“Pete and Repeat”




Several years ago - when we lived on Magnolia Drive - Pastor and I had 3 parrots. Two of them were so much alike, that we named them “Pete” and Repeat”!! Because they looked alike; they sounded alike; and they totally responded exactly alike! We absolutely loved them. Originally we called them ‘Pete’ and ‘Baby’. But then we realized every time one would do anything - the other one would totally repeat it!

 

Interestingly, God expects us to live that same way by obeying His commands at all times! So, I think tonight will be a good time to share how the Biblical edicts prepare us for this present time - as well as the future!

 

 

Judg 7:17-22 (NKJV) “AND HE SAID TO THEM, "LOOK AT ME AND DO LIKEWISE; WATCH, AND WHEN I COME TO THE EDGE OF THE CAMP YOU SHALL DO AS I DO: 18 "WHEN I BLOW THE TRUMPET, I AND ALL WHO ARE WITH ME, THEN YOU ALSO BLOW THE TRUMPETS ON EVERY SIDE OF THE WHOLE CAMP, AND SAY, 'THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON!'" 19 SO GIDEON AND THE HUNDRED MEN WHO WERE WITH HIM CAME TO THE OUTPOST OF THE CAMP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MIDDLE WATCH, JUST AS THEY HAD POSTED THE WATCH; AND THEY BLEW THE TRUMPETS AND BROKE THE PITCHERS THAT WERE IN THEIR HANDS. 20 THEN THE THREE COMPANIES BLEW THE TRUMPETS AND BROKE THE PITCHERS; THEY HELD THE TORCHES IN THEIR LEFT HANDS AND THE TRUMPETS IN THEIR RIGHT HANDS FOR BLOWING; AND THEY CRIED, "THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON!" 21 AND EVERY MAN STOOD IN HIS PLACE ALL AROUND THE CAMP; AND THE WHOLE ARMY RAN AND CRIED OUT AND FLED. 22 WHEN THE THREE HUNDRED BLEW THE TRUMPETS, THE LORD SET EVERY MAN'S SWORD AGAINST HIS COMPANION THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CAMP; AND THE ARMY FLED......”

 

          Listen: THE EQUIPMENT GOD GAVE FOR YOU, HE DID NOT GIVE TO YOU!

He gave it to men and women: Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Teachers, Pastors.

So the question becomes: what about me? What am I supposed to do? Where do I fit in? And the answer is in the FATHER OF THE HOUSE!

Example: The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. They were men under authority; and they administered that authority this way: They listened to the INSTRUCTION given them by their official source; they applied that command EXACTLY as it was delivered; therefore, they were extremely successful! Interestingly, though, they could not take any credit for their success..... they were men UNDER authority! That’s God’s way of doing business. And it works so well, it

 

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is employed in nations around the world! We are expected to RESPECT the authority that is in place because of the POWER-SOURCE behind that authority. We are programed to follow the example given to us. This holds true with animals as well as people. Have you ever watched a Mama duck? She moves forward; and the little ducklings follow her exactly - no matter where she moves! She could be crossing a busy street and those little ones will follow her example. They trust her representation and come as a logical result right behind her. Consequently, the fruits of the entire movement is dictated by the leader. The leader orders and approves the ‘move’ and the group follows that instruction knowing their best-interest is in the heart of that

individual.

 

 

          Now, in the 11th chapter of Numbers those men were ‘called’ to do something they were not qualified to do. Likewise, God will certainly call you to do something you “appear” Unqualified to do. In this way, He gets all the glory! He gives you the ‘ability’ when you get serious about your service to Him. But in and of yourself, you are definitely NOT the source of your own success! And at the point that success overtakes you, BEWARE: THE ENEMY WILL SNEAK UP TO THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART AND SEEK TO DESTROY YOU WITH PRIDE!

And don’t - for one minute - think it can’t happen to you. That’s exactly the time and place the enemy will begin to devour you!! In fact, God calls us to do things we are NOT qualified to do............that way He gets the glory!

 

          God keeps us on the edge of dependency so we will always be dependent on Him. He always leads you to the place of HELPLESSNESS – NOT — HOPELESSNESS!!!

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          Jesus spent time with the 12

                               Then the 70

                                Then the masses

And the most valued time was with the twelve because of the ability to communicate freely and spend one-on-one time. LISTEN: THE ONES YOU SPEND THE BULK OF YOUR TIME WITH ARE THE ONES WHO CHANGE THE WORLD! Why? Because you put YOUR anointing on others. Num 11:17 (NLT) I WILL COME DOWN AND TALK TO YOU THERE. I WILL TAKE SOME OF THE SPIRIT THAT IS UPON YOU, AND I WILL PUT THE SPIRIT UPON THEM ALSO. THEY WILL BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE PEOPLE ALONG WITH YOU, SO YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO CARRY IT ALONE.

 

          If the leader of the house has ONE vision and you have another, you have DIVISION!

This does not mean we all ‘think’ the same. It means we align ourselves together and we follow

 

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the rule of the house! And if you can’t follow the ‘lead’ set in place, you leave! And sometimes God brings in new leaders late in the game for some purpose or other. But their allegiance will be Godly even if they’re late! Listen: Remember the story in Numbers 11 where God instructed Moses to bring seventy of the elders into the Tabernacle so that He could cause a measure of His Spirit to rest upon them as He had Moses? It was for the purpose of service. The responsibility for the entire nation of Israel out in the wilderness was on Moses’ back; and it was too heavy. So God instructed Moses to bring certain men to Him. Well, two of the men were late! Num 11:26

(NKJV) BUT TWO MEN HAD REMAINED IN THE CAMP: THE NAME OF ONE

WAS ELDAD, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER MEDAD. AND THE SPIRIT RESTED UPON THEM. NOW THEY WERE AMONG THOSE LISTED, BUT WHO HAD NOT GONE OUT TO THE TABERNACLE; YET THEY PROPHESIED IN THE CAMP.

THEY HAD THE SAME SPIRIT AS MOSES! They had a flaw in their work ethic; but they were not divided in their loyalty. So, because of the purity of their hearts, God used them the same way He did the others.

          What did Moses reveal in this whole scenario? A PROPHETIC SOLUTION. YOU MUST BELONG TO SOMEONE WHO HAS A MEASURE OF THE SPIRIT THAT YOU DON’T HAVE!

THEN you will begin to have answers and solutions as well.

The point: EVERY SINGLE MEMBER “HEARS” GOD. But God has set in place LEADERS who are responsible to bring to the place of maturity those He has placed in their care.

 

So, I think, tonight, the bottom line to our success is:

HEAR ----- BELIEVE ------ SPEAK, in Jesus’ Name