Why Satan Comes Knocking

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Sermon Transcription:

Listen, when you've been delivered and set free, there's no condemnation. There's no guilt, there's no shame anymore for real sins in your life that you did and you were stuck in at one point in your life. Listen, you learn how to have a little hop in your step, amen? Nobody got to push you, nobody got to pull you. When you know what it is to be imprisoned by the enemy and you've been set free, you know the difference, and you become quite joyful and quite grateful. But if you've tasted, or seen, or even heard of that freedom and you don't really have it, you also know. And today, I believe there will be people here and online that the Holy Spirit is seeking to bring into a freedom—again or for the first time—but also again, that you've had and that you may feel you've been the reason that you lost it.

The title of the word the Lord has given me for you this week—the title I put above it—is Why Satan Comes Knocking. We're going to talk about a word that is somewhat complicated. I found a simple definition that I like for that word. We're going to talk about the concept of perseverance. And Vocabulary.com—yes, Pastor just uses Google just like you—gives this definition, and I really liked it. I looked at a couple, and a lot of them are very complicated and thick. This one was very simple. I like the simple stuff. This is how they put it: Perseverance is the effort required to do something and keep doing it until the end, even if it is hard.

Let's read together Hebrews chapter 3. We're going to read verse 3–6: For this one (talking about Christ the Lord) has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of the things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. The word tells us that we are His house if we hold fast the confidence. If you are the house of Christ in this analogy that’s being written in Hebrews, that means He has the plan for you. He builds that house. He makes the plan for that house. He's also the one that does the building. He's the one that builds you up. He's the one that organizes and orders your life. He has the plan. He provides the building power, if you will—the building resources, if you will. He is the one that builds you up.

That is what your life is like. That is who you have become. You just became a woman: "God is building me up." That's kind of my identity. I believed in Jesus, and now I'm just being built up by God. My life is—yes—it’s ever-changing. He has a plan for my life. He's leading me into it. This—this is who you are. If the word says "if we hold fast—fast—fast..." I’m—I’m—I’m a foreigner. I never know those words, how I'm supposed to say them, but you're getting it—holding on to it, holding fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. We had some rejoicing of hope today, amen? Amen. If we hold on fast to the rejoicing of hope and we hold on fast to the confidence, the word says you are the building of Christ. He does the planning. He does the designing. He does the building. He provides the resources. He builds you up. Let's continue reading Hebrews 3:12–14: Beware, brethren—be careful, brethren—lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.But exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

One of the reasons that we have daily services here, and not just weekly, at Safe House Church—we wouldn't be able to obey God. We wouldn't be able to obey the Word of God and show up. I can't receive exhortation from you and receive the encouragement from you that I need if I don't show up. You can't receive the exhortation that you need to walk in daily if you don't show up. If you don't show up, you're not able to add it to somebody’s life. And if you don't show up, you're not able to receive it. The word tells us: exhort one another daily, while it is called "today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Who can testify to this? Sin is trying all the time. How much are we trying all the time as well—to exhort one another—so that one another, your neighbor, your sister in the Lord, your brother in the Lord, doesn’t end up stuck or hardened by sin? The word tells us: look out for each other. Be involved in each other's life daily so that something doesn't happen in the heart.

We'll get at what he's speaking about in a minute. Verse 14: For we have become partakers… In other words, when you see this word "for," that could also be translated as "because." Because we have—for we have become partakers of Christ—again, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Now, when the Word of God says something twice, I've always learned I'm really supposed to be paying attention. Because God doesn't waste His breath. And when He finds the necessity to repeat Himself—and to write it down, have it written down and put in my life twice, let alone twice in one chapter (I know we put the chapters in later on, but it's very close to one another, it's just a couple of paragraphs apart)—He says the same thing twice. I need to really pay attention. This is important, clearly, to the author. Amen? He's saying it twice. In the verses right before what we just read—verse 12 to 14—the second time that He says "if you hold fast to the confidence steadfast until the end," right before it, He warns people that: Those that don't let God lead their life on the daily, Those that don't let God lead their life into what He has in store for their future— He's talking about when the Israelites were supposed to enter into the Promised Land. They ended up not doing it. Those that don't let God lead them—those whose hearts are not fully set on God, not fully trusting Him with their steps, their future, their direction—they did not persevere. 

They did not hold their confidence in God. He warns that those kinds of people will not enter His rest. And then He repeats Himself again. Then He goes into that second time that ends in this: If we hold to the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end. The contrast comes in. He gives that warning, and then He says what we just talked about: make sure none of you end up with an evil heart like that. An evil heart like that—that loses the confidence in God to such an extent that you don't let Him daily lead you anymore. That you don't obey His word anymore. That you don't enter into the direction that God has set for your life. Make sure. Take a good look at one another. Help each other. Encourage each other—so that your neighbor, your brother, your sister doesn't end up with a heart like that of the people that could not enter into the Promised Land.

They could. They were led out of Egypt. They had a measure of testimony. But God could not bring them into the reason that He had set them free for. God didn't set them free for the desert. God didn't set them free to die in the desert and never enter the Promised Land. God set them free to bring them into a different land. They could not enter because their heart became hard against the leading of the Lord, and they thought they knew better what their life—what their steps—should look like. He warns that these people will not enter His rest. But He tells us: help each other so that sin doesn't get to you. Sin can no longer send a believer to hell—thank you Jesus—He paid for the sins of the world. But sin, if undealt with—if we allow sin to be a part of our life, whether it is rebellion, whether it is sexual sin, whatever kind of sin—selfishness, covetousness, whatever may be trying to get to your heart—if we just let it linger there because we're forgiven and we can just—we just get to allow ourselves some pleasures for the flesh sin does something. Sin—sin gives birth to unbelief. You allow sin to linger long enough, it becomes hard to still fully believe that: You are forgiven, Favored by God, That He has a plan for your life, That He's going to lead you into that Promised Land—the very reason for what He set you free for, That He's taking you there, That there's a purpose—Kingdom purpose—now to your life.

It becomes hard to believe that you are fully in the favor of God, fully forgiven. That becomes hard to believe when sin is allowed to just make a nest in your life and stay there. Let me read to you verse 14 again: "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end." The word says, "because we have become partakers." That word partakers is—literally—can be translated as participants. We are participating in something. The word says participants, partakers, participants of Christ. We have become participants with Christ, in Christ. That means everything that Christ was able to do—what does He say? What does He say to His disciples? "You will do these things, and greater things," because the Spirit of God, when He comes to live inside of your heart, you become a partaker of: the way Christ lived, the way Christ trusted the Father, the way Christ heard from the Father, the way Christ was able to glorify the Father through the Spirit. He wasn't doing it in His own strength. He wasn't doing it in a way that you and I cannot follow Him. He invited us to follow Him. He promised us the same Holy Spirit so that we would be partakers and participants of Christ.

The word says, if we hold fast to the hope, to the confidence, steadfast until the end. Why Satan comes knocking. Let me read to you Job chapter 1, verse 6 to 12: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. This Old Testament word for "sons of God" is the same word as used for angels. Verse 7: And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth—a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face." And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person."

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now, the Book of Job is written as poetry. It's a poetry book. There's a very good reason that in the Jewish culture they turned this into a poetry book. It made it easier for people to memorize it. It made it easier for people to rehearse it, because clearly they saw great reason in having every single child that is brought up in the faith to memorize and know this book inside out. That's one of the reasons that it became a poetic book. The way that it is written in the Hebrew—it really makes sense, and it really gives us, you know, those little crossover memory things that we have in our riddles and in our own English-sounding poems. In the Hebrew, that's how this book is written: so that people would easily remember it, so that everyone would understand—who comes up in the Jewish faith—what the Book of Job was really about. So there's a reason that they all needed to know what is going on right here in the Book of Job. Here's a man—Job.

The Word calls him a servant: "Have you considered Job, My servant?" This man was seeking to live like a servant. The Book of Job tells us that he sought to take care of orphans, that he fought the cases of widows, that he was living to serve. That's the kind of man that he was. The Word tells us that: he was blameless—could not be blamed, was living righteous before God, he was upright—he was a straight-up guy, he was honest—would not lie, he fears God, and the Word tells us he stays away from evil. And then Satan comes knocking on Job's case, if you will, and says to God: "If You stop protecting him on all the sides and all the time the way You've been protecting him, he's going to grow skeptical of You, God. If You stop protecting Job and You start to allow me to stir the pot a little bit, Job is going to grow skeptical of You." And the Word says he's going to curse Your name. That word in the Hebrew for curse literally means to bless God in an evil way—to bless God in a hypocritical way. In other words, he's still going to have the same language, he's still going to say the same stuff, but in his heart he doesn't really trust You anymore. 

In his heart he doesn't really seek to honor You anymore. In his heart he still has all the words, but his heart will be changed. "God, if You allow me to stir the pot there a little bit..." And so, the Lord allows the enemy some room in Job's life, while God is still setting the boundaries. You can never forget that, Church. There's a great amount of reasons why the enemy comes knocking on the door of your life, and there's great reasons why God allows him that room. But do not forget that God still set the boundaries. God still told the enemy what he is and is not allowed to do. Satan is never in charge of your suffering. God is always still in control of everything the enemy is allowed to do—how far he is allowed to move. But in Job's life, all of a sudden, permission is granted in a measure, and Satan is allowed now to come knock—and get this—on the door of a man: who's living like a servant, who could be regarded as blameless, who was upright, fears God, and stays away from evil. That's who Satan notices, and he begins to knock on his door and begins to infiltrate his life. 

His property is taken away. All the animals that Job owned are taken away. His children are taken away out of his life. His health is touched. His friends lost their confidence in Job as a spiritual man, if you will. The way people looked at him was being twisted and turned. His renown was being taken away. Church, Satan comes knocking on your life when God is proud of you. I could not find an occasion in this Word where God sounds more proud of one of His children than here. Let me read to you again verse 8: "Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is no one like him on the earth— a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil?'” I can just imagine the Father being so proud of His son, who is learning to walk in what is good. God being proud— and all of a sudden, Satan is upset, obsessed, and begins to notice this kind of a man that God is proud of. Whenever God is confident that you trust God— and that you will trust God no matter what comes your way— when God is confident that you will trust Him, Satan comes knocking on your door. Satan comes knocking on your life.

And at times, horrible trials are faced in the believer's life. Horrible tragedies are faced in the believer's life. We are not exempt from difficulties, challenges, or pain when we give our life to the Lord. Church Satan hates it when God has a good day— when God looks at your life and all you've ever done is believed on Jesus Christ, and you've handed Him your life, and the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you. You've been made righteous with the righteousness of Christ. With small steps, you're beginning to learn to follow after Jesus.The Father becomes proud of who you are becoming. He is so happy with who you are, and that you're beginning to trust Him. All of a sudden, Satan hates you, because you're putting pleasure and joy in the heart of the Father. And he begins to set his sights on you, so to speak. And he doesn't try to ruin God's day. He doesn't try to wound and hurt God by trying to lead you into sin. That's not even the way that he is trying to do it. What he seeks to do— just like with Job— what he seeks to do is he seeks to make you give up on trusting God and waiting on God. He seeks to make you lose your confidence in God. He seeks to make you give up on persevering— putting in the effort necessary to do something and to keep on doing it until the end.

These are some of the reasons that Satan comes knocking on your life. God loves you. He favors you. He's proud of you— and so Satan comes knocking on your life. But why in the world would God allow such a thing? Church, there is something Satan does not know when he comes knocking on your door. Hallelujah. There is something Satan does not know when he comes knocking on your life. Let me take you to James chapter 5. Here is what the devil forgets, Church. The devil is so blinded by hate. He’s so blinded by pride and jealousy. You ever run into a really prideful person? They can't find right from left. They say it's left, and you say, “Actually, you were wrong. Look, I can show you, that's right,” and they just— they can't see it. It's not true. They're living in their own life, their own bubble. They cannot accept it. They cannot be taught. The devil fell in his pride. He is so prideful, he forgets these things. He can't see them. You ever run into somebody that struggles with grave jealousy? They become obsessive. All they can see is this— whatever person they're jealous of— everything else in life they're blind to. They've got visors on. They border on insanity in the way they live their life.

That’s what the enemy is like. He's full of hate, pride, and jealousy. Here's what he misses— James 5:8–10: "You also, speaking to the church, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another"— in other words, don’t take offense with one another, don’t be upset with one another— "brethren, lest you be condemned." In other words, if you don't forgive someone, you're going to be condemned. Don't do that. "Behold, the Judge is standing at the door. My brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed, we count them blessed who endure (or who persevere). You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord— that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." Church, Satan has a plan when he comes knocking on the door of your life. He has an incredible plan. He's planned it out. He knows it's going to work. In his pride, he just knows it. And he comes to knock. And he knows exactly why he comes to knock on your door. He knows every weakness you have, every mistake that you've ever made. And he comes knocking, confident that he can do something in your life that will: cause you to grow skeptical of God, cause you to grow skeptical of God's direction for your life, God's intentions for your life, God's intentions with you having to lay your life down.

He has a plan, and he comes knocking. But what you and I cannot forget— what Satan has forgotten, but you and I cannot forget— is that there is an end intended by the Lord. Satan does the knocking, Church. But God writes the ending of that story— always. God writes the ending of that story. In the end, Job received back double from the Lord's hand. And the Word tells us that was God's intention. That was the end intended by the Lord. God allowed the enemy some room, but God already had planned out and had an ordination for the ending of that story. He has an intention to the end of what the enemy thinks will become your downfall. God goes, “No— the mercy and the compassion will multiply in your life.” That's God's intention. Hold fast to the confidence. Stay confident in what God is doing. Stay confident in what He has promised. Stay confident that He knows better for your tomorrow, that He knows better for your future, that He knows better for your kids, that He knows better for your direction. Stay confident. Don't allow the enemy to somehow convince your heart that God is not good for you— that what God says all of His followers need to do, He says that because He loves you. He wants to save your life and keep it safe. And the enemy seeks to convince you: “Yeah, He can save you, but don’t you lay your life down. He has alternative motives. It’s not that good for you to do that. Other people can do that— you should not do that.”

There’s an end intended by the Lord. Another reason that Satan comes knocking on my life— on your life— we find in the life of Peter. We can learn in the life of Peter. Let me read to you Luke chapter 22, verse 31 and 32: "And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon'"— that’s Peter, Simon Peter— "the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.'" This was right before Peter's denial. Peter had gotten Satan’s attention, just like Job had gotten the enemy’s attention— and many others. All throughout this Word, you can find so many parallel stories to this, and stories of people that have walked with the Lord ever since the New Testament times. "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat." What does that mean? You know, when you have a barrel full of wheat in Bible times, or you had a pot full of wheat that looked really full and that looked really good, but there was very little usable material in that pot. It was all the way filled to the brim, and it looked like quite the thing, but there was very little usable stuff. If you would get all the unusable out of it— the unusable stuff is often referred to as the chaff— it is the hard outer shell that is around the usable piece of grain. And it’s— man, humankind cannot digest this stuff. Grain you can make bread out of. It’s usable for something.

But the majority of that wheat is unusable material, and it is hard, and it’s tough, and you cannot digest it. Chaff is the garbage, if you will. And then when Jesus tells Peter, “Satan has asked for you and desired to sift you as the wheat,” what is Satan seeking to do? He’s seeking to bring up all of the garbage in our lives. He’s seeking to bring the worst out of you. He’s seeking to bring up the worst possible things in your life. And you know how they did it? You know how sifting took place? They would take a big wooden stick— often two sticks— that had a leather strap in the center, so that it could flick. And you could really beat. They would learn to swing that thing, and then they would stop, and the final part of the stick would gain so much momentum, and it would hit those things so hard. And you would beat all that garbage, all that unusable material, away. And that is what Jesus says Satan has desired to do: sift you. And that’s what he seeks to do in your and my life— to beat man so hard. He wants to beat on your life so hard that all of the garbage begins to come out— that the worst comes out of you.

He wants to beat so hard on your marriage that the worst comes out of it. He wants to beat so hard on your mind that the worst comes out of it. That is what he seeks to do. Let me read to you again verse 32: "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Here we see it again— the end intended by the Lord. Again, Jesus tells him, “I’m writing the end to this story.” You’ve gotten Satan’s attention. We see the same thing in the life of Paul, when the demons say, “Paul I know, and Jesus I know, but who are you?” Paul had gotten the attention too. Every single person that is called after the name of the Lord— sooner or later— you’re going to experience that the enemy has set his heart on you. He is seeking to bring the absolute worst out of you, that you may lose your confidence in the cross, that you may lose your hope in God and how He operates in your life. The end intended by the Lord is clear. He says, “Peter, when you come— you’re going to make it. When you come back, strengthen the people around you. Explain to them what the enemy seeks to do in your life.”

He brought the worst out of people— Peter and people alike. He will seek to always find the worst. It’s different in my life than in yours. He knows the things that make you feel the guiltiest, that make you feel the most forsaken by God. He knows. He’s been studying you. And then he comes, and he tries to bring it out of you, rub it in your face, and discourage you. Why? Why does Satan get so obsessed with a person? Why does he get so obsessed with Job? Why does he get so obsessed with Peter? Why has he gotten so obsessed with you— that he would come to Jesus and ask for you? Because he just wants to bring the worst out of you? Why does this happen in the life of the believer? Let’s look at Peter’s life— Matthew 16, verses 15–19: “And He said to them,” (that’s Jesus speaking) “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’”

This is describing the man or the woman that has seen something with the eyes of their heart, just like Peter did. Peter had seen— the Father had revealed to Peter— that this Jesus is the Christ. Meaning, the Father has finally sent the Messiah. That means whoever believes on Him can be forgiven. There was a time in your life where, for the very first time, the Father opened your heart: “The Christ has come into my life. He has come. The Father has sent the Messiah. I’m forgiven for my sins. I am forgiven for my sins. Anyone can be forgiven for their sins.” And He tells him: “You are Peter.” That Greek word means a pebble— a small, very small stone, rounded off by water. “You are Peter. But on this rock…”— that word means an incredible boulder— the same word used when Jesus says He’s the Cornerstone. That’s the kind of rock this is referring to. And the Word tells us— Jesus says to Simon: “On this rock— that the Father reveals to people that the Messiah has come— I will build My Church.” And then He gives this incredible promise: that He’s going to give power for you and I— for people that have seen that the Christ has come— to be involved in the Kingdom, to be involved in building the Kingdom. And there comes the enemy knocking. And in his heart, the devil says: “I can beat this out of them. I can beat this faith out of them. I can beat this kind of confidence out of them.”

The enemy asked for Peter. And he beat on him. And Peter— who had seen Jesus face-to-face, walked with Him, saw the miracles take place— denied Him three times. The enemy brought the worst up out of Peter, to where he took a step back and said: “I’m not with this guy. I’m not with this [music] Jesus.” And some of you are right there. Where the enemy is just landing blow after blow after blow on your life. You have believed on Jesus. You don’t have much, but you believed on Him. You’ve trusted Him. God is proud of you. He has a plan for you. And Satan comes knocking on your life to try and literally knock the faith out of you— try and knock the confidence out of you— and take you down. He’s been buffeting you. He’s caused you to stumble. You have gone down— just like Peter. He’s bringing the garbage out. He’s bringing the worst out of you. And you’re down and out. And the worst is now being found inside of you. Things you never thought you’d do. Feelings you never thought you’d have. Thoughts you would never, ever have. But he’s bringing the worst out of you. And you’re carrying it. And you’re walking around with it. You don’t know what to do. You never thought you would end up in this place. Just like Peter said: “Oh Jesus— never! That’ll never happen.” And Jesus said: “I prayed that your faith would not stop. When you return— strengthen your brethren.”

Some of you— you’re feeling like a failure. You have thoughts of giving up: on your call, on your favor in the Kingdom, on your place in the Kingdom, on the way that you speak to people about Jesus. But the Lord has given me a word for you. And this is the time for you. This is the time for you to hold fast, to hold on to the confidence you once had in the cross. You need to hold on to it and say: “No. Because of the cross, even though the garbage is coming up— even though the failure is coming up— even though I’m at my worst right now— my confidence is not shaken. My confidence is not in who I can be for God. My confidence is, and will forever be, in the cross of Jesus Christ.” Church, there is an end intended by the Lord. When the enemy is allowed to bring the worst out of you— you love the Lord, you want to follow Him— but the worst is coming out… there's an end intended by the Lord. He wants the grace, the mercy, to multiply upon your life. God has set the boundaries. Remember: the enemy is not in control. This is not going to go too far.

Hold on to your confidence. Don't give up. Trust Him. Hold on to what He has spoken over your life. He loves you. He’s proud of you. Stay confident in Christ until the very end. How do we do it? How do we do it? Let me take you back to Hebrews 3. We’ll read verse 6 one more time: “But Christ, as a Son over His own house—whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm until the end.” Today, doing this is as simple as just learning to say— one more time, or for the very first time: By all accounts, I should not be, but I am forgiven because of the cross of Jesus Christ. By all accounts, I should not have a part in the Kingdom— but I do, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. By all accounts, my marriage should become a failure— but it will not, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. Take a hold of the confidence in the cross one more time— the cross of rejection, the cross of cursing, the cross that Christ took on so that we would be delivered and free from all of these things. Let the cross— one more time— and the confidence that you should not be forgiven, but here you are, totally forgiven because of the cross… let that be the reason, one more time, that you get up in the morning with a hop in your step.

Let that be the reason that you open your mouth around people: “No, I really shouldn’t be forgiven— but I am, because of the cross.” “I really should not have a future— but I do, because of the cross.” Let that be the reason that you forgive the unforgivable that is being done to you. Let it be the reason again that you put the enemy in his place and tell him: “Yes, all the garbage is coming out. Yes, there’s not that much usable in the pot of my life. Yes, there are a lot of the worst things that I never thought would come out of me— they’re coming out. And I shouldn’t be forgiven, devil— but I am, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. My confidence is in Him.” Would you stand with me for a moment? If you recognize today—online or here in person—if you recognize in your heart that the Spirit is causing you to understand something of the enemy’s attacks on your life or your marriage, but you begin to understand something today about the end that is intended by the Lord. And if you want to say today: “Lord, today I’m taking a hold again of my confidence in the cross. Lord, I’m going to take a hold of it again. I may have let it slip. My grip may have grown weak. But Lord, today I want to take a hold again of my confidence in the cross. I should not be forgiven— but I am because of the cross. I should not have a future in the Kingdom— but I do because of the cross. I should not have authority when I pray— but I do because of the cross. I should not understand the Word when I read it— but I will because of the cross. I should not be able to hear from God— but I will because of the cross. I should not be able to see my relationship be built up again and strengthened again— but I will, because of the cross.” I’m taking a hold, one more time, of my confidence in the cross. 

If you want to make that declaration today, would you join me here at the altar and do it together with me? And then we will pray. Hallelujah. Glory to my God. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Yes, Lord. Thank You, Lord, that You are calling people, Lord God, to take back their confidence, Lord. Not confidence in their walk. Not confidence in their person. Not confidence in their ability to walk a perfect walk. But their confidence— their faith— in the cross. Their confidence in the cross, Lord God. To hold fast to that thing until the very end, Lord God. To persevere in holding on to the confidence in the cross of Jesus Christ. That no matter the blows that the enemy is bringing upon us, No matter the things that the enemy is finding in our garbage,No matter the things that the enemy is bringing— the worst out of us all day— Lord God, we may have nothing to show for it. But we are going to choose today, Lord God, and declare in Your presence That we, one more time, will hold on to the confidence of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Lord God, I should not be forgiven— but I am, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. Lord God, I should be no good— but I am, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. God, I should not be able to forgive people in my life— but I am, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. I should not be able to be a good parent— but I am, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. I should not have a future in the Kingdom. I should not have a call in the Kingdom. I should not have love in my heart for my enemies— but I will, because of the cross of Jesus Christ. And I will hold on to that hope. I will hold on to the rejoicing. I will hold on, God, to what You gave me. And I will see the end intended by my God. The enemy is not in charge of my suffering. The enemy is not in charge of my sinfulness. God has an intent— an end— which I will see, Where mercy and compassion is multiplied upon my life for all to see that my God has an ending intended for those that have trusted Him,Called on His name, And held on to the confidence in the cross of Jesus Christ. Lord God, we will see the ending. I thank You, Lord, that You are real— awakening our hearts, Lord God, To be confident in the cross and nothing else.

Let it be what it is. Let us be sifted as the wheat. Let the garbage be what it may, Lord God. Let our worst be what it may. Let my worst be what it may. Yet, I will hold on to my confidence in the cross. I should be lost— but I’m found, because of the cross. I should be broken— but I’m healed, because of the cross. I should be evil— but I’m being transformed, because of the cross. Lord God, let You receive all of the glory. To You, Lord God, be all the majesty, Lord God, in this place Where the enemy may be beating on Your people, Lord God. We’re going to rejoice— because of the end intended by You. We’re going to rejoice, Lord God— because we can hear the SpiritCalling us to hold on to the confidence until the end. Lord God, let Your will be done in our lives. And let joy arise in Your people as an offering to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, we worship You.

-Pastor Stan Mons