Everything changed when Jesus arrived. It was supposed to. History, governments, races, and religions were converging to this climax. The message changed with Jesus. A new day was dawning. John the Baptist was set apart to give fair warning to the long-awaited Messiah, who was about to burst upon the scene.
“The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
I want to talk to you about “soul sickness.” This is caused by a flood of troubles coming upon you. King David cried, “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying” (Psalm 69:1-3, NKJV).
Troubles came at David so powerfully that he thought he would collapse. He prayed, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body!” (Psalm 31:9).
