Break and Trample

Isaiah 14:24-25 NLT 24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath: “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided. 25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel; I will trample them on my mountains. My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.

The Lord is declaring that He will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel. These words used by the Lord are interesting because He says that He will break Assyria when they are in Israel not outside the walls of Israel but inside the walls of Israel. How does this relate to us today? Good question let's find out! Just like Israel had an enemy with Assyria you have an enemy and that enemy may seem like he is winning and going to defeat you, but look at what the Lord says. In the previous verse, He declares that His plan will happen and what He has decided will come to pass. God’s plan for Israel was to defeat the enemy when they arrived in Israel not outside, but inside. The word Assyrians in Hebrew is defined as “step in” the enemy may have "step in" to your life, but God is going to break the enemy while the enemy is in your land. The Hebrew word for break is “Shabar” it is defined as “break, break in pieces (Qal) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench to break, rupture (fig) (Niphal) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked to be broken, be crushed (fig) (Piel) to shatter, break (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered”(Bible Study Tools, 2014, p.1)  The Lord is sharbaring the enemy in your life!

The Lord is going trample the enemy that is attacking you. Your enemy is a not other people your enemy is “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The enemy may be attacking you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically. I want you to hold on to the truth of God’s Word that He will break and trample the enemy out of your life. The word for trampled used here is "Buwc" and it is defined as "to tread down, reject, trample down (Qal) to tread down, trample (of warriors) of rejection (fig.) (Polel) to tread down (in bad sense) to desecrate (Hithpolel) to tread to kick out 1c of infants' blind movements 1c of Jerusalem (fig.) (Hophal) to be trodden down" (Bible Study Tools, 2014, p.1). That is powerful! The Lord is going to remove the enemy on your behalf He is going to kick out the enemy just like He did when the Assyrians were in Israel! Verse 25 says “I will trample them on my mountains” God just wanted to beat the Assyrians on His home turf God wanted to have home field advantage and that is exactly what He had!

Will it be tough battle for you? Yes, because the enemy is on your land I would think that when Israel was fighting the Assyrians, it was a tough fight, but why did God want to destroy Assyria once they were in the land of Israel? I am not sure why, but I believe it could be for the Lord to display His full strength and power to Israel and Assyria. It makes a huge difference when your enemy is outside your territory instead of being inside your territory. When your adversary is outside your territory, you have the high ground, and it is easier for you to win because you have more strength and confidence that you can defeat them. But when the adversary is inside your home it’s a different story because you don’t have that high ground instead the enemy is closer to you which means you have limited ground now because the enemy is taking up more space. It’s like in American Football when your opponent is inside your territory 20 yards away from getting into your end zone it is harder to stop them from scoring. It is much easier to stop them when they are own their own 20-yard line because they have to go 80 yards instead of 20 yards to get a touchdown I hope you can see the analogy in what I am saying. I want you to get this I believe Israel was weak inside because they were at home they let their guard down when Assyria “stepped in” Assyria gained more spaced over Israel and exposed Israel’s weaknesses, but God intervenes and says as He did to Apostle Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  I believe that one of the reasons why God allowed the Assyrians to be broken and trampled in Israel instead of outside the walls was so that God would get the glory saying because you were in a weak position I am made strong My Spirit did this act of defeating your enemy. Get this you can never overcome the works of your enemy only God can utterly defeat your enemy, and He did that here for Israel, and He did it for everyone through the Cross, and He did it so that Israel, Assyria, and you would know that there is a God in Israel!

I leave you with this have hope and faith today if the enemy has "stepped in" to your life don't focus on how the enemy got there instead focus on the promise of God. God has the home field advantage! Because the enemy has "stepped in" to your land, I believe and have faith God will do the same thing He did for Israel He will do for you, and that is to break and trample the enemy in your land!  I believe that outcome will be as it is at the end of verse 25 “My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.” God has done this your enemy is defeated and you are no longer their slave nor do you have to bow down to their heavy loads because Christ has broken and trampled the enemy at the Cross and now you have freedom spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically!

 References

Bible Study Tools. (2014). Shabar - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard. Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/shabar.html

Bible Study Tools. (2014). Buwc - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard. Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/buwc.html

The Power of the Resurrection

Happy Easter everyone! Happy Resurrection Sunday! Have you ever wonder why this day is so important to the world and why we Christians hold it so dear to our hearts? What does the Resurrection do for us? Today you will discover the Power of the Resurrection! So come and let’s look at this for awhile.

Let's take quick look at Luke 23:50-56 to gain a background of what occurred before the Resurrection Luke 23:50-56 NLT 50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.

Luke 24:1-2 NLT But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.

Verse two declares that death and sin could not hold the stone closed because He lived a sinless life the power of sin and death could not hold Him. When you let the message of the Resurrection come into your life, and you choose to believe in your heart and confess it with your mouth, then life comes to you, and you are made new! You yourself will see that the stone of death and sin has been rolled away from the entrance to your tomb.

Apokulio is the Greek word used here for rolled away it means: “to roll off or away”

1. The Power of the Resurrection has the power to roll away the stone that keeps you in your grave.

Luke 24:3-4 NLT So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

The stone was rolled away, and the women saw that Jesus’ body was no longer in the grave, and they were puzzled. When you receive Christ into your life, the stone that covered your tomb has been rolled away, and you are now able to walk out as a new person. You walk out as a person who can live now because you are free from the bondage of sin and death.

You see when Christ is in your life people, family, and friends will be puzzled to see that the stone to your tomb is rolled away. They will be puzzled that you are not there because they know you as the old you the one who was bounded by death and sin, not as a person who has been resurrected from death to life! You are no longer a person who is bound to the grave of sin and death, but you are a person who has been changed by the Power of the Resurrection! Receiving Christ into your life is your first step to letting others know that your stone is rolled away and it is an invitation for them to receive the Power of Resurrection just like you did!

2. The Power of the Resurrection has the power to bring life to you and to let others know that Jesus Christ does change lives!

When Jesus came out of the tomb, He is declaring that death and sin no longer have the power to sting and shackle you.  Apostle Paul explains The Power of the Resurrection in this way:
I Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Resurrection Sunday declares that God has given anyone who chooses to become a disciple of Christ the victory over sin and death because of the Resurrection!

Victory is ours because of the Resurrection!  That word victory that is used here in I Corinthians 15 is the Greek word Nikos it means: “victory to utterly vanquish.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines vanquish as: “to defeat (someone) completely in a war, battle, etc. to overcome in battle: subdue completely to defeat in a conflict or contest to gain mastery over (an emotion, passion, or temptation) <vanquish your fear>.”

This is why THIS DAY is the most important day of our Faith because without it there is no victory there is no vanquish of the power of sin and death if the Resurrection does not occur then Christians are still bound to sin and death.

3. The Power of the Resurrection gives you the power of Nikos it utterly vanquishes the power of sin and death over your life!

I Corinthians 15:58 NLT 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Because the Resurrection did occur your life now can be strong and immovable, and whatever your work is you can now work enthusiastically for the Lord because you are reminded of the Power of the Resurrection! And the last thing you need to remember is that because of the Resurrection nothing you do for the Lord is useless because each thing you do for the Lord spreads The Resurrection Power into the world bringing life into all things!

4. The Power of the Resurrection gives you the ability to be strong, immovable, to work enthusiastically for the Lord, and reminds you that nothing you do for the Lord is useless because the Power of the Resurrection gives you the power to bring life to this world into all things!

If you never received Jesus into your life and this blog about Easter has stirred your heart to desire Christ to be in your life, then come and say this prayer with me, and you will have the Power of the Resurrection living inside of you, and you will never be the same again!

Say Jesus I ask you to come into my heart I believe you died on the cross and rose from the dead for me. I ask you to forgive me of my sins, and I repent of them. Thank you for coming into my life I make you my Lord and Savior in Jesus name we pray amen! Go to church this Sunday go ahead get plugged in and let Him start to change your life completely!

What is a History Maker?

We see people making history every day through making new records in the Guinness World Records Book, sports either professional or collegiate, or by people making a lasting impact on the world by doing something historic. These historical records are written down and passed on to each generation to let them know that a specific person has made a historical difference in society for either better or worse. We as a society marvel at how these people do it, and we wonder if we ever can be a history maker like them.

As Christians, we read the stories from The Bible, and as we read these stories, we see that we identify these ordinary people in the scriptures as heroes and villains that have created history, which leads me to ask the question, “What is A History Maker?” Even though the word phrase “History Maker” does not show up in the scriptures directly, you can see that the stories reveal that these ordinary people are History Makers! Their history has created a lasting influence on this earth. That is what A History Maker does, is it not? He or she creates a history that brings a lasting impact in their sphere of influence.

The word “history” has many definitions, but there are two that stand out to me: “1. A chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution. 2. Often including an explanation of or commentary on those events acts, ideas, or events that will or can shape the course of the future” (The Free Dictionary). Stop and think about this definition! These two definitions are telling us that history consists of events that happen to people like us and tells us the explanation that through the actions we do in our lives, a course of the world’s future is taking shape. History Makers look at life differently; they choose to wonder how the actions they participate in and think of shape the future of themselves and the world.  The word “maker” also has many definitions, but I would like to expand on these two: “1. One that creates, founds, or originates a person or business that makes or builds something. 2. One that makes or manufactures” (The Free Dictionary). Let’s stop and think about this definition! Makers are people who create, found, or originate something that they have thought of; once it is found the maker builds it and manufactures it into existence. Each of us does this with the thoughts that come into our mind. We receive those thoughts then we decide to build upon those thoughts, putting them into action.

This leads me to let you know that everybody is “A History Maker”, but not everyone recognizes that they are one! The difference between those who recognize themselves as “History Makers” and the ones that do not is a simple truth that I believe that every influential person you are thinking of has, whether Christian or a non-Christian. What is this attribute? The attribute is “significance.” Why do I say significance? I say significance because that person realizes that his or her words, actions, ideas, and influence are meaningful to the world! Significance means “having or likely to have a major effect; important" (The Free Dictionary). You have to believe that you are significant and that you have a purpose. Where does significance and purpose come from? They come from God! We as Christians find our significance and purpose in God, but non-Christians choose to find their significance and purpose in the world by the works they do. As a Christian, for you to have the most impact and imprint on this earth for Jesus Christ, you must come to believe and have faith that you are a son or a daughter to your Father in Heaven. You must build faith in knowing that your Father loves you, and you are loved by Him! It is who you are! Have faith that you are a king or a queen with Christ because you are a co-heir with Him in this life and the life to come.

What does being loved by Him, seeing Him as Dad, and knowing you are a co-heir with Him have in common? Significance! Think about it if you believe and have faith in the significance of being a child of God and a co-heir with Christ, nothing is impossible for you because you recognize that your life does carry influential power. Remember the history you are making does shape future events not only towards you, but also in this world.

  This is what “History Makers” are: they make a difference in this world and know that their actions will produce a historical mark in the timeline of the earth. I encourage you to pause and then think of how your words, ideas, and actions are being used to bring influential transformation to the sphere of influence that you hold. Remember, you are a History Maker, you have significance, you have a purpose, you are loved, and your life is indispensable because there is nobody else on this planet that can make the history that you can make upon this earth. “Time is ticking. What history are you making?”

Godspeed ~ Robbie