TWO ENEMIES YET TO BE CONQUERED
Kenneth Marshburn
(John 3:16)
I. INTRODUCTION: We are idealistic people.
A. Perfect marriage
B. Perfect life
C. Perfect Christian
D. Man’s days are short and full of trouble. Look at the relatively small number of people who come to church compared with the number of people who do not. That is why the world is in trouble. That is why a world in trouble needs a church in revival.
E. Our nation is collapsing morally!
F. An elementary teacher forced her students to watch Brokeback Mountain , a movie about
homosexual cowboys. (Ain’t no such thing.)
G. She told her students, “What goes on in this class, stays in this class.” She closed the door and did it.
H. She and the school are being sued for $5000. (Pray it happens.)
I. Now, our enemy is neither this idealistic mind-set nor this teacher. There are two enemies to focus on right now. I know we automatically think world, flesh, or devil. But Jesus said He had overcome the world. He also overcame the flesh. During His time of temptation and fasting in the wilderness, He would not turn the stones to bread. Also, He said for the joy that was set before Him He would endure the cross.
J. One of the two enemies that have not been conquered is time.
II. THE FIRST ENEMY THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONQUERED IS TIME
A. There is no more or less time than that which is appointed (Job 7:1).
B. You cannot make time longer or shorter; you cannot speed it up or slow it down.
C. Somebody said the hourglass snickered and laughed at Jesus as He ministered on this earth because His time was so short.
D. Two hundred miles is all His sandaled feet could carry Him before His cross crucified Him.
F. Please let me speak to the church tonight. We do not have much time.
G. “The years of the wicked are cut short” (Proverbs 10:27, NIV).
H. The compromiser is compressing man’s opportunities to make heaven his home.
I. Matthew 24:22: The shortness of time will be our salvation and this world’s destruction. J. Except those days be shortened even the very elect would be in trouble.
K. Hold on just a little while longer; it will all be over in a little while.
L. Keep coming to His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
M. When the trumpet sounds, time will be no more: no more death, sickness, stress, finances, schedules, or calendars.
a. The main thing that makes us a little nervous about the shortness of time is that there are those who have not yet met the Master.
b. Ministries are still unborn; some are sitting on barstools right now.
c. Some are sleeping with someone else’s wife or husband.
d. Some are snorting, popping, smoking, toking, or shooting up.
e. Look out, world! Here we come, and we are like lunatics because we do not have much time.
III. THE SECOND ENEMY THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONQUERED IS THE DEVIL .
A. He is still around.
1. He has been cast down, but not cast out.
2. One preacher said he has been “de-feeted.”
3. However, as long as Satan is here there will be sin to give him feet:
Sickness
Disease
Divorce
Crime
Murder
Backbiting
Adultery
Fornication
Wife-beating
Abortion
Vengeance
B. Apostolics, we are in a battle that has not yet been won.
1. We are the army of God.
2. Somebody help me declare to this world that sin may abound but grace doth much more abound.
3. Satan is not the only one here: the Holy Ghost is here! “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty” (II Corinthians 3:17).
4. He is my Comforter: mom, banker, shelter, dad, and lawyer.
5. He is my brother, sister, judge, fountain, soon-coming King, overcoming King, loving King, merciful King, righteous King, Alpha, and Omega. He is my Bread!
6. Satan may still be around, but liberty in the Holy Ghost is in his face.
7. Satan’s secret fear is that we might share the message that says, “Let My people go.”
8. Go run this race, lay Hands on the sick, and cast out devils.
9. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
10. Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless.
11. “Lo, I am with you always even to the end”: through the fire, rain, sickness, and pain.
12. We have got to understand that though the enemy still exists, He still hates water (baptism).
13. My praying, praising, worshiping, tongue-talking, and isle-running still brings victory and overcoming.
14. Satan still has to contend with One God.
He still has to contend with a certain sound.
He still has to contend with the sudden sound.
He still has to contend with mercy.
He still has to contend with grace.
Take the chains of sin and bondage that are on you right now and pass them to the one who will be bound with them in the very near future!
Jesus died so I could live.
1. He descended to hell so I would not have to.
2. He wept so I could laugh.
3. He endured pain so I could be healed.
4. He resurrected so I could rise to meet Him in the air.
5. The Cross made it possible.