Joshua 7:1 (ESV) But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan …took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
Romans 5:17 (NIV) For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
“When we forfeit the fear of the Lord, we sin.”
Dominion Don’ts:
Don’t weaponize the presence of the Lord.
Don’t over-familiarize the presence of God.
Don’t trivialize the presence of God.
Don’t systemize the presence of God.
Don’t Monetize the presence of God.
1. Don’t weaponize the presence of the Lord.
1 Samuel 4: 4-22 (NIV) 4 Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. 2 The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 6 Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?” When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “We’re in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. 9 Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!” 10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
“Instead of being used by God, they were using God.”
1 Samuel 2:21 (NIV) 21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
2. Don’t over-familiarize the presence of God. 1 Samuel 2:12 (NIV) Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord.
3. Don’t trivialize the presence of God. Matthew 15:8 (NIV) “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
It is common for us to experience the presence of God. It’s sin to treat him as common.
1 Samuel 5:1–4 (NIV) 1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.
“The greatest Idolotry is “I” dolotry.”
“An idol is nothing that gets more attention or affection than God.”
God is breaking off the headship of self. John 3:30 (NIV) “He must become greater; I must become less.”
