A United Force Is Unstoppable by Brother Duke Hansen

         The flesh remains the same from back in the past to today. We always want to be right on everything, even when we are wrong. We physically grow and change with time yet mentally and spiritually we atrophy.

        In the gospels you see Jesus coming against the spiritual authority of the day. The synagogue was more about promoting what the nation of Rome had wanted. Today it isn't about being wrong. It's about not knowing everything. You can live off what your forefathers believed as the plum line and it may not get you into heaven.

        The thing that's worried about being wrong is pride. Pride can cause fights, lose time, and wrecks relationships. You can convince yourself so right, in spite of the scripture. You lose out on the truth. In the word, repentance equals the start of your walk. It needs to be a mindset.

        If God is working on you about a behavior or a mindset, he's wanting you to sear that spot and cauterize that wound. You never get rid of that spot which is seared. If you don't know scripture, you don't know it all. You can override conviction. Your mind can twist the scripture. 

        We are going to go to a few places in the New Testament before we get to our primary scripture reading this morning.  The first place in 2 Timothy chapter 4. Let's read verses 3 and 4.

        3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

        4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

        Let's next go to Romans chapter 16. We will be reading verses 17 to 20.

        17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned: and avoid them.

        18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

        19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

        20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, Amen.

        Let's go to the book of 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 16.

        16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

        Now, in the time of Jesus' ministry, Pharisees were going out, select a gentile and baptize them in their name. The gentile was known as a proselyte. They would live and work in that pharisee's house. Paul would address this in his letter to the Corinth church in 1 Corinthians 1:13-17. 

        Let's go to the book of John chapter 5. We will be reading verses 39 to 44.

        39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

        40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

        41 I receive not honor from men.

        42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

        43  I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

        44 How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?

        Jesus was speaking about the pharisees that had their proselytes. Focus on verse 44. We are still fixed on seeking honor from one another and ignore God's honor.

        Division is common in life and it's talked about in the scripture. Division is disagreement today on the true nature of Jesus.

        There was a word spoken in this church not too long ago. A united force is unstoppable. In the scripture it says where 2 or 3 are gathered together, God is in their midst.

        Now, our main scripture this morning is going to be from the book of Zechariah. This book was one of prophecy regarding the impending destruction of Jerusalem. We will read starting at verse 5 from chapter 14 of Zechariah.

        5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

        6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:

        7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at the evening time it shall be light.

        8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter it shall be.

        9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

        Who is the light the scripture is referring to? It's Jesus. Who is the living water? It's still Jesus through his holy spirit. We are going to the book of Matthew and chapter 16. We will be reading starting at verse 13 to verse 19.

        13 When Jesus came to the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked the disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

        14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

        15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

        16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

        17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven.

        18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

        19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever that thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

        Upon what will Jesus have his church built on? It's his word. If you get time this week, look at John chapter 1 for further context. John the Baptist was consistent in his ministry until his imprisonment and death.

        Look at what happened in Jerusalem after the day of Pentecost. How the church gained members, the gospel spread in spite of the threat of violence.

        How can we be an unstoppable force if we can't agree? We can't. The rock spoken of in Matthew 16:18 is that Jesus is God. God manifested himself into his creation.

        The past has chains attached to it. God wants us to be an unstoppable force. If we all act and move in one accord, that's when you become unstoppable.

        We all have limits to out faith and we can disagree on it. Those limits are what prevents us from being unstoppable. Some of us become dumb on purpose because man loves darkness more. Go wants you to be the light and to obtain authority. Without knowledge though, there is no holiness.

        Love is the greatest gift, but you still need repentance, baptism, the holy ghost, and a walk towards holiness. Keep on allowing in your life, but also keep laying down the world.