Preached Norwich 3rd October 2004
Finding the treasures of Darkness – part 1
Reversal of fortunes: “God will reverse your fortunes”
Introduction: 1 Samuel 17:50, “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
(a) For forty days the armies of God had been intimidated by the champion of the Philistine army – the mighty Goliath.
Lets look at the word intimidation: 1. To make timid, fill with fear, and 2. To coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats
Dictionary .com has an interesting definition:
Synonyms: intimidate, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, these verbs all mean to frighten into submission, compliance, or acquiescence. Intimidate implies the presence or operation of a fear-inspiring force: Browbeat suggests the persistent application of highhanded, disdainful, or imperious tactics: browbeating a witness. Bulldoze connotes the levelling of all spirit of opposition: Cow implies bringing out an abject state of timorousness and often demoralization. To bully is to intimidate through blustering, domineering, or threatening behaviour:
This is what Goliath and the army of the Philistines had been doing for the forty days. The people of God were frightened. This has always been the tactic of the enemy – to frighten you and fill you with fear.
But one of the miraculous principles of God is that He loves to do a reversal of fortunes! God loves it when His people rise up in faith against all odds – God loves it when His people come to him like little children and express audacious faith. Some thing happens to the heart of God when His kids come to Him and say – LOOK what is happening – God rises up too! He looks around and says where is my man where is my woman of faith!
This situation of intimidation continued until David appeared on the scene and rose up with audacious faith and defeated this giant. God’s answers are always by faith, through faith and in faith. Faith is the victory – that overcomes the world. You’ll need audacious faith to conquer the enemy of fear. But it is an event you must make happen!
1 John 5:4-5, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
The reason this is so dramatic is that God does not want His children to be intimidated by the enemy of our soul. God does not work through intimidation and control – it is the operation of the spirit of this world. It is God’s desire to break the spirit of intimidation off His people and it happens when God’s people move in audacious faith.
God’s desires for us are clear from scripture – God says about us:
Deuteronomy 28:9-13, “9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity-- in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground-- in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you. 12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.
A. Faith is the victory!
1 Samuel 17:53
53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.
The concept of reward is biblical -
Isaiah 45:3, “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”
These words were spoken to Cyrus King of the Median nation – the king who allowed Israel to return to it home land and rebuild its fortunes. He was the ruler of the known world at that time and a powerful force in the hands of God – he was referred to as the Lord’s anointed – a designation given to Jesus – and hence from scripture we see an example made of Cyrus – giving us a glimpse of what Christ would do for us under the covenant of grace.
Treasures of darkness specifically refer to treasures buried in secret places – treasures taken from defeated enemies – treasure taken after a war and buried in secret caves around. History refers to these treasures as the treasures that kings have amassed, and which they have laid up in dark and secure places. The word 'darkness,' here, means that which was hidden, unknown, secret. The treasures of the kings of the East were usually hidden in some obscure and strong place, and were not to be touched except in cases of pressing necessity. Alexander found vast quantities of treasure thus hidden among the Persians.
Pithy, the biblical Historian, also has given a description of the wealth which Cyrus obtained in his conquests, which strikingly confirms what Isaiah here declares: 'Cyrus, in the conquest of Asia, obtained thirty-four thousand pounds weight of gold, besides golden vases, and gold that was made with leaves, and the palm-tree, and the vine. Some estimate that to be worth today in excess of 206 billion pounds sterling
Treasures of darkness – hidden, unknown, and secret – why is it that God wants us to have treasures of darkness? Why is that we usually find these great treasures as we walk through trials of faith? Why do we experience the dark times of our soul? Why do we have to walk through the valley of weeping? Why are we encouraged to know Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings?
James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
I find it interesting in life that God speaks to me the most when I am going through a trial of difficulty. It seems confusing at times that God appears closer to me when He is comforting me through a difficult situation. But I also believe it is in the plans and purposes of God for us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear NO EVIL – for He is with us!
B. God Himself is our great reward!
Genesis 15:1, “After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
God says I will be your great reward – the increase in the knowledge of God – the ways of God the intimacy that comes from knowing God as our father and as our comforter.
The concept of reward is a biblical concept – our great reward is the knowledge of God and we achieve that by knowing Him through His word and by His actions. But God says clearly in scripture He will also bring great reward upon us as His children.
Psalms 19:9-11, “The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Proverbs 11:18, “The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.”
Proverbs 13:21, “Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.”
Proverbs 19:17, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.”
Proverbs 25:21-22, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”
Isa 40:10, “See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.”
Accompanying Gods reward on those who act righteously is His recompense on those who do not act righteously. The concept of reward is intrinsic to scripture. It is dependant upon our actions – whether they are acts of righteousness or acts of obedience or actions precipitated by faith!
Revelation 22:12-13, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
We are now in a season of the favour of God – since the coming of Christ we are in a season of grace – judgements reserved for the unrighteous have been suspended – God is not going to strike any one down with lightening. But there are consequences to our actions – if they are righteous and full of faith God says he will reward us – if they are not – if they are unrighteous worldly and unspiritual then there are natural consequences that follow.
Look at the Hebrews chapter on those who acted in Faith:
Hebrews 11:24-26, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to be ill treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”
And the defining scripture on acts of faith:
Hebrews 11:6, “6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
God promises to us the treasures of darkness: I’ve had some revelation on this subject. What are the treasures of darkness?
1. The things the Devil stole from you and those things taken from you by adverse circumstances.
2. All you have invested in the Kingdom – all your sacrificial giving, your tithes and offerings, your service to God.
Joel 2:25, “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” KJV
Joel 2:25, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten-- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm-- my great army that I sent among you.”
None of us are ignorant of the devices of the Devil. He is a thief and has been from the beginning of time.
John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Jesus comes into our lives to give back what was lost. The scripture is replete with words like - Redeem – to buy back from slavery, Restore – renew – revive – rebuild – repay – God is into restoration!
Acts 15:15-17, “The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things”
God loves these words! God is a God who restores and rebuilds and renews and revives! God is a God who redeems us –
Psalms 40:1-3, “40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” KJV
C. It is in God’s nature to make things new again!
Isaiah 42:8-9, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.” KJV
Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Paul’s words echo out from scriptures as well, Phil 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 5:17, “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
God is a just God and He is one who repays.
Romans 12:17-19, “17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.”
The Greek word for "repay" is antapodidomi that appears only seven times in the NT writings, and can be used either positively or negatively. It means "to repay; to recompense."
What the enemy has stolen or tries to steal from you God will repay. All you have invested in the Kingdom – all your sacrificial giving, your tithes and offerings, your service to God. –
Luke 18:29-30, “29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no-one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”