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Restoration Ministry

Restoration 2007: Connected

Ivor Myers

Jury Selection

Before we begin, I'd like to just offer up another word of prayer.

So I'd like to ask you to bow your heads with me and I will kneel as we pray.

Heavenly Father, Lord, I thank you for your presence being in this room today.

Father, I ask in a very special way that you would lighten this room with your glory.

Father, please speak through me as I speak through your word.

Hide me behind your cross and may Christ be lifted up.

I want to start by telling you something that I'm sure you will find quite amazing.

And before I tell you and prove to you how I know who each and every 1 of you are, and you say, Pastor, you never met me, but I'm telling you today that I know who you are.

And Before I tell you who you are, I'd like to tell you a little bit about who I am.

I want to share with you very briefly my testimony.

As was mentioned a little bit earlier, I used to be a hip-hop artist.

Dreadlocks, anybody knows what those are?

Yeah, I'm sure you've never seen those before.

Dreadlocks, pants, hanging off, debt down with jewelry, slang, curse words, a crazy mentality about 11 years ago.

I had a major recording contract with EMI Records and our group appeared on Soul Train, Rap City, BET, all of it.

And I liked that fictional character Yoda because Yoda was wise.

He was that old sage who just knew everything about everything.

In fact, my younger brother, his name was Jedi.

And so you could tell we were Star Wars fanatics.

I did not realize who I was until I was introduced to the Bible.

In 1994, I had an encounter with the Word of God and 2nd Corinthians 5.17 tells us, 10 tells us, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

All things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.

And so indeed, beloved, I was someone in God's eyes that I did not meet until 11 years ago.

The Bible tells us Jesus, God himself says, before I created you in the womb, 40 before I brought you forth, I...

God knew who I was before I knew who I was.

I thought I was Yoda, but God saw me as Pastor Myers.

God knew who I was when I didn't know who I was.

And beloved, I want to let you know today that God knows who you are.

And some of you in here do not know who you are.

If you have your Bibles, in the book of Mark chapter 1 verse 24, very simple verse, verse 23 and 24, 24.

And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, that is, as Jesus was coming towards him, he cried out and listen to what he said.

Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?

Now why did the devil know who Jesus was?

And because Jesus knew what His mission was, when He came face to face with the enemy of souls, the devil said, I know who you are.

It's interesting, I don't know if any of you remember reading that story about these 7 sons of Sceva who were trying to cast out a demon.

And what happens when the demon is acting up and then he hears these sons of Sceva trying to cast him out and then he says something interesting.

He says, Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?" Man, if that was me, I would've turned, I was gonna say turn white.

I would've turned white, you know, just pale, pale.

You know, here I am thinking I'm doing the Lord's work and the devil turns around and says who are you again?

But but that was a statement the devil made in an attempt to intimidate.

I want to ask you a question today, do you know who you are?

God knows who you are and the devil knows who you are.

I want to share with you something that just is so amazing.

You know, when I was out in the world, I was into Star Wars.

But little did I realize that I was someone, I was not Yoda, I was someone else whom God had called me to be and there was a greater battle that God had called me to fight and I had no idea.

Raise your hand if you're just raising your hand.

Let me share with you, beloved, it's interesting.

In Revelation chapter 12 and verse 4, Revelation chapter 12 and verse 4, and you know what, I cannot see the time, so if someone can just let me know when it's getting close to time.

I really can't see the clock up there, but Revelation chapter 12 and verse 4, listen to what the Bible says.

The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceived the whole world.

He was cast out into the earth and His angels were cast out with Him.

Let me say this before I expound on that verse.

In order for you to know who you are, you've got to know the context behind who you are.

And we're about to look at the context right now because beloved I want to share with you that there is in this world something called the great controversy.

Escape from the Black Hole

Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for your love for us.

We thank you Lord, that even when we fail and when we fall, you are there to pick us up.

Father, I ask now that you would speak to us.

Lord, that you would open our eyes and humble our hearts.

Father, as angels take their places in this room tonight, both good and evil, I pray that your angels that excel in strength would be victorious.

Father, as we prepare to war against principalities and powers tonight.

May your spirit be with us is our prayer in Jesus name.

I'd like for you to open your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 28.

Tonight's message is entitled escape from the black hole I will be sharing a portion of my testimony and I will be sharing about things that the Lord has opened my eyes to see that I pray he will open your eyes to see as well and if you were not at the meeting this morning I want to bring you in on the theme the foundation that we have set this morning and which will be carried through the entire meeting.

This morning's message was entitled, I Know Who You Are.

Can I just see a raise of hands, how many show of hands, how many of you were present this morning?

I want to condense in just a few moments what I've talked about.

The Bible says, Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth, and I have set thee so.

Thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire, thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created until iniquity was found in thee." This portion of scripture tells us about an angel by the name of Lucifer who was created, he was created perfect until what everyone?

The Bible says that rebellion rose in heaven.

Lucifer and one-third of the angels attacked or attempted to take the throne of God.

The question we asked this morning was a simple 1.

Why is it that God did not judge Lucifer right then and there?

And we found the answer in a verse in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 19.

So if you would turn there with me very quickly.

Deuteronomy chapter 19, an incredible answer.

If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong, then both the men between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days.

And the judges shall make diligent inquisition, and behold, if the witness be a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother, then shall ye do unto him as he thought to have done unto his brother.

So shall you put the evil away from among you.

The Bible lets us know here a very important principle that whenever controversy arose between 2 parties there had to be a...

A third party present to serve as as judges or jurors between the 2 parties.

So the answer comes to us, why is it that God did not judge Lucifer right then and there?

Because in heaven beloved there were only 2 parties we then find back in Ezekiel 28 Ezekiel 28 and verse 17 The Bible tells us something incredible.

The Bible reads here, Thine heart was lifted up because of Thy beauty, Thou hast corrupted Thy wisdom by reason of Thy brightness.

I will cast Thee to the ground, I will lay Thee before..." Who?

"...kings that they may behold Thee." We noticed this morning that this verse or this portion of scripture, I will lay thee before kings, is a term for judgment.

Just as the woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus and laid before her or threw before her, they wanted Jesus to do what?

So God is here telling Lucifer, I'm gonna lay you before kings.

Lucifer is scratching his head because he's wondering, who in the world are these kings that you're gonna lay me before?

Don't you realize God that all heaven is polarized into?

Who are the kings that He would bring Lucifer before and lay them at their feet.

Revelation chapter 1 and verse 6 tells us that Christ has washed us in His own blood and made us what?

How many of you are excited that you are the kings that God has created for the purpose of standing.

We learned this morning that in actuality the human race are to serve as the jurors in the greatest case this world has ever seen.

And we find that it is no wonder that in 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 we are told, Know ye not that ye shall...

And so beloved, when God created Adam and Eve and gave them dominion, Lucifer stepped back and asked himself, are these the ones that are to do what?

And the way that He did that is He said, You shall be as what?

The word for God is actually translated as, Judges.

You shall be as judges, knowing good and evil for yourself.

You don't need to depend upon God to know the difference between good and evil.

The moment that they ate of that that tree, they lost the ability to do what?

Beloved, the devil realizes that if he can destroy the jury There can be no what?

And so His purpose, His mission is to destroy the jury.

Now let me say again as I said this morning, the gospel, the purpose of the gospel is simple.

It is to restore mankind to their place as jurors.

And as I said this morning, only jurors will enter where?

Beloved, in order to be a juror, you've got to be an outstanding citizen of the country that you represent.

Do we have any outstanding citizens of the country?

And number 2, beloved, you have got to have proper discernment.

So if you are calling good evil and evil good, God says, man, I can't take this 1 in because he will mess up the judgment.

So beloved, now we begin to understand the gospel is designed to reconnect us to God but the enemy of souls is going to try to what?

The enemy of souls is out to try to prove to God that you are unworthy jorists, that you can't even discern between right and wrong.

And I appreciate the title of the theme, connected, because beloved you and I must be what?

The Spell

06.22 This morning, the title of the message is The Spell.

Last night I spoke on Escape from the Black Hole.

So this morning I know that that was on the schedule but I'm not going to be speaking about that.

And I also want to let you know that tonight's message is entitled The Beast from the Abyss.

08.19 Tomorrow afternoon's message will be entitled 08.19 Holy Rebellion.

Holy Rebellion and those 2 messages tonight and tomorrow 08.29 We'll be dealing especially with music.

So without further ado, let's pray and ask the Lord to bless us.

Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, for your love for us.

Open our eyes that we may see the unseen.

08.19 And Father, come close to us, we pray in the precious name of Jesus.

08.19 If you'd open your Bibles, if you have your Bibles to Revelation Chapter 18 and verse 23.

08.23 Revelation Chapter 18 verse 23 the title of the message the spell the spell Revelation Chapter 18 verse 23 the Bible tells us there speaking of Babylon it says The light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee.

For thy merchants were the great men of the earth, for by thy...

We learned yesterday that the Greek word for sorcery was what everyone?

And that the word Pharmakeia simply meant anything that medicated or medicates the mind.

Anything that medicates the mind, in particular so that it will not follow the will or the law of God.

In our language, we would say that someone is under a what?

And today, beloved, I want to talk to you in relationship to what we learned yesterday about who you are, who you are supposed to be in Christ.

How can we know what the spell is and how can we break the spell?

Those are the things we're going to be looking at this morning.

And I'd like to take you to the book of 1 Samuel chapter 15.

And the story there that we will look at briefly.

We're not going to look at the entire story.

It's the story of Saul as he was commanded by God to destroy their enemies and they were commanded to leave nothing.

Instead of destroying everything, he kept what?

And Samuel the prophet comes to him and we're going to read in verse 15 of or rather verse 23 of 1st Samuel chapter 15.

Notice what it says as Samuel addresses Saul.

He says, For rebellion is as the sin of what?

And I want to point this out to you here.

You'll notice that the is and the as are italicized.

If you're reading in the King James Version, is and as are italicized, which means that the Bible is not saying here that rebellion is something similar to witchcraft.

No, it is actually saying that rebellion is witchcraft.

So we ask the question, where did rebellion begin?

It began in heaven, which lets us know, wow, this is incredible.

Rebellion or witchcraft and sorcery were first exercise where?

The spell as we are calling it today began in heaven.

And so I'd like now to turn to Ezekiel 28 and we're going to figure out What this spell was and how is it is affecting mankind today?

I'll read it again beginning with verse 14.

Thou art the anointed chariot that covereth and I have set thee so.

Thou hast walked up and down upon the holy mountain of God 25 in the midst of the stones of fire.

Verse 15, 25 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created until iniquity was found in thee.

Notice verse 16, 26 by the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence and thou hast sinned.

Therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Speaking of Lucifer it says, Thou hast defiled thy what?

Sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities.

Lucifer began this rebellion by defiling something called the sanctuary.

In the Hebrew here, the term is holy places, plural.

Question, was there a sanctuary in heaven?

Or God's sanctuary, rather, is like His glorious high throne.

Jeremiah 17 verse 2 tells us that God's sanctuary is like His throne.

Beloved, if you can imagine it like this, the sanctuary in heaven was like the White House of the universe.

In fact, how many of you have seen a picture of the sanctuary?

17.15 Ever seen an illustration of the sanctuary?

17.15 And you see there in the holy place you see 2 angels 25 standing over the Ark of the Covenant.

Lucifer, which is why he's called the covering angel, the covering cherub.

So Lucifer began to defile something in heaven called the sanctuary which is really the place where God ruled which in essence, beloved, is simply telling us that Lucifer in heaven began to challenge the rulership of God.

He began to challenge the government of God.

The Bible tells us that Lucifer in particular was against something and we're told here that the Bible says he defiled the sanctuary by his 42.5 what?

Holy Rebellion

05.19 Heavenly Father, we thank You, Lord, for Your Word.

Father, I ask today that You would please speak to us.

Help us, Lord, to hear what You have to say.

Father, as we deal with this issue of music today.

Lord, help us humble our hearts that we may be open to the truth.

I'm going to try to get through this as quickly as I can.

I will probably just be quoting verses for you instead of asking you to turn so that we can get through this.

By the way, the name of this message this afternoon is entitled Holy Rebellion.

You will remember that in the book of Ezekiel chapter 28.

41.5 angel in heaven by the name of Lucifer who began a rebellion, began a revolt.

And we understand that according to 1 Samuel 15 and verse 23, The Bible tells us rebellion is as the sin of 06.01 witchcraft...

06.01 And we might rightly conclude that the first rebellion 06.01 or the first revolution took place in heaven.

06.01 And let me say this, Satan was the instigator of the very first revolution.

It is an attempt to overthrow an established government for the setup of a new 1.

We read in Jeremiah 17, verse 12 yesterday that Lucifer, or rather that the Bible says there that the throne of God or the sanctuary is God's high throne from the very beginning.

We understand that in heaven there was a sanctuary and this was the white house of the universe from where God ruled.

And we also learned that Satan in beginning this rebellion recruited one-third of holy angels.

Now, I'm going to read to you a verse from the book of Isaiah chapter 14 and I want to show you just how it is that Lucifer was able to convince one-third of the angels.

Before I read that, remember that we learned in Ezekiel 28 that Lucifer was thrown out of heaven.

28 28 The Bible says because something was found in him.

In Matthew 24 verse 12 the Bible tells us because iniquity shall abound, The love of many will do what?

Now the word there for iniquity in Matthew 24 verse 12 24.

Okay it sounds like ammonia but that's not the word I'm looking for.

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Series

Restoration 2007: Connected

Weapons of Our Faith

Transcript

Parent Series

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