HE WAS STRONG ON YOUR BEHALF

AUGUST 12 2001, am
MF Blume
2 Chronicles 16:9a  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Revelation 5:5-6  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.


The eyes of the Lord are said to have LOOKED ALL OVER THE ENTIRE WORLD.

In Revelation, we read that the Lion of Judah prevailed! And we see Him this lion as a LAMB who was SLAIN, but is there STANDING.

We see the obvious when we read this phrase.

Of all the battles you will ever face, there is one that you and I simply do not have the power to conquer. Of all the various battles that people in various situations would never be able to overcome, and which God's eyes saw and sought out in order for Himself to be strong on their behalf, GOD TOOK THE ULTIMATE BATTLE AND ILLUSTRATED HIS VICTORY OVER IT IN REV. 5. The key to the entire picture is that this lamb overcame DEATH and possessed those seven eyes that are said to have been sent forth into all the earth. What we have in Revelation is the absolute ultimate grace of God to ever possibly be required by a human being in order to defeat an otherwise absolutely undefeatable foe.

No matter what battle you ever face in life, remember that God ALREADY took the enemy of death THAT EVERY PERSON WILL SIMPLY HAVE TO FACE ONE DAY OR OTHER, and already conquered it ON YOUR BEHALF!

What a powerful helper!

I say YOUR BEHALF, but I must digress.

All of us were appointed to meet death one day, -- before we were even born. But only those whose hearts are perfect towards God will receive this help.

What does it mean to have one's heart perfect towards God?

2 Chronicles 31:20-21  And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

2 Chronicles 15:12-14  And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

As you can see, it means total devotion to God!

PERFECT MEANS COMPLETE -- NOT HALFWAY.

Not this, "I'll go to church if it suits me, and I'll praise God if I feel like it at any particular moment."

1 Kings 8:61  Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

1 Kings 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Other people can turn your heart away from God and you no longer have a perfect heart towards God.
2 Kings 20:3-5  I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.  And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,  Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
God does wonders for those whose heart is perfect toward Him.

It is a serious thing and a very dedicated thing to say your heart is perfect toward God.

1 Chronicles 28:9  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
If it is not, then instead of helping us, God casts us away forever.

You GIVE when your heart is perfect.

1 Chronicles 29:9  Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

2 Chronicles 25:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

You can even do what is right, but not with a perfect heart. You do not put yourself in the places and positions where sinful events and sights occur. God can forgive and give us a clean and perfect heart.
Psalm 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
We ought not simply ask forgiveness, but also ask for God to give us a clean and perfect heart. God has exceeding great power toward us.
Ephesians 1:18-19  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Ephesians 3:16-21  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

He is able to do all this. He has SEVEN EYES that look everywhere to be STRONG on our behalf when we are weak. Its HIS PERFECT SIGHT that sees so perfectly that He sees the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and HIS PERFECT POWER. For Jesus to say that, we know we have the CHOICE where our hearts will be!

Its not impossible for you to HAVE A PERFECT HEART.

You may not have perfect wisdom and perfect power, but you CAN HAVE a perfect heart!

Its all power for our sakes.

Its all wisdom for us!

Ephesians 1:7-8  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
The Book of Ephesians speaks of redemption in verse 7. Seven eyes are on that lamb. Ephesians 1:19 speaks of the "exceeding greatness of His power" to usward... or toward us... was exerted by God upon JESUS CHRIST.
Ephesians 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
All of His wisdom and power was made known with His work UPON CHRIST.

And it was all because of His love for US!

Matthew 28:18-19  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Why say He has all power and then tell disciples to baptize everyone in His name because of that? All the power of the FATHER was upon that SON. Jesus said that all power in heaven and earth is given to Him. He is strong on our behalf. He showed Himself strong on OUR BEHALF.

He paid the bill on our behalf.

But your heart is going to have to be perfect towards God.
Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
So perfect that when this verse tells you what you ought to do, you're not going to stop partway or halfway.

You're going ALL THE WAY!

After the lamb does the job FOR THE CHURCH, we read they worship like there's no tomorrow.

Your HEART must turn to the Lord FULLY.
Mark 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.