Enough is enough!

Luke 9:2-5 The Message (MSG)

Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick.

The devil responds to a higher authority.  Prayer includes confronting the devil.   The devil knows that we have authority over him; however, he trembles when we know it. 

 

Luke 10:17 (NLT)

17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT)

3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 

4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 

5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

A stronghold is a lie that gains momentum.  There has to be a group of believers who tell the devil enough is enough.  We must release the name of Jesus.  

Philippians 2:9-10 (NLT)

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Brandon Isbell, Church of the Highlands  

When Faith Doesn't Make Sense

Isaiah 56:7 (NKJV) ...For My (God's) house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Lord, make our places of worship Houses of Prayer which manifest your presence. 

When our prayers go up, Lord, send your  miracles down.  

Acts 4:30 (TLB)

and send your healing power, and may miracles and wonders be done by the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Lord, we trust everything you do.  

Here' a story about a man who trusted in God, and refused to doubt Him. 

Mark 5:35-43 The Message (MSG)

35 While he, Jesus, was still talking, some people came from the leader’s house (Jarius) and told him, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”

36 Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, 

“Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”

If we want a miracle, we must tune out doubt and unbelief, and tune in the faithfulness of our God.  

37-40 He (Jesus) permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John. 

They entered the leader’s house and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. 

Jesus was abrupt: “Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.” 

Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn’t know what he was talking about.

To experience a miracle, we must remove people of doubt and unbelief, and...

surround ourselves with people who will believe with us for a miracle.  

Faith prepares for Jesus to move and for people to see more clearly.  

40-43 But when he (Jesus) had sent them all out, he took the child’s father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child’s room. 

He clasped the girl’s hand and said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up.” 

At that, she was up and walking around!

This girl was twelve years of age.

 They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. 

Your manifest presence that's what we need, Lord.  

Your faith in Him that's what God's needs to produce your miracle. 

Your faith in God produces God's miracles.  

Faith doesn't make sense, but it does create miracles.  

Some things that God does and says are so personal.  

You need to keep it between you and God.  

He (Jesus) gave them strict orders that no one was to know what had taken place in that room. 

Brandon Isbell, Church of the Highlands

Jesus is the teacher

(1 Corinthians 2:1-2 Message) “You’ll remember, friends, that when I first came to you, I didn’t try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did--Jesus crucified.” 


(John 13:15) “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” 



WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO… 


(Proverbs 14:12) “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”


 We try and fix it ourselves. 

 We look to others. 

 We learn to live with it. 

 We turn to God. 


THE TEACHER 


(Ephesians 5:1 Message) “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love.” 


(Ephesians 5:1 NCV) “You are God's children whom he loves, so try to be like him.” 



HE CAME TO SHOW US…


1. How to overcome temptation. 


(Matthew 4:11) “Then the devil left him, and the angels came and attended him.” 


2. How to face impossible situations. 



(Hebrews 11:6) “And without faith it is impossible to please Him.”


3. How to submit to God’s plan. 


(1 Peter 2:21) “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 


4. How to show unconditional love.


 (Luke 7:47) “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Jesus did not come to earth just to die, He came to teach us how to live.


Video
https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/the-teacher

Discussion Guide
https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/03-13-11.pdf

Brandon Isbell, Church of the Highlands

How to overthrow a stronghold

In prayer, God gives common people the opportunity to have uncommon results.  

In Matthew 10:1, Jesus is transferring His unrestricted power to His disciples over demons, darkness, and sickness.  

Think of authority like this.  You already have power in your house; however, it's up to you to turn it on.  

We already have power in Jesus's name; however, it's up to us to turn it on.   

We must learn to take Jesus at His word and release His power as instructed.   

In Acts 3:1-8, we see Peter and John releasing Jesus's power through their faith in His name. 

Acts 3:1-8 New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 

4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 

6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 

7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 

8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

Here are some points that we can learn from this story. 

1. We don't fight spiritual darkness with earthly weapons.  

We must fight in prayer.  

Prayer is not only communion with God, but also confrontation with the enemy. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5  (NKJV)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 

Strongholds keep us from seeing the power in Jesus's name.  

A stronghold is a lie that gains momentum.  

2. Jesus's name can do anything that Jesus can do.  

Jesus has transferred His power to us, His followers. We must transfer our faith in our stronghold to faith in the power of Jesus's name to conquer it.  

Starve your faith in your stronghold by feeding your faith in Jesus and His name by mediating upon the power of Jesus as revealed in the Word of God (Romans 10:17). 

After you've immersed your thoughts with the power of God in Jesus's name, it will overflow into your everyday speech.   

Matthew 12:34B New King James Version (NKJV)

34 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.   

Now you're ready to talk to your stronghold about the power in Jesus's name.  Command your stronghold to leave in Jesus's name. 

Philippians 2:9-11  (NKJV)

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When the strongholds of your mind goes down, the windows of your heart open up.  

Jesus's name is more powerful than any stronghold that the enemy can throw against us. 

Excerpts from notes taken from Brandon Isbell, Church of the Highlands, Opelika Campus.
  

Faith that attracts God's attention.

The environment of faith attracts the power of God.  

In order to have great faith, we have to have the right mind. 

Our mind will believe what we tell it.  

We don't walk by what we see, but what we know.  

God will always leave a need in our life that makes Him relevant.  

Everyday we need to remember something that God did for us that day.  

His promise gives us the courage to take our eyes off the problem, and fix them on Him.  

Our faith wins the heart of God and shakes heaven.  

When the praises go up the blessings come down.  

We don't fight for victory, but from it.  Open our eyes to see you, God.  

When our faith comes alive, miracles happen.  

Excerpts from Brandon Isbell, Church of the Highlands.