Tearing Down Church Strongholds, Part 2

You don't move forward by focusing on a rearview mirror. You move forward by focusing on a windshield. Dr. Tony Evans says if you won't take your eyes off the past, you can't see when you're headed for a crash.

Don't stand too long in your rearview mirror, because if you spend too much time in your rearview mirror, your windshield will do you no good. This is The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of The Urban Alternative. Is there a connection between a church's history and its health? Dr. Evans answers that question today as he talks about ways to keep Satan from trivializing your congregation.

Let's join him. John is on the Isle of Patmos on his final days, and he gets a vision from God, and it is the book of Revelation. Unlike any other book in the New Testament, this book offers a special blessing to those who read it. Verse 3.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it, for the time is near. Verse 11 says God tells John, write a book of what you see and send it to the seven churches. It was the complete message that God wanted to give its church regarding how they are to function under the lordship of Jesus Christ in opposition to the deception of the devil. In other words, it is in understanding the message of these seven churches that we understand how our church and all of its members is to function. So what's the point of the message to the seven churches?

It's simply this. Jesus and only Jesus is the standard by which the people of God function. And so Jesus has seven messages each given to one church, and if any church takes all seven messages, it will be a church that beats the devil rather than a church beaten by the devil. First of all, number one, to the church at Ephesus.

What is the lesson that we must learn? Lesson number one is that if we want to see the authority of the risen Christ, Revelation chapter one, operating in our church, we must never let program replace passion. This church had a great program. This church bleeds all the right things. It had doctrinal soundness. It had teachers that were potent.

It had all of the right set of truth, but it didn't have first love. Secondly, to the church at Smyrna. Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tested and you will have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful under death, and I will give you the crown of life. It's a lesson of faithfulness. He says to the church at Smyrna, when the going gets tough, don't stop standing up for me. Or to put it another way, don't just be a convenient church made up of convenient Christians who only serve me when they're being blessed. Thirdly, the church at Pergamum. This was a cultural church. This was a compromising church. This was a church that would preach right sermons, verse two, but not expect members to live right lives. This was a church that says the preacher can preach it, but we don't have to live it. It was a compromising church. One of the reasons today that we are not seeing the power of God is there's too much compromise. We want to make everybody happy.

Listen, when you take a stand, people are going to be uncomfortable. And one of the things that we must address is compromise. I must address it in my life.

You must address it in your life because God has called us to a higher standard. And if we want to see this Christ of chapter one, we must deal with the issue of compromise. Fourthly, Thyatira, the lesson of holiness, which is tied to compromise.

But he says a little differently here. To the angel, verse 18, of the church at Thyatira, right? Look at the message he gives in verse 19. I know your deeds, your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance.

The deeds of late are greater than a first. But I have this teaching against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel. Any Jezzes in the house today? Here we got a lady who is either literally named Jezebel. I don't know if that's a little name or he's just using the Jezebel symbolically of this Old Testament domineering. You know, she dominated Ahab.

She was this unsubmissive, dominating, rebellious, ornery, mean, evil, conniving woman. That's what the Bible says. Jesus says the problem is tolerating sin. That's a holiness issue. They tolerated this woman who was, number one, out of her place because she was dominating the church, something that God does not allow a woman to do, and that is acting as the final authority.

So she was acting outside of her role as number one. Number two, she was teaching false doctrine. Now, we can't vouch for everybody who comes in this building. There are probably some unsaved people right now in this building who have gone through the membership class.

There are people in this building who are living unguarded lifestyles and don't care. And sometimes people get upset because you didn't stop this and you didn't stop that, you didn't stop that. There is no way you can control everything that happens in a growing ministry. However, the condemnation of this church is that this woman went public because she was teaching everybody else, giving herself a theological giftedness title, calling herself a prophetess. And the problem here is not simply what Jezebel was doing, but that the church was tolerating it.

That's the problem. It was not saying anything. It was not addressing it.

It was not speaking out against it. It was not taking a stand based on God. The church is not to tolerate evil because leaven spreads in the dough of the church. And even though this church had many good things for it, it was under the judgment of Christ. God was going to judge Jezebel. God was going to judge those who were with Jezebel. God was going to judge Jezebel's children, which I take not only to be the physical offspring, but also the members of the church who were following her.

They were her children. They were followers of false teaching. And Jesus says, I'm going to judge it because you won't. So don't get upset when we judge sin. We're supposed to judge sin.

We're not to tolerate it. In other words, being in church is serious. Sardis, chapter three, verse one, to the angel of the church and Sardis writes, he says in verse two, wake up, strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die. For I have not found your deeds completed in my sight. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard and keep it and repent, if, therefore, you will not wake up.

I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I have come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments. They used to make wool in Sardis. That's why he uses this garment analogy.

And they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He is talking about a sleeping church. Here he speaks of the lesson of progress. Because far too many Christians and far too many churches live on what God did yesterday. Yesterday. Watch out for a Christian who always talks about yesterday.

This church was making no progress, and they were not completing the things that remained, because they were stuck. Listen to me. What you have done yesterday is wonderful for yesterday. Let me tell you something about yesterday.

You can't fix it. The only thing you can't recapture in life is time. Whatever happened yesterday, good, bad, or ugly, is yesterday. So Paul says, forgetting those things that are behind, I press on, because I can't change yesterday. But if I spend all day today thinking about my successes or failures yesterday, then I will ruin my tomorrow.

Listen to that now. If I spend all time today thinking about my failures or my successes yesterday, then I will ruin my tomorrow. When today looks at yesterday, I am borrowing from tomorrow's time.

Now don't misunderstand me. Yesterday has a place. But yesterday is like a rear view mirror in a car.

Okay? You don't move forward by focusing on a rear view mirror. You move forward by focusing on a windshield.

And if you will compare the size of a windshield to a rear view mirror, you will discover that a windshield covers a lot more territory than a rear view mirror. While you are driving forward in your Christian life, while we as a church are driving forward in our Christian life, every now and then, look in your rear view mirror. Take a peek up there to look at what's behind you, so that you don't make a wrong turn while you're moving forward.

But do me a favor. Don't stand too long in your rear view mirror. Because if you spend too much time in your rear view mirror, your windshield will do you no good. If you spend too much time in your rear view mirror, your windshield will be negated, and you're still going to crash. You're going to mess up where you're going if all your time is in your rear view mirror. But do take a glance in your rear view mirror. Look back very quickly and just get a picture of what you left behind, so you don't mess up where you're going. But don't spend all your time in your rear view mirror.

Satan wants to keep you in the rear view mirror, so that you don't use the windshield of Jesus that he might get you to crash for where you're going. Dr. Evans will explain how you and your church can press forward securely into the future when he continues our study in a moment. Right now, though, I want to let you know about a couple of great resources we're recommending as a way to follow up on today's study. Tony's books, Victory in Spiritual Warfare, and Prayers for Victory in Spiritual Warfare. As we've been learning, many of life's problems are symptoms of the invisible spiritual battle going on around us. And either of these books, coupled with Tony's current two-volume 12-lesson audio series, Spiritual Warfare, can help you find ways to work through those problems using God's tools, tactics, and power.

It doesn't matter whether they're the everyday challenges we all face, or the more serious attacks that show up in the form of substance abuse, sexual or emotional problems, or relational issues. We want you to get your own copy of the messages in this Spiritual Warfare series, and your choice of one of the two companion books as our gift. This is a special offer available only through Monday, so visit tonyevans.org right away, make a contribution, and we'll say thanks by sending these powerful resources your way. Again, that's tonyevans.org, or call 1-800-800-3222, where resource team members are standing by around the clock to assist with your request.

I'll have that contact information for you again after part two of today's lesson, and this. Alaska is truly one of God's masterpieces, an unspoiled paradise where you can see the magnificent creativity of God on full display. And from August 6 to 13, you can experience Alaska with Tony Evans and the Urban Alternative, on a cruise that will pamper you with luxurious accommodations, incredible meals, and a large variety of leisure experiences. Take in the wonder of God's creation and God's word, as you learn from Dr. Evans and other gifted teachers.

Spots for this August 6 to 13 cruise are filling up fast, so find out more and book your spot at tonyevans.org. Okay, church at Philadelphia, made up of two Greek words that means brotherly love. Verse 7, and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, right?

Now this is a highly commended church. He says, I know your deeds. Verse 8, Behold, I have put before you an open door, which no end can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name.

Behold, I will cause those who are of the synagogue of Satan, see Satan is trying to put a stronghold around them, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole earth, to test those who dwell in the earth. Here we have the lesson of obedience.

When Christ puts a period, don't you make it a question mark. You have kept my word. Testimony for Christ in the midst of a satanic environment. When you take a stand for Jesus, when we take a stand for Jesus, he says, I will take care of Satan. But if you deny me before men, I will deny you before my father who is in heaven.

Now guess what's happened? One of the reasons a lot of our prayers are not being answered is because we deny him all week long, but then we want to hear from him when we in trouble. And God says, and to put it in the contemporary language, don't play me for a fool.

Don't play me for a fool. You deny me, nobody knows you're a Christian but me, you're a secret service saint at work, you have no backbone when it comes to me, but all of a sudden I'm good enough now. He says, uh-uh, I will take care of you, but you have to hold to my word.

You have to say, thus saith the Lord. Finally, here's one of the most interesting one, number seven, and our final one. Laodicea.

This is a lesson of commitment. Laodicea was a wealthy Roman town. People had money, honey, and this is a rich church. This was the church of what's happening now, okay?

This church was rich. He says in verse 15, I know your deeds that you are neither hot nor cold. I would that you were hot or cold.

So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Because you say I am rich and I have become wealthy and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind, and used to make an eye salve there, he said, to heal the eyes, he says, no, you really can't see. You're blind and used to make clothes there.

You think you're dressing nice, but you're naked, and I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire that you may become rich and garments white, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may be revealed and the eye salve to anoint your eyes that you may see. And this is a deep one. Because as I look out over this audience, I see some successful people. Nothing wrong with that.

There's no condemnation. If you've worked hard and built that business or gone to school and got training and you've climbed up the ladder, that's okay. But let me tell you, when you become too successful, you become too successful when the blessings by God on your life have replaced God. You're making too much money when God has blessed you so much so that you've expanded your sphere of living that you have nothing to give back to him. Somebody said there are three types of people, the haves, the have-nots, and the have-nots paid for what they have. And some of us, God took us out of an apartment, gave us a three-car garage and a house, gave us a nice ride. We go to the main malls.

We're looking good. We can open up our collars and let people see whose designer name is on our shirts, our ties, our suits. And God has less prayer from you, less commitment from you, less loyalty from you, less love from you, less devotion from you. And then you want to show up and say, pray the Lord he blessed me. God said that's neither hot nor cold. There's no commitment there. Listen to me. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you a bed, but it can't buy you sleep. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you books, but it can't give you brains. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you food, but it can't keep you having an appetite. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you a house, but it can't give you a home. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you medicine, but it can't buy you health. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you amusement, but it can't buy you happiness. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you finery, but it can't buy you beauty. No matter how successful you are, money can buy you a crucifix, but it can't give you a savior. your Savior. And the great challenge is to not let your success reduce you to mediocrity. God has given us a beautiful building, but if we don't use it to serve more and to make a bigger impact and a greater have a ministry, we've wasted our time with the investment.

Let me close. A young man got married one day and he was on his way home from his honeymoon. A tractor trailer rig pulled out in front of him and hit him, and the car started flipping on the highway. He came out okay, but his new bride was bleeding profusely, and he knew if he didn't get this woman to a doctor, she was gonna die. He got out of the car and saw a little sign just a little ways away. The office of Dr. Rufus Jones.

Internal medicine. He said, yes! So he picked up his beloved and straggled up the hill till he got to the doctor's house. He began knocking on the door, and this old man came to the door and he said, Dr. Jones?

The man said, well yes. My wife is bleeding. She's dying.

Please save her. Much to this young man's surprise, Dr. Jones says, I'm sorry, son. I can't help you. You see, son, I stopped practicing medicine many years ago. I don't have any utensils here.

I don't have anything. I stopped practicing medicine many years ago. I just never bothered to take down the sign. Brothers and sisters, we got a world out there bleeding to death, and we're saying people come to the church, the Church of the Living God, where we have Dr. Jesus. The medicine of the Holy Spirit, the healing power of the Word of God, come to the hospital. But brothers and sisters, if we're not gonna be the hospital, then let's take down the sign.

Let's either be the real hospital or take down the sign, but let's don't make everybody think we're a hospital and think we're practicing physicians when they show up and they die at our doorstep, because we stopped being a church a long time ago. Let's be the church, the authentic representation of that which Christ gave his life for. Dr. Tony Evans talking today about tearing down Satan's strongholds in our churches.

Getting that job done won't be easy, but as we've heard, we're not in the fight by ourselves. If you'd like to share or review the full-length copy of this message, including material we didn't have time to bring you on the air, check with us for details on the lesson called tearing down church strongholds. Better yet, get it as a part of Tony's current two-volume series on spiritual warfare. As I mentioned earlier, when you make a contribution to support the ministry of the Urban Alternative, we'll say thanks by sending you this powerful 12-lesson series on CD or digital download, along with the bonus of your choice, one of Tony's two books, Victory in Spiritual Warfare or Prayers for Victory in Spiritual Warfare. Just call our resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 to get the details. That's 1-800-800-3222, or visit us online at TonyEvans.org. Sometimes it seems like nothing we do makes a difference, and Satan is an expert at using that attitude to keep our neighborhoods under his control. Well, join Dr. Evans on Monday as he explains how you and your church can break out of isolation to be the salt and light your community needs. The alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you by the Urban Alternative and is made possible by the generous contributions of listeners like you.