Waging War With Sticks and Stones

What we see in the Gospel is that Jesus’ preaching and teaching was characterized by simplicity. It's what I call the KISS approach. “Keep it simple, Saints.” In this, He used parables or stories; simple, natural stories about earthly natural things that imparted spiritual wisdom and insight to those who had an ear to hear what the Spirit was saying.

So today I want to speak to you about two particular stories from The Old Testament that I believe are relevant to where we are in our present daily Spiritual battles. Today we're going to talk about sticks and stones that God has used in Scripture as  weapons of deliverance. In other words, simple, natural things that can be chosen by God and used to win a seemingly improbable spiritual victory.

Transcript

This is Dave Burnett. I want to welcome you to today's God's Family Plan podcast. The title of today's message is “Waging War With Sticks and Stones.”

What we see in the Gospel is that Jesus’ preaching and teaching was characterized by simplicity. It's what I call the KISS approach. “Keep it simple, Saints.” In this, He used parables or stories; simple, natural stories about earthly natural things that imparted spiritual wisdom and insight to those who had an ear to hear what the Spirit was saying.

So today I want to speak to you about two particular stories from The Old Testament that I believe are relevant to where we are in our present daily Spiritual battles. Today we're going to talk about sticks and stones that God has used in Scripture as  weapons of deliverance. In other words, simple, natural things that can be chosen by God and used to win a seemingly improbable spiritual victory.

As we begin today in Exodus chapter three, we find that Moses, a shepherd on the backside of the wilderness, encounters God at the burning bush, a bush that is burning but is not consumed. This is when and where the “I Am ” God called Moses to deliver Israel from the oppressive bondage of Egypt. The children of Israel had cried out to God for deliverance, and God Was answering their prayer. He was calling Moses to be an instrument of that answer. 

What I want us to look at first today is the conversation between God and Moses that’s found in verses one and two of chapter four of the book of Exodus. And I'm reading out of the Amplified Classic Edition.

and Moses answered, but behold, they will not believe me or listen to and obey my voice, for they will say, the Lord has not appeared to you. And the Lord  said to him, What is in your hand? And he said. A rod. 

In the Hebrew this is a branch, a shepherd's staff, if you will… simply a stick. Now in this what we see is God’s choice to use a simple wooden stick as a tool, a weapon of deliverance in the hand of Moses.

And from this point on in the book of Exodus, we find that this simple rod in Moses hand will play a very significant role in displaying the signs, wonders and power of God in delivering the children of Israel from the authority of Pharaoh and their captivity in Egypt.

I'd like to direct your attention now to Exodus chapter fourteen especially verse twenty-one. It's at this point that the rod, the staff, or the stick that was in Moses's hands becomes a particularly awesome tool of deliverance. It was at this point that Moses raised that staff over the Red Sea, and the waters parted and the Israelites passed through the Red Sea on dry ground. And then in verse twenty-eight of Exodus fourteen we find that Moses raised his hand, and the waters returned to their former state and drowned Pharaoh, his charioteers. and his army in the Red Sea. God delivered Israel from the hand of Pharaoh. One of the weapons that he used was simply a shepherd’s staff, a simple tool of the trade, a rod, a branch, a stick.

And so I ask this simple question. What is God calling you to? And what is in your hand? What is God asking you to do today? What humanly impossible task is He leading you into? And what simple seemingly insignificant thing is in your hand? And will you allow God to use it in your hand to reflect His glory? 

Now, for another similar story, I'd like to go to First Samuel chapter seventeen. In this we find the story of David and Goliath. As we read through this chapter, in verse thirty-nine we find that David has convinced King Saul to let him fight Goliath on David’s own terms. As we read verse forty we see the simplicity of David’s preparation to fight Israel’s gigantic tormentor. Reading from the Amplified Classic Edition:

Then he (that's David) took his staff in his hand and chose  five smooth stones out of the brook. And put them in his shepherd's bag, a whole kid’s skin slung from his shoulder and his pouch and his sling was in his hand and he drew near the Philistine. 

Again we find a Shepherd's staff…a stick. But now we find five smooth stones added to the shepherd’s arsenal.

Dropping down to verse forty-nine of chapter seventeen, we find that David put his hand into his bag and took out a stone and slung it.  The stone struck the Philistine and sunk into his forehead. Goliath fell to the ground on his face. In verse fifty we find that David defeated the Philistine champion with a simple sling and a stone. 

Again, we see something simple in David's hand. Something natural and small anointed by God to achieve supernatural victory. 

So, once more, I want to ask you. What is your calling? What seemingly gigantic, overpowering,  intimidating thing has God called you to?  Is there something simple in your hand that you will give to God that he can anoint as a tool, a weapon of deliverance?

I submit to you today that there is something simple, something you can do. There is a small thing that has the capacity to bring about a seemingly impossible, improbable, miraculous result. Now that's the heart of this message today.

1.      God has a calling on your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says God has a plan. Seek it, find it and commit to it.

2.      He's put something in your hand. Allow Holy Spirit to unveil the answer to the very personal question, “What is in your hand?” It may be a talent, skill, or possession that is seemingly simple or insignificant…yet something with miraculous potential. Let God use it, Let Him develop it. Let Him anoint it as a weapon of your calling.

3.      Trust God’s wisdom and His Word.

I believe 2 Corinthians 5:7 is a verse that deserves our focus and special attention at this time. In the New International Version it reads simply:

'For we live by faith, not by sight. '

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/2CO.5.7.NIV

Now in the closing minute or two of this podcast. I would like to focus on one particular small thing that you can do that I believe God wants to use to produce supernatural results.

If you are an adult citizen of the United States of America, God has put something in your hand that He can and will use to bring about his miraculous plan for your community, your county, your state and our nation. And that small thing. Is your vote. 

I believe for far too long the church has ignored the right and privilege of casting a righteous ballot for the elected officials of our land. I believe that whether out of ignorance, religious naivety or rebellious iniquity, Church members have neglected the right, privilege and responsibility that has been put in our hand by the grace of God. And, if you don't think it’s God's grace that has given us the right to vote, talk to the Christians in Russia, talk to the people of Communist China, or Talk to the people of Taiwan who've escaped China’s communist oppression, or talk to the families of the martyred Christians in Iran. 

Obviously, Scripture tells us to pray for those in authority over us, but in the United States of America, God has granted more than the privilege of prayer, He has given us the right to elect those who have authority over us. When we fail to exercise that right, we invite policies, laws and systems into our land that are devilish, demonic, ungodly and oppressive. 

So I want to encourage you to take what's in your hand; and to be a good steward of your vote. Pray about it. Do your research. Seek the counsel and advise of Spiritual elders. Ask Holy Spirit how to do it. Then cast your ballot by faith. Put it in the hands of God. And like Moses stick and David’s stone, I believe God can use our vote to win the war against the evil that would deceive and destroy our people and our land; to win the war that rages against God's people and His purpose. I believe God can and will use our vote to protect and prosper our nation.

 Let it be said of us as it was said of the Church of the first century, “Those who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

You can be a difference making world changer if you will allow God to use what is in your hand? Your vote is in your hand. What are you going to do with it?

This is David Burnett, and I want to thank you for listening to today's God's Family Plan Podcast.