Delivered From The Enemy

Introduction

Delivered from the enemy. And so when I found this graphic, there was a slide of a verse, a place in the Old Testament that is already delivered. And so I said, I’ll look at this and see if I can make this work. And then the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. Psalm 31 9 through 16. This is a Psalm of David. And interesting that in the midst of this Psalm, we have a quotation of Jesus. The young people are writing furiously. A quotation from Jesus on the cross. The last words he uttered. Into your hands I commit my spirit.

And whenever Jesus quotes from the Old Testament upon the cross, he’s looking more than just at that single statement. He is looking at the sentiment of the psalm from which he quotes. And this is an acknowledgement as it is with David of absolute trust and confidence in God despite his pain. Despite Jesus’ pain, he is confessing all the way to the end, his absolute confidence in God and in reality, his deliverance and ours from the enemy. But as David talks about that in relation to himself, I want you to notice these four words in the beginning of the reading. These are not four stellar things that we get excited about when they come to our lives. Oh, yea, me. I love it when I am in distress.

And when I experience grief, when I encounter sorrow and sigh. Please give me more. That’s not a response. But it is not unique to you. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress. My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing. So don’t ever think that it is unique to you that you experience these things. My whole life has encompassed this, David said. Now, something unique to David that would not be true of our Lord, as he quotes this Psalm, is the statement at the end of verse 10, when he says, My strength has failed. You know, add to all of this problem, David says, My iniquity.

Of course, the Lord bore our iniquities in his body upon the cross. And my body has wasted away as he goes on to talk about, because of all of my adversaries. I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances. Those who see me in the street flee from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind. I am like a broken vessel. For I’ve heard the slander of many terror on every side. While they took counsel together against me, they schemed to take away my life. My circumstances have been bad, but I don’t know. Well, maybe somebody has, but I don’t think anybody has schemed to take away my life. At least they were foiled in the scheme.

David experienced even this in some of the low points of his life. And yet, he concludes in this section, David’s hope is your hope and my hope. But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord. I say, You are my God. My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. Make your face to shine upon your servant. Save me in your loving kindness. Delivered from the enemy. Of course, we recognize in Christ that our great enemy is our adversary, the devil, who prowls about as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. His interest, his concern, his effort is dedicated to devouring you and devouring me. And oh, how we need to be delivered.

And yet, so often people refuse.

Taylor Berkner, who’s here today with his friend Vanessa, have heard me talk about this all week. This is old news for them. As the scene unfolds early in the movie in Rogue One, K2 SO, who has come from the dark side to serve the noble purposes of the rebellion. Says to Jen Erso, we are here to rescue you. Please don’t resist. And I love that about this statement. Of course, one of the young people up there sort of said that it’s a little menacing as he does that. I guess he gets shoved to the ground after this. You know, sometimes people have to be awakened to their need. We’re here to rescue you. Please don’t resist. And as I think about this concept of being delivered from the enemy, that’s exactly, I think, what we need to hear.

1. A False Confidence in Religion

The message that is delivered from the Word of God is here to rescue us, and yet so often we resist. Why aren’t folks delivered from the enemy? And that’s what I want to explore with you this morning. That people run in the opposite direction from their greatest need. And there are really four things that I want to share with you that all stem from one problem, and that is the problem of false competence. People are not delivered from the enemy so often because of a false confidence that evidences itself in four areas. We’re here to rescue you. Please don’t resist. The first area of false confidence, which sounds outlandish and shocking. A lot of folks are not delivered from the enemy. They still reside under the tyranny of Satan and the dominance of sin.

Their sins are not forgiven because of a false confidence in religion. Remember a couple of weeks ago when we talked about Matthew 5 and verse 48. Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. We talked about modeling the perfection of the Father, and that is a lifelong study and a lifelong pursuit. But the point we made about the statement in Matthew chapter 5 is that Jesus was taking away all other standards of goodness and righteousness. And if you’ll look contextually, Jay and I were talking about this after the sermon, when you look contextually at what follows about praying in secret and doing your alms in secret, and don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. In other words, that’s we were talking about that at length.

That’s sort of an interesting thing. In other words, don’t think too long about the good deeds that you’re doing. Don’t dwell on it too much. Don’t pat yourself on the back too long. This is only what you ought to be doing. And he’s talking about the example of the Pharisees. So don’t even let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. And he says, they are not the standard. This outward show of piety, everybody look at me. The Pharisees were a terrible example of the righteousness to which God calls us. And he says, the standard will always be the imitation of the Father. That will always and forever be the standard of righteousness for God’s people. The religion of the Pharisees contained many elements of truth.

You wanted to know how to tithe, they could tell you. They had everything down to an exact science with the tithe. And Jesus said, that’s good. That’s fine. But you have neglected the weightier matters of the law. Faithfulness, justice, and mercy. You know, it’s not okay to be an expert in one area and then ignore the greater issues that deal with a right heart before God. You strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.

In chapter 7, about those who seem to proclaim a message of salvation and righteousness, but yet he says, they are wolves in sheep clothing. They are inwardly ravenous wolves. And he said, You will know them by their fruits. And then he would conclude at the end of the sermon by saying, Many will say to me, Lord, who will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Here are people who are not only involved in religion, but they find some confidence in their association with Jesus. Many will say to me, Lord, who will not enter the kingdom of heaven? Oh, but you were among us. You walked in our streets, and Jesus says, I never knew you. Because you practice lawlessness. Is it possible to be pious and religious and claim to serve God and even love Jesus?

And practice lawlessness? Yes. They say, Lord, but they do not do the will of the Father. See, that’s the standard again. They do not do the will of the Father who is in heaven. And so we learn from just this example in the Sermon on the Mount, not to mention various places throughout the New Testament, that it is not enough to simply praise Jesus in Psalm. To speak his name and say glowing things about him. It is not necessarily enough to laud and praise Scripture. That’s the word of God. Especially when the terms of entrance into Jesus’ kingdom and God’s fellowship are not taught in truth. When falsehoods are perpetuated as the means of entering into a covenant relationship with God. For example, all you have to do to be saved is believe that Jesus is the Savior in your heart.

And you’re saved and saved forever. That’s the common teaching today. That’s not biblical. That’s not what the New Testament teaches, and yet that’s what’s pawned off in Jesus’ religion today. As the means of entrance. And oh, our adversary is so very sly. Because if he can manipulate and change the requirements of coming into Christ, you know what’s so amazing about that tactic? Is people think they have come into fellowship with God when they have not. That they are still lost in their sins while thinking they have a connection and a relationship with God. That’s the real tragedy of it. Do not be content with a message that is not consistent with truth, and I will preach this over and over again. Jesus said, if you abide in my word, then you are disciples of mine, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

John chapter 8, 31 and 32. I mean, you can’t get around that. Religion is not sufficient to replace Jesus’ requirements for salvation and true discipleship. I can’t emphasize this point enough. Folks are often not delivered from the enemy because they have a false confidence in religion. Only the truth sets free. Believing an erroneous message about what covers sin will leave you lost in sin. Teaching a message of salvation without repentance. A subject that is found all over the New Testament. A turning from a sinful course unto the course that God has prescribed, having a change of mind about where we’ve been versus where we’re going to go. Repentance is essential to the proclamation of this message. God has granted the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.

That’s what Peter said of the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 11 and verse 18. You remove repentance from the equation and you’ve not taught faith properly. And you remove confession that is the result of faith. I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that confession of our loyalty to him, you remove that and you’ve not taught faith properly.

2. A False Confidence in Goodness

And you remove baptism for the remission of sins. The washing away of sins, Ananias called it in Acts 22 and verse 16. And you have not taught faith properly. And you will result in your false belief to possess a false confidence in religion and not be delivered from the enemy. And there’s another part to this, point number two. And that is a false confidence in goodness. And the two sort of go hand in hand. There was a wonderful little Facebook post by Doy Moyer recently about goodness. He says, if we think of the gospel just as something that makes us good, and because we are good, we are saved, then we will be confused about the notion that good people will be lost.

If we cannot conceive of good people being lost, even though they don’t believe in Jesus, then we have missed the most significant aspect of what salvation is about. Further, evangelism would just become a way of trying to get people to be good rather than sharing the death and resurrection of Jesus with them so that they can humbly come to God for forgiveness. You see what is missing in this idea of, well, if I’m good, then I’m going to be saved. You missed the whole point about grace. The fact is we weren’t good enough. Why do you call me good? Remember when the rich young ruler came to Jesus in Mark 10 and said, Good teacher, what shall we do that we might inherit eternal life? Jesus took the time before he answered the question to explain to him something about goodness.

You’ve called me good teacher, but why do you call me good? There is one who is good, and that is God alone. Now, again, Jesus isn’t saying he’s not good, because he was. He was the essence of goodness. But what he’s also saying is, do you know who you’re talking to? This is God in human flesh, the standard of goodness. We are not good because of our sin. If people are saved because they are good, there is no need for grace. And what about the man who claims no belief in God at all? But he’s one of the nicest people that you know. One of the best neighbors on your street. So there’s the problem of the very essence of grace in this concept that goodness is good enough.

But the second thing that’s missing, and really it’s a subpoena of the first in regard to the need for grace, and that is it denies the enormous, the mammoth, the colossal implications of our sin. Sin, think about this. Sin was not fixed by a mere waving of the hand. Where God said, I’m just going to take care of this problem.

Have you not read the Old Testament? Sin’s introduction into the world in Genesis chapter 3, and then the long process that God then engaged in to work out his justice in providing ultimately a sacrifice of himself for the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. I mean, this long process, the eternal scheme of redemption that God orchestrated to deal with the problem of our sin, we must be saved.

Come to Him on His terms for His mercy and forgiveness. That’s why Saul of Tarsus was told to arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling upon the name of the Lord. You make an appeal to God for cleansing in this act of being immersed in water in likeness of Jesus’ death and rising to walk in newness of life. You are making an appeal. God saved me. God cleansed me on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism doth also now save us, not the removal of filth of the flesh. Yeah, you might get some dirt off your body. Most of the people I baptize are pretty clean when I put them in, I think. Haven’t ever smelled anybody that was reeking of dirt and filth.

Okay, that’s a long story. But it’s not the removal of filth from the flesh. Baptism now saves us. Not the removal of filth of the flesh, but the answer or appeal to God for a clean conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is my appeal. I’m going to rise from the dead to serve you just as Jesus rose from the dead, and my confidence is in him. Implied in all of that is a turning toward his goodness. Lauding Him and striving to imitate Him. That’s what Ephesians 2 says. For by grace have you been saved through faith and not of yourselves, it is the if God, not of works, lest any man should boast. You know, we’re baptized into Christ. We’re not saying, okay, I’ve learned it now.

No, you haven’t. Not of worksless any man. You don’t get to come up out of the waters of baptism and say, look at me and how great I am and what I’ve done. No, this is about what God has done. This is confidence in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Not of worksless. Any man should boast. But here’s the change that has happened in the sinner.

We are created in Christ Jesus, he says in verse 10, unto good works. We have now pointed ourselves in the direction of his goodness. Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, as we read in Matthew chapter 5. And all the way along, two things. This is important. This is the most important part of this lesson. Two things. Always true of those in Christ. Those who have submitted to his conditions, his terms. We are mercy dependent. We are mercy dependent while we are good pursuing. It occurred to me on the way here this morning that salvation for us in Christ is really all about one thing. It’s about gratitude and appreciation. That’s two words, it’s the same thing. That’s what it’s all about. If I demonstrate true appreciation, then he’ll extend his mercy toward me.

I don’t do that perfectly, but that’s what it’s all about. Overflowing with gratitude. This is what God has done for me. And so I’m going to strive to please him in all respects, Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 10. I’m going to, with all diligence, cultivate the qualities of faith that are admonished in 2 Peter chapter 1. And if I do that, make my calling and election sure, demonstrate that I am really loyal and dedicated to Christ, that he’s going to throw open the windows, the doors of heaven to me. And entrance into the eternal kingdom of our God will be abundantly supplied to us because I am living by my faith and showing my gratitude to him for what he has done. But that’s not the only reason why people are not delivered from the enemy.

3. The Choice Offered by This World

Some do not choose his salvation as wondrous and magnanimous and awesome as the offer is.

And the wisdom of this world. That is telling us and beckoning to us all the time. This choice is better. This choice is more fun. This choice is more pleasurable than choosing to serve God. You don’t have to ever wear a suit if you go this direction. Or young people say, we don’t wear suits, but you don’t have to worship three times a week. In fact, you can do whatever you want. Whenever you want to do it. You get to be boss, you get to be king. You get to decide what you want in that moment. But let me tell you about this choice and why it’s false confidence.

It doesn’t satisfy you and it won’t last. The quintessential. Ooh, that’s a big word. The quintessential demonstration of what I’m talking about this morning is Moses. In Hebrews chapter 11. And here’s what he teaches us. Inclusion, that’s called being included. Inclusion in God’s purposes and plans is to be preferred over all of the offers of this world and all of its comforts and all of its pleasures. Inclusion in God’s purposes and plans are to be preferred above everything that is offered to you in this world right here, right now. That’s what Moses demonstrated. When he chose to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. He chose the reproach of Christ. That’s what deals with the choice. To choose the Lord, you might indeed become a reproach and suffer mistreatment.

But he chose the reproach of Christ. See, he’s instructing us about the nature of our choice. He chose the reproach of Christ over all the riches of Egypt. That’s it. Moses had the cream of Egypt being poured into his hand, and he said, No, sir, I’m going to be involved in God’s purposes. He tells us about this choice.

Oh, yeah, it offers you some stuff. It’s passing. And that’s why John would say, do not love the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. Whether it’s the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life, all that the devil can offer you in this world, like he took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and says, I’ll give you all the kingdoms of the world, appealing to his lust of the eye, pride of life, maybe the whole thing. But all of that is passing away. But he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2, verses 15 through 17. People are not delivered because of false confidence in these four things.

4. A False Confidence in Time

The last of which is time.

What you’ve said is truth. But it’s just not a decision that I want to make right now. Some future day, we sing. I’ll choose the heavenly way. Most not for tomorrow. For who knows what a day may bring forth. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6, 33 and 34. Man does not know his time. Ecclesiastes chapter 9. Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come when you say, I shall have no pleasure in them. Don’t silence the conscience. As it is telling you of your need to choose the Lord and to serve him faithfully and to get back on the right track if you’ve deviated from it. Do not possess a false confidence in time because we have no guarantee of it.

Let us not speak presumptuously about what we will do. Because it is the Lord’s will, whether we do this or that.

And we’re really talking about this in our Malachi class this morning. The motto of the child of God is always.

Conclusion

Paul says that of Onociphorus in 2 Timothy chapter 1. May the Lord grant him and his house to find mercy on that day. Yes. But Ono Siferus is one of those people who is demonstrating his gratitude and appreciation for salvation by the way he’s serving Paul and others. And that’s really going to be the key here. We should no longer live for ourselves, but for him who died and rose again on our behalf. Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he’s been delivered. He’s a new creature. Old things have passed away, new things have come. God reconciled us. Through Christ, he goes on to say. And then he says, but you have an obligation, grace through faith. You be reconciled to God. Because he who knew no sin became sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

And the one who joins himself to the Lord. He said in the previous epistle is one spirit with him. And that’s how salvation really works. Here’s how it works. Oh, I know there’s some requirements that are going to conclude repentance, confession, baptism for the remission of your sins. But really, salvation emanates from here. When you say, I’m going to align myself with the Lord’s purposes for my life. I’m going to become one spirit with him. I said to you a couple weeks ago, that’s the same thing as be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. I’m now going to attune my heart and life to the will of my God and Savior. And if that’s your sentiment, we’re here to help you to be delivered from the enemy this very day.

Won’t you come while we stand and sing?