This sermon emphasizes the consequences of unbelief, using the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth as an example of doubt and the need for faith in God's promises. It highlights the danger of unbelief in hindering God's work in our lives and the importance of having a conviction and confession in God's great promises, like Job and Daniel did, trusting in His power and sovereignty to fulfill His word.

Friends, if not believing, look to the one verse thirteen. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zechariah, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife believes that death shall appear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For ye shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. And ye shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall be turned to the Lord their God with humility. Since when hath the prophet appeared in Israel between Malachi and Matthew? That's between Malachi and the birth of Jesus. Four hundred years. The voice of any messenger from heaven. And here now, Zechariah of all people, with Elizabeth, they were old already. Even if God was going to send his message after four hundred years of silence, who is he going to use? And then the angel appeared unto Zechariah and said, Zechariah, I bring some good news to you. God is going to break the four hundred year silence. And then these children of Israel who are now, permit me to use the word, rotting in their defilement. This son that is going to come out of you will not be an ordinary son. They will turn their hearts of those rotting eggs and turn them into vessels of holiness and glory. Ah, how can that be? That's the point. That's the problem. The great consequence of unbelief. Good look at what you knew before, what you saw before, what you felt before. There is the word of God that is coming to you. And God is saying, this is what I am going to do. He will do it in your life. And he will do it in my life. The change and the transformation that he wants to bring is very dangerous to die to this belief. And he shall go before him in the spirit and the power of Elias, of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. And it is obedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zechariah said unto the angel, whereby shall I know this from old man? And my wife was drinking in years. I never thought about this, you know, the angel. That all these 400 years everything has been spiritually dry. And morally we are rotting. Everything is very bad. I never thought that I would even see a change. I never thought I would see a revival of holiness in my life. I thought I am old now. I thought I am running out my ministry. And not to even say it is a child coming out of me that will bring that revival of holiness and righteousness and turn the minds of the people away from their sin and turn them to the God of Israel. I am doubting what you are saying. How shall this be? And the angel answering unto him said unto him, I am a giver that stand in the presence of God. And I am sent to speak unto thee and to show thee these glad tidings. Behold, thou shalt be gone and not able to speak. Remember I was a minister. When the voice of the minister is taken away from him by an angel from heaven, that is a great consequence of unbelief. You will be gone. You will not be able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed. Because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season. That is why the Lord is warning us of this terrible sin, crime of unbelief. Hebrews chapter 3. In Hebrews chapter 3. When you came up, verse 12. Hebrews chapter 3, verse 12. Take heed, beware. Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. Take heed, watch, beware. Brethren, these are brethren, children of God. But these were children of God. They were not worthy to be. Some great promises are coming today. And God is going to say, I am going to turn everything around in your life. I am going to do this and do this. I am going to cleanse you. I am going to purify you and make you holy and sanctify you. Take heed when you hear these great promises. Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. In departing from the living God. And then it says in verse 19. So, we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. We see that these people that originally had the promise, they couldn't enter in because of unbelief. In chapter 4 of Hebrews, verse 1. Let us therefore fear. Lest the promise be let also entering into its rest. Into its rest. Rest from struggling with sin. Rest from falling into sin. Rest from rising and falling and confessing a crime every time. Rest. Freedom if the Son of Man shall make you free. He shall be free. You'll be totally free. Therefore, let us fear. Lest the promise be let also of entering into its rest. Any of you shall seem to come short of it. In pursuing. Come to us. As it was preached. As well as unto them. But the word preached did not profit them. Not being missed. Wastes. Fails. In them that purge. Those that love them. Requesting. Requiring of you and of me. Is to believe the word. No matter how great the promise and the covenant is. No matter how seemingly incredible. The cleansing. The purging. The purifying. The making holy. The sanctifying. May be. No matter how far away it seems to be. Believe. Because it's about believing. That God will be able to do what He wants to do in our lives. That leads me to point number three. The conviction of the confession of believers. In God's great promises. The conviction. And the confession. Of believers. In Job chapter 42. Job chapter 42. This should be your conviction. This should be my conviction. Job chapter 42. I'm reading from verse 1. Then Job answered the Lord. And said, I know that thou canst do everything. That's the conviction of a believer. Whatever promise he has made. The promise of total confession. The promise of complete cleansing. And the promise of purifying. Purging. And the promise of holiness of heart. Holiness of life. And the promise of real sanctification. That gets you through life. I know that thou canst do everything. And that no soul can be withholden from thee. Daniel chapter 4. Verse 35. Daniel chapter 4. Well, look here in verse 35. It says in verse 35. It should be your conviction, my conviction. Your confession, my confession. And all the habitus of the earth are repeated as nothing. And he doth according to his will in the army of heaven. He, the almighty God. Has such ability and sovereignty to do according to his will. In the army of heaven. And among the habitus of the earth. And none canst taste up his hand. Or say unto me, what doest thou? What's a conviction? He can do everything he plans to do. And he can accomplish everything he has proclaimed he will do. In Jeremiah chapter 32.