(Clip) God Has Not Forsaken His People — Shane Idleman

Trusting God's Word as the Final Authority

Of God, there's an old saying, many of you know this, God said it, I believe it, that settles it. And some people don't like that, because they're like, well, Shane, people need an apologetic reason, they need backed up script, they need this, and they need this, and that's all true, but at the end of the day, if God said it, I believe it, that settles it, is a very good point.

Passing Down God's Promises in a Culture of Fear

We've got to pass down to others and to our children the promises of God, they are so critical in this time of departure from God and our nation. Why is the suicide rate an epidemic? They're calling, nobody knows what to do, so they'll throw more money at it, and guess what else they do, they throw more medication at it, and they don't look at the root of the problem, the carnal mind is at enmity with God.

The reason, especially in young adults, the reason is the suicide rate is so overwhelming, we even deal with it with people in our congregation, people I know, because they have lost hope. Our kids have lost hope.

They look at the media, who offers no hope, and many parents are scared to death with what's going on, there's no hope, everywhere they look, the schools are battlegrounds, the school shootings, never even heard of when I was a kid.

They're dealing with so much stuff today, so there's a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety, so it's so important that we pass down the promises of God. Let me just share a few that I love to pass down, and you've heard me talk about them before, but I feel like sharing them again.

God's Presence Is Greater Than Every Enemy

If God be with you, who can be against you? Remind your kids that no matter what they're going through, if God is with you, who can be against you? Think about that, if the armies come against you, nothing can thwart God's plans.

If the enemy comes against you, nothing can thwart his plans, nothing can stop God Almighty. If it was up to me, I know you might not like this, but I would play that song every single Sunday, the one we often sing, who can stop God Almighty?

And you remind yourself of that, you get worked up in that, you get motivated with that. If God be for you, who can be against you? I would preach this message to a cemetery. I would preach this message to the dead, the spiritually dead, and try to quicken them and waken them from their spiritual slumber.

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him, and you begin to encourage people. When the floods come and the fire come, this is a God who will never forsake you.

Do you not need to be reminded that often? Sometimes we get so beat down, we forget just who God is. God will never forsake you, God will never leave you. People say, but Shane, that's not you, I feel it right now.

It's not God, I guarantee it's not God. Now yes, sometimes the heavens seem like brass, and sometimes God, it feels like he's not listening, he's not close to me, and sometimes maybe it isn't a fault of our own, maybe it's just a time of testing.

I don't know, but I do know this, that God will never forsake his children. And you have to remind your kids that no matter what you're going through, look to God. But what do most parents do? Put them on YouTube for three hours.

No wonder. Have you ever watched that for three hours? I wanna get depressed too. Or they see it in their own lives. Look at the world, look what's happening, look what's going on, and we bring fear into our homes.

Encouraging Those Who Fall

We have to start reminding our kids of the promises of God. Even when they fall. Do you know it's okay to encourage people when they fall? The Pharisee wants to beat them up. Did you know they're already feeling bad enough?

I'm all for pointing out sin, trust me. If you've heard any of my messages, you know I'm all for pointing out sin. But we also have to encourage people, God does, and you show them where it says in God's word that though the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and though he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because the Lord pulls him up by his right hand.

God brings you back up, he does not forsake you, he does not leave you. And when the enemy comes in like a flood, have you ever felt the enemy coming in like a flood? When I read that scripture, I know exactly what he's talking about.

Being overwhelmed by society, overwhelmed by the field, overwhelmed by attacks, and when the enemy comes in, the spirit of the living God raises up a standard. That's why they say if Christ be with you, who can be against you?

On this solid rock I build my life, the rock of Jesus Christ. See, you have to remind yourself of those promises. And yes, you get fired up. Yes, you get passionate about the things of God because you remember, that's right, I trust in the God of the Bible.

A Fresh Wind and Fire of the Holy Spirit

And remembering that, passing down the promises of God. There's a song that says, we are here for you, God. Come and do what you do. We need a move. We need a move of your spirit. Did you know, it goes on to say too, I don't know all the lyrics, but the mountains are still being moved.

Did you know that today? Sometimes you'll read, oh, that was in the Old Testament. No, it's the same God today and forevermore. I am the God of the Old Testament and the New. God says, I change not. The mountains are still being moved.

Strongholds are still being broken. The dead are still being raised from the dead. Call me a crazy Christian, but I believe that God can still raise people from the dead. I believe that he can still bring miracles.

The hands and the moving of the work of the spirit is timeless. We need a fresh wind and a fresh fire. I know Jim Cimbala wrote the book many years ago, but we need that again today. Does anyone need that fresh wind, that fresh fire of the Holy Spirit?

Walking in the Power of God's Spirit

We have to remind ourselves. Look, I'm not just trying to cheer. Oh, that was a great, that was a great analogy. Holy Spirit, pep rally. No, I believe when the spirit of God indwells a person that they can go around doing great exploits for God.

They can cast down strongholds. They can cast out the demonic realm. They can pray for healing. They can pray for restoration. They can watch a mountain be moved. Trust me, I've seen things that seem impossible.

God says, watch out, let me through. I can flatten any mountain. I can raise up any valley and elevate any person I want to. I am the Lord thy God. As a matter of fact, I take the least likely. I take the lower and raise them up.

I take the humble and I exalt him. Who can come against the Lord Almighty? I might just have to throw this sermon in the trash and hang out there for a minute. Man, that's what we need, don't you? Why are Christians defeated?

We're defeated mentally. We're defeated spiritually. We're defeated, we just walk around defeated. Amen, Mike. We fight from a position of victory. I'm gonna actually share that with you right now. I like what Mike said.

The Victory of Christ and the Sovereignty of God

I wrote this down. This is so good, you'll like this. The lion has already prevailed. He who is worthy has already opened the scroll. The armies of heaven have already been summoned. You fight from a position of victory.

There's not a battle going on. Who's gonna win? I don't know. It's already been pre-planned. It's called sovereignty. It's called the plans of God will always prevail. Nothing can stop God Almighty. So you walk in that victory.

Yes, there's fights. Yes, there's struggles. Yes, there's battles. But I know how the story ends. And that's why you hold onto Christ. You hold your ground. That's why the true saints will persevere because they know that God is on the throne and he is sovereign.

Hope and Redemption for the Broken

You might wanna listen to First Service too. These are going a whole new direction. Verse 18, now what do you do though when the spirit of God is like Elizabeth and Mary coming and you feel the baby leaping in your womb?

You feel that, you feel God's excitement. Because I wanna encourage kids. And I run into kids, they cut themselves or they wanna kill themselves. The dark, you know what the dark Gothic look is? It's a look of death and destruction.

It's worshiping death. And they need the hope. They need to be set free. They need to know that there is a God who can redeem you no matter what you've been through, no matter what you've went through.

God is not scared of your past. Your past does not scare God. I'm talking about that subject to the men on the 28th. Did you know that? Your past does not scare God. If your past determines your future, I'm in trouble.

I should just resign right now. But you know there's people who wanna bring up my past. I remember you in your 20s. Well, I'm not in my 20s anymore. Can't people change? They don't understand that's the gospel.

New Creation and New Life in Christ

That's the good news. The good news is going from death to life. You go from death to life. You go from darkness to light. You go from hell to heaven. You go from air to truth. You go from being depressed and feel the demonic impulses to being restored and feel the spirit of God.

There is a clear difference. If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed and all become the good things and the new things. In Christ, in Christ alone, you are built. You are a new creation in Christ.

Your spiritual man has died and has been revived and renewed again.