Lessons from the Battlefield, Part 3 (cont'd)

Let me tell you something. You've got to understand that we are called to live not by our sight, but by our faith. And you've got to see your enemies through the eyes of faith.

When you look at the enemies through the eyes of faith, it's a very different view. Every soldier in Israel saw Goliath with their own eyes, but only one of them had vision. Hello and thanks for being here for today's Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepherd. Long before he was called King David, he was already becoming a leader of men.

The great Philistine warrior stood over nine feet tall, weighed over 500 pounds, and not a single member of the Israeli army had the courage to accept his challenge. But David, who was still just a boy, saw what no one else did, that God would deliver this giant into his hands. Today's message is straight ahead, so stay right here or listen to the podcast on demand at pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net. Now, let's join Pastor Paul for today's Destined for Victory message, Lessons from the Battlefield. When you're in the will of God, when you're called according to God's purpose, and there's an enemy arrayed against you, the only issue is, Lord, what do you want to do about this? That's what Israel found out under Moses' leadership. God raised up Moses, and he said, I'm sending you down. My children have been under bondage for hundreds of years under Pharaoh, and I'm ready now to release them, and Moses, I'm sending you to tell Pharaoh to let my people go. Moses said, well, now, all I'm doing is talking to a bush, but I don't know who you are. So would you please tell me who I'm supposed to say sent me?

If I'm supposed to bus up in the palace and say that you said, let my people go, he's going to ask me, who are you? And I need an answer. God said, oh, all right, let me tell you what to tell him. I am that I am. Now, we hear that and we say, that's not an answer.

But it is an answer. God gave Moses his name. His name is I am that I am.

Tell him I am sent here. You know what that means? The only thing real, the only thing permanent, the only thing self-existent is God. Everything else is fleeting.

Everything else is finite. Everything else has a definition, but God has eternal is-ness. He is from everlasting to everlasting. When did God get started?

He didn't get started. Well, when's he going to die? He's not going to die. He is. He has eternal is-ness. God doesn't have was-ness. He never was.

You can't speak in the past tense about his nature. He's not a was God and he's not a will be God. God's not past his prime. Well, you know, back in the day, man, God was really something. Oh, man, back in the day, boy, God was. You just saw God back then.

No, no, no, no. You can't speak like that about God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He said, just tell Pharaoh he's fooling with the I am.

He's fooling with the only one who counts, the only one who is self-existent, the only one who answers to no one and tell him I say it, let my people go. And God is so bad that after telling Pharaoh that knowing Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, he sent the plagues, really not for the Egyptians, he sent the plagues so that his people would know the bad God that they serve. And God, in fact, hardened Pharaoh's heart just so he could show Israel the length he would go to to release them from bondage. And then when Pharaoh finally said, all right, let them go, Bible says Israel came out of there and they headed toward the wilderness that would lead them to the promised land. And the Bible says when they got to the edge of the Red Sea, they had an enemy, an obstacle that was intimidated in front of them.

How in the world are we going to get out of Egypt when we've got a sea blocking us? So God has them set up. Every now and then God will let you run into a wall in order to grow your faith, in order to test you to see whether or not you're going to trust Him. And so don't be surprised when God lets you make good progress for a while and then you stop.

And there's a sea in front of you that seems impossible. And that's what Israel ran into. And of course, as they will do, they began to murmur and complain. And Moses had to listen to all these opinions. And everybody said, I see that you brought us out here. I told y'all, y'all shouldn't fool with this man. He don't know what he's doing.

Now look at it. He brought us up here to a sea. And just then God said, all right, I have them almost set up, but I got to add another element. The Bible says one more time He hardened Pharaoh's heart. And Pharaoh had a change of mind and said, you know what?

I shouldn't have let those folk go. All of that free labor, you're talking about millions of people. Scholars estimate that somewhere between two and four million people came out of Egypt under Moses' leadership. You're talking millions of people.

All that free labor. Pharaoh said, no, I can't let these folk go. And he said in his arms, he said, go get them.

And they come charging after them. I always think of that music in the Wizard of Oz. That's one of my favorite movies, man. That's a good movie. I know I'm big and grown, but I love Wizard of Oz.

I know all the songs, everything. And they're charging after them. And the Bible says that Moses looks to God. That's what I'm trying to get somebody to do who is facing a sea that is impossible. I want you to look to the one who called you according to his purpose. And when you start looking more at God than you do at what's in front of you, the enemy that's preventing you from getting where God wants to take you, you'll begin to see business pick up. The Bible says he looked to God and God said to him, stretch out your rod. God will always give you something to do. And it's amazing because the thing you do has no miracle working power in it. But God just loves to have us participate. It's a sign of obedience.

Just do what I say. Stretch out your rod. He stretched out the rod. And when he stretched out the rod, God sent his power into the earth realm. And the Bible says the Red Sea parted.

Two walls of water pushed up on either side. There was a massive passageway through the Red Sea. And watch this, God allowed his children to go through the middle of the sea on dry land. Now, I know some of us are super intellectual. I understand that. And so I know sometimes we have problems with passages like that. Now, I really don't understand how it would be metabolically possible for the water content, the H2O, to evaporate in such a way that the people walked through what had been the sea bed on dry land.

That is impossible. Well, we serve a God who created the sea. You want an explanation?

Let me help you. You serve a God who created the sea. If God created it, he can do with it whatever he wants.

I don't have a problem with the supernatural power of God because you got to start with the premise there is a God, number one. Number two, I'm not him. Are you with me? He's infinite. I'm finite. He is I am.

I just show up for a little while. And so you start with the premise that God's nature is completely different than our own. I don't have a problem with the miracle working power of God.

Let me be perfectly honest with you. What I would have a problem with is trying to be an atheist. I don't have enough faith to be an atheist. You've got to have some crazy faith, man, to be an atheist. See, those of us who are people of faith, we understand what we believe in the beginning. A supernatural, infinite God created the heavens and the earth.

He has power to do anything he sovereignly chooses to do. That's my ground zero. That's where I start. You say, how did you arrive at that conclusion? How do you prove that there is a God? The Bible says the heavens declare the glory of God. God wrote his signature in the universe. So much so that when you look up at an orderly universe, when you understand that we are on one planet in a solar system that was the ideal environment God created for us to live the life he ordained for us to live, and that God is in charge of an orderly universe, you must understand people of faith say that's the work of God.

If I were an atheist, I'd have to have enough faith to believe that we live, we exist in an orderly universe and nobody ordered it. I don't have that much faith. I can't live in order and believe nobody ordered it. It just happened. Look at your house.

It doesn't just get into order. Look at your bedroom. Look at your garage. We'll be right back with more of today's Destined for Victory message from Pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor at Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Listen to the broadcasts on demand at PastorPaul.net. That's PastorPaul.net where you'll find a host of great resources in our online store. Well, anyone can walk by sight, but it takes real vision to walk by faith.

From the story of David and Goliath, here again is Pastor Paul with the rest of today's message, Lessons from the Battlefield. Things don't just become orderly. Well, I believe in the beginning, bang.

Who ordered the stuff that banged? No, no. I'm with Norman Geisler. I don't have enough faith to be an atheist. That's a book he wrote a few years back. It's an excellent book because it simply lays out the case that when you are a person of faith, don't let anybody challenge your intellectual ability. Well, see, your problem is you start with a subjective position of faith, and I am objective.

You're not objective. The Bible says it's foolish to believe that when you live in an orderly universe, you don't acknowledge that somebody bigger than you and I created it. And so I don't have a problem with the Red Sea party. God let his children go through because God will do whatever it takes to deliver his people. And then old crazy Pharaoh's army tried to go through there. I've told you many times, if I'm the first guy in the first chariot, I don't care what my boys are going to do. When I see the Red Sea part and the water is up on walls on either side, I know whoever did that intends for these folk to get away from us.

You all with me? I don't have to understand who God is. I don't understand his nature or anything.

All I know is he doesn't want us to catch him. So if I'm the first guy, I'm pulling off to the side of the road. Let all my boys go running on down there.

God bless you. All right, man, see you. Let all of them go. Go to the side of the road. Pull out your cell phone.

Call Meredith and them. We moving, baby. Getting out of here. We can't go back. Pharaoh will kill us. Meet me over here by the sea.

I'm not going down there. And they went down there and the Bible said that God just waited until all that crazy army got in the middle of the sea. And then he let the water come in on them. And Pharaoh's army was drowned in the sea that day.

Let me tell you something. You've got to understand that we are called to live not by our sight but by our faith. And you've got to see your enemies through the eyes of faith.

When you look at the enemies through the eyes of faith, it's a very different view. Now they looked at Goliath here in 1 Samuel 17 and they saw his size and they heard his defying words. But look by contrast at what David did. Look at how David responded to the exact same stimuli that they saw.

He had the same information at his disposal. He was called by his father to go down and take some supplies, some bread to his brothers. And so he's taking food down. That means David was too young to even be in the army. But his older brother's in the army and so his dad says go on down there and take him some stuff. Look at verse 20 of 1 Samuel 17.

Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd loaded up, set out as Jesse directed him. He got down there, saw that they were lined up in battle positions and that they were shouting the war cry. You know this was some sight. Israel coming out every day shouting the war cry but one war. And now they're shouting the war cry. And Israel and the Philistines drew their lines facing each other. David left his things with a keeper of supplies and he went and saw what Goliath was doing and heard his defiance.

And look at how David handled this. He said in verse 26 David asked the men standing near him what will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel. When you look at things through the eyes of faith you're already past can I win.

You know I can win because if God be for me who can be against me. He's already looking at his reward. David said now what do you get for killing him. Has the king said anything is there a reward offered. And he's out there asking about the reward and they tell him because see none of the soldiers want to fight.

So why not give him all the information he needs. And they repeat what Saul had said would be done for the man who kills him. And the Bible says what I love is the second part of verse 26. David went on to say who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God. Folks that's what happens when you walk by faith. You're looking at it from God's perspective. You're looking at the fact that this giant is in trouble because he is defying not just regular people.

He's messing with God's kids and you don't fool with God's kids and get away with it no matter what enemy you are. I'm here to call somebody to walk by faith. To see your enemies. To see your addictions.

To see your bondages. To see your besetting sins. To see the attacks of the devil on your life. To see the ways he's trying to keep you from experiencing God's best. To see those things through the eyes of faith. And to understand that your God is a man of war. God knows how to deal with an enemy.

In fact you've got to understand that in God you already have the victory. And so you've got to learn to walk by faith rather than by sight. You've got to be like Joshua and Caleb were generations before David's time. When Moses led his people into the wilderness. He was trying to get them into the promised land so he sent some spies. So that they would go over and tell the people what God's promised land looks like. And they came back. Twelve spies went over.

Ten of them came back with a bad report. Two of them who saw the same things came back with a report of faith. The ten emphasized the giants and the walled cities. But the two, Caleb and Joshua, emphasized the fact that it's the promised land y'all. Which means God promised it. That's why we call it the promised land. God promised us that land. Seems to me God knew there were giants and walled cities over there when he promised it to us. And how many know God's best promises for your life have giants and walled cities occupying them.

You know why? Because when God gives you the victory, he wants you to turn around and give him the glory. When God gives you that job he promised you, he wants you to turn around and give him the glory. When God blesses your ministry, he wants you to give him the glory. When God answers that prayer about your marriage, about your children, he wants you to give him the glory. When God settles that addiction in your life and delivers you, he wants you to give him the glory.

the glory. When God heals the hurt of your past, He wants you to give Him the glory. And so He'll see to it that you have these enemies standing in front of you so that you can look to Him and so that you can trust Him for a victory that can only come from heaven. And God says, if you will learn to walk by faith and not by sight, your world will open up new possibilities. When you walk by faith, you can smile when other folk are cringing in fear. You can be like Elisha. When his servant Gehazi looked out and saw that the army of Aram had surrounded him and the young servant was fearful, Elisha looked at the same situation through the eyes of faith and a smile, I always imagine a smile breaking out on his face.

And I imagine Gehazi saying, I don't know what's so funny. I see the enemy. They're all around us. Elisha said, Lord, open his eyes. Give him a glimpse of what you've shown me.

And when the Lord opened Gehazi's eyes, he continued to see the enemy. See faith is not a denial of reality. Don't ever deny your reality.

You've got to own your reality. But you own it in the context of faith. Yes, I am sick, but I'm looking to God to be my physician. Yes, I am addicted, but I'm looking to God to be my deliverer. Yes, I've got a major challenge in my home, but I'm looking for God to give me peace to deal with these crazy folk I have to deal with. Yes, I'm challenged in my vocation, but I'm looking to God to promote me and to bless me and to give me supernatural favor. Yes, I'm broke. People say, don't say that.

What do you call it when there's no money in your pocket? You can acknowledge at the moment I don't have the resources in my hand while at the same time expressing faith, say, but my God shall supply all my needs according to his riches and glory. Walking by faith is a choice, not a feeling.

And when you choose to put your faith in God, he will either make you bigger or your giant smaller. Thanks so much for joining us for today's message, Lessons from the Battlefield. Pastor Paul joins me now.

Pastor last month, you and I talked a little bit about your mom. Father's Day weekend is now upon us, and I thought it would be great if you would take a moment to honor your dad. I've heard you talk about him in the past, and I'd just love for our listeners to hear your heart about your dad.

Absolutely. Thanks for bringing that up, Wayne. My dad meant so much to me. I was blessed to be raised by a man who got saved in his teens. He had a godly mother who raised him and his siblings, and she ended up having 10 children, nine of whom survived, and she raised them in church. She had a man who didn't get saved until he was in his 80s. But she learned how to let her light shine, and she raised my dad.

She told him later, when I was pregnant with you, I laid my hands on my belly, and I said, Lord, I want you to make a preacher out of this one. And he was the only preacher of the nine siblings that she had. And he preached the gospel faithfully, raised his five children in the church, along with, of course, my mom.

And I love the legacy, and I think of him often. He died in 2008 as an 81-year-old man, but he was such a blessing to not only to me, but to thousands of people as he shared the gospel. And I thank God, this month in particular, for the legacy of a godly father. Pastor Paul, I want to hear you talk about how your father raised you in the church. I'm reminded of Proverbs 22, verse 6.

Train up your children in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it. Thanks for sharing those memories with us and for teaching us the word of God the way he did for you. Speaking of godly fathers and the legacy they leave, this month we have two very special gifts to share with you, yours for your best gift of $25 or more to Destin for Victory. The first is Pastor Paul's book, Why God Created Dads, an insightful and inspirational look at the subject of fatherhood through the lens of scripture. The second is the audio CD, A Tribute to My Dad, a message delivered by Pastor Paul following the death of his father.

Men and women alike will be inspired by these timely resources. That's Why God Created Dads and A Tribute to My Dad are gifts to you this month for your best donation of $25 or more to Destin for Victory. Just call 855-339-5500 or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for Victory, post office box 1767, Fremont, California 94538.

Once again, Destin for Victory, box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. God is telling you to quit fighting your own battles, quit hassling with people, quit trying to convince them that you're right and they're wrong, let the Lord fight your battle, let His grace be sufficient for you, let His peace fill your heart and mind, you go forth and do what the Lord has put on your heart to do. That's next time in Pastor Paul Sheppard's message, Lessons from the Battlefield. Until then, enjoy your Father's Day weekend and remember, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.