WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

This question needs to be asked very frequently in every age, & at every age…

Why? Because we need to honestly evaluate our sincere dedication and commitment to really being on the Lord’s side, or not.

VISION

Recently Colleen had a vision. She saw Jesus sitting at a table, looking through a card index file for people’s names… He was very serious, as He flipped through these, studying them – and she heard Him say these words, “WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?”

It was as if He were saying, ‘Who of all these people are ON THE LORD’S SIDE?‘ She said it was a little sad, because it seemed as if He was having a hard time finding very many who were really on His side!

LUKE 11:23

Jesus said, “HE WHO IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”

Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]. – (AMP)

LUKEWARMNESS (not hot or cold)

Jesus warned that in these last days, some would become like the lukewarm Laodicean church in Revelation 3. This is a dreadful condition!

Matt. 24:12  – …because iniquity (lawlessness) will abound, the love of many will grow cold

Rev. 3:15-16 – “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were COLD OR HOT. ¹⁶ So then, because you are LUKEWARM, and neither cold nor hot, I will VOMIT YOU out of My mouth.”

THE GOLDEN CALF

MOSES asked this question to the Israelites… (more about this later)

JOSHUA 24:14-22

“Now therefore, fear the Lord, SERVE HIM IN SINCERITY AND IN TRUTH, and put away the gods which your fathers served… SERVE THE LORD! ¹⁵ And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served… But as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”… ²¹ And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord!” ²³ “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.”²⁴ And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!”

Let’s also respond whole-heartedly with the determination – “I am going to serve the Lord!”

OUR AWESOME GOD

The God that we serve is the true & living God, creator of heaven & earth. Nothing is too difficult for Him! (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17,27) With God all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23; Luke 1:37; Luke 18:27)

He is deserving of awesome respect & reverence. He is Sovereign. He is a miracle-working God!

Psalm 33:8 – Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Psalm 67:7 (when we faithfully praise the Lord) …God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

JESUS – GOD OF MIRACLES

THE LORD MADE THE SUN STAND STILL (Stopped the earth from turning?) – (Joshua 10:13)

HE MADE THE SHADOW OF THE SUN-DIAL GO  BACKWARD (10 degrees).   (Isaiah 38:8)

HE HEALS DISEASES; BRINGS DELIVERANCE FROM DEMONS; RAISES THE DEAD; MULTIPLIED FISH & BREAD; SUPPLIED MONEY IN A FISHES MOUTH; WALKS ON WATER…

HIS MIGHTY ACTS

Numbers 16 – (Korah, Dathan, and Abiram)

250 famous leaders rebelled against the Lord.

The glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation (16:19);The Lord caused the earth to open, and swallowed them up… & the earth closed upon them, and they perished. (16:31-35) v When they cried out, Israelites fled at their cry, fearful they would be swallowed up, too! Fire from the Lord consumed all 250 rebels!

The people learned to fear the Lord, & His awesome power! We shouldn’t take Him lightly, or presumptuously! He isn’t playing games. He can easily wipe people out if they are presumptuous & arrogant!

THE MIRACLE AT THE RED SEA

EXODUS 14 & 15 When the Israelites left Egypt Pharaoh’s army pursued them. The Lord fought for them. (14:14)

Moses stretched out his rod, the waters were divided & were a wall on either side, they went through on dry ground. (14:21,22) When Pharoah’s army pursued into the sea, they were trapped – the Lord fought for Israel and the Egyptians were overthrown in the midst of the sea. (44:23-31)

ELIJAH & THE PROPHETS OF BAAL – I Kings 18

Elijah said, “How long will you falter (hesitate) between 2 opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (18:21)

He challenged them to make a decision – it was one or the other. He didn’t encourage them to be double-minded and follow both of them.

I Kings 18:38,39 – Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

When we see God’s miracles at work, it is AWESOME! How can we help but acknowledge His Lordship & Supremacy!

3 HEBREWS / FIERY FURNACE – Daniel 3

There were 3 Hebrews that withstood the kings command to bow to an idol. They were courageous, unafraid, and unintimidated even if it meant being thrown into a burning, fiery furnace.

They declared, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…” (3:17) before actually being thrown into the furnace by the kings men.

When the king looked into the furnace – “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like theSon of God.”   (3:25) … the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. (3:27)

DANIEL & THE LIONS DEN – Daniel 6

Daniel was a blameless, faultless man, & a faithful prayer warrior.

Because of jealousy, his enemies conspired against him. He continued to courageously pray to God – knowing the risk

When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, the Lord delivered him! He sent an angel and shut the lions mouths. He was not hurt, because he believed in his God. When His enemies were cast into the den of lions – they were the ones who were destroyed…!

WHAT ABOUT MIRACLES TODAY?

Habakkuk 1:5 – Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For… I am going to do something in your days (the last days) that you would not believe even if it were told you!

Jesus said, signs & wonders are going to follow those who believe… (Mark 16:16-17)

WE ARE AT WAR

The weapons of our WARFARE are   MIGHTY… (2 Corinthians 10:4)

We are in a spiritual battle!

Being on the Lord’s side, & Him being on our side IS A BIG DEAL!

Be OVERCOMERS! (I John 5:4,5)

RESIST THE DEVIL – stand against the devil! ( James 4:7; I Peter 5:9)

Paul’s fight of faith – (2 Timothy 4:7).

WARS in Revelation – (Revelation 17:14).

The Lord can & will fight for us & with us. (Romans 8:31,132)

PSALM 50:15 – Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me!

JESUS IS AS MIGHTY WARRIOR

ISAIAH 42:13 – The Lord will go forth like a WARRIOR, He will arouse His zeal like a MAN OF WAR. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a WAR CRY. HE WILL PREVAIL against His enemies!

JESUS IS A CHAMPION

Jeremiah 20:11 – But the LORD is with me like a DREAD CHAMPION.  Therefore my persecutors will stumble and NOT PREVAIL!

PSALM 27:1-6

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ² When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident… in the time of trouble He shall hide me…He shall set me high upon a rock.⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me…

PSALM 118:6

The LORD IS ON MY SIDE; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

PSALM 124:1-8

“If it had not been THE LORD WHO WAS ON OUR SIDE, when men rose up against us,³ Then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us;⁴ Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul;⁶ Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. ⁷  Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.⁸ Our HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

GOD IS FOR ME

Romans 8:31-32 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us ALL things?

ILLUSTRATIONS

The following illustrations are a few more of the many in the Bible that reveals blessing & victory when the Lord is on our side, and we are on His side…

Elisha (2 Kings 6); Elijah & prophets of Baal (I Kings 18) vGideon (Judges 7) vDavid & Goliath (I Samuel 17); Esther (Esther 9); Hezekiah / Sennacherib (Isaiah 36,37); Paul – fight of faith (Acts 20:24); War in Revelation (Revelation 17:14)

MOSES & THE GOLDEN CALF

The people were backslidden; They began worshiping false gods (golden calf image); It was shameful; They had seen many miracles, yet they rejected the Lord for idols. They had a decision to make; “Whoever is on the Lord’s side – come to me!” (Moses said); Some chose the Lord – some   didn’t – there were severe consequences…

EXODUS 32

⁷ And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get you down; for your people, which you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: ⁸ They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be your gods, O Israel, which have brought you up out of the land of Egypt. ^…25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), ²⁶ then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him…(many who didn’t choose the Lord were killed) 29. Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord…”

THE LORD’S SIDE

God calls us to follow Him – regardless of the cost, and He never promises that our path will always be easy or smooth. There is nothing that can compare to being ON THE LORD’S SIDE – but it will not always be easy. As previously mentioned, in these last days, Jesus tells us that the ‘love of many will grow cold’.

MATTHEW 24:12 – “There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold.” (TPT)

WHO CARES?

It is so easy for people to go astray... many don’t care to be on the Lord’s side. They are doing their own thing, seeking fun, pleasure, wealth, fame, power, & all kinds of other things – and NOT THE LORD!

PERSECUTION

Many don’t think it’s ‘cool’ to be on the Lord’s side. In these days you can even experience a lot of ridicule, shame and persecution for BEING ON THE LORD’S SIDE.

LAST DAYS STORMS

The storm is coming. Will we be able and ready to endure? Jesus warned that the price of believing in Him would be high – mockery, laughter, persecution, even death would be common…and many will refuse to pay such a price.

WARNING – MATTHEW 24:9-11

Jesus warned us – “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

WORLDLINESS

Do we just want to go along with the crowd and the WORLDLY WAYS?

He wants to teach us His ways, and for us to walk in His paths (Isaiah 2:2,3).

Do we care that our Lord is looking and longing for people who will be ‘ON HIS SIDE’?

Hebrews 12:1 -speaks of the sin that so easily entangles us.

Will we speak out against the sin that so easily entangles people?   (It may very well be the sin that could cause them to perish.)

TIMES OF APOSTASY

We are living in woeful times of apostasy, world-wide. Many are living in a cesspools of iniquity.  Some trust in goods or greed; but not in the God of the Bible.

Exodus 32:9-10 – God was angry with the people for their sin and stubbornness, and wanted to destroy them utterly… “And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of you a great nation.” —

When Moses interceded for the people, his prayers of intervention were heard and answered… We also need to intercede for people world-wide who are needing to be rescued from destruction. God is long-suffering & compassionate, not wanting any to perish! (2 Peter 3:9)

CHOOSE WHOSE SIDE…

Moses forced the people to CHOOSE whose side they were on… “Who is on the LORD’s side? let him come unto me” (Exodus 32:26). 

Who is on the Lord’s side? (From Matthew Henry’s Commentary)…

FIRST, There are two great interests in the world. All the children of men are siding with one or the other. Sin and wickedness are the devil’s interest and all wicked people side with that. The interest of truth and holiness is God’s interest, with which all godly people side. There is NO NEUTRAL SIDE.

SECONDLY, we should all enquire whether we are on the Lord’s side or not. 

THIRDLY, those who are on his side are comparatively few.

FOURTHLY, God expects those on his side to appear for him, as witnesses, as soldiers, as intercessors.

NO MIDDLE GROUND

There is NO middle ground-– either   you are on the Lord’s side, OR   the sinful world’s side. You are   either on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ, OR the side of Satan. 

Fence-straddlers make God vomit. God prefers an outright heathen, than a compromiser who straddles the fence and can’t make up his mind. That’s exactly what God said… I would You were cold OR hot… 

You are either ON THE LORD’S SIDE, or not. You can’t eat at the Devil’s table and the Lord’s at the same time… “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils” ( I Corinthians 10:21). What fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

DON’T BE DECEIVED

It is tragic that so many professing Christians today are embracing the wickedness of the world & a sinful lifestyle…   (homosexuality; immorality; abortion; witchcraft; drugs & drunkenness; lying & deceit; un-forgiveness; etc… )

Many Christians today still think they are on the Lord’s side; yet living like the world…! 

Let’s not be deceived, or deceive  ourselves! Jesus said, “by their fruit you will know them”!   (Matthew 7:16,20)

I JOHN 2:15-17

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

ARE YOU ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

2 SIDES – (Christ / anti-christ)

There are TWO SIDES: obedience to the commands of God, OR a determination to please ourselves. 

Are you on the side of Christ or on the side of antichrist?   

PROOF

The following are some of the ways that those who consider themselves to be on the side of Christ should live:

In their Decisions; Lifestyle; Worship & whole-hearted love for God; Holiness, & Separation from the world; Faith, belief, trust; Being Strong & Courageous; Overcoming sin & temptation; Walking in the light of God’s Word; Willingness to sacrifice; Enduring hardness as good soldiers; Devotion and commitment; Healthy fear of God; Obedience; Fellowship with Christians; etc…

DAVID LIVINGSTONE

David Livingstone, the pioneer missionary to Africa, was an outstanding example of perseverance devotion, & commitment.

It is estimated that he walked over (approx) 29,000 miles (40,600 km). Earth is about 24,901 miles around at equator (40,075 km).

His wife died early in their ministry

He faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren.

He ministered half blind.

In the midst of all these adversities, he maintained a strong commitment & loyalty to the Lord.These words are found in his diary:

“Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to Your service and to Your heart.”

What is your level of commitment to Jesus and his ways? (Isaiah 2:2,3; John 14:6) Are you willing to steadfastly serve Him in the midst of great persecution, trials, and difficulties?

OUR FRUIT IS EITHER GOOD OR BAD – WE ARE WITH HIM, ON HIS SIDE OR AGAINST HIM

MATTHEW 12:33

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for A TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT.

LUKE 11:23

HE WHO IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

JUDGMENT day IS COMING

2 Thessalonians 1:8 – (Soon Jesus will be revealed) — “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Hebrews 9:27 – It is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgment.

FAITHFULNESS IS A REQUIREMENT

REVELATION 17:14 – These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and FAITHFUL.”

The Lord has expectations of those on the Lord’s side – FAITHFULNESS!

(Next week, Lord willing we will be considering together more about what faithfulness looks like; the fruits of righteousness; & what it looks like to be on Jesus side, or on the devil’s side)…