I'm hungry now. Just listen to y'all. But we've been praying for y'all, and we will continue to pray that y'all will get back into China mid-break. All right, and 2025 is our year of growth, so do not forget to pray for Bethel Baptist Church. This year, we got a lot of things going on. We're praying right now for Brother Rick Savage. He's a pastor out of Jackson, Tennessee, and then Brother Stephen Barnes, missionary to Guam. So pray for these two this week as you pray. And then we're sold in and every Saturday we go out and knock on doors. We tell people about Jesus. We had some really good visits last week and the week before we had somebody say. So we pray for our soul in it. If you wanna be part of that, just come with us and we'll take you out. 10 o'clock Saturday morning, we'll knock some doors, tell people about Jesus, see if we can get some folks saved. That's every Saturday at 10 o'clock. And Brother Tom Lancaster will be here April the 13th. And we're gonna pray for him. He's had some health issues. He's a missionary to the military, and he will be here the 13th to preach for us. And Brother Tony Smith, he is with Vision Baptist Press. They print Bibles to get in the hands of missionaries to pray for him. He will be here April the 27th, two weeks after Brother Lancaster. And then in May, we'll have Family, Friend, and Neighbor Day. So be inviting your family, friends, and neighbor to that day, Family, Friend, and Neighbor Day, that is in May. We will have a meal after the service that day. Then in June, we're going to have a revival. Brother Martin Martis will be here. That's Brother Neil's grandfather. He will be here to preach revival for us, Brother Martin Martis. And we're going to have a good time with Brother Lawrence. He comes every year and preaches revival. So pray for revival. Pray for Revival Mattis Church. Pray for all these things listed here that God will bless. And also don't forget to pray for the Ray family as they try to get back into China. Alright, if you would, get a handbook. Turn your handbook to hand number three hundred and nine. Three nine zero. Have I done my best for Jesus? Page three nine zero. Let's all stand. I wonder if I am like this Lord Jesus Who died upon the cruel tree To make the Peters that repulse the Calvary I know my own mistakes are best of me How many on the trail I've walked in the rain I wonder have I found my place for Jesus When He has done so much for me I do not have grace in arms for Him He has done so much for me I'm They are the ones that I have planned today. Though many others may not have come today, I wondered them when I'd find them sore to be tired, when He had come to my heart's content. The world is lying down for want of some part. I wonder have I done my best for Jesus That's a message in itself, isn't it, Ryan? Let's have a word of prayer. We'll take it. I apologize that I tied this office for the Lord's glory, but I can say a blessing. Heavenly Father, we just love you tonight. We're so thankful, Lord, for your mercy, for your grace. We're thankful, Lord, for Bethlehem's charity. We ask you to bless the service. We ask you to bless this offering. Use it to bring people to your feet, of course. In Jesus' precious and holy name, we pray. Amen. Neil may be tired, just listen to it. But you know, traveling like that will get you tired. Going from one place to another like that across, I don't know how far it was to where he was when he first went to Canada, how far it was to Manitoba where he was going the other day. I talked to him. He was going the other day to preach But it has to be done for Jesus. And so they be praying that Brother Neal and his family, that they get back in China. And so if you have your Bible tonight, I want you to turn your Bible to Judges. The book of Judges. Notice what it says in Judges chapter one. And look at verse nine. Notice what it says in Judges chapter 1, and look at verse 9. The Bible says, And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain, in the south, in the valley. And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron. Now, the name of Hebron before was Qadratha Arba. and they slew Shishang, and Hymen, and Talmai. And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Deber, and the name of Deber before was Kajarthsephir. And Caleb said, he that smiteth Kajarthsephir and taketh it, to him will I give Acha, my daughter, to wife. And Athanel, the son of Ganez, Caleb's younger brother took it, and he gave him Acha, his daughter, to wife. And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask her father a field. And she lighted off her eyes, and Caleb said unto her, what wilt thou? And she said unto him, give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a southland, give me also the spring. And the children of the Canaanites, Moses' father-in-law, went out of the city of palm trees, and with the children of Judah, into the wilderness, into the wilderness of Judah, which Loth, in the south of Arad, and they went and dwelt among the people. And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephah, and utterly destroyed it, and the name of the city was called Hormat. Also Judah took Gaza, Gaza, that's in the news, with the coast thereof, and Ascalon with the coast thereof, and Akron with the coast thereof, and the Lord was with Judah, and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had cherries of iron. And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, and Moses said, and he, as Moses said, and he, three sons of Anna. So we understand here in verse nine, in verse 19, is where we just wanna look at this here. We can't mention this probably too much. Notice what it says in verse 19. And the Lord was with Judah, and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots I want to preach to you just briefly here in this Wednesday night. When fear is allowed to cancel out faith. When fear is allowed to cancel out faith. This is what's happened here. This is what's happened in this text. Fear was allowed to cancel out. faith. It'll happen to you. It'll happen to me. It's pretty good of happening in the lives of Christians. And so was one of the reasons that we don't see more done when fear is allowed to cancel out faith. Father in heaven, I ask you to bless. I ask you to meet every need of every heart in this building. We ask you for a power to preach. I pray, dear Lord, if someone's not saved, in this building or on the broadcast. Lord, we pray they'd get saved before it's too late. We pray, dear Lord, you'd speak to their heart. I pray for Christians, Lord, that you'd meet the need of Christians tonight. Lord, I pray, dear Lord, that you would work in our heart. Lord, we want to be more for you. We want to do more for you. We want to see you longer. We ask you for power to preach. In Jesus' name, amen. The land of Canaan has been generally captured, as we understand, of Joshua, it's been generally captured and the land divided among the tribes of Israel. However, at the death of Joshua, which is what's happened in verse one here, Judges chapter one and verse one, much of the land still needed to be rid of the peoples of the land. So not all the battles had been won by the time of Joshua. Much of the land lay not conquered yet. And so Joshua has died. And now Joshua, there must be someone raised up after Joshua to continue on and the land, all the land that God promised that they would be able to have all the land captured. So we must understand after Joshua's death that there was no leader to come to the front as Moses and Joshua had had done, the Lord brought him to the front, and it was known who was going in after Moses died, God raised up Joshua, he was Moses' assistant, and God raised up Joshua. And so Joshua went in, now Joshua's died, not all the land is possessed, and so nobody is there now where that it is known who's gonna carry on this work. So we must understand after Joshua's death, there was no leader to come to the front as Moses and Joshua had done. Therefore, we find the children of Israel asking the Lord who should lead them in the next expedition to rid the land of the Canaanites and the Perizzites. And so look at verse one of chapter one. Now, after the death of Joshua, it came to pass that the children of Israel who shall go up forth against the Canaanites first, to fight against them. The Canaanites were the ones that they were going to, they were going to be the first one that they were going to fight. And so there's God's people, they're asking the Lord, they're praying, who will lead us in this fight? And so Judah was chosen. Notice in verse two, and the Lord said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. That's important to remember verse two. Don't forget verse two. We'll come back to it in a second. We must understand that after Joshua's death, there was no leader to come to the front. And so therefore we find the children of Israel asking the Lord who should lead them in the next expedition to rid the land of the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Judah was chosen by the Lord to lead the children of Israel in this next expedition. They were to be looked to as they sought to rid the land of Judah, of the Canaanites there in verse three. So the children of Israel now know that it's Judah who is going to be chosen to lead. And so Judah, he gets Simeon to agree to go with him and lead the children of Israel in this fight. So in verse three, and Judah said unto Simeon his brother, come up with me into my lot that we may fight against the Canaanites and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him and Judah went up and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand and they slew them So in verse chapter three, in Joshua chapter three, we read as Joshua was going into the promised land and he was going in, he was given instructions how God would give victory. So turn back to Joshua chapter three and look if he would at verse 13. Joshua chapter three. Now, as Joshua was going in to the promised land, God gave him specific instructions of what to do that he would give him victory. So look at verse 13. The Bible says in Joshua chapter three, verse 13, and it came, it shall come to pass as soon as the souls of the feet of the priest that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above, and they shall stand up in heat. And it came to pass when the people were removed from their tents to pass over Jordan, and the priest bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as they that bear the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bear the ark were dipped in the brim of the water. For Jordan overflowed all his banks, all the time of harvest, that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very, very far from the city. Adam, that is beside Zartan, and those that came down toward the sea of the plains, even the salt sea, failed and were cut off, and the people passed over. right against Jericho. So now we find God says, the priest have got to come in the front and they've got to carry the ark. And as soon as they put their feet in the water, the waters will part. You'll be able to go over. That's a specific instruction for Joshua. So we understand, don't forget verse two. The whole time you're reading this book of Judges in this matter of what's going on here in Judges in the first part of it, Don't forget verse two, notice the instruction the Lord gave. Notice what the Lord says here. And the Lord said, Judah shall go up, behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. Now we understand he didn't say, put the ark in front, put the priest in front. When their feet touched the water, the waters will part. As soon as the soles of their feet touched the water, the Jordan River will part. So that's not what he said here. It is said here that God has delivered the land into his hand. But Judah, Judah shall go up, behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. That's how the victory is going to come. And so we understand, we must understand this, we must know to obey the Lord's command. Now, the instruction is to Judah to go up, as God said, he's called him to lead the children of Israel, to finish what Joshua started, but Joshua died, and it's not all done. God raised up Judah as the primary leader. Simeon has been included with him now, because Judah asked Simeon to go up with him. And God's instruction is that the Lord said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. So he must obey God. He must go and fight the Canaanites and the other iths, the Perizzites, and he must lead the charge for Israel as the other tribes the otherites, that they can fully possess the land of Canaan that God promised to them. And so that is a big step here. So we must, as God's people, step up by faith to obey the Lord's command. And that's what Judah is going to do. There's no stipulation of bringing the ark or putting their feet in the water. Just obey what God said, Judah. Go rid the land of these Canaanites. Go up and fight against them and I'll be with you. Look at the victories the Lord gave Judah. He just obeyed God. He understood he was called to lead. He understood that God's going to allow Simeon to go with him. And he's going to be used by God to lead the children of Israel to victory. And they possess all the land that God has given the children of Israel that he promised back down in Egypt. And so we understand, look at the victories the Lord gave Judah. Look at verse 10. And Judah went up against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron. Now the name of Hebron before was Kajar the Arba. And they slew Shishah, and Ahinahim, and Talmai. And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debor. And the name of Debor before was Kajar Seber. And Caleb said, he has smitten Kajar Seber and taken it. To him will I give Acre. And Caleb said, he that smiteth Cajun receiver and taketh it, to him will I give Acre, my daughter, to wife. And off and on, the son of Kedaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it and gave him Acre to wife. So here's another victory. And then look at verse 11, verse 16. And the children of the Kenites, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah unto the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the south of Arad. And they went and dwelt among the people. Another victory. And then notice in verse 18, the Bible says in verse 18, and Judah took Gaza. with the coast thereof, and Ascon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof, and the Lord was with Judah. Now, what is he doing? He has simply been called by God. Nobody knew who was gonna lead after Joshua died, and then they started praying, and then God told them in answer to prayer, Judah is gonna lead the job. And so Judah was told, he was told by God in verse two, behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. So Judah now just has to obey God and go fight the Canaanites and the Perizzites and all these others. And then these children of Israel, of the other tribes, are to follow Judah's lead. Just do what God said, and God will give the victory. So notice, God gave Judah victory in the mountain and the coast thereof. Look at verse 17. The Bible says, And Judah went with Simeon his brother and slew the Canaanite. that inhabited Zephath, and another destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Ahoramah. And Judah took on Gaza with a coast thereof, and Ascalon with a coast thereof, and Akron with a coast thereof, one victory after another. And the Lord was with Judah, and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain that could not, but could not, drive out the inhabitants of the valley. Not that he couldn't, but you understand, Here's what happens to many Christians that we don't fulfill all of what God tells us to do. This is where we stop. We understand the command. We understand the call. We understand what God wants. We surrender to do what God wants. One victory after another in our life, overcoming obstacles and God's blessing and God's going before us. and God's doing what he said he would do, he's gonna give victory, we just follow him. But you understand, it got to here, and the Lord was with Judah, and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. Now, we understand, he had one victory after another, and he's moving pretty fast, And now the children of Israel are gonna get behind him in these victories, and they're going to go with him. The statement is, and the Lord was with Judah, verse 19, he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. Now, understand this verse here, because they had chariots of iron, is a very sobering verse. is gonna be the difference in defeat and victory. It's gonna be just this one verse. He's done what God said, he obeyed God, he's moving at God's command, he's fighting the good fight of faith, he's obeying God one victory after another, and these cities of these Canaanites and Perizzites, they're falling one after another. And now the other tribes are seeing this and they understand. the mountain here, the Lord was with Judah and he drove out the inhabitants of the valley, of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron. So a very sobering verse here in verse 19, the Philistines were fortified in the valley. They had chariots of iron, they're dug in. The folks on the mountain, the Bible said they had chariots of iron. So now, is there a difference in the command for the folks on the mountain than the folks in the valley? Does Judah have a different command from God that he can have the mountain but he can't have the valley? No, he was told And I'll be with you and I'll give him victory. And Judah did it until he got to the mountain where he had to go to the valley after he had all these string of victories. And now what's in front of him now is the valley. And that's where the Philistines are. They're dug in. You understand they're fortified. They're not like the mountain top. They're not like the sides of the mountain. So we understand. There's several things I want us to see. in verse 19, about fear, canceling out faith. That's what's happened to Judah. It's what's happened to the Jew of Israel here. And you understand, because this one example was set before the minds of the other tribes of Israel, then we've got a problem now. We've got a problem with fear now taking over. And now it's fear guiding them. And so it's not so much all of what God said, now they're beginning to look at the strength of these that are in the battle. And it's gonna show up because Judah's having trouble here and Simeon's having trouble here with these Philistines dug in and then they're becoming more on how well-equipped they are and how dug in they are and how strong they are, it's canceling their faith out. And now there's not gonna be victory. Now they're gonna set a precipice in the minds of the other folks that are following them. We're not gonna be able to take it all. Can you imagine it? Hey, we've got to get victory in our life as a Christian. We've got to obey God's command. We've got to go forward by God's command. The first thing is this. They're failing to trust the Lord completely for the victory they had promised. The Lord said in verse two, and the Lord said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered. Part of the land, some of the land I have delivered. There's an article here. An article points like an index finger. The lamb, all the lamb. It's there. God says, I'll give victory. Just go up and take it. So they're failing to trust the Lord completely for victory now that he had promised. So now they've got a problem, their faith. now is being canceled out by fear. We understand it is really sad. It is sad now. It's a sobering fact now, this verse, they drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley. It wasn't they couldn't drive They had the authority of God to rid the people of the inhabitants of the land. They had that authority from God. They went in that authority in the beginning and they trusted the Lord for victory. That does not say anything about a partial victory in verse two. The land. The Lord said that we have to keep looking at that. And the Lord said, Judas shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. So we understand that does not say anything about a partial victory. The promise that is good for the mountain is good for the battle. The promise God gave Judah for the land is good for any part of that land that he is in fighting a battle. He goes at God's command. He will win the victory. God will give it to him. See, we think we win the victories. It's God gives it to us as we obey God. God gives us the victory. We think we get the victory. It's God gives us the victory in our obedience to him. It's really strange, isn't it? If we're not careful, what God has said will become less important, and then our hearts and minds will be on that which puts fear into our heart of what we're confronting that's before us. Like he's got the Philistines dug in. So we understand. The second thing is this, the advantage to Israel as they're fighting, the advantage, it is true, the advantage as they think about it is in the mountain. Because they're not dug in and they're more susceptible to being overcome in the mountain. They're not dug in, they're not fortified. And many of those people that they fought in the mountains were caught by surprise. and they were easily overrun. And they got those, and they did what God said, and what God is working in their heart to get them to where they come now, to the valley, is to see that faith built that they would believe that God would give them the valley. They won one victory after another. They took the cities of those Canaanites and Perizzites and those others that they were fighting. They took their cities. One city after another fell. And then they were shouting glory. And they gave glory to God. And God gives the victory. Onward, forward, shout the loud hosanna. Christ is captain of the mighty throne. There they're shouting glory. And you understand, that's what's supposed to do, give glory to God. Order that God gave is not for part of the land, it's for all of the land, of the mountain, all the valley. They can have it, go take it. Don't look at them being fortified. Don't look at them with all their ornaments. Don't look at how they're dug in. Don't even look at that. I'll give you the victory, just go do what I told you. Trust me, faith is taking God and his word. Faith is seeing the unseen. So we understand tonight, much of what we don't go on to realize full victory in our life for a Christian is because we let fear cancel out faith. And understand this, it is impossible to please God without faith. It's impossible. They didn't have the faith to trust the Lord for the value. And they should have had God built their faith in that one victory after another. They should have come down to where they got to the mountain. They looked down in the valley and saw these Philistines fortified with all their armaments, they're fortified in, they're ready for them. And they're mighty warriors, the Philistines are. But you understand, God's already said, it's the land. It's not part of it. It's not just a mountain. You can have the victory in the valley. It's the land, Judah. It's the land, Simeon. Lead the children of Israel to victory. All of it. But their faith got canceled out. That's what happened to us. That's why we don't do more for God. That's why we don't see more victory in our life as a Christian. We let fear cancel our faith out. when God wouldn't give the victory for the valley, just like he gave it for the mountain. But you understand, it wasn't anything wrong with God. It was something wrong with Judah and Simeon and those other tribes, and then all of Israel that follow the leadership of Judah and Simeon. So the enemy is not as strong on the mountaintop. He's not dug in. He's more out in the open. The valley is where the Philistines are the strongest. They're as greater as they're fighting on the mountaintop. They know that, that it's easier to win on the mountaintop. They know it. So there is greater encouragement for victory on the mountaintop. But all of those victories on the mountainsides and going down and looking to the valley is to give us the faith that we need to trust the Lord for the battle. It's to build that faith that we would need to trust the Lord for the battle. But you understand, they let faith and fear cancel out. Faith is easier, let me explain this. Faith is easier when it appears everything is to our advantage. It's easy to have faith when we think everything is to our advantage and it's easy for us to win. Because they're on the mountain, they're vulnerable on the mountainside. but not in the valley, they're dug in. And that means it's going to be harder. It's not harder for God. It's got any harder for God to give the victory in the valley as it is on the mountain. God's word said, Judah, it's the land I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna give you a victory over those parasites and Hittites and all those other ones. I'm gonna give you the victory over the Canaanites. Just go and take the land, it's yours. Well, you understand. It is something in verse 19, the Bible says, and the Lord was with Judah and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain. Judah's fear for the valley and the chariots of iron cancel out his faith. The chariots of iron, those are obstacles now in the mind of Judah of where, and here comes It'll cancel it out. Look at Psalms 118. Look at Psalms 118 and look at verse six. Look at Psalms 118 and look at verse six. It'll happen in your life, it'll happen in our life. Hey, you understand? I've been dealing with it today. But understand, in God's sight, the victory is won. Just obey God, do what he said. In God's sight, it's already over. In God's sight, the battle is won. In God's sight, the victory is already achieved. Just Judah, Simeon, do what I told you. Go take the land. And I'll give you victory. There's no stipulation here. You don't have to have the priest come and bring the ark with the priest and their souls touch a foot of the water, and then I'll park Jordan and you go over. No, I'm telling you, go take the land. That's God's order. So they went. But look at Psalms 118 and look at verse six. The Bible says here at verse six, the Lord is on my side. I will not, uh-oh, look at this. This is what Judah has to have in his mind as he's looking at those chariots of iron in the valley. This is what he's got to keep in his mind, that the fear won't overcome his faith. Look what it says here in verse six of Psalms 119. The Lord is on my side. I will not fear what man can do unto me. Hey, you understand. If we understand this is true, then faith will cancel out fear. When people doubt, And they don't trust God and they doubt where God says that he means what he says or not. You're allowing that doubt to cancel out your faith. And so this is what's happening here. Here, the psalmist David, he says in verse six, the Lord is on my side. I will not fear what man can do unto me. Judah, go get the victory. Lead the children of Israel to victory. You're the leader. You should be showing the way. If he gets victory over these chariots of iron and the Philistines now dug in, it'll be like a shot in the arm of adrenaline to these other tribes. They will have an instant increase of faith. You see, what has to happen is the leadership has to be, the leadership has to be obeyed. It's what happens, it's what happens. That's why the understand Judas fear of the valley and the chariots of iron canceled out his faith. And so we understand he was afraid and fear began to come into his heart. And with that afraidness and that fear came down because he saw how well they were prepared to fight in this battle. And you understand, The third thing is the example Judah, the example Judah failed to set. Here's the leader called by God after Joshua and they prayed and they asked the Lord, they wanted God's will, they wanted the right leader. They just didn't anybody go off taking out on their own saying, well, we'll leave now that Joshua's gone. No, they wanted God's man to lead them. They wanted the man God called to lead them. They didn't want just anybody, they wanted God to tell them now who's gonna lead them to the rest of the victory of the promised land now that Joshua has died. And God told them in answer to prayer, Judah. And so now Judah has got his brother Simeon, and now they've gone to fight the Canaanites and these Perizzites, and now the children of Israel, and Simeon there. And so Judah is the bigger tribe. It's the better armed tribe. It has more valiant warriors. So this tribe of Judah is a well-equipped and they're full of valiant men, and so they're bigger, and they're better armed of all the other tribes, and they have more valiant warriors, and so they trusted God for the mountain, but were not able to trust the Lord for the valley. So in Matthew chapter 9 and verse 29, here's the statement. According to your faith, be it unto you. You know, much of our defeat is because of a lack of faith. Much of the reason we're defeated in our Christian life is we've seen one victory, we've seen another, and we're on the mountaintop shouting, but when the harder problems come, then the harder things come, and it gets more difficult in our eyes. You understand the God on the mountain is still God in the valley. The God who gave the victory on the mountain, God can give victory, he has all power where it's on the mountain or in the valley. There is nothing that God cannot give victory over. The Bible says in Mark 9, 23, all things are possible with God. All things are possible with him. So you understand God's leading, and now they should be following, and now they should be setting an example for the other tribes that they trusted God for the mountain, but were not able to trust the Lord for the valley, that their fear of the chariots of iron in the valley This is where Satan robbed them of their faith because he had those Philistines, they're the enemies of God. They were David's enemies. Those Philistines, Goliath was a Philistine. He was a mighty champion of the Philistines. He was the greatest warrior they ever had. All the children of Israel were afraid of Goliath, that Philistine. And here comes this young shepherd boy, and he comes with a slingshot that's got five smooth stones, and he goes to Goliath, and he tells him, this day, God's delivered you into my hand. He went full of faith. He went believing God would give him the victory over this 10-foot-tall giant. He's got a coat of mail that weighs 125 pounds on him. He's got a spear beam, and the tip of it weighs 10 pounds of Goliath. He's got a coat of mail he's carrying that weighs 125 pounds. He's almost approximately 10-foot tall. And here comes this shepherd boy with a slingshot, and Goliath makes fun of him. And he mocks God. And David told him, this day, God's delivered you into my hands. He said that by faith. He said that with all the authority of God. He wasn't afraid of Goliath. You understand? Fear will cancel out your faith. It will cause you not to complete what God has given you to do. It will cause you to try to find another way. or just quit. Do you understand? The easiest thing to do is to quit. Somebody says, well, I'm a failure. You're not a failure to quit, but if you never try again, you're a failure. If you let that fear keep you from ever trying again, then you are a failure. had the authority of God to go and take the land. It is really strange. The fear of the chariots of iron got into his mind, and he saw how well those master fighters they were. You can't say they're not master fighters. They are masters at fighting, the Philistines are. They win battles, but you understand they're not bigger than God, and God's already given into Judah's hand, and so that chariots of iron into his mind and the devil used that to stop Judah and Simeon. And they're going to set an example in the sight of the other tribes that were not going to be able to take all the land. And they're going to disobey God. They had no faith for the valley. They got faith for the mountain. It's really strange. Have you got faith just long as everything's going all right? Where it's not too hard, you see victory, and it's not too hard to see that victory. Yeah, but you understand, there's some more trying times ahead. And there's some more times that I've gotta trust God, regardless of the circumstances. You understand about little faith? We preached on this not long ago last week. Little faith is heavily influenced by circumstances. Peter got out of the boat and Jesus told him to come. And Peter said, Lord, if it be thy will, let me come unto you. So the Lord said, come, he gave him the authority. He said, come. Peter got out of the boat and he walked on the water. We don't fault him for walking on the water. There's nobody in here or nobody who he's ever gonna preach to has walked on the water. Peter got out of the boat, he got on the water. He had faith enough to walk on the water, that is true. But he didn't have faith enough to go all the way to Jesus and that command, the command was come. He went away, and then he started listening, and he was looking at the boisterous wind. And then that boisterous wind picked up waves, and it began to hit him on his ankles, began to hit him around his knees. And then he looked down, and he was afraid, and the fear canceled Peter's faith out, and he began to sink. He took his eyes off the Lord, and he didn't remember what God told him. Come! If he'd kept God's command in his mind above everything else that he would face, he would have got to the boat. He would have got to Jesus on that water. But he started looking down at the waves, and little faith will carry you away. But understand what the Lord's trying to do with little faith. He's trying to get you to have great faith. for all you need is God said. That's all I need, is God told me to do this. It's all God need, that God's giving me peace in my heart, that he'll give me victory. He's told me to do this, and by God's grace, we're gonna do what God told us to do, no matter what, if it's the mountain top, if it's the Philistines in the valley, we're gonna trust God for the mountain, we're gonna trust him for the valley, and we're gonna keep in mind, it's God's called us, it's God's told us to do it. Hey, you understand? The Lord, it took a little bit for the Lord to seal it on our hearts that this is where we're supposed to come. And I had to put the committee chairman that put me on another week and let me go back and preach to our folks in Mississippi and give God the opportunity to settle it on my heart for sure that this is where we want to come. Because we're seeing victory in Mississippi and we're seeing that church grow and that we're fixing to buy a piece man, here we come to this church that's in a house, that's in a garage. And there's only nine people there. And so I told him, the Lord didn't tell me nothing on this first service, this first day, so put us on again. And so we come back the next Sunday, and while we was preaching, the Lord settled it in my heart, that's where it's supposed to be. That's where we're supposed to come. And so I told Miss Jean, Puppet Committee's house, Chairman's house that day was eating lunch. I told her, I said, look, I don't understand it, but this is where we're supposed to come. And she said, I already know it. I just didn't tell you. I already know we're supposed to come here. And so this is where we come. And you understand, here's the problem. If you can't take up and down, you won't be, churches go up and down. They don't always stay the same. You understand. You gotta be there for the good times as well as for the bad. You just got to know this one thing. It's God's calling. This is where God wants me. And by God's grace, we're gonna fulfill what God's taught us to do and fulfill the work that he's called us to do. By God's grace. Don't be like Judah. He had faith for the mountain as ever. He could overcome in the mountain. And it's easier for him to overcome in the mountain. So he got into his head, this is not very hard. We're overcoming them in the mountain. There's one victory after another. And then he got to the church of iron in the valley. And then his mind got focused on that. And he says, oh no, look down here. Look what's ahead of us. But you understand, the command has not changed. Take the land. and I'll give you victory. All he had to do was trust God for the valley and just go fight and understand. He would have won it. And the children of Israel would believe God could have done anything. But he set the wrong example. Do you know people are looking at us how we serve God? They're looking at some Christians like a revolving door. Man, they're up, man, God does something, They didn't have to pray very long, and they got the victory. But you understand, some victory, you have to pray longer. You just have to keep praying until God gives the victory. And don't take your eyes off of what God's told you to do. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5, 7, we walk by faith, not by sight. Hey, we don't do like the world does. We walk by faith, faith seeing the unseen. Faith is taking God at his word. Faith is obeying the Lord's command. All we have is what the Lord told us, that's what I'm gonna do. If he had just kept that in his mind of what God told him to do, that he would deliver the land into his hand, and he saw those chairs of iron, his faith would have canceled out the fear. because God would have been bigger in his mind than those Philistines in the valley dug in. But the devil reversed it. For God became little and the Philistines became big. They became an impenetrable object in his mind. Look at all of those chariots of iron. Look at what we'll have to overcome. Look at how bad, how they're so dug in. They're fortified. Well, there's an old song that says, I sung it just a moment ago, just a little. There's an old song that used to be sung years ago, almost everywhere I went to a revival meeting back in the 70s, I heard this song. I heard this song at Brother Yates, when we went to Bethel Baptist, where Brother Martinus and Brother Ray's a member there out of Bethel Baptist there, and Brother Neil's out of that Far East Baptist Mission. That song was sung there by the Corvettes. Years ago, God on the mountain is still God in the valley. It was taken from this. God on the mountain, God on the mountain is still God in the valley. God of the day is still God in the night. God of the good times is still God. Hey, if we could ever get this, we might do something. He's still God in the bad time. God of the day is still God in the night. God of the good times is still God in the bad time. He hadn't gone anywhere. He still has all the strength and the power he always had. God doesn't diminish in power. He has all the power he's ever had eternally. He doesn't diminish in power. He's the omnipotent, almighty God. He has his way in the world, man. And understand this, God always wins his battles. It's us, many times, We don't win ours, but the Lord's given us. We find the same fear canceling their faith out when they were first going into the promised land under Moses, and they wanted to go in and send spies to spy out the land. Look back, if you would, at Deuteronomy. Look at Deuteronomy chapter 1. Look at what they told Moses. But I want you to show what they said here. Notice what it says here in verse 21. The Bible says here in verse 21, Behold, the Lord thy God has set the land before thee. Now listen to what God said. Look what is told. Moses tells them, the children of Israel, in verse 21, Behold, the Lord thy God, Deuteronomy chapter one, verse 21, Behold, the Lord thy God has set the land before thee. Now listen to what God told them. Go up and possess it. As the Lord God of our fathers has said unto thee, fear not. There's that word fear again. Listen to what God said. Don't get that out of your mind. Keep it at the forefront. Fear not, neither be discouraged. What will fear do to you? Fear will discourage you. It will get you to believing you cannot do what God said done and you will lose discouragement is losing your courage. Courage is the ability to stand in the face of danger and keep going for God. So what's going to happen? The fear is going to cause them to lose their courage. That's what's happened here with Judah and Simeon on the mountain. They look in the valley. Their fear has caused them to lose their courage. So we understand. Now, look what it says here. going into the promised land and they get to the K-Barnet and then the command is, go up and possess it. And then look at verse 22, and he came near unto me. This is called the children of Israel now. This is Moses telling them, and he came near unto me, every one of you and said, we will, we will. That's not God. He said, go up and possess it. Now they're saying, as they're looking at the promised land, we will. Now they're changing now, and they're gonna be governed by their will. Not God's perfect will, they didn't notice. And he came near unto me, every one of you, this is Moses, and said, we will send men, there's that we will, before us, and they shall search us out the land and bring us word again by what way we must go up and into what cities we shall come. That's not what God said. That's what they're saying. Now they're saying, we've got to send some folks in there to spy out the land. God never told them to go spy out the land. He said, go up and possess it. That's the order, go up and possess it. Now they want to, watered down the order. Now they want it based on what they see over in the promised land. They want it based on their experience in that promised land by some spies that are gonna be sent. That wasn't God's perfect will. Go possess the land. Well, he told Judah to go and he would deliver the land into their hand. You understand that God deals in absolutes. Notice what it says, and bring us word again by what way we must go up and into what cities we shall come. Now, do you understand what they have done? They have given the devil an inroad. They've opened it up now for the devil to discourage them. Because now they're not operating fully on God's command. Isn't it something? How many times we lose our courage, we lose our strength because it's not God, it's us. With our will now coming in view, they're operating on their will. Not what God told them, they're operating on their will. Now this is what it says, and the saying pleased me well, and I took 12 men of you one of a tribe and they turned and went up into the mountain and came to the Valley of Eskolet and searched it out. And they took the fruit of the land. Now you understand, they've opened it up now for the devil to put fear into their heart. You understand? Do you believe that all of these people were as close to the Lord as they ought to have been? Do all these people are operating on God's command? They've already changed God's command. We want to be able to go into the land and we want to be able to search out the land. Then we want to bring you back and tell you what we found in the land. Then we want to decide if we're going to take it. Well, you can have it. God said, go possess it. Judah, you can take the Philistines. God said that he's delivered the land into your hand. Go. He's delivered the land into your hand. You know what we need to do? The devil loves us operating on our own will. He wants us diminishing what God's told us in his Bible. He wants us taking and usurping authority over God. Isn't it strange? And we wonder why we don't have victory. We wonder why we had victory before, but we don't have victory now. Maybe we're Maybe now it's us God's got to deal with, the ones who are supposed to win the victory. Maybe God's got to deal with us now that we'll start operating in his command. And keep that in mind that the fear wouldn't cancel our faith out while we would believe God, we'd have faith in God. We'd know God never makes a mistake. We know that what God says will happen. He has the power. Hey, we find, this same fear canceling their faith out when they were first going into the promised land under Moses and they wanted to go in and send spies out of the land. Israel has a history. Listen to me, go read the history of Israel. You'll see a country, a nation, Israel has a history of letting fear cancel out their faith. They got a history of it. Can you imagine? fear to keep us from trusting God and obeying God and doing what God told us to do. We let the fear take and discourage us and we lost our courage to obey God. And then God didn't get honored because you understand he couldn't give us the victory. He wouldn't give us the victory because it's impossible to please him without faith. Can I please him? He's looking for somebody just to trust him. Just to do what he says. Just to obey his word. Step out by faith. Keep it in mind what God told you. Don't ever get away from it. Whatever circumstance you're in, whatever comes your way, whatever thought is put into your mind, cancel it out by what God told me. And let faith bloom. And let faith have its perfect work. and obeying God and seeing the will of God completed in our life as a Christian. And one victory after another, we can have victory. We can have victory over the devil. We can have victory over his emissaries. Hey, we do not have to be defeated. God's never lost a battle. You'll never read it that he ever lost a battle. It's men who lose his battles from not trusting God, from losing their courage. Hey, Israel, it has a history of letting fear cancel their faith out. A bad example now is set here for the other tribes. See, it's just not you you're going to affect. It's just not you it's going to affect. It's going to affect others that are looking at you. Well, I thought the Lord called you to do that. I thought the Lord put in your heart to do that. What's wrong now? Well, you know, I didn't know it was gonna be this hard. You know, God never told you it was gonna be easy. Matter of fact, let me tell you something. If it was easy, everybody would do it. Because it requires those whom God calls, and they know God called them, this is God, put in their heart what to do, and they're simply obeying God's command. And all these years they've seen victory, and what the devil's put before them and where they begin to see the obstacles they have to overcome and the things they have to do and the hard things that are in front of them. If that ever becomes bigger than God and ever becomes bigger than what God has called me to do, then that fear that comes in my heart will be canceling out faith that will lead me to victory. Bethel Baptist is still open because some folks at this church have not got away from what God called us to do and where God put us to do His work. And so it must be bigger than anything anybody could put in front of us or what the devil could scare us with. Hey, I'm just telling you, I get Brother William when I get this sometimes. Brother William was here, Miss Dreena's husband, but he wasn't her husband when she first came. And Brother William, he was here. And Brother William, he was like a right arm. And he was always saying, when we was building the building, and we got into a really tight spot, a lot of people started out helping us build it, Pretty soon, other people got discouraged because it was a big work. And then it started being just three people. And then it was down to just two, just Brother William and me would come up here at night and do a little work on it. And we could have some other folks that would see the sense of getting back to seeing the bit built. Because it's not gonna be easy. But Brother William, he was over in the office one day and these folks were leaving. And they told me they wanted to see me after a Wednesday night. We were over in the garage, still over there in 94, and up to 96. So we're not over here yet, and we're still working on it. And these folks said they wanted to see us on that night, that Sunday night. And I told Brother William, I said, Brother William, I want you to come in the office with me. I want you as a witness. He said, you want me as a witness? I said, yeah, I want you as a witness. So you don't say nothing. These folks want to talk to me, but I want you as a witness. And so they come in and the man had keys to the building and everything. This is what he did. He had keys. He had a lot of keys. Threw them on the desk. And he said, build it yourself. What he thought was that we led the church into where that we'd never see it built. Wasn't much coming in to see it built. He'd come in and throw the keys over on the desk. He said, build it yourself. And then he said, we're leaving. No, what he meant was we're quitting. See, he's leaving before it's built. We got into a little hard place and he wants to quit. But he never wanted to do it anyway. but he agreed in the vote, but he never really wanted to do it. So he was the easiest pick for the devil. So he threw the keys over there, and his wife says, I agree with him. And I said, now look, now this is the Lord's work. And so we've got it halfway, but we've got a ways to go, and we're gonna finish it. It's not going to, it's not gonna, if the Lord got us into it, and he put it on our heart to see it done, and the church agreed, then we're gonna finish it. We will, by God's grace, trust him to finish it. Not because we're so great, it's God's great. And they left. I helped them load up some of their tables into their truck that night. We took the steps, I come up those steps over there sometimes, and I come up those steps, and I remember the night, on that night, that we loaded their tables up into that truck. and I saw them go out on the driveway. And do you know, the building got finished. And there's been hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people saved in there. We can say it now over these years, since 96, after the first week, in 96, we started having people saved after the first week. And they've been kept getting saved, some more than others. Some we have a lot saved, in the years we've had a lot saved, and some we have not as many, but we've had people saved. as she's been open and the Bethel bed is still floating. And do you realize those people that was in on the foundation of it never got the blessing of it. They never got to see any of those people walk the aisle. They never got to see the crowds that we had. They never got to see the big day. They've never seen those big days since that night that they left and throw the keys on the table and threw away any blessing that they would have of what God would bless them with for sticking with it and just trusting him to see it done. I looked at Brother William when they told me they were leaving. See, I don't ever, I don't do good with that. I get people on my heart, and I can't give them up. So I don't never give anybody up. So if they ever leave, I still love them. I see them out there in the stores and things, and we talk to them, and we love them. Hey, listen, I can't give them up. They're always on my heart. And hey, I don't want to be like them. And I looked at Brother William that night, and I said, Brother William, what are you gonna do? And he said this. I'll never forget what he said. He said, Brother Aaron, the Lord put me here, and the Lord will be the one that moves me. Do you realize? He saw all the blessings. He's a principal contractor. He's the principal one that helped build the church. He's the lead carpenter. He got to see all the blessings. He passed away, he passed away in, I think it was 21. And Miss Trina has kept on where Brother William sat back there. But Brother William got to see all the people walk the aisle. And when, how many were there when we paid the building off in 2019? You were there in that service. Remember the crowd we had? Remember, we lacked, I don't know how much we lacked, we lacked about $3,000 or $4,000 from finished paying it off. After we'd taken all the offerings from January, all, because we knew we had to keep taking offerings, and we did, and it got down to 3,000, and Brother Donnie made this statement. He said, Brother Harold, it's gonna be paid off. Did you know, when we went to the bank that day, was the last payment we made that day. And then that lady put it in to Alabama, down where the headquarters is located, that was putting in the last payment. And it's not coming back real soon. I said, is there some trouble? Is there some trouble on this payment? That's not the last amount of the payment? And she said, I don't know, Brother Harold. It's not coming back. They're not sending it back. And I said, well, that's the last payment. And she said, I know, but you may have something outstanding. I said, there's nothing outstanding. This is it. And then all of a sudden, he comes back on the screen. She says, hold on a minute, it's being printed off. And then she handed me that sheet of paper and on the bottom of it, it said, paid in full. Brother William got to see, he got to see it paid off. Of what he started with, God gave him and he gave him a wife to help him enjoy. Can you imagine that? when I first came here, and God blessed him. He stuck with the stuff. Hey, he was there to encourage us along, and God used him in our life, and I'll always love Brother William. He helped me a whole lot, Brother William did. But you understand we love that family. We love them. But you understand, because of their fear that it wouldn't be finished, we wouldn't be able to see it done, it canceled their faith out. and they didn't trust God. Well, you understand the Lord had chosen Judah to go first in our text. He chose Judah, then Simeon agreed to go with Judah. And then we see the other tribes. We see those other tribes. I'm just gonna read this real quick. Go back to Judges and we'll close. I want you to just look at this, because you're gonna affect somebody. It's important that we keep on doing what God's called us to do. Keep on doing it. Go back, go back to Judges chapter one. And then notice, because Judah and Simeon didn't do what they're supposed to do on the mountain and trust God for the battle. It put doubt in the minds of the other people of where they could have complete victory, these other tribes. And so, look, as we go on down, and notice what started happening. The Bible says here, and her towns, and inhabitants of Dor. And then it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites. Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Ketron, nor the inhabitants of Nahal. But the Canaanites dwelt with them, and became tributaries. Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants And then it goes on down and the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites. Neither did Naphtali. It goes down a list of the children of Israel. Now, now their faith is cancelling, being cancelled out by fear. They're following, they're following Judah. They've lost their courage to trust God for complete victory of what he said he would give up. So now it's having an effect on the other tribes. God gives leaders to lead. God gives leaders to show the way. God gives leaders to stick to the stuff and keep going. Hey, listen, a lot of missionaries are coming behind Brother Neal and Miss Marta's there. A lot of missionaries are going to come by. They're going to be looking at what these other missionaries have done. A lot of preachers are going to be looking at Bethel Baptist Church. They've got to know. They've got to know that the leadership believes what God says, that the leadership is going to do what God says. The leadership is going to operate according to the word of God. The leadership is not going to throw the work of God down because it gets hard. If it was hard, everybody would do it. We've got to keep going. We got to keep going for the Lord. We got to keep trusting Him for the victory. He's promised, hey, thank the Lord that if we'd obey Him and follow Him, He would give us victory. We trust Him for victory and keep praying. Hey, listen, we'll see great things done. We'll see even greater things done. So now they got the Now, they're living now among them. And guess what? They're going to be used of the devil to lead them further away from God. To where God one day would have to drive them out of their own land and take them to battle. It is really strange. The God on the mountain is still God in the valley. And understand this, God hadn't changed his mind. His commands are still to be given, are to be given to still be obeyed. And we must keep on fighting the good fight of faith. No matter if we have many or we have few, we must keep going about faith, trusting the Lord to give us the victory. And it's according to your faith being unto you. If we let the devil get our minds and our own flesh get our minds on the circumstances and the problems that we let that become bigger than God in our mind, then we won't see the victory. And then we won't fulfill God's will and we won't fulfill the work. And God won't be honored. What God would have done, he will not do. What he would have done is not gonna be completely seen in Israel. But what he will have done, Father in heaven, I pray, Lord. I pray we'd be a people that would trust you for the mountain. Lord, I pray we'd be a people that when the hard times comes and the circumstances change and now we're looking down in the valley, And now there's those Philistines all dug in and their armor, they're fully armed and they're dug in and they have chariots of iron. Lord, that we trust you for the bad. We trust you in the good times as well as the bad times. We trust you on the mountain and trust you in the valley. Lord, I just pray dear Lord, that you just work in our heart. Help us, Lord, to see great victory for you in our life, and you get all the glory. We know it now as we obey your word and do what you say. It's you that gives the victory. As we honor your word and go by faith, you will give us victory in our life for your glory, And Lord, we just ask you to bless right here today. Every head is bound, every eye is closed. Maybe you're in this auditorium and you say, brother, I don't know for sure I'm going to heaven when I die. I don't know it for sure. Anybody like that in this auditorium? Not sure. But maybe you're on the broadcast here. And maybe you say, brother, I don't know for sure I'm going to heaven. The preacher might be the Christians tonight, but I can tell you how to be saved. It's so simple, men stumble over it. It's not hard to be saved. The Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3, 23. You're there on the broadcast. We're talking to you. You just got to realize you a sinner. And a sinner will go to hell when they die, unless they get saved before they die. And so the Bible says, for the wages of sin is death. I have to understand that I'm a sinner and be brought on the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, that I am a sinner needing a savior. And Jesus is that savior. And he's come and he's died on the cross. In Romans 5, 8 says, but God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So Jesus died and was buried and rose again the third day, according to the scripture. And you must believe that Jesus died and shed his precious blood and was buried and rose again the third day for you. And that blood made the atonement for your soul. And he's alive and he can save you. You must believe the gospel. You must believe that he died and was buried and rose again. And as a lost sinner, wanting to be saved, you come to Christ and look to him to save you. Trust him from your heart as your own savior. Romans 10, 13 says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's what was told the jailer in Luke 16, 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and die out. So my salvation, this salvation Jesus provided is good enough for other people to be saved by, even people in your family. So if you're not saved, you can follow me in this old sinner's prayer, but you must mean it in your heart. You can simply say, Dear Lord, I'm a sinner. Lord, I believe that you died and was buried and rose again the third day according to the scripture. And Lord Jesus, the best I know, I ask you to come into my heart and save me forever. If that's what you wanted the Lord to do, He wouldn't turn you down. If you come by faith to Him, trusting Him from your heart as your Savior, He would save your soul. And I'm glad if you ask Him to save you, and you meant it, He did it. Romans 10, 13 is your insurance verse. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. We're glad you got saved tonight. We're glad that you come to Christ by faith. We can't see you, but we're glad that you got saved. If you're a Christian, and maybe you're letting fear cancel out your faith of what God would do, of the victories that he would give in your life, but you're letting the circumstances, you may even be letting some person who you see bigger than God now that's against you, or saying things that put fear into your heart, or problems that put fear into your heart, and you see no way out of them. Instead of trusting God, you're overcome by the circumstances, and the fear cancels out your faith, and you don't see victory for God. It's not God's fault, it's ours. Maybe the Lord's touched your heart tonight. Maybe there's problems you got in your life tonight. Maybe tonight the Lord's been dealing with you about something, I don't know. But maybe he has. Miss Tammy's gonna come to the piano. Miss Trina's gonna cut the broadcast off. We'll be back on Sunday morning at 11. And you need to come.