Plans (Compilation)
The sermon emphasizes the importance of a relentless and desperate pursuit of God, and the need to wrestle with the promises of God to receive them.
In the sermon 'Plans (Compilation)', the preacher emphasizes the relentless pursuit required to enter the kingdom of heaven, likening it to the desperate struggle of a starving man. He describes those used by God as 'passionate weak' individuals who, recognizing their own limitations, press into God's promises with fervor and urgency. The preacher urges believers to abandon the desire for a comfortable life and instead seek a deeper relationship with God, wrestling with His promises and embracing their new nature in Christ. He highlights that true joy and fulfillment come from God alone, not from worldly pursuits, and encourages the congregation to embrace God's higher plans for their lives.
Full Transcript
Matthew 11, 12. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force. Listen to this.
The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force. Now, in light of Luke 16, it seems best to interpret this passage to mean this. The kingdom presses ahead relentlessly, and only the relentless press their way into it.
The men that are used of God, if I could only have two words to describe them, the women that are used of God, if I could only have two words to describe them, they are the passionate weak. They are the violently desperate. They're not the type of men who say, yes, with this John Wayne, I'll do it mentality, I'll press in there until I get in there.
No, they are men that come to reality of such weakness and such desperation, like a starving man without food, they know they must do everything within their means to press into that, because there's no other place for salvation. There's no other place of hope. There's no other deliverance.
Just there. And they're desperate because of their weakness. They're violent because of their need.
They have no other place to go. How many of you believe God? How many of you are desperate enough and believe God enough and want enough to enter in with a desperate struggle to grab a hold and wrestle with God? As Jacob wrestled with God and came out limping and broken. If you are a child of God, you have been given a new nature.
You have been recreated in the image of God in true righteousness and holiness. Nothing that this world could ever throw at you ought to be able to take away your joy. And nothing this world could ever promise you ought to be able to give you joy.
Why? You are of a higher nature. You were created for the heavenlies, for the things of God. Nothing on this earth will ever please you.
And what should that cause you to do? It should cause you to rush forward like a madman. But there's a passion there. There's a fire there.
Not content. I don't want morality. I don't want to just look nice.
I don't want to be churchy. I don't want to be religious. And most of all, I never want to be civilized.
I want God! And I'll have Him or I'll die. Do you have any idea how many promises are in the Bible for you? Take all the promises of God, all of them that you find. Old Testament, New Testament.
Write them down. The ones that talk about godliness and God being with you and God helping you and God strengthening the weak and God showing Himself to men and God doing mighty things. And you get down and you wrestle with them all the days of your life.
And if you ask about those promises, you will receive. If you seek those promises, you will find. And if you knock on the door of those promises, it'll be open to you.
But the problem is, we want other things than the promises. We want a comfortable life. We want to be able to minister.
We want all sorts of things. And God has other plans. Higher plans.
Greater plans. To make you conform to the image of His Son. And then to use you as a treasure, as a focal point, as an illustration of just how good He is.
To take you throughout all of eternity and lavish upon you greater and greater demonstrations of His goodness. He has such plans for you. You have such meager, pitiful plans for yourself.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence
- A. The kingdom presses ahead relentlessly
- B. Only the relentless press their way into it
- II. The Passionate Weak
- A. Men and women used of God are passionate and weak
- B. They are desperate and violent in their pursuit of God
- III. The Desperate Struggle
- A. We must wrestle with God like Jacob
- B. We must come out limping and broken
- IV. The Higher Nature
- A. We are recreated in the image of God
- B. We are of a higher nature, created for the heavenlies
- V. Rushing Forward
- A. We should rush forward like a madman
- B. With passion and fire
- VI. The Promises of God
- A. We should wrestle with the promises of God
- B. We will receive, find, and have open doors if we seek them
Key Quotes
“The kingdom presses ahead relentlessly, and only the relentless press their way into it.” — Compilations
“You are of a higher nature. You were created for the heavenlies, for the things of God.” — Compilations
“I want God! And I'll have Him or I'll die.” — Compilations
Application Points
- We must be willing to wrestle with God like Jacob and come out limping and broken.
- We should be passionate and weak in our pursuit of God, and not content with just being moral or looking nice.
- We must seek the promises of God with all our heart and wrestle with them to receive them.