Faith At The Breaking Point Part 3

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

The great tribulation can be traced to the rage of Satan, who wants one last chance to wreak havoc before facing doom, one last chance to get people to worship him instead of God, and one last chance to destroy the faith of those still alive who believe in Jesus. Today, how to overcome our mortal enemy, the devil. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win, with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, this has been a tough message to hear, and I'm sure a tough one for you to preach. What will your takeaway be as you conclude Faith at the breaking point?

Well, Dave, the takeaway is going to be, of course, that they overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. But I need to say, yes, a difficult message to preach, a difficult message to contemplate, but there it is in God's holy word. And my dear friends today, to all who are listening, I have such a burden that you listen carefully to this message that I'm going to end my talk right here, and we're going to go directly to the pulpit of Moody Church.

No matter where you are, whether you're in a car or in an office or at home, wherever you are listening, listen very carefully, and you're going to especially see the power of the ending of this message. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them, but woe to you on the earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath because he knows his time is short. People debate as to when this happened.

Many of us believe it's probably during the tribulation period. But notice there's three reasons why Satan is full of rage. Number one, he couldn't kill Christ when Christ was here on earth. Number two, he's thrown out of heaven. He's humiliated. He no longer has direct access to God where he can accuse us before the throne, as evidently he did in the book of Job. And third, he knows his time is short, three and a half years, and then hell awaits. Now, if he was really wise, he wouldn't oppose God because then he knows that his suffering in hell would be just a little less, but he can't help himself. He so hates God and God's people that as long as he still has existence on this planet before he is turned into hell forever, he's going to do all the possible damage he can.

Woe to the earth for the rage of the devil is there. But how did the saints overcome him? Where did they get the strength to stand in the midst of such opposition? Where does a Christian get the strength to stand for Christ even if nobody in his whole district is standing for Christ and he has to die alone as a believer?

Where is that strength? They overcame him, number one, because of the blood of the lamb. The fact is that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, his crucifixion was a tremendous victory. He was buying out from this earth people from every tribe and tongue and nation and was purchasing them and there was nothing that the devil could do about it. The devil tried to oppose him, but he couldn't. In the presence of Jesus, he had to stand down, give in, and let Jesus do it. The resurrection proved the fact that Jesus triumphed over death and that Jesus ascended into heaven, totally victorious, above all principalities and all powers and every name that is named. And Jesus is there today with all authority under his feet. That's why he told us we could evangelize.

Unto me, all authority is given. At every level, Jesus Christ conquered Satan. He disarmed him and he guaranteed the fact that for Satan, hell would be forever.

It would be just, but it would be a place of torment. Don't ever think that Dante was right, that there are going to be demons in hell tormenting people. Listen, in hell, Satan is not the tormentor. He is the tormented. He's the one who is going to justly suffer for his evil and he knows it and he's angry and he accuses us still before the father. Look at that Christian. He believes in Jesus. Look at the war with lust that he lost this past week. Look at the war with anger. Look at the hypocrisy and remember, don't ever argue with the devil when he comes and shows you your sin because you will lose and he knows a lot more about you than you don't even want to know. So don't argue with him.

What do you do? You go to the blood of Jesus and say that all of this may be true, that before the throne, my shirt, he stands, my name is written on his hands. He died for me. His blood was shed. That's the ground of my victory. The devil is defeated.

His accusations have no power against us because Jesus paid it all. And then it says they overcame them by the word of their testimony. That doesn't just mean, you know, a testimony meeting where everybody stands up and says what Jesus means to them. It's talking about the fact that these believers stood upon the ground of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the victory of the cross and the resurrection and that these believers stood on that and it was their testimony in that finished work of Jesus that gave them the strength and the power to be able to say no to the devil and to be able to say we are willing to die for Christ even if nobody stands with us. And then notice the next phrase.

I love it and it's very important. And they did not consider their life even unto death. What it's saying is this. They love Jesus more than life itself. As the Apostle Paul said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. They said to me death is gain because of Jesus. And isn't it? Jesus dies on a cross and while they're burying him, what is he doing?

He's having supper with a forgiven thief and they're hobnobbing on the other side. So what Jesus is really teaching us and what the writer of Revelation is teaching us is the fact that you and I should not love our lives more than we do Jesus. And let me say this. If today you love your life more than you love Jesus, very probably you'll not have the strength when the persecution comes. And throughout history there have been many examples of people who did not love their lives more than they love Jesus. If you read Fox's book of martyrs, you'll discover that there were times when little children were being tortured and their parents said to them don't give in. Be brave for Jesus.

He is with you. And the parents encouraged their children who were being tortured to be faithful for Christ. Church history is strewn with examples like that.

Let me give you a contemporary one. About four or five months ago in Egypt with all of the outbreak of persecution, which is worse now than it was previously, where the Arab Spring has turned into the Islamic winter, there were a group of teenagers copped to Christians marching down the streets of Cairo with t-shirts that said, Martyr on Request. In other words, if you want to kill me, here I am. I volunteer to die for Jesus. Wouldn't it be wonderful if in America today we had that kind of courage? Would not that be an example of God's greatness and power? You say, well, Pastor Lutzer, you raised the issue though regarding children. What would we do?

Well, first of all, let me say we don't know exactly what we would do because we've never been in that situation. But no doubt throughout history there have been parents that have been so committed to Jesus and so committed to him that they love Jesus more than their children and were willing to entrust their children into God's hands believing that their souls will be saved even if they are taken from them and even if they also become martyrs for the faith or if they are abused to believe that eternity is long, time is short, and we must be faithful to Christ no matter what. What an amazing difference a couple of chapters make. In chapter 13, I read to you how the saints, they were overcome by the Antichrist. It says power was given on to him to overcome them, to conquer them.

That's a real downer, isn't it, to think that Antichrist is given power like this. And then we turn to chapter 15 and this is what it says. I'm going to quote some of the verses slowly, but I want you to follow. It says, and I saw a sea of glass mingled with fire and them who had gotten the victory over the Antichrist, over the beast and over his image and over his mark. So yeah, he conquered them here, but now they're on a sea of glass and they've gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and they stand on a sea of glass having the harps of God and they sing the song of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the song of the Lamb saying, great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints, who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name.

And there they are singing victorious songs in the presence of God because they love not their lives, even to the point of death. I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ today has to be delivered from fear. Not just fear of martyrdom, but fear of witnessing, fear of political correctness, fear of this and fear of that, fear of the future, fear of the economics of the future. Because it is only when we are free indeed can we live like free men and women, unintimidated by what is going on around us because the truth has set us free.

Do you believe that? The truth has set us free. So what we're going to do now is to be delivered from fear. Aren't you glad you came?

All right, four or five of you are. I wrote a prayer that all of us are going to pray together. It takes a few minutes to pray it, but if you look at the commas and if you are in the cadence of the prayer, and I will of course lead you, let us pray it together in faith. Would you stand please?

Everyone stand. The prayer is going to be on the screens so that we can say it together for the honor and the glory of God. Let us pray it in sincerity. Let us pray it in hope. Let us pray it in great faith because we are on the winning side.

No matter what earth looks like, we know what heaven looks like and we know where we are going. Praise God. And now are you ready? Let's read it together. Father, help me to agree with you that I am not subject to fear, but I'm a child of your love. I reject fear of the future for I believe that the future is in your hands. I reject fear of the evil doers for your word says though an army in camp against me, my heart shall not fear though war rise against me. Yet I will be confident for he will hide me in the shelter in the day of trouble. He will conceal me under the cover of his tent.

He will lift me high upon the rock. I renounce fear of rejection for David wrote in your holy word for my father and mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. I renounce fear of witnessing about Christ because your word warns the fear of man brings a snare. Therefore I choose to fear you more than I do any human being. I affirm the Lord is on my side. I will not fear.

What can man do to me? I renounce the fear of losing my property and possessions for your word says I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I renounce fear of Satan for your word says he has already been conquered by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. I renounce the fear of saying goodbye to a terminally ill loved one for Jesus promised let not your heart be troubled.

In my father's house are many rooms. I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself that where I am you may be also. I renounce fear of death for I affirm with the Apostle Paul for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Thank you for the promise death is swallowed up in victory. I renounce fear of martyrdom for your word declares do not fear those who are able to kill the body but fear him rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. I renounce fear of loneliness for we are promised our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ and also I will never leave you nor forsake you and again peace I leave with you my peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you let not your heart be troubled neither let them be afraid. I renounce fear of intimidation for Jesus said if the world hates you you know it is hated me before it hated you in the world you will have tribulation but take heart I have overcome the world. I renounce fear of false accusations I accept this promise blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you. I renounce the fear of being treated unjustly for of Jesus we read when he was reviled he did not revile in return when he suffered he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. I renounce the fear of radical Islam and its desire to intimidate us I renounce fear of political correctness I declare that the truth shall set me free and I choose to live as a free person in Christ Jesus I shall speak and not be silent I renounce fear of curses either known or unknown spoken against me and my family I renounce fear of manipulation and control I renounce the fear of being involved in public or political activity I declare that Jesus Christ is Lord of all I submit to Jesus as Lord of every area of my life Jesus is Lord of my home Jesus is Lord of my relationships Jesus is Lord my city and Jesus is Lord of my nation Jesus Christ is Lord above all false gods and religions Jesus is Lord over all the nations of the earth I commit myself to be a living witness to Jesus Christ as Lord I am not ashamed of his cross God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of Christ I ask now that you will fill me with your Holy Spirit and pour upon me all the blessings of the kingdom of Jesus Christ grant me the grace to understand the truth of your word clearly and to apply it in every area of my life give me words of hope and life as you promised open and bless my lips so that I can speak to others with authority and power in Jesus name give me the boldness to be a faithful witness for Christ give me love for all people and a passion to share the love of Christ with them grant that I shall carry your cross as a badge of honor in Jesus name amen oh my friend this is Pastor Lutzer what do I say after that the simple fact is we honor God by taking his promises at his word and committing ourselves to him no matter what the future might hold rejecting fear trusting God and believing to the very end would you like to have this series of messages permanently so that you can listen to them again and again and share them with your friends here's what you can do for a gift of any amount you go to rtwoffer.com that's rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 now I have to say that this is one of the last times we're making this sermon series available and also the prayer that you have just heard a printout of it will be sent to you thank you in advance for helping us as we share the good news of the gospel of Christ in a very troubled world where persecution and alienation of those who love Christ is happening before our eyes let me give you that contact information again and thanks in advance for helping us you go to rtwoffer.com of course as you might guess rtwoffer is all one word rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 you need these messages famines deserts and other hard places because you may be going through a very hard place these messages will give you the instruction the encouragement and also the example from scripture as to how we can navigate an uncertain future go to rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 remember you'll be getting a copy of this prayer many people keep it in their bibles so that they have it handy reminding themselves of the promises of God thanks in advance as i've already mentioned for helping us because together we are making a difference as we run together all the way to the finish line it's time now for you to ask pastor lutzer a question about the bible or the christian life divorce is getting pretty common these days even in many churches cleo has written to us wondering this can a current pastor be divorced cleo i need to tell you that i really don't have enough information from your very brief question for example there may be instances in which a wife is divorcing her husband and maybe the husband is the quote innocent party and maybe he can continue to serve in a church there are instances like that even some contemporary instances where that has happened and i'm not qualified to judge all the details but if a pastor is going through divorce especially if he's the one who is filing the divorce or the divorce is happening and being played out as it were in the front of the congregation as these things would be in the case of a pastor of course i think that this means that his credibility is is deeply in question so i would say that the answer in those kinds of circumstances is no whether or not he can ever serve again there are various understandings of this i'll simply leave that up to you and to your church and to your leadership but at the end of the day there are very high qualifications for leadership in the church and surely someone who is going through a divorce cannot simply stay in the pulpit and pretend that nothing is happening i've always said that every pastor should be able to preach on all aspects of the christian life and one of those aspects is the family and marriage so if a pastor can't preach about those because his own credibility has been eroded i think that he needs to step down thank you cleo and thank you dr lutzer if you'd like to hear one of your questions answered go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on ask pastor lutzer or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us at running to win 1635 north la salle boulevard chicago illinois 60614 there comes a time in the decline of a nation that god will no longer delay judgment at that time things get really bad america may be at that point and believers are caught up with everyone else when calamity strikes how should we live when the really hard times come next time guidance from an old testament prophet who saw times like ours coming this is dave mccallister running to win is sponsored by the moody church you