE PRESENCE OF YOUR PRESENCE—AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU ARE GOING TO IMPOSE UPON THOSE ROUND ABOUT YOU TO SAY “LOOK WHO I AM.” NO! YOU ARE NOTHING. IT IS AS YOU TAKE THAT HUMILITY ON, THAT GOD’S REST STAYS UPON YOU. AND, YOU SUPPORT MANY, MANY, MANY BECAUSE OF YOUR PRAYERS!
You see, that is how prayer works!
Prayer does NOT work through those that are NOT ready to support prayer. And that is why our churches are failing, through prayer. I will tell you here today. It takes glorious giants; that God produces a giant. And, this giant can produce and carry the weight of the whole church, if it need be. And, no one sees this giant! He’s God’s man, God’s woman, so indoctrinated in the Spirit of God that they are FULL of the presence of God. Through that they become…they speak for God!
God could call ten thousand angels. But, these last days HE is going to do something BEYOND that! HE has already given us Jesus. HE gave the power, the glory of Jesus. HE has given us the power of the Holy Spirit. And it becomes a load that we, as God’s children, must bear in this last hour, that we take the cross of Jesus Christ. That we lift up the heavy burdens, round about us. That we become the one that cares. That we become that one that is sensitive.
BUT, IT IS THROUGH THE SPIRIT. Our sensitiveness is not of the flesh. The flesh will steer you wrong, here today. The flesh will cause you to want to do something. God says, “Hey, it has already happened!”
Jesus was asked in the Bible, “What about the dead?” HE said, “Let the dead bury the dead.” [Matt. 8:22]
What it [“the dead bury the dead”] is meaning is those things that are passed, they are already weighed. They are already come to the balances. Those [things and people] have already balanced. Those that come through this awful tragedy [speaking of the World Trade Center attack 911], they have already been at the feet of Jesus. They have already come to the decision they have made in their heart. It becomes beyond that.
We have to think as God thinks! And, it takes the Spirit of God to cause us to think as God thinks. We have to refuse [the flesh], because the flesh of this world has a total capability of coming upon us, if we do nothing to be overtaken with it.
If we don’t do nothing we are going to be taken over by the enemy. We have to FIGHT! Paul said, “We have to fight the good fight of faith.” [1st Tim. 6:12] It means that we must support ourselves, continually, with prayer. We must, continually, seek God. We must call upon HIS Name, realizing that we are [but a vapor].
I told the church the last time I preached, I’m going to give it here today, that we are as a VAPOR! And that vapor, we are very clear, as a bubble. And we are nothing but the bubble. Whatever you have in your heart is SEEN. “Out of the abundance of the heart” we speak. [Matt. 12:34].
We don’t fool people! We don’t fool anybody! People see US as we are, because our lives represent the fruit that is within us. And, anytime that bubble can break. Anytime that bubble, an egg shell, can drop, and that is US. That is how “flimsy,” I guess would be the word. [That is how] our bodies are: NOTHING without the Spirit of God!
The enemy comes in to PREY. He comes in to kill, destroy and to steal. [John 10:10] He comes on the lowly. He comes on those that it seems like they have no strength. And he takes advantage. And that is why God is calling spiritual giants this day. They are no longer led in the same ranks as babes.
The Bible says in Hebrews [5:13], when they were a child they did not know what the Word is. But when you grow old God expects the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to GROW UP! “…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand…” [Eph. 6:10,11] That is the message to the church this day and the church DOES NOT want to hear it. But, it is the truth!
God is looking for a people that will “…be ye strong in the Lord.”
I know this message is totally from God! It is what God implanted in my heart the first of [this] week, that we must be STRONG in HIM. We must be WISE as serpents, harmless as doves. [Matt. 10:16]
We need that BEYOND our clothing, that I am strong all the time, that I keep Jesus within me. But anytime that I leak, or lose this glorious experience, I am ZERO; I am a cast-away! I am a zero. I am a nothing.
I know this is hard. Most people do not want to hear it. But it is the truth.
The Bible says, “…what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be MY people.’ Wherefore COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” [2nd Cor. 6:16-18]
But it says, “…my beloved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming…” [2 Peter 3:11,12]
We need to realize that there is a presence of God, that God wants to be in our lives. And that is why I say, “the message I have may be too strong for some people.” And if I am here today [perhaps I need] to back off, because I don’t want to hurt you.
But, I believe that God has a glorious time for the church. But, I’ll tell you, if you could see what I saw the other day, was just a little bit of what I see in America. I already have seen it twenty years ago.
This Nation, [a certain city] [burned] BLACK. And I saw this. [I saw a local generating dam and lake] gone! I don’t know when it is coming. But I do believe it is coming. And I don’t believe we [in this Nation] have the answers [as to what] it is going to [take to] keep us. I don’t think America [has the answer].
And I believe also, something different. I believe the eighteenth chapter of Revelation, about Babylon is the United States. It has to be! It all fits in all the areas. The World will lament because of us.
And I’ve had the chance to go overseas to some degree. And I’ve talked to [Christian] business men about our relationship with nations. We [in this nation] are very despised among the world.
You know, we think we are really super people. I’m just saying what I feel. This is me [talking]. But I believe we must recognize that God wants to BLESS us to the degree that Jesus said, “…it is expedient [needful] for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin…” [John 16:7-8] “Let not your heart be troubled… In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [John 14:1 and following]
This world: in Peter it says in that day men will say, “…Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water…perished” [2 Peter 3:4ff]
But it says, “The Lord is not slack concerning HIS promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, …” [2 Peter 3:9]
It says, “…the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, where in dwelleth righteousness. [2 Peter 3:10ff]
It says, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens…” Where are we? “Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise…” Shouldn’t that be??? Isn’t that a common ground?? “…look for a new earth, where in dwelleth righteousness.”
It says, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be…” I’m just saying what the Word says.
Everyone is sad now. But this is what I really believe. I’m not popular, I know. And the message that God has given me I’m not very popular [sharing]. And that is why I have come to the place that I don’t hardly talk with real babe Christians.
But I believe [this message] is very necessary that God has a remnant of people that want to carry that torch. That that people, that God is speaking to, that they will have an influence with God to the degree that they shall be able to protect, shelter those that need that protection.
And, I believe that is the category that God is speaking to this day. And, I am persuaded that many, many, many are going to be missing at the trump of God. It is sad. Everytime I call my wife [and she doesn’t answer] I say, “Lord, did you come?” God can come in a minute!
I thought HE would be here in the 1970s; I really did. I figured before 1980 [He would come]. But I am still looking. It hasn’t changed my belief in HIS coming.
I believe that HE, this is my personal belief, I believe that HE will come. And, HE is going to take us home.
And you know, the Lord spoke to me this week [saying], “Many will not hardly know that the event has taken place because there will be so many [believers left behind].”
The Bible says that if HE didn’t shorten that day that the very elect would not be saved. [Mark 13:20] What does that mean? I believe there is going to be problems in this last hour that has a way of taking our “mind time.” And [it] causes us to look at things that causes our heart to not have that same love.
See, the Bible says HE [God] is looking for the hot or cold [Rev. 3:15-16]. You say, “Well, Brother Freedom, that is not fair because Jesus made a way.” Yes HE did!!
But, I believe that after we accept Jesus there comes a work that we must complete of, to some degree. And that work is that we have to “work out our salvation.” The Bible plainly says we must work out our salvation with “fear and trembling.” [Phil. 2:12]
“Trembling” is really taking great thought. That is taking a look about myself saying, “Lord, I’m not where I should be! If it wasn’t for YOU, my Lord, I would not be able to speak this very second.”
And so, in this last days I would like to carry this thought: that you are going to find yourself in difficult times. It is not going to be easy. You are going to have some “hang-up” that is not going to be easy. BUT, with the Lord’s help, and sometimes that is a betterment. That is why the lame [may have an advantage]. God’s speaking; because they realize they have a handicap.
You see, the one that feels that he doesn’t have any handicap, he doesn’t need help. Do you see what I am saying? We need to realize that “I need a savior!” That I cannot make it one inch by myself.
And, if we are not careful, though, we lose out on that mind set that we have on the Lord. We can have that on Sunday night at the altar, just praying through. And, by the time we get home we have already fought with the wife, the husband, or something has gone wrong, you know. You see, we are looking not on the [spiritual] things. Our mind is staying on THE EVENTS OF THIS WORLD!
And, I believe there is a step BEYOND that! Because if we are not [seeing the glory world] I’m persuaded that many, many, many are going to be missing! There is a special time. Have you ever been in church when you didn’t care about going [back to your] home? You just felt [that glory]. That is what God wants!
But, I believe in this last hour God is going to be very favorable to us. The Bible says you won’t know the hour, but you will know that season. And I believe, as I have seen some true people of God who have gone home [to glory], that they knew [the time of their departure].
Sister Eva said [to] Fred [her husband], “Take me to the hospital. I’m going home with Jesus. I don’t want to die at home, because I’m going home tomorrow. I’m going home about four o’clock.” And She knew!
And I believe that is what is available to the Spirit filled people. It doesn’t touch the world. It doesn’t touch the world church! But, I believe there is something, there has to be something because the Bible says if HE didn’t shorten the day the very elect would not be saved. [Mark 13:20]
There is very many promises. It says five [virgins] were foolish and five [virgins] were wise. [Matt. 25:1-13] It is a very sobering message that I have here today.
I hope that you will take this as God speaking to you, because I am unworthy to give this message out. But, God needs to speak to your lives about this today. And we must be above where we are.
I have never been so tired in all of my life. Maybe God is going to take me home? But I have never been so tired. I have never been so exhausted. Literally, yesterday afternoon I thought, well maybe, Lord, you will just have to take me home right now. I am tired!! God knows that!
While you have strength you must work. The old [hymn] says give the strength of our youth. We must give HIM our strength while we are young. Give HIM our time of dedication.
But I still believe in the old time “praying through.” I believe there is power in speaking to your Lord through the Spirit. I’m not saying that you have to go out and demonstrate in the streets, because Jesus said, don’t go as the heathen to speak [out a prayer] to the world. But go into your inner closet. [Matt. 6:5-6] That is where God wants you to be strong.
I know that this has been a harsh message today. And I apologize for my part of it. But I don’t apologize for God’s part! Because, the part I want to apologize [for is that] I should be closer to God to be able to speak this to you. I am not worthy to speak what our God so gloriously is.
God is moving. But, I tell you what. I would say this: I would rather go home with God right now, by the way of death, than to stay here and be in the balance and miss out. Because, those who miss out, you will never ever, ever, EVER, EVER understand. There is not going to be nothing upon this earth. You are going to literally [be] forced to give your life in some way! They are going to force you. And, probably the way the new tactics is, you are probably going to be tortured. I’m going to be tortured. It is not going to be an easy way out.
I know this is tough. But God has given us a new way. And that way is with the Lord, Jesus Christ. God wants us to have that assurance. “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a fore-taste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchased of God. Born of HIS Spirit, filled with HIS love. This is my story. This is my song. Singing HIS praises all the day long. Perfect submission. All is at rest.”
Perfect delight! That is the presence of God. God is glorious!
I feel there are hearts here that are saddened, maybe what I have said. I am here only because I love you. I did not feel like coming this morning. But, I knew that I must.
God gave me a message [last] Sunday and Monday. And I am not even telling you one one-hundredth of that message! God IS moving! It is not by power, but by HIS Spirit saith the Lord. [Zech. 4:6]
And God loves you and me so much. It is beyond our own [imagination.] But, you see, the enemy wants to trick us out. He wants to fool us. But God is love.
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