I have some things first before I have
you turn to anything. The title of my message today
is God's Weapons. God's Weapons. But I want to
start off by talking about man's weapons. I know when most think
about weapons, they don't think about what I'm going to mention
as being a weapon. The tongue. It seems such a small
thing, an organ in our body that can be easily hurt. You eat something,
you get a little something on it. But this organ is said in
scripture to boast great things. It is a fire, a world of iniquity,
the scripture says. It says in James 3, it defiles
our whole body. It is set on fire of hell, and
if nothing is changed, we will end up as the rich man asking
for a drop of water to cool our tongue. The scripture says that
out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh, in Matthew
12, 34. This is what our Lord says. The
tongue will do its part and steer you right into speaking lies
against God, hatred to his people, murders against the Lord of glory,
just with words. Even as believers, we know how
evil this tongue can be. God will at times lift his finger
from his people. Then when someone else says or
does something we do not like, I said we do not like, not that
they do something wrong necessarily, but when this happens, we with
our tongue are ready to lash out. Were it not for the grace
of God, we would bite and devour one another. I know this from
experience. We, or that is I, am not very
often long-suffering with my brethren. even though I may stand
up here at times and say we need to be long-suffering with one
another. This is God's people. This is
that tongue which we have by nature. The unbelieving are always
speaking lies, deceits, and murders with their tongues. Rebuke at
times are necessary, don't get me wrong. But it seems believers
feel like we have to always set someone straight. And I remember
Tim James talking about this, and you all may have heard this
as well, but he had a picture, and I don't remember the exact
name, so I'm gonna use some other names, but he had a picture of
Jim and Betty, and then Tim's wife Debbie, and then Tim. And
he said, I wish people would be genuine and not necessarily
honest. Because he said, they look at
that picture, and they see Jim in his suit, and he looks so
nice. Betty in her dress, she looks wonderful. Then his wife
Debbie in the picture, she says, oh, she just looks beautiful
in her dress. Then they come to Tim and see
him, and they say, how did that homeless man get in the picture? We do not always want to speak
honesty with our tongue about everything. I don't want you
to misunderstand me. There are times when something
should be said. But sometimes the best thing
to say may be to say nothing at all. What do we have that
we have not received? God gives to everyone the measure
of faith. God opens every man or woman's
understanding as he sees fit. Man certainly has weapons, I
mean physical weapons, such as guns, swords, and so on. As believers,
we are told not to fear men who can destroy this body, but to
fear God who can destroy both body and soul in hell. But it
is man's tongue which is the most destructive. As I've said,
by nature, man's tongue will speak lies, deceits, murders,
and more. It's bad enough that man does
this to others, but man does this about himself speaking lies
and deceit, being proud, and more importantly, concerning
the sovereign, just, holy God of Scripture. Man lies on God
with his tongue. Man will give lip service to
God speaking lies, but then indeed, and that is, D-e-e-d, the deeds
he does shows that he hates God and God's people. If man does
not have something done, the heart he has by nature will direct
his tongue to continue to blaspheme God and he will ultimately perish
in hell. What man needs is God to do something
for him. God has his weapons, and that
leads me to my text. So if you would, turn with me
to Zechariah 13. Zechariah 13. If you go to Matthew, you can
go two books backwards, and that would be Zechariah. Zechariah
13 in verses seven. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
and against the man that is my fellow. Sayeth the Lord of hosts,
smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will
turn mine hand upon the little one. Now it mentions, hear a
sword, and this is what I want to focus on today. There are
many places in scripture where it talks about weapons used of
God. He is the creator and sovereign
of all, so he is certainly in control of all weapons, even
that evil tongue we have by nature. God's word, and by that I mean
that which he says or speaks is a weapon, because whatever
he says is so. His thoughts, which are high
above our thoughts, are his weapon because whatever God thinks is
done. So I want to talk today about
Jesus Christ, with my subject being, or topic being, God's
weapons. Weapons used against the reprobate and weapons used
for his people. Weapons used against the reprobate. words. What God says is right. Sinful
man as he is born in nature is proud, thinking of himself too
highly. He does not regard the words
of our great God. God is able to use any weapon,
that is physical weapon or any object, even the wind and the
waves obey his voice. God will destroy the wicked from
the earth with the voice of his mouth. He will use any instrument
to accomplish this end if He is so pleased. It is His word
that is the weapon that will judge them. His word will not
return unto Him void. It will either bring life and
immortality to light, or it will serve to further damn them because
they believe not the gospel. God is able to abase the proud,
but the problem for some is He may not be willing to abase.
He is not willing to abase all the proud, that's for sure. But
the question is, is he willing to abase me, who am proud by
nature? All men will bow to the praise
and honor and glory of Jesus Christ the Lord one day. Scripture
is clear on this. But for some, it will be too
late. Psalm 12, verses three and four says this. The Lord
shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh
proud things, who have said, with our tongue we shall prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is
Lord over us? Man will not stand before God
having proud lips with tongues that blaspheme against him. Neither
man's physical weapons nor his proud words will withstand a
holy just God. If God in time bows you down
to his son Jesus Christ the Lord, you have everlasting life. But
if he does not, you will be forever lost, cut off from the only light
and life there is. You will forever perish in darkness. It is by words that God will
judge this world Romans 2.16 says, in the day when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Paul himself says in Galatians
1.8, but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let
him be accursed. It is with words, the words that
come from these lips of clay, the lips which we have, the tongue
darting in and out, that will be the weapon that damns men
to hell. Scripture says that if man does
not believe Jesus Christ the Lord, he is condemned already.
It is simply words and not swords, slings, guns, bow and arrow,
or any other things that will condemn us. It is because of
this dead heart that we have that is totally free to sin against
God, causing our tongue to lie on God and reject his son, Jesus
Christ the Lord. 2 Thessalonians chapter one verses
six through nine reads this way. Seeing it is a righteous thing
with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. And
to you who are troubled, rest with us. when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming
fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of his power. The weapon of judgment against
men will be the word of God, Words, that's all it takes. What God says shall stand. Now weapons for his people. Second Corinthians 10.4 says
this. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strongholds. So what is our
weapon? The sword of the spirit. Ephesians 6 and verse 17 says,
and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit,
which is the word of God. God has given his people his
weapon. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ
and him crucified. It says here the word of God.
When we go out to battle, we are not going out with our fist,
or with a gun, or with a club, or any other kind of carnal weapon
to fight the battle. We are armed with the truth of
God, found in his word, the scripture, the word which God has spoken.
Our fight are not against physical things, although things may become
physical when we go out to preach this word. We fight not against
flesh and blood, the scripture says, Ephesians 6.12 says, for
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Our fight is
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Our fight is
against fallen Adamic mankind. We know this to be true of ourselves. Before God revealed himself to
us, we remember when we fought against the sovereign almighty
God. Just as Stephen said to those he was fighting with, using
the word of God, those who were uncircumcised in heart and ears,
what did he say to them? Ye do always resist the Holy
Ghost. Men and women hate the God of
Scripture so much they will become physical with you. It's happened
before, and for sure it will happen again. There have been
those in Scripture that we read who have went through torture
because of their stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ the Lord. We have books which testify of
those who have stood for the truth of God, who have been tortured
to death. Although it may not be outwardly
seen today, This even happens in our day. I'm not sure about
torture to death. I'm sure somewhere that may even
happen against men and women. But God's people who have stood
up for the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified, this sometimes
happens. But we are not to fear men who
can destroy this body, but God. Not only is this weapon, this
sword of the spirit, the word of God, for God's people to use
to take to others, It is also the same weapon that was and
is used on those who wield this very same weapon, bringing the
ones hearing and the ones speaking into captivity, causing them
to believe Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4.12 says, For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
the intents of the heart. When the gospel of Jesus Christ
comes to you, if it comes to you in power and of the Holy
Ghost and in much assurance, it will pierce into your soul,
deep into your soul. It will divide the flesh, so
to speak, and it will reveal and lay open everything bare
before God. This is not just a one-time thing.
Our walls of rebellion must continually be brought down. The flesh hates
God just as much as it did before God sent me this glorious gospel
in power. So his word continually breaks
down those walls. His word causing you to bow in
submission, Joe, to Him, knowing you are naked before Him. The
wound will be so great that the only thing you will be able to
cry out is, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. Oh, to have God's weapon used
on me is what I want. Don't ever let me get to the
place where I think I have some kind of standing on my own. Keep
me, dear Lord, humbled before you by your word. But there is
a reason why this weapon would have such an impact on some.
A reason why it would turn some men to God, bringing them into
communion with him. There is another weapon that
has been wielded and used, and it brings us back to our text.
Zechariah 13 and verse seven. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd. and against the man that is my
fellow, saith the Lord of hosts, smite the shepherd, and the sheep
shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand upon the little
ones. This is the sword of a holy just
God. This sword has been used, used
on the one and only one that could take the blow of this sword.
The shepherd of the sheep was smitten of God under the judgment
of God, him being made sin for us and forsaken of God. But look
further, it was done against a man that is my fellow. My kinsman is what the word means. He is a kinsman to some. That
means he is family to those for whom he loved them to the extent
that he was willing to suffer the death of this sword. What
did this smiting look like? Go up to verse six, verse six. And one shall say unto him, what
are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, those with
which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Jesus Christ our Lord was wounded. He came into this world, this
house of his friends, having nails drove in his hands and
his feet, having to bear the shame and guilt of sin on his
people's behalf. This sword of judgment and justice
coming against him so that those for whom he did this might live
evermore. that those for whom he did this
for might be justified in the sight of God. And that is right
in the sight of God. Not just not guilty, but right
before a thrice holy God. Bringing us near to our God so
that we are now seated at the right hand of God with him on
high. waiting for his return where we will one day be able
to see for ourselves the wounding of God by looking at the nail
prints on his hands and feet. Seeing his side where the sword
of God's justice came down on him. Handling him for ourselves. Him being the perfect spotless
lamb and the only one that could have done such a thing. Him being
God manifest in the flesh. He justified us in the sight
of God. He says in our text, he will
turn his hand upon the little ones. This is in the sense of
protection. This must have taken place, this
sword coming against the shepherd, who is my fellow. What is the
result of this sword of judgment on the shepherd? The result being
salvation for all the little ones. This is my beloved. and I am his. This one who knew
what had to be done and did it without wavering. This one who
is eternal died for me. That in him raising from the
dead, I can be fully assured of having everlasting life. Him
being my near kinsman. There will come a day when I
will be able to touch and handle the Lord of glory, just as those
who were here did when he was on this earth. It is our hope
to be with him one day. That's what really, when someone
says going to heaven, at least for me, that's what it means,
being with Christ. What he has done has given me life before
God, one who being dead, I am now risen in Christ. If it has
so pleased God to now use his word to bring me to himself,
the sword of his spirit, which is the word of God. He uses his
weapons to show me who he is, and thereby seeing him, I see
what I am. Just as Job said in Job 6 and
verse 4, it says, for the arrows of the Almighty are within me. The poison whereof drinketh up
my spirit. The terrors of God do set themselves
in array against me. When God speaks, it is. There are no weapons against
the God of scripture that will ever hit their mark. He will
turn them to dust, no matter what the weapon is. Yet he himself
could use any weapon that is physical or just his breath.
And could he, if he was pleased to do so, he could destroy the
entire universes if he so pleased. After all, he created them. He
is the creator of all things. When God is pleased to talk to
us, we will not stand. We will fall in the dust before
him. we will do just as Job did in
Job 40 verses four and five. Behold, I am vow. What shall I answer thee? I will
lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will
not answer. Yea, twice, but I will proceed
no further. God with his weapons will shut
our mouth. We can do nothing. God can do
everything. If he is pleased, he will send,
just as he did with Job, someone to proclaim unto you the truth,
the truth which will ultimately be to our comfort. But then God
Almighty will talk to us himself, shutting our mouth so that we
fear him, knowing he can both destroy our body and soul in
hell. And if you would, in closing,
I want you to turn to Job 42, Job 42. Job 42, and I wanna read verses
one through six. This is the result of God speaking
to us. Job 42. Then Job answered the
Lord and said, I know that thou canst do everything, and that
no thought can be withholding from thee. Who is he that hath
counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that
I understood not. Things too wonderful for me,
which I knew not. Here I beseech thee and I will
speak. I will demand of thee and declare
thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing
of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor
myself and repent in dust and ashes. God can, will, and does use any
weapon he is pleased to use in judgment against this world,
whether it be on individuals or nations. He does this all
the time, and man is none the wiser. The virus that we have
right now going on, that is a weapon of God. This sovereign, almighty
God can, will, and does use any weapon on those who are his.
For these though, it is done in love and to their good. Should
one of these weapons cause their body to return to the dust, it
means that they have went on to be with the Lord. We are told
in scripture to be absent from the body is to be present with
the Lord. For those little ones, it is all about that one sword
which brought salvation down to men. It is the hope of every
believer that he who is our shepherd was smitten for us. Have you
heard of the Lord? Has God opened your eyes to see
who he is? I hope this is so. If he has,
rejoice in the fact that God awoke the sword against the shepherd,
bringing salvation down to men. Amen. Dear Lord God, thank you for
allowing us to once again gather together to assemble together
to hear words of Jesus Christ our Lord, whose name is far above
every other name. All glory goes to his name. He
has all the preeminence. Dear Lord, cause us, help us
to always glorify your name. Teach us, dear Lord, should we
stray, bring us back. calls us to glorify your name.
Be with those who cannot be here. Comfort them, help them with
their sicknesses. Anyone out there, dear Lord,
if they're having troubles, we ask that if you're pleased that
you will help them through that. Help them get rid of the troubles
that are there. Whatever it is that you're pleased
to do, Daryl, we know it's to the good of God's people. All
of these things we ask in Christ's name, amen.