Speaker 1: Get our Bibles out and lift them up and wave them around and make Jesus glad and the devil mad.
Speaker 1: And let's say this all together say Heavenly Father, I'm grateful for Wednesday night, I'm thankful for what you've done in 2023.
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to 2024, because the word and the spirit are growing and multiplying in my life.
Speaker 1: My spirit is stronger, my faith is built up in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1: Let's turn in our Bibles tonight to 1 Peter, chapter five, and I'll start reading with verse five.
Speaker 1: And it says Peter says to the church likewise, you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.
Speaker 1: Yeah, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
Speaker 1: Humble yourselves, therefore, unto the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: Let's all say that out loud the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: Humble yourself unto the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due season or in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
Speaker 1: Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resists, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Speaker 1: And so tonight I wanted to share a message entitled a mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: God's hand is a mighty hand.
Speaker 1: You know, when we put our hand to something it's our strength, but when God puts His hand to something, it's God's strength and I think about Zechariah 4-6, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit.
Speaker 1: So he really, the mighty hand of God, is none other than the Holy Ghost and thank God, the Holy Ghost has come upon the church.
Speaker 1: Jesus said you know you should receive power after that.
Speaker 1: The Holy Ghost has come upon you and we know the Holy Spirit is the anointing.
Speaker 1: We have the anointing within us, but also we have available the hand of God, or the anointing that can come upon us, and you know it brings with it extraordinary abilities and extraordinary things happen with the hand of God.
Speaker 1: It comes upon you.
Speaker 1: You know the Bible is a record of ordinary people doing extraordinary things when the hand of God comes upon them.
Speaker 1: I think about Elijah in 1 Kings 1846.
Speaker 1: You can look some of these up later.
Speaker 1: But the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah and he outran the king's chariot all the way to Jezreel, which is 20 miles, you know.
Speaker 1: And in 2 Kings 315, elisha, the prophet called for the minstrel because he was there with Ahab and Jehoshaphat.
Speaker 1: You know, you had the both halves of Israel, the 10 tribes, and the two tribes were working together and the Moabites had come against them.
Speaker 1: And so he called for the minstrel.
Speaker 1: And the minstrel played and the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha.
Speaker 1: And Elisha said fill this valley full of ditches, because, thus saith the Lord, it's gonna be filled with water.
Speaker 1: And water came flowing in there and filled all the ditches that they dug.
Speaker 1: And the next morning, when the Moabites showed up, they looked down in that valley.
Speaker 1: They thought it was all blood.
Speaker 1: They got all afraid and God turned the whole thing into a mighty victory for Israel and they spoiled the Moabites all the way back to their own country.
Speaker 1: And so you see extraordinary things happen.
Speaker 1: Ezekiel 37.1,.
Speaker 1: The hand of the Lord came upon Ezekiel and he raised up the dry dead bones.
Speaker 1: So we see, the Bible talks about the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: It's available to us.
Speaker 1: And you know another thing the other side of the mighty hand of God is that it can work against.
Speaker 1: The mighty hand of God comes against in some cases, for instance in Exodus I just got through with the book of Exodus and working my way through it, I should say.
Speaker 1: And Exodus 9.3, the hand of the Lord came upon, came against Egypt's cattle and horses and all their animals, and they died of the plague and pestilence.
Speaker 1: And Deuteronomy 2.15, it talks about that.
Speaker 1: The hand of the Lord came against Israel's men of war because of their unbelief Remember, they brought up an evil report and said we be not able to go into the promised land.
Speaker 1: And Israel's men of war I mean God's hand came against them and they all died in the wilderness over a 40 year period.
Speaker 1: And Judges 2.15, the Bible records that the hand of the Lord came against Israel for idolatry.
Speaker 1: And then in the New Testament I think this is worth looking at Acts, chapter 13.
Speaker 1: This is actually you're quoting all the old Testament.
Speaker 1: Well, that's true, but there's New Testament.
Speaker 1: There's New Testament.
Speaker 1: To look at Acts, chapter 13.
Speaker 1: This is Paul and he's coming against Elimus the sorcerer who had bewitched people.
Speaker 1: Acts 13,.
Speaker 1: Verse 11, verse eight let's look at verse eight.
Speaker 1: But Elimus the sorcerer for so is his name by interpretation withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Speaker 1: The deputy was the ruler of that region and this sorcerer was trying to stop him from receiving the gospel.
Speaker 1: Then Saul, who's also called Paul, filled with a holy ghost, set his eyes upon him and said oh, full of all subtlety and mischief, you, child of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, whither thou not cease to bevert the right ways of the Lord.
Speaker 1: And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.
Speaker 1: And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Speaker 1: And I've been saying this for about 40 years, but I just believe we're living in the days where the hand of the Lord is gonna come against some of these political people, especially the ones that are speaking and working against Israel, against Hamas.
Speaker 1: I mean, I think when you look over there at what Israel is doing to Hamas, I've killed about 8,000 of them.
Speaker 1: Now you don't, hardly, you can't find the numbers.
Speaker 1: You know they're not publishing what's really happening in Israel.
Speaker 1: But the hand of the Lord has come against these people.
Speaker 1: And so, thank God, you know it's not all about.
Speaker 1: You know the hand of the Lord upon us for good.
Speaker 1: Sometimes it's the hand of the Lord against the enemy.
Speaker 1: And so everybody say the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: So we see here in verse six, going back to first Peter, peter, chapter five, the key to having the mighty hand of God come upon us is humility and faith.
Speaker 1: Humility and faith, those are the keys.
Speaker 1: I mean, if you want the mighty hand of God active on your behalf, you need to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: Humble yourself, humble yourself, see.
Speaker 1: And humility is not thinking less of yourself.
Speaker 1: Oh Lord, I'm just a weak worm of the dust.
Speaker 1: Oh Lord, I'm not worthy.
Speaker 1: No, that's not humility.
Speaker 1: Humility is just thinking of yourself less.
Speaker 1: In other words, putting the other person first.
Speaker 1: In other words, love always puts the other person first, and so you're always looking to help, you're always looking to bless, you're always looking on opportunities to make a difference in the positive, and that's called humility, really.
Speaker 1: And then, of course, faith.
Speaker 1: I mean you've got to cast all your care upon the Lord, see, and he goes back to verse five.
Speaker 1: God resists the proud, but he gives grace or he lifts up and gives ability to the humble.
Speaker 1: You know, I remember back when I was going through a lot of financial reversals.
Speaker 1: I was in business, my business was failing and I had to leave town at least I thought I did and I got a job in Corpus Christi.
Speaker 1: We left everything here in Houston and I left my business behind because I couldn't sell any houses.
Speaker 1: The business couldn't pay me a salary, so I just had to leave.
Speaker 1: I was offered a better position in Corpus Christi, so we went there and it was.
Speaker 1: You know, I just realized the devil had attacked me and I just made it a conscious effort Every morning, Lord, I just humbled myself under your mighty hand.
Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I just know this is.
Speaker 1: You didn't send this trouble, but I'm going to get lower.
Speaker 1: You know I'm humbling myself.
Speaker 1: You know I feel humbled by the devil and I'm going to get lower than what he's done.
Speaker 1: I'm just going to get down on the ground.
Speaker 1: Sometimes I'd follow my face.
Speaker 1: I had a picnic bench out in the park across from our house that we rented there in Corpus Christi, right on the the Nueces Bay, and I'd lay face down on that park picnic table.
Speaker 1: You know, just humbled myself.
Speaker 1: I didn't want to lay down in the grass because it was wet.
Speaker 1: It's due, you know, to get all wet.
Speaker 1: So I'd lay down on that picnic table.
Speaker 1: Why did you do that.
Speaker 1: I just humbled myself under the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: I knew that he would lift me up, I knew He'd give me ability.
Speaker 1: I just stood on this, on this verse, and so, and it says, to cast the whole of your care once and for all.
Speaker 1: You don't do it every day, lord, I cast all my care.
Speaker 1: No, you do it one time.
Speaker 1: And what that means is that you refuse one time, you refuse ever again to worry.
Speaker 1: And I was sorely tempted in those days when we were in Corpus.
Speaker 1: I was sorely tempted when we moved back to Houston and didn't have a job, had to move into the my sister's house and live with my sister and her family.
Speaker 1: You talk about humble, and I had.
Speaker 1: I just I'd made her practice just to humble myself.
Speaker 1: I just I'd get lower than where I was.
Speaker 1: I just get lower because I knew God would do what he said He'd do.
Speaker 1: He would lift me up.
Speaker 1: And you know what he did.
Speaker 1: He lifted me up, he exalted me, he promoted me in ministry and opened a door of ministry at Lakewood Church where I got to do some things that I never dreamed I would ever do and really just kind of opened the door to this ministry and what we've done.
Speaker 1: Now we're starting our 30th year in 2024, glorious way church.
Speaker 1: So pride really equals worry.
Speaker 1: I mean, when you worry, you're basically saying you know what God, I know you care, but I care more, you know.
Speaker 1: Let's look at it the way that God looks at it Worry is a sin, worry is fear, and then really the other part of it is it's just some kind of pride.
Speaker 1: It's like it's kind of a weird kind of a pride to think that you can change anything by worrying.
Speaker 1: No, what's going to happen is that everything gets a lot worse.
Speaker 1: And so let's, let's not forget that God cares for us and watches over us and he's with us.
Speaker 1: I just think about Joseph.
Speaker 1: I mean, have you ever been sold in the slavery?
Speaker 1: Have you ever had your whole family just sell you out?
Speaker 1: Have you ever been falsely accused and thrown into prison?
Speaker 1: The Bible says that God was with Joseph when he went.
Speaker 1: God gave Joseph favor, see, I mean, no matter what you're going through, god can still come upon you.
Speaker 1: His mighty hand of power can come upon you.
Speaker 1: Everybody.
Speaker 1: Say that out loud again the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: And when I was, you know, preparing for this, I was thinking about.
Speaker 1: You know, years ago, believe it or not, I played high school football and our coaches, you know they taught us to, when we're out there on the football field, always maintain a good football position, get yourself in a good football position.
Speaker 1: And what does that mean?
Speaker 1: You said well, you know, you've got your feet about shoulder width, knees slightly bent, your arms up like this, ready to take on any body that's coming against you.
Speaker 1: And now, when you're upright like this and you're flexed like this, you've got a 180 degree field of vision.
Speaker 1: Anybody coming from the side, you'll be ready for them.
Speaker 1: But when your feet are close together, or, even worse, if your feet are crossed, if you've got one foot over the other, all somebody has to do is just kind of bump you and you're gonna fall down on the ground.
Speaker 1: And once you're on the ground on a football field, you've lost all leverage.
Speaker 1: There's nothing more you can do.
Speaker 1: You can't fulfill your position, whatever your position is, if you're a lineman or you're a defensive end or you're a half back.
Speaker 1: I mean, once you're on the ground, your game is over, and so your job is to remain upright in a good football position.
Speaker 1: And so that's what I'm thinking about the mighty hand of God is when you're humble.
Speaker 1: You humble yourself.
Speaker 1: You never let yourself get the big head, you never let yourself get elevated.
Speaker 1: And pride, no matter how much God promotes you, you give him all the glory.
Speaker 1: And then you never let yourself worry, you never let yourself fret, you never let yourself get into fear.
Speaker 1: See, that's maintaining a good believer's position.
Speaker 1: That way the devil cannot consume you.
Speaker 1: He's looking for anybody that he can devour, and he'll devour people that are in poor position.
Speaker 1: He'll devour the prideful, he'll devour the people that are having a pity party.
Speaker 1: So let's maintain that position with God.
Speaker 1: Praise God.
Speaker 1: So the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: And so what I did on this.
Speaker 1: You don't have to do it this way, but when I was studying this years ago, the mighty hand of God can be upon you.
Speaker 1: There's one column like that and against you Upon and against the mighty hand of God, upon number one humility.
Speaker 1: It's upon humility.
Speaker 1: When you're humble, god's mighty hand is upon you.
Speaker 1: When you're prideful, the mighty hand of God actually comes against you.
Speaker 1: Now he's working against you.
Speaker 1: You mean God works against me?
Speaker 1: Well, it's just built into his word.
Speaker 1: It's built into his word.
Speaker 1: God doesn't do anything.
Speaker 1: God's already spoken his word.
Speaker 1: It's not like he's making oh so, and so I'm gonna work again.
Speaker 1: No, his word works on either side.
Speaker 1: It's two-edged sword.
Speaker 1: Let's get on the proper side of it.
Speaker 1: So, upon mighty hand of God upon me.
Speaker 1: When I have humility, when I have faith in patience, the mighty hand of God is upon me.
Speaker 1: But when I have worry and impatience, the mighty hand of God comes against me.
Speaker 1: I mean that same power starts working against me, it starts hindering me.
Speaker 1: And then, so I see, what I did is I just listed two columns and I put a pawn on one heading and against on the other, and then I made a list.
Speaker 1: And so that way I teach myself what to avoid.
Speaker 1: And see I'm again.
Speaker 1: It's all about maintaining a good believer's position, kind of like a football position.
Speaker 1: My knees are flexed, my hands are out, like this, I mean, if somebody comes, I mean I'm able to, I'm able to ward them off.
Speaker 1: Like that, I'm able to.
Speaker 1: If I have to, I can give them a good forearm shiver right in the chest.
Speaker 1: Boom, that's what a, that's a good football move.
Speaker 1: Right there, boom.
Speaker 1: Give the devil a forearm shiver right in the chest, boom.
Speaker 1: And so the last one is praise Might.
Speaker 1: A hand of God is upon you when you praise him.
Speaker 1: Or when you praise him, when you give him great gratitude, when you've got an attitude of gratitude, but when you complain and murmur, say the hand of God comes against you again.
Speaker 1: Again, I want you to say I don't want you to think that God is looking at you and coming against you, I'm just saying it's built into his word.
Speaker 1: That's already been spoken, and so you're, you're not cooperating with his word.
Speaker 1: When you cooperate with the mighty hand of God, then you're humble, you have faith and patience and full of praise.
Speaker 1: And when you don't cooperate that way, then you have pride, worry and impatience and complaining and murmuring.
Speaker 1: And these are things that you have to keep in mind, especially when you're going through trials, especially when you're going through trouble, because, let me tell you, some trouble comes to everyone.
Speaker 1: You know Jesus said in the world, you shall have tribulation, you shall have trouble, you'll have, you'll have contrary circumstances.
Speaker 1: But he said be of good courage.
Speaker 1: I've overcome the world.
Speaker 1: And so the mighty hand of God is available for it to come upon you and propel you through whatever it is that you're going through.
Speaker 1: Amen, the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: Let the mighty hand of God be upon you and do great things in 2024 for God, and I believe that his mighty hand is coming upon Gloria's Way Church more and more this year.
Speaker 1: It's going to be a busy year.
Speaker 1: We're going to see lots of victories, we're going to get to overcome lots of circumstances and we are the winners.
Speaker 1: Come on, lift your hands and receive the mighty hand of God.
Speaker 1: Amen, praise God, glory to God.
Speaker 1: I hope you got something out of this little message and I just I just believe that we're all in this together.