“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
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