Being Righteous, Merciful And Humble — Zac Poonen

Praise the Lord brothers and sisters. That's a wonderful verse that we just Read. But there's an if there and whenever there's an if it means That there's a condition if the condition is not fulfilled.

The Lord Fights for Those Who Keep Silent

The promise is not fulfilled. So what is the condition for the Lord to fight for us in every single situation? When people come to fight with us keep silent. I Remember a man of God gave me that advice 60 years ago.

I was 23 years old and He gave me three bits of advice. One never tell your earthly needs to any human being. I Followed it for 60 years never asked anybody for money. Second he said never live very very simply.

Don't waste money on unnecessary luxuries. I Followed that for 60 years. The third thing he said was when people accuse you keep quiet. I Followed that also for 60 years. So from my experience I can tell you the Lord will fight for you.

If you keep silent, it's a wonderful promise. It's not something you must just memorize at the beginning of the year and forget about. But please remember it every day. Because the world is full of people who want to fight that's the devil's nature.

Fight accuse criticize. In all those situations it can be in your family. We faced it from family members. Keep quiet, you know that beautiful verse in Psalm 46 in the same connection. It's a wonderful verse.

I remember Memorizing it as a young man. Psalm 46 verse 10. There are many translations of that verse here it says cease striving and Know that I am God and one translation it is be still or be silent and know That I am God or let go.

Relax, these are all the various translations of that verse. Let go. Don't hang on and fight relax be silent and be still and know that I'm God. We won't know him as God unless We stop fighting. There's a beautiful example of that which I've never forgotten in 2nd Chronicles in chapter 20.

Jehoshaphat Seeks the Lord in Fear

These Old Testament stories have got spiritual lessons in them. It says here that King Jehoshaphat who was a pretty good king compared to the kings of Judah. He was the king. I'm sorry kings of Israel.

He was the king of Judah. And News came to him in verse 2. 2nd Chronicles 20 verse 2 a Great multitude is coming against you. Have you ever found that in your life where? Sometimes It's not just one problem and a problem comes multitudes of them come together the same time.

Somebody's sick and there's a problem in the office and there's some other problems with your relatives all coming at the same time a great Multitude. Sometimes problems come individually but when they all come together, it's like a great multitude has come against you and Jehoshaphat is afraid and We can also be afraid.

But what he did was he began to seek the Lord. That's how the fear goes away and you've seen the story how his fear went away. He did not keep his fear in This world it is natural to fear all human beings.

In fact, if you look at the Gospels one of the most frequent statements of Jesus was fear not fear not fear not. Even after the Resurrection, he told people fear not don't be afraid. There are two things Jesus said don't sin and don't be afraid and Both those things are not emphasized sufficiently in Christendom.

Don't sin. Don't be afraid. We have preached a lot in this church against on don't sin. I think we also need to preach on don't be afraid and how did he get over his fear? He sought the Lord the fear comes seek the Lord and He prayed and sometimes fast and pray that's what he did and A message and he claimed the promise you read the rest of that those verses he claimed to promises Lord you promised this you promised this you said this you said this and Then the Lord and he finally acknowledged in verse 12 sometimes it's something I always remember three things in 2nd Chronicles 20 verse 12.

We don't have power. We don't have wisdom to handle this. But our eyes are on you. I Preached on that for many many years. And you're in a problem. Say three things to the Lord. Lord we don't have the power to handle this.

Second we don't have the wisdom. We don't know what to do. But third don't forget the third one, but we are looking to you to see us through this situation. I Want to tell you my brothers and sisters.

I don't care what situation you are going to face in 2024 or until Jesus comes. 2nd Chronicles 20 has the answer Turn to the Lord when you're afraid and say we don't have the power. We don't have the wisdom.

Don't stop there, but our eyes are on you. We're trusting you and Then the word of the Lord came through a prophet in verse 15 and 16 go against them. Verse 17. This is the great verse. It applies to us too.

You don't have to fight. You stand still and See the deliverance the Lord will bring for you. Again, don't be afraid. Go out the Lord is with you. These are verses you must remember in the Old Testament some significant verses like Those who honor me I will honor 1 Samuel 2 30 and here's 2nd Chronicles 20 17.

You know, if you have the habit of underlining or coloring with the red color or something certain verses. Here are some very important verses. I used to do that with my first Bible so that I could quickly look at some of these promises.

Powerful promises you don't have to fight. Don't be afraid go forth. The Lord is with you. Think if you can face that the rest of the year like that, whatever situation may arise you don't have to fight.

Spiritual Warfare Is Not Against Flesh and Blood

We know in the New Testament Ephesians 6 12 says we do not fight With flesh and blood. It's a very important verse. I Remember in the early days after the baptism the Holy Spirit. One of the things I found God gave me the Anointing to do was to cast out demons and to stand against the devil.

And that's the verse that came to me. He's in 612. We do not fight with flesh and blood. But with evil principalities and powers. And what the Lord said to me from that is if you want to have strength to fight against the devil.

Whether it's casting out demons or fighting with Satan in other problems refuse to fight with human beings. Make a decision in your life. I will never fight with any human being Lord. I'll never fight with my wife.

I'll never fight with my husband. I'll never fight with my relatives. They may cheat me. They may rob me. They may hurt me. They may criticize me and speak evil at me and yell at me. I will not fight with anyone.

I Will not fight with people in the office. I Will not fight with the porter in the railway station who argues with me or anybody in the world. I will not fight. I Will not raise my voice and yell at someone.

And the Lord said if you do that, you won't have power against Satan. So please remember that throughout this year. Every time you fight with a human being you're saying Lord. I don't want power against Satan.

I want to settle scores with this guy. I want to settle scores with my wife my husband my relatives. The Lord says, okay, go ahead. Satan will overpower you. I really believe That Satan overpowers many believers.

Many of you sitting here in the past. Because you've not obeyed Ephesians 6 verse 12 We do not fight Against human beings. I followed that verse for a number of years and I tell you. It gives me good sleep at night.

I don't lie down tossing in my bed and wondering what shall I tell this guy now? Now if this chap comes to me tomorrow, what am I going to tell him? I have nothing to tell him. I say I've got nothing to say if he comes to me.

I say I've got nothing to say. I've said that to many people. I'm sorry. I've got nothing to say. You can keep on saying I've got nothing to say. And I'll tell you in every single case The Lord keeps his word you shall not need to fight.

The Lord will fight for you. Why not experience this in this coming year? It's one thing to read it in Scripture. It's quite another thing to experience it in life. So, you know what they did the next day when the enemy came and they went out to battle.

You know today they go with guns and all those days they went with bows and arrows and that's how it is relevant to battle. But Jehoshaphat said all these people bows and arrows go back. We don't want you.

In front he appointed verse 21 those who would sing and praise the Lord. Imagine putting the choir in front of the army. No weapons. They're just gonna praise the Lord and the whole lot of people in there.

The enemy was wondering what type of army is this. Everybody raising their hands and praising the Lord and coming to fight. No bows and arrows. What did the Lord do as soon as verse 22, it's a beautiful chapter.

2nd Chronicles 20 read it sometime leisurely at home as Soon as they began singing and praising the Lord defeated all those enemies. Where's to the great multitude was 22 the Lord defeated all of them.

And when Judah came to look at the wilderness all of them were lying on the ground dead. Not even one had escaped. Meaning not even one problem remained unsolved. Would you like to have that testimony on December 31st this year.

That not one problem remained unsolved. I want that. I'm not expecting a year without problems. When as long as we live on this earth, we'll have problems. The early Christians faced much more in China today.

They are persecuted they have to hide and have their meetings secretly and they get captured and put into prison. They're tortured. So many Christians are tortured in the first two three centuries. It was really bad.

For us it is so comfortable, but I don't know sometimes may like that may come in India in North India. There are many Christians who are persecuted even today. Churches that are burned. Pastors who are killed.

Yeah, it hasn't come down to the south as yet. But it doesn't matter when you think of the first three centuries. What tremendous? boldness they had. God gave them that boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Empowers Ordinary Christian Living

That is why I have often said dear brothers and sisters seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day. Seek for a mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit. Your own strength is not enough. We want the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life not to preach.

Most of you are not called to preach. Ninety nine point nine percent of you are not called to preach. But of course you need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to preach. But other than that you need the power of the Holy Spirit just to live the Christian life.

Be filled with the Spirit is not just for preachers. In fact the word be filled to the Spirit in Ephesians 5 18 is followed by Wives. Submit to your husbands. Husbands love your wives. Oh Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

It's not referring to preaching at all. Bring up your children in the fear of the Lord. Those are the things mentioned after being filled to the Spirit in Ephesians chapter 5 and chapter 6. So it's normal daily life for which you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and I want to ask you For your normal daily life at home and in the office.

Are you seeking God to be filled with the Holy Spirit? If not start today. When you get up in the morning say Heavenly Father, I love you. Thank you for your love for me. I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit today.

I'm not looking for an experience. I want the power to overcome sin. The part to control my tongue. James chapter 3 says nobody can control the tongue. We so many animals have been tamed. You go to the circus and zoo and you see elephants and lions tame, but the tongue has not been tamed by most people.

Which is stronger that lion or your tongue? Our tongue. Not being tamed. That's James chapter 3 by the way We need the power of the Holy Spirit. And I believe that is the reason why on the first day When they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in a language.

They had never learned Called speaking in unknown tongues. That means the Holy Spirit controlled their tongue. And Gave them words to speak. It was not like Somebody Manipulating and controlling from outside.

He gave them the ability To speak. I believe God gives me the ability to speak right now God's words but he gave them the ability to speak in an unknown language and Then so the tongue was important at the same time a tongue of fire appeared on top of all of their heads 120.

What is the message in that? They're speaking in unknown tongues and the tongue of fire on top. God was saying In the Old Testament, he used many many Instruments but in the New Covenant, it is the tongue That God is going to use most more than any other part of the human body that was the message on the day of Pentecost and That's why the devil wants to control your tongue.

It's like in the old days they would neutralize the weapons of the enemy. It says the Philistines and They fought against Israel. They would get rid of all these people who could sharpen the spears and the swords.

They got rid of them. So Israel was left with nobody to sharpen their spears and swords. That is a very strategic act that the Philistines did. That's what the devil does neutralize these people's tongues.

So that their tongues can never be used for God. Make them tell lies. Make them fight with their wives and husbands and everybody in the office make them yell at people and That tongue will never be used by God and that is the main instrument God wants to use.

That's the message on the day of Pentecost tongue of fire speaking in tongues. It's not the hand or the ear or eye all that is useful. But the tongue and so we see here they use their tongues to praise the Lord and the Lord defeated their enemies.

These things are written for our instruction. I also want to Turn you to a verse in the book of Micah, you know where Micah is. It's immediately Obadiah Jonah, you know the story of Jonah immediately after that is Micah before Nahum.

Micah 6:8 and the Three Requirements of God

Micah chapters 6 like I've often said. Please read these small what I call minor prophets. Because you'll meet them in heaven. They'll ask you did you read my book? You'll say yes brother you say no you say I wrote only two pages and you didn't have time to read it.

Obadiah wrote one page. Don't be ashamed when you meet him. Okay, Micah chapter 6 Verse 8. This is one of the great verses in the Old Testament just like 2nd Chronicles 20 that verse I read in verse 12 and what we read in Exodus about.

Be still and the Lord will fight for you and One Samuel those who honor me. I'll honor. These are some great verses. You must remember. And if you can't easily find them. Highlight them with some light red pencil or something.

So that you can easily find them when you open your Bible. Especially the promises very very important. So here's Micah 6 8 another great verse God has told you. Oh man, what is good? He's told you what's good for you.

What does the Lord want from you. And This is true in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. To do what is right justice. To love kindness or mercy. And to walk humbly with your God. First of all, I want to think of these three things to do justice to love kindness and To walk humbly with your God.

And you remember those three things. Micah 6 verse 8 he has told you. Oh mortal human being. You who will die so soon. You man. If you want eternal values. Concentrate on this first of all do justice means think of a judge who's in a court.

Justice is a court word. Think of a judge who Was absolutely upright the most there who's got a reputation to be the most upright person in the whole country. He will not show favoritism even to his own son or relatives or anybody absolutely upright.

Justice to do what is right. That means to he has to listen carefully. And You know in the courts and all I have heard sometimes a case goes on for six months. They argue back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and finally the judge has to write down the judgment and sometimes I've heard that the judge writes 500 pages and Then at the conclusion it says therefore because of these 500 pages I come to this conclusion.

This person has done this or this person has not done this. It's not just that they heard for one day and say, okay, I'll give a judgment. We're like that. We hear something we haven't even verified it with that person and we go and talk about it all over town.

Hey, did you hear this? Are you fit to be a chief justice in a court? Who spent six months to try and analyze something and writes 500 pages before he says I here's my conclusion. Those justices have put me to shame.

I said Lord I made the mistake many times. I'm ashamed That I have heard something and I immediately formed a judgment without even Confirming it with the other person. Is it right and then finding out the reason and analyzing it and slowly slowly coming to a judgment.

That is the first thing God requires from you. Will you do that from now on? How quickly we can punish our children. I've done it. I'm ashamed to say I never had victory over anger when my children were small and Sometimes I punished them with anger and I would go and lock myself under the toilet and weep and say Lord forgive me.

The punishment is right there. Anger was wrong. And when they grew up I apologized to the children later on for the anger so often we have that habit of forming a judgment quickly. Let's keep this in mind this year.

Not to form a judgment too soon. Listen carefully. Did your wife do something wrong? Did you come back from work in the office and Discover, like I've said some important message. She forgot to give you don't jump and say why did you do it?

Listen? Maybe children were sick. Maybe she was busy with so many other things that she was doing for you. And I'll tell you this the world is not going to collapse just because your wife did not give you that information.

The world will go on and you're not going to die tomorrow just because she didn't give you that information. Do justice. Do what is right? Listen carefully. Whenever you hear something listen carefully.

Find out from the other person if you're a father or an elder or something that is that truth in this? I'm not saying that people come and tell you lies. But they must have heard it like that the most famous story I've often quoted.

Some of you know it, but if you haven't heard it, I'll tell you today. Many years ago in a conference that we used to have in that campus crusade. Grounds after the meeting was over people were sitting out in the open a Few young people sitting and there was smoke coming up from their midst and One young man one young boy.

I don't know maybe he was 10 years old ah. Some new CFC brothers are smoking and He went and told his mother mom I saw these children smoking. And one of them was my son so and The mother foolish woman that she was she's not in our midst today, and they have left the church.

Went around telling everybody. These young brothers were smoking. I Heard it. So I asked my son what was happening there. He said we young people were sitting and there were a lot of mosquitoes, so we burnt one of those mosquito coils.

You know which we have in India to drive away the mosquitoes and the mosquito coil will send a smoke up so that the mosquitoes Go away. And from a distance it looked at somebody smoking but I Later on told that sister.

I think I said once you spread this news all over. Are you going to get it back now? Are you going to go and tell all of them that you told a lie? No she never said that. It was too proud. Have you an example is if you have a pillow stuffed with a lot of feathers and One day you open it and put all the feathers fly away, and then can you make that pillow back again?

Very difficult pluck each feather back. Very dangerous to go around spreading a story. Like those opening that pillow and letting the feathers all fly out and then try to put that all back in again much better.

That you don't open that pillow and throw the feather and let the feathers fly spreading the story. There's a tremendous lust in all of us. To be the first person to spread some news especially if it's bad news.

Sharing the Good News Through Personal Witness

The gospel is called the good news. That is what we should have a great desire to spread. There's a guy who's come to see me. He's not a Christian. He's not heard any good news that Jesus died for his sins.

That he need not go to hell that he go to heaven. That's the greatest news in the world. How eager are you? To spread that news. I've tried my best. I'm not perfect. I'm not an evangelist. That's not not my primary gift.

But even though I'm not an evangelist I said Lord make me a witness. Jesus said you shall be my witnesses. The Holy Spirit will come on you and you shall be my witnesses. So I tried to be wherever I'm.

I'm staying somewhere in a hotel or somewhere like. We're living in an apartment. Now. I said Lord there's somebody at the reception desk. Not the very first day, but try and be friendly with that person generally.

And then one day Witness I said Lord give me a chance and one day I could give a tract about salvation to that person. Another time somebody came. It was a non-christian came to our room to fix something on the internet and My family picture was there.

He said oh, that's your family. I said, that's my family. I've got many grandchildren and. And then I could open the conversation say God's been good to me. Gave him the gospel and gave him a little tract when he went away.

He got a blessing by coming to fix my internet. Always there are people around us. I'm not saying we must trust it on people but ask God to give an opening to you. I don't witness to everybody. I When I'm sitting in a bus or a train or something I say Lord or in a plane.

Give me a chance to witness Lord if it's your will. If you're sitting next to somebody's this is what I did once in a plane. I Took out my Bible on my phone. And you know, sometimes people sitting next to you like to see what you're reading on the phone.

That's very they're very inquisitive. And I knew this guy will look at my phone. And he'd read the Bible and if he has any interest he'll start talking to me. He was sitting in one seat. His wife was sitting in another seat.

He saw this and he got up and went away. I told his wife to come. Okay, I didn't open my mouth. Well, I discovered this guy has no interest. So if you ask the Lord, he'll show you Ways by which to find out does this guy have an interest or not?

I don't want to thrust something down his throat. But all I say is always be ready Lord. I'm ready to be a witness for you. To anybody to let the light shine without. I remember once I was sitting in a train and I just boarded the train.

The train hadn't started from the station here in Bangalore some years ago and there was somebody sitting there and Amazingly an opportunity came up to share the gospel in a very short time. Before even the train started there was nobody else in the compartment.

The other hadn't come. I had gone early. And I got a chance to speak to him and Little later. He discovered that he was sitting in the wrong compartment. And he went away. I said, thank you Lord that he came to the wrong compartment.

Because he had to hear the gospel. I've had some interesting experiences like that years ago. One of the first times I witnessed to people was I went into a park and I saw an old man sitting there. I Sat next to him and to the North India.

I spoke to him in Hindi and then slowly gave him the gospel. Dear brothers and sisters always be ready. Bible says always be ready. To give an answer to him who asks you of the hope that is in you. One Peter it's a great verse always be ready.

I think it's 1 Peter chapter 3. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks and sometimes They may not ask. Another thing I've been greatly encouraged by is Joseph. You want to know you want to know how he came out of prison.

Joseph’s Patience and Alertness to Discouraged People

Listen to this. How did Joseph come out of prison? He was 13 years in prison falsely accused in Egypt. But he didn't sit there complaining against his brothers or complaining against God. Even though he did not know Romans 8 28.

It was not written those days. He believed God is in control. He was upright he refused to commit adultery with a woman who tempted him and he was imprisoned for that and He was so much in touch with God that he was concerned about other people.

He saw two people sitting there discouraged and He went up to them and said why are you discouraged? And they told him about that we had a strange dream and he explained the dream to them and The dream was fulfilled.

For Pharaoh's cup bearer and Pharaoh released him from prison and two years later He completely forgot. Joseph said please tell Pharaoh that I'm unjustly treated here. He completely forgot people are ungrateful.

But at the right time that also God arranged it because God's plan was Joseph should not Become the ruler till he's 30 years old and this was when he was 28. So God made that man forget for two years.

Then Pharaoh had a dream and then that cup bearer said oh, yeah, I remember two years ago There was a man who explained my dream. Pharaoh said bring him here. That is how Joseph became the ruler in Egypt.

For a long time for a hundred years and That's how he brought his family there, but how did it all start? It started with he saw two people discouraged and he asked them why are you discouraged? I've thought about that instance when I read something like that.

I apply it to myself. If I find somebody discouraged in the office, I remember I was on a ship and At least two instances. I had to talk to people and bring them to Christ. One was a Hindu and one was a nominal Christian.

Just being alert, you know, it could be somebody in your office who's looking a bit gloomy. Some one day and you go up to him and say hey. You're feeling down today. Can I help you in some way? You're not preaching the gospel.

You're just being good to him. The door will slowly open don't push. When you go to somebody's house, you knock you don't push the door. So this is a way of knocking. Hi. Are you feeling a bit down today?

Can I help you that's knocking at the door and if the door opens go in and Give the gospel very wonderful way to reach out to people. So I Was starting with this back be very righteous when you hear something.

Don't form a judgment initially, but be alert. That person in prison may be unjustly put there. I Was reading some time the other day. Something that really struck me when you hear that somebody has got this terrible disease called AIDS.

What is it that comes to your mind first of all I know in the olden days what used to come to my mind boy that guy deserves it for going in. Committing unnatural sex. That's how AIDS usually started. And doing those wrong things.

But then I read something. You know, if a person is a little child can be injected with a needle. That is infected by someone who had AIDS. And that little child gets AIDS. So some people have got AIDS not by any sexual activity but just because an Injection was given to them by a nurse who did not clean the needle.

And I said Lord forgive me. How quickly I judge people. That guy's got AIDS. He deserves it because he's sexual sin. I learned from that. Don't be so quick. To judge people for sexual sin. It may not be.

Make they got it probably from an infected needle. I'm just telling you one or two possibilities. Apply that to so many other areas. Where we judge what does the Lord require of you. First of all do justice.

Don't be quick to judge. And Matthew 7 one don't condemn. Condemning is the worst part. The word don't judge in Matthew 7 means don't condemn people. He got AIDS because of this. No, no, no, it was an infected needle innocent person.

Loving Mercy Instead of Condemnation

Okay, the second requirement is Be kind or be merciful. That means you see now you see that somebody's definitely made a mistake. What shall we do then bring a harsh judgment on that person? No. Think how God has treated you.

When you have made a mistake how many mistakes we call it mistakes. God calls it sin. How many things we have done wrong? Did God jump on us immediately. None of us would be sitting in the meeting today if God had done that.

Love mercy. Do justice. Love mercy like we said last Sunday. The worst or CFC for this new year is there at the back be merciful to others. Just as God has been merciful to use not just be merciful to others.

Compare it with God's mercy. On you, that's what it says be merciful to others exactly as God has been merciful to you. That's a very high standard. When will I reach it? Help me Lord to press on. You know, we try to press on to become more Christlike.

Here is one area where we can become more Christlike and I'll tell you I've been tremendously impressed by one Particular story of Jesus you all know the story, but I Never meditated on it sufficiently until recently and that is John's Gospel chapter 8.

You know the story the Pharisees verse 3. John 8 verse 3 caught a woman in adultery and Brought her to Jesus and saying teacher. This woman was caught in adultery, there's no doubt about it and Verse 5 Moses commanded.

He's referring to the law with Jesus one said I have come to fulfill the law. He said in Matthew 5. Okay, you came to fulfill the law Lord Jesus. They didn't call him Lord Jesus. What do you say? Moses said stoner to death.

What do you say is Jesus going to go against the law? The woman was caught in adultery, it's not an accusation you caught in the act. There's no doubt about it. And so there was no need for Jesus to verify to find out.

Is it true or not? What do you do? When there's a clear command Of God Stoned the woman and Jesus is here and Jesus said He waited for a little while because He's saying father, what shall I say? I Like that.

I learned something there. He was cribbling on the ground. Father, what shall I say? Father said Tell them the one is without sin cast the first stone. So he said it isn't it wonderful to listen. And somebody's even something somebody's caught in the act.

No doubt about it. And you know what the Word of God says you how to deal with this. You still wait on the Lord you need to wait on the Lord and God's Word is written clearly. Yes. That's what I learned there.

What should I wait for not to change the Word of God how shall I apply that word in this situation to this person? My natural tendency is to be hard quote that verse. We use God's Word like a hammer. Many preachers are like that they're not to give helmets to everybody in the church because the God was like a hammer.

No father. I know this is written in your word father. How shall I apply it? Tell the one who is without sin to cast the first stone. What a wonderful answer. I have got answers like that sometimes from the Lord.

I've been tremendously encouraged by that. Wait on the Lord for an answer. Don't fight back. I remember I Was sitting you probably heard this in a I visited a church once in America. But everybody grew beards everybody every I mean not the women but all the men that was part of their law and It was a group that didn't have cars to ride.

They ride the road in horse carriages. The first time I got a ride in a horse carriage there us. And then at lunchtime we were all sitting at the table everybody in a beard and they I'd already preached one or two messages and they felt very convicted and some of them were angry with me.

Because it we preached against things. They had never heard before against sin. So they didn't know how to express their anger against me, but they wanted to humiliate me and one of them asked me brother Zach.