THE SWORD SAYS FAITH IS REQUIRED
MF Blume
May 15, 2016
Genesis 3:23-24 KJV Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from
the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
(24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the
garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way,
to keep the way of the tree of life.
Joshua 5:13 KJV And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho,
that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man
over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto
him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
Mankind who was cast out of the Garden, and Israel, had one thing in common.
• They both were outside a place where they were meant to enjoy and rule.
• The Garden where man was meant to rule the world from, and man was cast out.
• The land of Canaan was the land Abraham was in
and told to look all over and have what every his foot steps on, but
Israel left the land in the famine when Joseph was in Egypt, and had to
get back.
But in both cases, there was a sword where something had to be broken.
Hebrews 4:1-3 KJV Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being
left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short
of it. (2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as
unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have
believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath,
if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from
the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:9-12 KJV There remaineth therefore a rest to the people
of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest, he also
hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (11)
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall
after the same example of unbelief. (12) For the word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.
Something in us needs to be broken.
When Jacob wrestled with the angel, he became a prince with God when something in him broke.
• But Jacob persisted and held on.
• Something in us that doubts God.
• Jacob saw angels and was still afraid.
• He even admitted God spoke to him about being with him, and he was still worried.
We get to the place where this unbelief stirs up and we try to seek God, but don’t hold on.
Genesis 32:1-32 KJV And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of
God met him. (2) And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is
God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
(3) And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto
the land of Seir, the country of Edom. (4) And he commanded
them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob
saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until
now: (5) And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and
menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I
may find grace in thy sight. (6) And the messengers
returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he
cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. (7)
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people
that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two
bands; (8) And said, If Esau come to the one company, and
smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
(9) And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my
father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country,
and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: (10) I
am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth,
which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed
over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. (11)
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of
Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother
with the children. (12) And thou saidst, I will surely do
thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
numbered for multitude. (13) And he lodged there that same
night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his
brother; (14) Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats,
two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, (15) Thirty milch camels
with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten
foals. (16) And he delivered them into the hand of his
servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass
over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
(17) And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother
meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither
goest thou? and whose are these before thee? (18) Then thou
shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my
lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. (19) And so
commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the
droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find
him. (20) And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is
behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth
before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will
accept of me. (21) So went the present over before him: and
himself lodged that night in the company. (22) And he rose
up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and
his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. (23) And
he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he
had. (24) And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a
man with him until the breaking of the day. (25) And when
he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his
thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled
with him. (26) And he said, Let me go, for the day
breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless
me. (27) And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he
said, Jacob. (28) And he said, Thy name shall be called no
more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and
with men, and hast prevailed. (29) And Jacob asked him, and
said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that
thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. (30)
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face
to face, and my life is preserved. (31) And as he passed
over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
(32) Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which
shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because
he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
When we get so troubled we let go of God.
• But we must not let go.
• Let this unbelief in us break.
• Let the sword cut it down.
• The place for rule is beyond the BREAKING POINT.
• Joshua was told the angels not for him or for the enemy.’
• HE IS CAPTAIN and Joshua is the one who is supposed to be FOR HIM.
• And THOSE ANGELS took down the walls by God’s power, not Joshua.
Stop trying to do this alone after we abandon prayer and abandon God.
That’s why Heb 4 reads…
Hebrews 4:11-16 KJV Let us labour therefore to enter into that
rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
(12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. (13) Neither is there
any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are
naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
(14) Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed
into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession. (15) For we have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
He understands and relates to us.
Hebrews 5:1-2 KJV For every high priest taken from among men is
ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both
gifts and sacrifices for sins: (2) Who can have compassion
on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he
himself also is compassed with infirmity.
KEEP BELIEVING.
Hebrews 6:11 KJV And we desire that every one of you do shew the
same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Hebrews 3:14 KJV For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Hebrews 6:19-20 KJV Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even
Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 10:17-22 KJV And their sins and iniquities will I
remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is,
there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore,
brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
(21) And having an high priest over the house of God;
(22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of
faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water.
We defeat this unbelief in us and break it and we enter on in!
- Israel had to see walls come down first, and so much breaking was there.
- Jerichos’ walls.
- Older Israelites died.
- Circumcision.
- Jordan breaks open.