The Armourbearer
Dr. Kevin Wynne
Dr. Kevin Wynne is the missionary/pastor of Iglesia Bautista Monte Sion in Mexico City, Mexico.
Tremendous message from Brother Gomez a few minutes ago. I was taking notes while he was preaching, I plan to preach it myself next week! That’s the good thing about having church in Spanish, they don’t know when you’re stealing sermons from somebody else. I preached “Pay day someday” a few weeks ago and people were very impressed with my study. This is a tremendous church here, tremendous ministry. We love Brother Corle, he has been a great blessing to us there in Mexico and I love to hear him preach, I get a series of messages every time I hear Brother Corle preach. He has tremendous doctrine, just a greatly used servant of God.
It’s a blessing to be here with Brother Anglea and get to see what God is doing through him and through his ministry. I was talking last week with some graduates and students from Providence Baptist College and they said one of the main reasons they went there was to be under the teaching of Brother Anglea, a tremendous man of God, and that concludes everything nice I’m going to say this evening!
Open your Bibles to I Samuel chapter fourteen, and read the first three verses. “Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.” (I Samuel 14:1-3)
Paul explains in I Corinthians chapter ten that the stories of the Old Testament were given as examples to us who live in the New Testament. Especially those of us who are living in the last days, and I do believe we are in the last of the last days. I was traveling to Africa the other day, we are starting some churches, Lord willing, in Africa. But we stopped in Frankfurt, Germany, we had a layover for about five hours. My wife wanted to go buy another hat, my wife is always in the store buying something. I asked our people, when I die please burying me at Walmart, and the Mexicans looked at me very confused and said, “Why Pastor?” I said, “Because I want my wife to visit me from time to time.”
But I began witnessing to the lady in the store, (if you know anything about Europe, there’s not a lot of church there, not a lot of Christianity) but this lady said, “Sir, I don’t read the Bible and I don’t go to church but it seems to me that this world is coming to an end.” Even lost people can see that, that’s why they are so desperate. They are trying to save a planet that will not be saved.
But Paul explains that the stories of the Old Testament were given as examples. Jesus would give a parable and then explain the doctrine behind the parable. The parable would help people to understand. As Spurgeon said, “An illustration is a window through which you can see the sermon.” I believe one reason God gives these stories in the Old Testament and then gives us the New Testament afterwards is so we can better understand the doctrine that God wants to teach us.
Here we see one man that’s sitting under a pomegranate tree with six hundred leaders of Israel, six hundred soldiers. The men of Israel were now scattered and afraid and scared, many had crossed back over the River Jordan, they had fled Israel. Many had passed over to the Philistines side. These last few years we have seen many taking the name Baptist off their churches and passing over to the other side because of fear.
We see one man under a pomegranate tree but then in verse six we see, “And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” (I Samuel 14:6) By the way, my friends, there are more than enough preachers, more than enough Christians in this meeting right here, to save America and bring it back to God! You see the faith of Jonathan. “And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.” (I Samuel 14:7) You know, the Bible doesn’t mention his name but I believe he was a great man. Thank God for assistant pastors, for faithful workers, thank God for those who don’t care who gets the credit, who gets the glory, someone who just believes in the power of God. It would be amazing what we could do for God if some men would not care who got the credit. This young man is faithful to his pastor. I have more respect for a dog than I do for an assistant pastor that’s disloyal to his pastor; at least a dog knows how to be loyal.
We are talking about a multitude of Philistines, a multitude of well armed soldiers and Jonathan says, “We’re going to go and attack the garrison, we’re going to attack their fort.” And the armourbearer says, “Whatever God leads you to do, you don’t have to turn around or wonder where I am. I’ll be right behind you, I’ll cover your back, I won’t leave you. I’ll be loyal to you as you do whatever you feel God wants you to do.”
“Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place,...” Thank God for some preachers who have stood in their place, that have not fled, that have been firm in their convictions and their doctrine. “...and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.” (I Samuel 14:8-10)
Tremendous faith that Jonathan had. Either way Jonathan says to his armourbearer, “Listen, we are going to go and discover ourselves to the Philistines. If they say, “Wait there, we are going to come down to you,” then we will stand in our place. If they say, “Come up to us,” then it’s a sign that God has delivered them into our hand.” Either way there was going to be a fight, either way there was going to be a battle. Jonathan had faith that God would give them the victory. His armourbearer was behind him, standing with him.
In verse eleven it says, “And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.” You know, there are some people who are waiting for Christians to come out of their holes. Some of you have been hiding in a hole for two years now, maybe even three years. Some of you have been cowardly. There are some people who are looking for somebody who is willing to come out of their hole and fight again and do battle again. “Brother Kevin, you need to understand that people don’t listen to the gospel anymore.” How would you know you never knock on doors, if you never go soul winning? How would you know?
I was talking to Brother Corle the other day on the phone (by the way you preachers know if you call Brother Corle on the phone you might as well say goodbye to two hours of your life. I use to think woman were talkers!) He was telling me the other day, “I’ve never seen people more receptive to the Gospel, never seen people more open and receptive.”
Not long ago my mother in law passed away, I went to the funeral. Anyways, I went to the funeral just to make sure! But I handed a tract to the manager of the hotel I was staying at and he took the tract and he said, “Could you explain this to me? I was just talking to my girlfriend about this. I go to a Catholic church and I told her that I think we need to know God.”
I said, “ I would be glad to, and if a customer comes in I’ll wait while you take care of the customer.”
He said, “If a customer comes in they can wait.” He trusted Christ! He said, “Can you give me another one of those? I want to lead my girlfriend to Christ.” Folks, people are desperate to hear about Heaven! The problem is that Christians are in their holes, they’ve hidden themselves cause we’ve stopped believing in God.
Jonathan was motivated to serve God. I believe in prayer, I believe in this Bible. I thank God for the message we just heard. Brother Hyles taught us as a young preachers and Brother Jim Vineyard taught me as a young man to read twenty five chapters of the Bible everyday.
I remember Dr. John R. Rice coming to Bible college and Brother Rice would open the Bible to James chapter four and lower his glasses as he use to do and he would look at us and say, “Young men, every problem you have is a prayer problem. Every problem you have is a lack of prayer.”
I believe we need to walk with God, we need to saturate our minds with the Bible. John R. Rice taught us young preachers first year in the ministry to read the Bible through nine times cover to cover. I remember on deputation I use to let my wife drive for about four hours a day. When we went to meetings and I would let Debbie drive and I would read the Bible and put on Bible tapes and listen to the Bible as I read the Bible. “Faith cometh by hearing…” I would listen to the scriptures and I would read along with the words of the Bible. Let me tell you something, that first year I ended up reading the Bible twelve times from cover to cover, out loud. Between hearing the Word of God and reading the Word of God and the way my wife drives, I got very close to God that first year!
I believe in reading the Bible, I believe in studying the Bible, just like he said, “Everyday.” Like Brother Anglea mentioned, “Everyday reading the Word of God.” This morning I went out by the lake at the Indiana Dunes, I had it all to myself today. Brrrr. I walked out into the woods where I could get alone and pray. I try to pray at least two hours a day -- some days many more than that. I believe in Prayer, I believe in walking with God. By the way, without your walk with God you will do nothing for God. The reason Jonathan was inspired to do something for God was because this young man had walked with God and had faith in God. That’s why he was a good friend with David. People don’t walk together unless they are in agreement. Jonathan and David had communion together because they both had communion with God, faith in God. I believe in the importance of prayer, in Bible study.
We see King Saul now under this pomegranate tree; we see him with the priest who has the ephod. That was the way they would consult God. Different theologians and rabbis said sometimes in the ephod there would be different letters in the names of the tribes of Israel would begin to glow and God would be able to speak to the people and tell them His will. The Urim and the Thummim would glow red stone and white stone and God would say yes when the answer was yes and no when the answer was no, and that’s how they would consult and talk to God and get His instructions and answers.
I believe that God wants us to talk to Him, but there are times my friend for walking with God and talking to God, and then there are times to take your sword and go out and fight for God. There has to be a balance. We see in the text that Jonathan had an armourbearer. This preacherboy is going to follow me. You didn’t read the text did you? Generation of dumb preacher boys! You are going to follow me, and you are carrying the armour.
Bible study and Prayer that does not motivate you to go out and battle for God and stand for what’s right, it’s vain and useless, it’s Bible study and prayer time that is done poorly, that is self-centered, self-edifying. James teaches that we don’t have because we don’t ask. There are others who ask, but they ask amiss, that they might consume it upon their lusts.
Look at John chapter 15. This isn’t new (some of you guys always have to preach something new, I mean you study and search till you come up with things that God has never seen before.) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:1-2) If we get our churches back to soul-winning, we will get our churches back to separation. Separation and soul-winning are twin doctrines. God purifies His people so that they will bear more fruit. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3) Preach the Bible, sanctify them through the truth of the word of God.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5) By the way, what happened in Fundamentalism is we had a bunch of preachers that got the idea, ‘I’m going to build a church like a business man builds a business.’ It doesn’t work that way. Jesus said, “…without me ye can do nothing.” He didn’t say you can do a little bit or some of it. Here’s what you can accomplish without Him. Nothing!
“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:6-8)
Look at verse sixteen, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” There is a direct correlation in the Bible between prayer and Bible. By the way if you want God to listen to your prayers, then you need to first listen to God’s Word. You need to have the Word of God fill your heart and that will guide your prayers into the Will of God and get the mindset of God. It will also increase your faith. Then when you start praying, God’s going to motivate you to pray for fruit, not just for fruit, but for much fruit. God’s going to start motivating you to not only see people saved but, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;…” (Psalms 11:30)
Dr. John R. Rice use to teach us that the goal is to win people to Christ and get them baptized and then disciple them, so they would go out and win others to Christ, and get them baptized and disciple them, and on and on. The Bible says that your fruit will remain and God will answer your prayer. You and God will develop a relationship, a friendship even, and you will be co-laborers with Christ.
Look at Chapter 14 if you would. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:12-15) I remember as a young man hearing Brother Rice, Brother Hyles, Brother Roberson, Brother Hutson, and Brother Malone, time after time preaching to us that soul winning is the main thing. The heartbeat of God is winning souls to Christ.
Some of you need to read the old books, listen to the old sermons, listen to what they preached and what they taught. We had a vision, I know we had our faults and errors sometimes, but at least there was a passion and a desire to go out and do something great for God. We’ve lost that. The reason we have lost that is because we aren’t walking with God the way we should. God did not call us to sit under a pomegranate tree and ask Him to do everything for us. God can save the lost, but He’s chosen to save the lost through us, through the preaching of God’s Word.
I was preaching in a park this last Saturday, just under 800 people came to the meeting, and some 700 people received Christ as their Saviour. There were 21 of them who wanted to get baptized so we set up a baptistry and baptized them there in the park. The last four months my wife and I, going out soul winning, and preaching in the street, we have seen over 60 of our personal converts get baptized. My assistant who does the follow up work with those people that get saved on the street said that for the last year and half now, just from the soul winning me and my wife have been doing, we have been adding two families a week to the church!
Folks, people are hungry for the Gospel. The devil has us convinced that the time of seeing great numbers saved and great works done for God is over. That’s not in the Bible. “Well, we are in the times of the Laodicean church,” yes but if you will study that, the Philippian church was at the same time period, and God said to them, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:…” (Revelation 3:8) God has presented us with a tremendous opportunity in these last days to do something great for God.
Look at Matthew chapter 28. I was called to preach reading this verse. As a young man, I was saved reading the Bible. God called me to preach reading the Bible. Matthew chapter 28, verse 18. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Brother Gomez, before the service, was talking about a church he was just at in Egypt, a Muslim country. Just a short while ago they started with 15 to 20 people, but now have over a thousand!
I went to India with my son in law, we were traveling through India. In India, if you get saved and baptized, in fact, if you just get saved, it’s two year in prison. By the way, the Hindu government does that because they know that people are hungry for the truth. Two years in prison! But one after another people are getting saved, trusting Christ and getting baptized. Folks, we need to believe that God wants to do something! God can do something but we need to have faith. We need to act in faith and pray in faith.
If you look over to Romans chapter eight, I know it’s a lot of Bible, but don’t worry -- it won’t hurt you! Romans chapter eight, I remember years ago Brother Corle preached a tremendous message on Romans eight and he mentioned this in verse twenty six, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27) Brother Corle said, “One of the main things about prayer is that prayer will put you in alignment with the Will of God.” “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3)
Jesus said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) As He was going back to them He said, “…as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21) The heartbeat of God is to reach the lost! Folks, the one thing we can do on this earth that we won’t be able to do there in Heaven is win the lost to Christ, it’s the only thing!
He says as you pray He will guide you to the Will of God. Look over to Romans 9. Remember when Paul wrote this, this was one letter. Thank God we put the verses and chapters in there, or we would never be able to find a certain text if it wasn’t for that. This is just one thought that Paul is conveying here. Romans chapter nine, verse one says, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:” (Romans 9:1-2) Folks, I love my people in Mexico, my family and I. I am willing to give my life for those people, and time and time again we have proved that. My wife and I have had so many bullets come through the windows of our house that we lost count. The other day we were sitting there (I wish I could say we were reading the Bible.) We were watching something on TV and a bullet came through the window. I said, “What was that?”
She said, “ I think it was another bullet.”
I said, “Oh, okay.” We kept watching TV, it made it more realistic.
I would give my life for my people in Mexico but I wouldn’t give my soul. I cannot say I would be willing to go to Hell for my people, I couldn’t say that. I love the United States. I tell the pastor time after time and I’m sincere when I say it the work in Mexico would not exist without the pastors and churches here in the United States that have supported us and prayed for us. In every letter I write that it’s fruit for their account, and I believe that with all my heart. I love the United States. I would give my life for this country, but I wouldn’t give my soul. Paul had such a close walk with God, he said, “I would be willing to give my soul, I would be willing to go to Hell if I could see my people saved.”
Look at Romans chapter 10. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” My heart’s desire, the burning desire in my heart, is to see the lost saved. Why did he say that? Because Paul walked with God. He fasted, he prayed. He walked with God. The only other person you could find like this in the Bible is Moses. Remember Moses offered to God, “God, if it’s necessary to take my name out of the book which you’ve written, if you’ll forgive Israel for their sins, if you’ll give them another chance, then take my name out of the book that you’ve written.” Why? Because Moses had walked with God, forty day, forty nights. He spent so much time in the presence of God, and the more time you spend in the presence of God, the more desire you’ll have, the more fervor you’ll have for what God desires and loves. You won’t be discouraged, you won’t be disheartened.
Years ago I was preaching in a church here in the states, a wonderful church to me, a church running 400 is a great church, a great work. I was at a church running 400 and the pastor told me, “I’m glad you came this week but I’m about to resign.”
I asked him, “Why?” I was a young preacher then, and he had the church of my dreams. I said, “Pastor, why would you resign?”
He said, “I’ve already preached everything; there’s nothing left in the Bible to preach.” I mentioned that to Brother Hyles, and the first thing he said was, “He’s not reading his Bible, he’s not reading his Bible.” Pastor, you’ve lost your fire, you’ve lost the joy of preaching, you’ve lost your excitement. Why? Because you’re not walking with God. You’ve lost your passion for souls because your not walking with God.
Jonathan had a desire to do something. You say, “Well I’m waiting on God.” Look at Isaiah 40:29. “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary,…” We have the generation of the most feminized young men I have ever seen in my life, no fire, no zeal, no passion for souls.
I remember, as young preachers, we use to go out if we couldn’t find anywhere to preach, we would go preach on the street. We would find a place, any place. Young men are faint and weary, you didn’t even do anything yet! Heaven help us when they do something, their head grows five times its size. “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” You say, “Brother Kevin, I’m waiting on God.” If you are really waiting on God you would rise up. Jonathan rose up, he talked to the armourbearer and thank God for a young man that had faith in God as well as his leadership and said, “Whatever God puts in your heart, that’s what we are going to do.”
Jonathan said, “We are going to go and discover ourselves to the Philistines.” They said come up hither and Jonathan and his armourbearer went up to the Philistines. They come up (Are there twenty men up here in the balcony that we can throw over? That would make a great illustration!) He went up to the fort of the Philistines and began to kill the Philistines (Anyone that does not tithe or is giving you trouble, Preacher?) They killed the Philistines one after another and God began to move. By the way folks, it doesn’t take much. It doesn’t take a whole lot, it just takes somebody that has a vision and a fire and a desire to do something for God.
The Philistines began to tremble and the armourbearer is still slaying after Jonathan. Word began to spread through the camp and fear began to spread. Saul looks over and sees the Philistines melting away and Saul says, “Who among us is gone? Who left? Who’s out there fighting? I didn’t give permission for that.”
I was in a church years ago and a church member had gone out soul winning and the pastor got mad at them. He said, “That wasn’t authorized, I never told you you could do that.” (The only problem we’ve got in fundamentalism is we’ve got a bunch of idiots; other than that we are fine!) Thank God for somebody who has some initiative and incentive and they’re willing to do something for God!
Fear began to run through the camp of the Philistines and they start fighting among themselves. You know it would be a good thing if, instead of us fighting among ourselves, we could see the enemy fighting among themselves. One day I’ll be a little bit excited to see the Democrats fighting with each other, see the transsexuals start fighting with homosexuals, that encourages me. By the way, there are no transsexuals. I was filling out the form to come into the United States it said Male, Female or other. You idiot, there is no other, you’re either male or female. All that a transsexual is, is a man putting on a woman’s clothing. By the way friends, I lay that right down at the feet of you preachers that years ago stopped preaching on women wearing pants. All of the sudden the old verses don’t mean what they always meant before, so eventually the lost start putting two and two together and saying, “Well, if a woman can wear men’s clothing, then what’s wrong with a man wearing a woman’s clothing?” Now they are doing it and you don’t like it. By the way, that mother in law look you’re giving me right now ladies is just adding more time to the sermon.
“Well I wear a dress to church.” Yes, but what do you wear at home and at the store? I just made some friends tonight, didn’t I? You read Jeremiah, God told Jeremiah, “If my prophets, if they had been in my secret place, if they had walked with me, if they had made my people hear my word, then they would have turned from their wicked ways.” My friend, we are looking for a political leader that’s going to pull this country out of the problems it’s in, but I’m sorry, that’s garbage. That’s never going to happen. What we need to do is have some pastors and preachers that walk with God and have the fire of God and faith in God that will bring this country back to God. It doesn’t take a lot.
I remember my pastor, Wesley Clark, he was the meanest man in the world. Brother Jim Vineyard, Brother Wesley Clark, and Brother Joe Boyd had a competition in my pulpit on who could be the meanest, who could offend people more. Brother Wesley Clark won, he was mean. Brother Wesley Clark came from the southern Baptist convention, he came to Pastor’s School and heard Brother Hyles preach. He went back and pulled out of the convention, left his retirement and everything, and became an Independent Baptist. He was only running about 200 or so. When I got under his ministry I saw the desire to do something for God, and that lit a fire in me.
Dr. Curtis Huston use to preach that some of you pastors can go out in these little towns and capture that town for Christ. I thank God for a great ministry like this in this town here. Some of you pastors could go out to these small towns and build a great work for God and capture that town for Christ. Capture that city for Christ, all you have to do is believe that God can do it and go to work winning souls and preaching the Bible. “I’m waiting on God.” If you were really waiting on God, like when they were waiting on the power of the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded, that’s when they started witnessing to people. That’s when the Holy Spirit came in power, that’s when they grew from a 120 to 3,000 in one service. That’s not bad! I mean I have had services when we’ve baptized over a 1,000 people in one Sunday, but I’ve never seen where we’ve baptized 3,000 and that was just talking about the men. Boy, I’m a Hyles Anderson graduate, and goodness, we count the men, the women, the children, and we count the fleas and the lice on their hair, we count everything! They just counted the men, 3,000 in one day. Waiting on God, but as they waited they had a fire and a desire to do something.
By the way pastor, you need to put the example before them. Don’t send people soul winning. Some of you will send the people out soul winning and you go back to your office and counsel or study all day. I’ve got over 20,000 members in the church and every week there’s an excuse not to go soul winning. There’s always a reason not to go soul winning, but my wife and I go anyway.
A lady came up to me and said, “Pastor, I’m at the point of divorce.”
I said, “Well, hold out one more day.” I do counseling on Sunday night, I preach five times on Sunday, and I’ll give counsel Sunday night. Hold out one more day. You’ve put up with him all these years, put up with him one more day.
There is always an emergency, always a reason, always a pretext. Pastor, your people need to see you out knocking on doors and winning souls. They need you, Pastor, to come in on Sunday and talk about the ones who rejected you, talk about the ones who closed the door in your face, talk about the one who cussed you out, that’s going to help you, Pastor. Some of your people who want to cuss you out, if they know you got a good cussing on Saturday, they’ll say, “Well, he already got it, that’s all he needs.” It’s good for you. The people will know that he is out there with us, he’s facing what we are facing. Sometimes it’s good for them to know that, but you have to be the example.
Jonathan went out and all of the sudden there was excitement. Saul sees the Philistines are starting to melt away and starting to fall and starting to kill each other and he says, “Who is missing?” So they count person by person to see who’s missing. I wonder how long that took? Finally they realize that Jonathan’s not here.
By the way, if the people in the church don’t want to go out soul winning, then you go out soul winning by yourself. I started the church years ago, Deborah and I started it from scratch by knocking on doors. I like to talk about last year when we baptized over 30 thousand people, I like to talk about that. I don’t like to talk about that first year, because it’s not easy starting a church.
I remember when I met my wife when we were in Bible college. She was just so beautiful. There were ten men in Hyles Anderson that already told her that it was God’s will for them to marry her, I was number eleven. As I dropped her off at the dorm I would have to ask for another date, because there was a line of men asking her for dates. By the way, some of you guys if there is any competition you just give up. Good night, we’ve got a generation that you ask for a date on Google or texting on your cellphone, because you’re such a coward. You might not be a queer, but you don’t lack much.
I remember I was discouraged the first year and all we baptized was four. I saw more than that baptized on my bus route! I was so discouraged that first year, I remember going to Debbie discouraged. She grew up on the mission field, I didn’t. She grew up in Mexico. One day I knocked 150 doors and nobody responded, I was broken hearted. I came back and said, “Debbie, I think I’m going to go back to the States.”
I’ll never forget what she said to me. She said, “Goodbye.” Then she said something kind like, “I thought I married a man.” It encouraged me to stay! It’s not easy starting a church. But you knock on doors and you win souls to Christ, then others get excited and others start going out soulwinning.
When Jonathan started to have... (Where’s my armourbearer? You’re suppose to follow me, disloyal follower! Get my sword, your supposed to be carrying the armour!) When Jonathan started to have victory, then a lot of the Jews who had fallen away to the Philistines, they saw that and came back to God. There are a lot of people out there who are looking for something real, Brother Gomez use to get people at his church all the time coming out of those liberal churches. There are people out there looking for reality. That’s why we have people running off with Muslims, they are looking for someone who actually believes what they are preaching. They started coming back and they stopped supporting the Philistines and God gave them a great victory that day . I believe God will give us a great victory as well.
There is so much more in this text. We need to eat and replenish our strength while we are fighting, Jonathan found the honey and it gave him strength to go on. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16) Pastor, what was said tonight was so important, “You need to keep walking with God, keep eating, but you need to keep fighting at the same time.” Don’t give up, don’t get discouraged!
Sorry pastors, but the people don’t come to church to encourage you. They come to encourage themselves. Brother Hyles would teach us, “People don’t go to church so they can support you, but so they can be supported by their preacher.”
Suppose I go to the doctor and say, “Doctor, my back hurts really bad right back here.”
It’s not much help to me if the doctor says, “You know, me too. I’m hurting in the same spot, and I can’t find anything to help it.” I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to go find another doctor!
Pastor, people don’t go to church to hear you whine and complain and tell them how hard the ministry is, so don’t be an idiot. They are looking for somebody that will encourage them and give them strength from the Word of God.
“Well Brother Kevin, who is going to encourage me?” Try God, He’ll encourage you, He’ll stir your spirit! But you will have to spend time walking with Him and praying and reading His Word and meditating on His Word and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
By the way don’t let them take your sword! In chapter 13, the Philistines thought they had the victory in the bag because they had taken away their weapons. Don’t let them touch your sword! Jonathan kept his sword, he didn’t give up his sword when the Philistines came and asked for it. There might be an application there about giving up your gun, too. God’s given us our sword, this is the Holy, Inspired, Preserved Word of God. Hold on to your sword, walk with God, keep eating, feeding yourself for strength to keep fighting, keep the fire stirred.
God is able to save with many or with few.
