Here on the streets of New York City, you can buy a Rolex watch for fifteen dollars. A salesman yells, "Get your Rolex here," and he flashes a shiny timepiece with the word "Rolex" on its face. As you examine the watch, everything about it looks like a Rolex. But, as every New Yorker knows, these watches aren't truly Rolexes. They're simply "knockoffs" - cheap copies of the original.
Incapacitated - what a frightening word! It means "deprived of capacity or power to perform; rendered unfit, useless; disqualified."
According to God's word, sin is the great incapacitator. It affects ministers and laymen alike - robbing them of all power and usefulness, leaving them dry and empty, and removing all ability to fulfill the eternal purposes of Christ.
There is only one kind of righteousness that God accepts — and that is perfect righteousness! Nothing else will stand in His presence on Judgment Day. Unless our righteousness is absolutely perfect, He cannot save us, justify us, recognize or accept us.
Yet, is there anyone brazen enough to think he can stand before the throne of Jesus Christ and present something of his own doing — good works, good behavior, all the dos and don'ts he observed — and call it perfect righteousness? No — never! Such a man will find himself on that day wearing filthy rags!
I want to tell you about an anointed servant of God who hated sin as few people ever have. His hatred for evil was so passionate, so intense he was ready to kill all transgressors.
I am speaking of Saul, the first king of Israel! No person in the Old Testament expressed a greater hatred for sin than did Saul.
The title of this message is no joke — I'm not being facetious. I believe the Bible speaks very clearly on this subject of demons: They can't swim — because they hate water!
The Hebrew word for "awful" means dreadful, fearsome, great— awesome! We normally give this word a negative connotation, but that is not at all the biblical meaning.
In the Old Testament, Jacob was touched by a holy dread. During his journey to Haran he lay down and slept, and in the middle of the night he awoke and saw a ladder of angels reaching into heaven. At the top of the ladder the Lord appeared, and He revealed Himself to Jacob, declaring, "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac" (Genesis 28:13).
"Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death.
It is time to weep and lament for the shepherds who are tending the Lord's sheep. Weep for the pastors, the evangelists, the prophets and teachers — because God is about to send fearful judgments upon those who have become evil, sensuous and blind. The godly shepherds are themselves weeping between the porch and the altar over the condition of the church, but the corrupted ones who are self-centered will be dealt with by the Lord Himself.
Let me tell you how this prophecy came about. Gwen and I had just returned to our motel in Sacramento, California, after a crusade meeting. I turned on the TV, scanning the dial to find a news program. One of the channels was playing a video musical of a famous — young rock singer. It was so diabolical I could not turn it off — Iwas too stunned by what I saw.
"And the angel cried mightily with a strong voice, saying Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird…" (Rev. 18:2).
