God's Intervention

Spiritual Strongholds (Part Three): God's Intervention

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

In the narrative of Joshua 10, the Lord's intervention on behalf of His people is strikingly evident during the battle near Gibeon. As the Canaanite armies fled in panic down the steep descent from Beth Horon, the Lord sent a powerful hailstorm that struck the enemy soldiers on the slopes below. This hailstorm, exceptional even by the region's standards, killed more of the enemy than the swords of the Israelites, demonstrating that it was the Lord who secured the victory through His divine judgment. Furthermore, the Lord's intervention extended beyond the hailstorm in an extraordinary manner. As the day waned and Joshua recognized the fleeting opportunity to achieve total victory over the southern confederacy, he boldly prayed for a miracle. In response, the Lord performed an unprecedented act, prolonging the daylight to ensure the Israelite armies could complete their triumph. This miracle, ensuring that the sun and moon remained visible to aid the battle, stands as a testimony to the Lord's perfect timing and orchestration of events for His people. These acts of divine intervention underscore that nothing is too great for the Lord. Just as He intervened for Joshua and the Israelites, He remains powerful beyond imagination, ready to act on behalf of those who seek His glory. The victories achieved through His hand, whether through natural elements like hail or miraculous extensions of time, reveal His commitment to His people at the appointed moment.

God's Special Presence and Direct Intervention

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The special presence of God and His direct intervention were evident in the early church, shaping events in profound ways. Despite fierce persecution led by Saul, which sought to destroy the church, the gospel spread even further. The scattering of the disciples, meant to suppress them, instead planted them in new regions like Judea and Samaria, where they preached the Word and bore fruit, as God used persecution like wind to scatter seed for a greater harvest. In Samaria, God blessed Philip's ministry, empowering him with miracles that glorified Jesus Christ and drew many to the faith, countering the deceptive works of Simon the sorcerer. God's guidance was clear when He inspired Philip to leave a thriving ministry in Samaria and travel to a desert road near Gaza, leading him to the Ethiopian eunuch at the precise moment of spiritual seeking. Through this divine direction, Philip explained the Scriptures, revealing Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of prophecy, and baptized the eunuch, who then went on his way rejoicing. Immediately after, the Spirit of the Lord compelled Philip to leave the scene, directing him to other responsibilities, demonstrating God's ongoing intervention in guiding His servants. In every instance, whether through persecution or personal witness, God's will was carried out, ensuring the growth of the gospel and the advancement of His purpose.

A God Near at Hand

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

Deists believe that creation proves the existence of God, yet they assert that God has left this marvelous and interdependent creation to manage itself.

The Sovereignty of God: Part Four

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

God's intervention in the affairs of humanity and creation is absolute and sovereign. No one has the power to stay His hand or turn Him from the successful completion of His purpose at the exact time He has determined. He is not delayed by human readiness or lack thereof, nor does He sit on His throne wringing His hands over our actions. Instead, He has ways of causing us to yield, molding and shaping us into what He desires, ensuring we will be ready for our place when the Kingdom comes. He always has alternatives to ensure His will is done without taking away our free moral agency, even replacing us if we fail to cooperate. He works against deadlines, unlike humans, always meeting His with precision, as seen in the promised birth of Isaac, fulfilled exactly as He purposed, down to the very day. His counsel stands firm, and no force can stop Him from acting exactly how, when, where, and in whom He purposes. His sovereignty is evident in saving Lot from Sodom, where angels virtually dragged him out, demonstrating His will overriding human reluctance. He will use every means at His disposal to prepare and save those called into His purpose on schedule with the return of Jesus Christ. He is not an absentee landlord but is deeply and actively involved in the operations of His creation, ruling over the nations and managing everything according to His purpose. He did not create and then step aside; He sustains, maintains, guides, and propels His creation continuously. His involvement is seen in the Flood, which He personally brought to destroy life, and in confusing languages at the Tower of Babel, scattering humanity. He actively supervised the plagues on Egypt, determining who was affected and how, showing His command over both animate and inanimate elements. His sovereignty extends to daily governance, sending commands that shape the earth, from snow and hail to melting frost and flowing waters. He uses His power in both blessings and curses, as seen in withholding plagues from Israel while afflicting Egypt, or causing animals to act according to His will, such as directing cows, feeding Elijah through ravens, or protecting Daniel among lions. He even compels a fish to deliver a coin for taxes, demonstrating His minute control over creation for His people's benefit. His purpose always overrides natural laws, ensuring His will is accomplished, whether through blessing, correction, or intervention, to bring us into His Kingdom.

God's Intervention

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