Pastor R.D. Trapani - April 29, 2007
the stalker
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud
voice saying in heaven, Now is
come salvation, and strength,
and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Christ: for
the accuser of our brethren is
cast down, which accused them
before our God day and night.
Rom 8:38.39 For I am
persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to
come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Exo 14:10,19, 20 And when
Pharaoh drew nigh, the children
of Israel lifted up their eyes,
and, behold, the Egyptians
marched after them; and they
were sore afraid: and the
children of Israel cried out unto
the LORD.
19 And the angel of God, which
went before the camp of Israel,
removed and went behind
them; and the pillar of the cloud
went from before their face,
and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the
camp of the Egyptians and the
camp of Israel; and it was a
cloud and darkness to them,
but it gave light by night to
these: so that the one came not
near the other all the night.
voice saying in heaven, Now is
come salvation, and strength,
and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Christ: for
the accuser of our brethren is
cast down, which accused them
before our God day and night.
Rom 8:38.39 For I am
persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to
come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Exo 14:10,19, 20 And when
Pharaoh drew nigh, the children
of Israel lifted up their eyes,
and, behold, the Egyptians
marched after them; and they
were sore afraid: and the
children of Israel cried out unto
the LORD.
19 And the angel of God, which
went before the camp of Israel,
removed and went behind
them; and the pillar of the cloud
went from before their face,
and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the
camp of the Egyptians and the
camp of Israel; and it was a
cloud and darkness to them,
but it gave light by night to
these: so that the one came not
near the other all the night.
Have you ever walked home late at night and you just knew someone or something was
following you? You dare not turn around to look at it. The faster you move, the faster it
seems to move. You know it, you sense it, and you can just feel it! But there is someone
following you. There is someone on your trail. That someone will be following you tomorrow
and wherever you go, every day of your life.
The children of Israel had been slaves for four hundred years. Now they were free. Out of
Egypt, and on their way to liberty. The first night, breathing air as free men. (It might be
much like when you first received the Holy Ghost and you realized that after years of
bondage, you were finally free.)
Can you imagine the thrill, the excitement, the expectation of what was happening to
them…and then they became aware of something! Dust cloud on the horizon. The indication
that they were not alone on their journey. They have no army and they have no weapons.
Following them is the army of Egypt coming with vengeance. What thoughts went through
their minds as they thought of their wives and children? If they were not totally slaughtered,
they would be marched back to Egypt, back to bondage, back to slavery, back to whips and
lashes and shame. This is all the more horrible because they have had a day or two of
liberty. The smell of freedom. The taste of God’s mercy and promise.
Satan has never accepted your decision to leave him. He will never accept your freedom.
You made a decision, but he is still in pursuit. Just as Pharaoh was coming to regain his
slaves. Your former habits, former sin patterns are still there, and they want you back.
Luke 11:24-26 24"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places
seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' 25When it
arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes seven
other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of
that man is worse than the first."
Jesus preached the message that when that unclean spirit comes out, it wants to return to
its hold.
That old nature, that old man, he wants to return to the old condition. It walks through dry
places, and seeks rest, but finds none. It decides it wants things the way they used to be.
He does not accept that you belong to Jesus Christ. He does not accept that you have
turned over your house to His Holy Spirit. He still claims it as “his” territory. Don’t you think
that the devil cannot hurt you. You are no match for your former master. He is stronger than
you are. He is more cunning than you are. He has many devices and can deceive and trap.
Don’t give him home field advantage. That is why there are some places that I don’t go.
There are some things that I won’t do.
(Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp
of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud
went from before their face, and stood behind them.) Ever between
me and the past. Between me and the things that enslaved me. I
know that they are there, but I have to look hard to see them. I am
better off than the children of Israel. They had one angel. I have to
look past my angels even to see my past. I know there are bad
things back there, but see what I have between me and my former
master. And I know their names and so do you.
Ps 23:1-6 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my
head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD for ever.
GOODNESS
It is the nature of God that opened the possibility
It is His goodness that did not destroy Adam and Eve
It is His goodness that brought me to Him at Calvary
It is His goodness that makes me more than a conqueror
MERCY
When I fail, when I give up, when I don’t pray, when I won’t worship
When I don’t give Him praise.
He sends His mercy to pick me up, and to carry me
To reach to where I am.
following you? You dare not turn around to look at it. The faster you move, the faster it
seems to move. You know it, you sense it, and you can just feel it! But there is someone
following you. There is someone on your trail. That someone will be following you tomorrow
and wherever you go, every day of your life.
The children of Israel had been slaves for four hundred years. Now they were free. Out of
Egypt, and on their way to liberty. The first night, breathing air as free men. (It might be
much like when you first received the Holy Ghost and you realized that after years of
bondage, you were finally free.)
Can you imagine the thrill, the excitement, the expectation of what was happening to
them…and then they became aware of something! Dust cloud on the horizon. The indication
that they were not alone on their journey. They have no army and they have no weapons.
Following them is the army of Egypt coming with vengeance. What thoughts went through
their minds as they thought of their wives and children? If they were not totally slaughtered,
they would be marched back to Egypt, back to bondage, back to slavery, back to whips and
lashes and shame. This is all the more horrible because they have had a day or two of
liberty. The smell of freedom. The taste of God’s mercy and promise.
Satan has never accepted your decision to leave him. He will never accept your freedom.
You made a decision, but he is still in pursuit. Just as Pharaoh was coming to regain his
slaves. Your former habits, former sin patterns are still there, and they want you back.
Luke 11:24-26 24"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places
seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' 25When it
arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes seven
other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of
that man is worse than the first."
Jesus preached the message that when that unclean spirit comes out, it wants to return to
its hold.
That old nature, that old man, he wants to return to the old condition. It walks through dry
places, and seeks rest, but finds none. It decides it wants things the way they used to be.
He does not accept that you belong to Jesus Christ. He does not accept that you have
turned over your house to His Holy Spirit. He still claims it as “his” territory. Don’t you think
that the devil cannot hurt you. You are no match for your former master. He is stronger than
you are. He is more cunning than you are. He has many devices and can deceive and trap.
Don’t give him home field advantage. That is why there are some places that I don’t go.
There are some things that I won’t do.
(Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp
of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud
went from before their face, and stood behind them.) Ever between
me and the past. Between me and the things that enslaved me. I
know that they are there, but I have to look hard to see them. I am
better off than the children of Israel. They had one angel. I have to
look past my angels even to see my past. I know there are bad
things back there, but see what I have between me and my former
master. And I know their names and so do you.
Ps 23:1-6 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my
head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD for ever.
GOODNESS
It is the nature of God that opened the possibility
It is His goodness that did not destroy Adam and Eve
It is His goodness that brought me to Him at Calvary
It is His goodness that makes me more than a conqueror
MERCY
When I fail, when I give up, when I don’t pray, when I won’t worship
When I don’t give Him praise.
He sends His mercy to pick me up, and to carry me
To reach to where I am.
But that is not all that is following you.
Something more than just your past is following
you. Not just your old master. Not just your old
weaknesses and failures. The Bible says that the
angel of the Lord that had been leading them.
The angel moved from in front of them. He
stood behind them. He turned off the lights for
the Egyptians. He turned on the lights for God’s
children. And the Bible says…”they came not
together…all night long”
Something more than just your past is following
you. Not just your old master. Not just your old
weaknesses and failures. The Bible says that the
angel of the Lord that had been leading them.
The angel moved from in front of them. He
stood behind them. He turned off the lights for
the Egyptians. He turned on the lights for God’s
children. And the Bible says…”they came not
together…all night long”
When I look back I don’t
see my faults or my failures,
I see goodness and mercy
following me each step I
take. All the days of my
life…that means, even on
days when I fall.
see my faults or my failures,
I see goodness and mercy
following me each step I
take. All the days of my
life…that means, even on
days when I fall.
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