The Church at Ellerslie SUNDAY SERMON NOTES Eric Ludy Sunday, September 4, 2016
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Be Strong A Study in that which Empowers the Church to Act What Ever Happened to Strong Christianity? The Ancient Commission for Strength Moses... Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong... Deuteronomy 31:7 Joshua And Joshua said unto them,... be strong... Joshua 10:25 David And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and do it... Be strong... 1 Chronicles 28:10,20 Hezekiah Be strong... for all the multitude that is with him (Sennacherib, king of Assyria)... there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 3
Paul the Apostle In 1st Corinthians 16:13 - Paul tells the Church at Corinth, Be strong. In Ephesians 6:10 - Paul tells the Church at Ephesus, Be strong. In 2nd Timothy 2:1 - Paul tells Timothy, Be strong. Strength and Power Throughout the Bible is wrapped into the concept of an army or a host of warriors - for that is the strength, wealth, and power of a Kingdom The Army of the Lord His Dynamis Dynamis (in the Old Testament - 383 uses) An army, a mighty host of soldiers, the power of a nation, the strength of a kingdom Dynamis (in the New Testament) The power to do it, strength to perform, ability to accomplish A Quick Study of David and Dynamis First, an Introduction to the Lord of Hosts I AM the Army, I AM the war machine, I AM the power to victory David and the Champion from Gath And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."this day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air 4
and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands. 1 Samuel 17:44-47 David in His Kingdom The Word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him. For who is God, save the Lord? And who is a rock, save our God? God is my Dynamis (strength and power): And He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like hinds feet: And sets me upon my high places. He teaches my hands to war; So that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: And thy gentleness has made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; So that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; And turned not again until I had consumed them. And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with Dynamis (strength) to battle: Them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. 2 Samuel 22:31-40 Turning from the Divine Dynamis to the Earthly Dynamis So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people." And Joab said to the king,... why does my lord the king desire this thing?" Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel... Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand Dynamis (valiant) men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly. 2 Samuel 24:2-4,9-10 Numbering your Armies How much Dynamis do you have to lean on? 5
How much do you have in the bank? How much do you have in investments? How much do you have in earthly knowledge, credentials, certifications, medals, achievements, accomplishments, degrees and honors? How much do you have in your career? How much do you have in talents and abilities? How much do you have in willpower and determination? How much do you have in physical strength, immune system, endurance, power, and bodily might? How much do you have in your medicine cabinet? How much do you have in your pantry? How much do you have in your goodness, your moral fiber, your ability to say no to temptation, and/or your very own personal rightness with the law of God? How much do you have in your knowledge of the Scriptures, your understanding of sound doctrine, your agreement with the Truth? The Law is a Schoolmaster It teaches us that every other army is insufficient for winning the battle we must fight Learning to Number His Dynamis Introducing the Lord of Hosts the Dynamis And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with dynamis (power) from on high. Luke 24:49 But you shall receive dynamis (power) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8 6
You men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by dynamis (miracles) and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know... Acts 2:22 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this? or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own dynamis (power) or holiness we had made this man to walk? Acts 3:12 And with great dynamis (power) gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33 And Stephen, full of faith and dynamis (power), did great wonders and miracles among the people. Acts 6:8 The Summary Jesus says: I m going to give you strength, I m going to give you the power to do it - I will not leave you, but will send you precisely what you will need in order to git r dun! Paul says: Be a church that acts! Be a church that does! Be a church that performs! For this empowered action is your witness unto this lost and dying world! BUT don t do this in your own dynamis, but rather, do it in the Dynamis that God has already supplied! The Great Power Outage Having a form of godliness, but denying the Dynamis thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:5 Remember Paul s Command In 1 Corinthians 16:13 - Paul tells the Church at Corinth, Be strong. In Ephesians 6:10 - Paul tells the Church at Ephesus, Be strong. In 2 Timothy 2:1 - Paul tells Timothy, Be strong. 7
How Are We To Be Strong? In 1 Corinthians 16:13 - Paul tells the Church at Corinth, Stand firmly in the faith... be strong. In Ephesians 6:10 - Paul tells the Church at Ephesus, Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. In 2 Timothy 2:1 - Paul tells Timothy, Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Strength is Not Found in our Pockets, but His Our own army will fail us, but His army (His Dynamis) cannot do anything but succeed Quick Review: Dynamis (noun) power to do it, strength to perform, ability to accomplish Dynamoō (verb) To be strengthened, empowered, enabled (We) ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Dynamoō) strengthened with all (Dynamis) might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Colossians 1:9-12 Endynamoō (verb) to receive the enablement, to receive the strength, to be empowered to do it Endynamoō-ed But Saul (was Endynamoō-ed), and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. Acts 9:22 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was (Endynamoō-ed) in faith, giving glory to God; Romans 4:20 8
Finally, my brethren, be (Endynamoō-ed) in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10 I can do all things through Christ which (Endynamoō) me. Philippians 4:13 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath (Endynamoō-ed) me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. 1 Timothy 1:12 Thou therefore, my son, be (Endynamoō-ed) in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and (Endynamoō-ed) me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 1 Timothy 4:17 We All Need to be Endynamo-ed And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with dynamis (power) from on high. Luke 24:49 Go No Further Until you are Endued, er, Endynamo-ed For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in Dynamis. 1 Corinthians 4:20 To Be Endynamo-ed you must first Forsake your own Dynamis... Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were (Endynamoō-ed), waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Hebrews 11:34 9
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the Dynamis may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my Dynamis is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the Dynamis of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He lives by the Dynamis of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with him by the Dynamis of God toward you. 2 Corinthians 13:4 This Dynamis, that actually works, is found in One Singular Place His Name is Jesus Repent Believe Receive Remain Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the Dynamis that works in us... Ephesians 3:20 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which works in us (with Dynamis). Colossians 1:29 Be Strong Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10 Go Ahead... Write Your Very First Check! 10