Our culture is sick and in need of a cure…like the COVID shot there are side effects, these side effects are culture shock, being hit with the truth, leaving comfort and naivety behind. Unlike the COVID shot if we grasp this today you will be healed, the virus can not come back. You will not be sick again!
It takes no special insight, no great courage, no understanding to tell people what they want to do or want to hear….however, it takes real strength, courage, and understanding to tell people what they ought to hear, what they need to hear and do!
God is calling the church to this…to rise up and be the vaccine our culture needs even if they don’t want it but God will give us what we need if we are willing because he is raising up again, those who are willing with the Spirit that was in the sons of Issachar…
OK now that you have said “Huh” or “what?”
Let’s investigate what I am talking about….
Here is the scenario…..an ungodly King had ruled the land for decades. He had been chosen by God but chose instead to turn his back on God….God in his mercy allowed this king to reign for a lifetime but now the King is dead and there is a battle over who will rule the Kingdom. Ishbosheth was the son of the King but David was the one anointed by God.
Ladies and Gentlemen hear me…if someone is truly anointed by God to lead, God will place them in that position and nothing the world or the enemy can do can stop it.
The people began to come to David
sons of Issachar 1 Chronicles 12:32
From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.
In this chapter we are given a list of the tribes and the gifts these tribes possess that will be added to the need David has to bring the Kingdom into God’s hands again.
The writer gives us the lists of thousands and tens of thousands and their fighting skills and positions. Then he comes to the sons of Issachar, he gives a list of their skills that they bring to the table.
We are told that all 200 that come are leaders and that they possess understanding of the signs of the times….they have been gifted with wisdom and insight to grasp what God was doing and what was going on in the world so that the leaders could know what way to go
Our region, state and nation have lost their way….there is a lack of basic understanding of economics, health, biology, manners, ethics and so much more…
The Lord has or will gift us with this same Spirit if we are willing.
In times of difficulty the world always looks for those kinds of leaders. Darius, Nebuchanezzar, Belshazzar of Babylon
Daniel 5:11,12
There is a man in your kingdom (speaking to King Belshazzar (Bel-shaz-zar) who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s (Neb-bu-cad-nez-zar) reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. 12 This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar (Bel-ta-shaz-zar), has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult
and The king of the largest Persian, Median empire Ahasuerus from the book of Esther
Esther 1:13, 14
Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice,…….. who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom)
Kings and people don’t listen to godly wisdom and insight unless things get bad enough, there is a crisis, and all of their worldly wisdom and insight fails. People need to recognize their folly in their worldly desires and wisdom and look for something higher than themselves.
When that happens there is a void and nature abhors a void, so the men and women of God must be practiced and ready to speak the truth, love, peace, hope and wisdom that we need to bring health to our culture. (if you recall my speaking about the Great Awakening, it happened there)
You have heard me share many times that we are called to be salt and light. Jesus is the answer to every problem and difficulty so He has empowered us to be the answer to a broken world by being salt and light…how often is light used to disinfect, to scatter disease, destroy it, to bring life and hope. How often is salt used to bring out the life and flavor of food and is still used to preserve food from going bad.
Jesus came with this mandate from the Father.
Isaiah 11:2
And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
The Spirit of understanding, insight, and wisdom the sons of Issachar had, come from the Holy Spirit being poured out on them.
This was not the first time when Israel needed a leader, needed corrected, and protected that God raised up the sons of Issachar
Judges 5:15
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley.
This battle took place in the land of Issachar and they could have chosen to side with Sisera but they knew the Lord was with Deborah even though her armies were smaller and less battle-ready. Once again, they had a spirit of understanding, wisdom, and insight knowing what Israel ought to do and the day was won by the Lord, Sisera was killed and his army demolished by a smaller force.
It is not the physical power, strength, influence, wisdom, insight, but instead the anointing and the Holy Spirit’s anointing on people that brings freedom, hope and love.
The prophecy over Jesus from Isaiah 11 is amazing but Jesus said, John 14:12…
I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
Think about all the things Jesus did…think mostly about how he lifted people up, the rejected, neglected, the hungry, the humble…he reached the rich, poor, different races, ethnicities, the powerful and the powerless everyone he touched even while dying on the cross, was given hope….and I just read to you he said “greater works” we will do because He went to the Father.
As you read further in Chapter 14 Jesus immediately begins talking about the Holy Spirit. Until Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit was poured out on people but did not reside in them….the sons of Issachar had the Holy Spirit on them and they guided Israel to walk in truth. As a born again believer you have the Holy Spirit “on you” so to speak, but if you are willing you can be filled with Him and be able to lead.
Galatians 5: 16,17
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Without the Holy Spirit filling us every day all we have are “good intentions” which are evil….just because they are not God’s best. God knows everything, he knows how to heal the broken hearted, set those in captivity free, bring life, hope and freedom to everyone but if we are moving only by our own wisdom and the best of our intentions then it is not God best, thus evil in God’s sight. God wants the best for you always, he wants the best for our region, state and nation and anything less is settling and evil.
The fruit of the Spirit is found in verses 22,23 of this chapter. The gifts of the Spirit wisdom, understanding, insight, prophecy, healing and more are found in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 14. These are the tools the world will need shortly and we need to be ready to use them. We need to be practiced with them to affect a broken and messed up world.
We have gone through a couple of years of fear, confusion, doubt. So many placed their trust in men rather than God… we need to pray for everyone always but so many are weary from all of these things and the disappointments in themselves, organization, some even feel disappointed in God but God is calling you higher…He is calling you to be the vaccine to a sick and dying nation….He is calling you to lead, not by might, not by power but by His Spirit
We can’t do that if we either aren’t filled with the Spirit or have never been filled with the Spirit….listen some may laugh, some may doubt but look at the mess we are in with the best of the world’s wisdom isn’t it worth at least trying to allow the Lord to fill you so you might have the wisdom, insight, understanding about what our families, communities, state and nation need to do…Let someone pray for you this morning…This is so very important I need you to forgive me because I will not be back there to great you I need to stay here to pray for you as well.