# How to be strong and get things accomplished

Key Passage: Daniel 11:32
Date: June 7, 2024

Turn your Bibles to Daniel chapter number 11, and I have just felt the Lord wanted us to focus on a little phrase. It’s such an encouragement to me, this little phrase.

And it’ll be a touch different than the usual. At the very beginning, we’ll read the text verse, pray. Then we’ll go back and get the context of this in the book of Daniel. Then we’ll jump over to Revelation. And just for a little bit, what I want to do, I’m just going to tell you up front: I’m going to show you two awful times—one in history, one to come. And yet in the midst of that, God’s still working. And I want to just try to encourage you, no matter what’s going on or will go on in our day and time. And by that, I’m not saying that all is doom and gloom. But I want to just reassure you that God’s going to be working until the last moment before He comes and even after He comes. We’ll see that tonight.

And I want you just kind of encourage you in that. Don’t, don’t worry that we’re just getting our minds so full of negativity that we’re getting defeated. I don’t want that to happen to us. Satan would love that to happen, and we don’t want to go there. So we’re going to talk about bad times. We’re going to talk about in the middle of those bad times, God working.

So you pray. I don’t know exactly how God wants it all, but I’m trying to figure it out. I hope I just encourage us through it. But Daniel chapter number 11, and one verse we’ll read at the beginning, verse number 32. Daniel 11:32. If you’re there, would you say amen? And a good deal, would you please stand out of respect to the word of God? Daniel 11 and verse number 32. We’ll read it. We’ll pray, we’ll go back and get the context a little bit here in this passage.

Daniel 11:32. The Bible says, “In such as do wickedly against the covenant, shall he corrupt by flatteries. But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.”

That little phrase was such a blessing to me. Would you just—would you read that phrase, starting with “But the people”? Would you read that phrase out of love with me? Here we go: “But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.”

Father, would You encourage us tonight? Lord, guide me, help me to write and divide Your word, Lord. Would You help us just for a moment to live in the context of these two different places in Scripture? And then, Lord, let us see how Your glorious light shines in the worst of times. And, Father, encourage us, help us to shine brightly until the day You take us home. Encourage Your people in that, for that, Lord. And we’ll be grateful for what You do. We’ll brag on You for it, Lord. And we ask for these things, Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray and believe. Amen.

The context here really is interesting. Daniel, the prophet, is prophesying about something that’s going to happen in his time, several hundred years ahead of him, but it’s already happened now. I’m just going to give a little history of it. Not all is covered in the Bible; some of it was just really history. You can study it out if you like to yourself, of course. But he’s speaking here of a man called Antiochus Epiphanes. He is a type of the coming Antichrist.

Now, in this portion of Scripture, Antiochus Epiphanes, he is from Syria, and he’s over in Egypt, south of Israel, and he’s basically working at taking Egypt. And he has met with a man called Ptolemy the Sixth. They’re maybe just making a little bit of lies and false talk. It’s almost like two politicians talking, but inside and down deep inside, they know what they’re trying to do, but they’re just giving this false rhetoric out in the open. That’s what he’s speaking of in verse number 27: “And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief. They shall speak lies at one table, but it shall not prosper, for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.”

That’s what it’s talking of. Now, Antiochus Epiphanes, in the back of his head, he knows he’s trying to take Egypt, but he knows it really doesn’t have the resources together at this point. He needs a little bit more finances. He needs to get his military in line. So he goes back to Syria, of course. On the way, he’s down south of Egypt, and he’s traveling through Israel, through Jerusalem. And he passes through Jerusalem and he gets some money from them. Of course, he’s much more powerful. Father Israel had denied Jehovah and disobeyed the prophets. They’ve just been very much judged during this time for that. And so he could just very easily go over and just kind of like a big bully, say, “Give me some money,” and so on. And he did that on his way back to Syria to gain some finances in his military. That’s what he’s speaking of in verse number 28: “Then shall he return into his land with great riches, and his heart shall be against the Holy Covenant, and he shall do exploits in return to his own land.” That’s Syria. And on his way back, he takes some money from Jerusalem, from Israel, from God’s people.

Now, while he’s gone to Syria, Ptolemy the Sixth says, “I know this guy’s coming back, and he’s going to try to take Egypt.” And so he goes to Rome. You see, his dad had made a league with Rome; they were allies a little bit. And he says, “Look, my dad had a league with you, a treaty with you. And now Syria is coming against us, and are you going to protect us or not?” And actually, Rome backs their treaty. And I see, yes, will. In fact, Rome sent a senator there, Popilius. And so when he comes back from Syria, Antiochus Epiphanes down to Egypt to take Egypt, Popilius is waiting there, the senator.

Now, imagine this. He’s not a military man; he’s a senator. He’s not got his military there with him for the most part, just a small band, they say, of folks with him. But he’s got Rome backing him. He’s got muscle behind him; he’s got power behind him. And so Antiochus comes, and he’s a little surprised Popilius is there. Let’s read a little bit about that, just kind of what goes on, verse number 29: “At the time appointed, he shall return and come toward the south, but it shall not be as the former or as the latter, for the ships of Chittim shall come against him.” Most say those ships of Chittim is kind of like Rome’s navy.

And history tells this story. Popilius, the senator, is there waiting, and Antiochus is there to take Egypt. He’s got his military power; they’re ready to go. And he sees this senator. Popilius is known as being a large man. He’s not a military man; he’s been eating too many brownies, you know, and he’s known for that. But he’s there with his robe on like a lot of Roman senators would do, with his little wand there, if you will. And this military man comes up, and Popilius stops him. “Now, look, I want you to know that we have a treaty with Egypt. And you better think twice about coming in here and trying to take Egypt because you mess with Egypt, you’re messing with Rome.”

And Antiochus wasn’t very happy about the situation for sure. In fact, they say Antiochus says, “Well, better think this thing over.” In fact, they say Antiochus says, “Give me two days to think this thing over, talk to my leaders, and I’ll give you the answer.” Well, Popilius, they say, he said, “Uh-uh, we’re not waiting for a couple days.” In fact, they say this is where “draw a line in the sand” came from here at this story. And Popilius, that Roman senator, he had his little wand, if you will, there. And they say he took that and he drew a circle around Antiochus. And he drew it all the way around, and he said, “Look, fella, if you don’t give me an answer before you step outside of that line, that circle right there, we’re going to take it. When you step outside, you’re declaring war on Rome.”

Well, Antiochus didn’t want to tangle with Rome. And can you imagine Antiochus, this military man, he’s got his military there with him, and he’s ready to go to battle. And now this little chubby fella hadn’t fought a day in his life and has got Rome back in him, is drawing a line around him, and he knows he’s whipped. And so he is enraged. He is humiliated in front of his whole military. He’s just like on a rage of fury, and he knows he doesn’t want to stand there. He doesn’t want to get on the back side of Rome, and so he’s humiliated, and he backs down and he’s just furious about it. And now he turns to leave and go back up to Syria. Now remember, he’s going to go through Israel; he’s going to go back through Jerusalem. You have to hear of somebody maybe a fellow having a bad day at work, and so he comes home and he kicks the cat on his way home. That’s exactly what Antiochus Epiphanes is about to do here.

And let’s just read a little bit what all Antiochus Epiphanes does as it comes back through Jerusalem. We left off there a little bit in verse number 30 about midway: “Therefore, he shall be grieved and return and have indignation against the Holy Covenant; so shall he do. He shall even return and have intelligence with them that forsake the Holy Covenant.” He meets with those, maybe those backsliding Jewish people, those that know the Jewish religion, and they’re intelligent about that, but they’ve forsaken Jehovah God, and he finds out how he can just do all the destruction and humiliation against God’s people he can do. And he does several things here, just in a rage. Verse number 31: “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place an abomination that makes desolate.”

“And such as do wickedly against the covenant, shall he corrupt by flatteries.” Now, let me tell you some things you’re speaking of here in Scripture. History tells us these things. He comes in, and first of all, he says, “Look, you Jewish people, we’re going to change the name of your God to Zeus Olympias. You’re no longer to say Jehovah God; you call him Zeus Olympius.” Then he orders the Jewish people, “Look, instead of you offering up sheep, you’re going to offer up swine.” We’re changing up. Boy, of course, you know the Jewish people; they’re not supposed to mess with swine, eat it and mess with all that. By the way, that’s one of the reasons maybe why Jesus cast those demons into the swine there in Gennesaret. But can you imagine these Jewish people now having to offer up sacrifice with swine? He stopped the Sabbath. He stopped the feast days. He stopped circumcisions. He goes to the temple; he takes their money. And then he leaves troops in Jerusalem just to humiliate them for a couple of years and to make sure they’re following the rules he sets. And probably the worst thing, the most known thing—there’s just history here—but the most known thing is when he goes into the temple and he commits what the Bible speaks of, the abomination of desolation.

Now, there’ll be a future one that the Antichrist does, Jesus Christ speaks of in the future that’s going to happen one day, but this is a type of that. This is a forerunner of that. And Antiochus goes to the temple—some say the brazen altar, some say the most holy place, the heart—and he takes a pig, and he kills a pig, and the blood and the guts, and he just throws it all over the altar, and he commits the abomination of the desolation. Can you imagine how God’s people felt, how violated, how awful it was, how just under oppression they were, how defeated they must have felt? That’s the context of the Scripture we read. That’s what’s going on in history. It’s an awful time for Israel. By the way, God knows when Israel turns their back on Him. By the way, recently, I think they have a little bit. God knows all that. And by the way, tribulation period, they’ll have a revival. They’ll pay an awful cost leading up to that. But that’s what’s going on, just an awful time for God’s people. That’s when we read that phrase we just read.

Would you look at it again there, midway? Verse number 32: “But the people that do know their God.” Awful time, wicked time, time of oppression, time of just violating the things of God, but “the people that do know their God.” It’s amazing. “Shall”—that’s a promise from God—“shall”—that’s a promise from God—“be strong.” In the worst of times, and the awful times, the bad times, and the dark times, the people that do know their God shall be strong, “and do exploits.” That do exploits. It means they accomplish things. They’re able to accomplish what they’re after. Friend, I’m saying in the worst of times, history, we look back at this and the promise, the time of the Maccabees, many of them would call it, and the family that God raises up, and the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits in the worst of times.

Now look over in Revelation chapter number seven. Revelation chapter number seven, if you would please, and we’re just—we’re leaving. We’re going to look at another bad time and see what God does in the midst of this bad time. Revelation chapter number seven. And if you have some type of a study Bible where it separates paragraphs, it gives headers above the paragraphs, you can kind of read down through these headers as I just briefly talk about it for a moment here. Revelation—I’m sorry—we’ll start in verse number six, not reading, but just the headers. Revelation 6, verse number one, verse number two is the first seal: that’s the Antichrist. He comes on a white horse; he’s trying to mimic Jesus Christ, the Antichrist. We think, “Well, what are we going to do if we get a bad president?” Friend, bad presidents, you haven’t seen bad until you see the one-world leader, the Antichrist. His number is 666, a number of sin, the man of perdition, and it’s three times; it just personifies the most sinful, wicked man there ever has been. He smiles while he’s slitting someone’s throat. You talk about oppression; this old world knows nothing of oppression compared to what it would be like under the one-world leader of the Antichrist. An awful, awful time. Us Americans, and I too, I don’t want a wicked president. I’m praying God’s still working; haven’t given up on that thing yet. But, friend, you talk about magnified about a hundred times will be the Antichrist over the world, by the way, the whole world he’s a leader of.

Verse number three through verse number four is the second seal. These are judgments, the beginning of the tribulation period when peace is taken from the earth. I just a small taste of it. Recently we had the riots going on across America and fighting in our streets and buildings being burnt down, and that’s just a small little taste. It’ll be magnified so much more when God says it’s going to take peace off the earth. Families fighting with one another, killing each other, the streets just mobbing and fighting and looting and burning—so much more than was just an awful time when peace is taken from the earth. Can you imagine when God Almighty says, “I’m going to take peace from the earth”? You rejected the Prince of Peace; you’re living in the tribulation period, and so I’m going to take peace off the earth for a while there. Awful, awful time.

In verse number five, verse number six, the third seal: famine. The Bible there speaks about working for a penny. A lot of times the Bible, that’s a day’s wage. And I’m just a little bit making it approximately a bit, but they’ll work all day for a loaf of bread. Can you imagine you work all day and you say, “Man, I’m getting a little bread, little wheat here, maybe enough wheat to make some rolls or some bread,” and maybe you can take it home and give it to your family of pieces? Take it off, maybe just get it all yourself? Famine in the world, and people are just killing for food. Everybody’s doing anything they can for food. Well, I got millions in the bank. We don’t want millions; we want a little food. Your money’s no good; we need food. That’s what it would be like in that day and time. Awful time, these judgments God’s pouring out in the tribulation period on earth.

Look down, verse number seven through verse number eight, the fourth seal: death. One quarter of the world is dead. Death reigns. They’ll be killed by the sword. That sword could mean a gun; it could be, you know, it could be a sledgehammer, but a sword. And some will be killed by hunger. Maybe they finally worked today and got some food, and somebody stole it from them, killed them in the process. Hunger, sickness. The Bible talks about beasts of the earth, and just even the animals are acting crazy. Dogs may be running around in groups killing people. And I don’t know what all that means, a beast of the earth. Maybe the zoo; they get out of the earth. But it’s just an awful time. People killed by beasts of the earth. Just an awful time. A quarter of the world is killed or dead during that time. Folks, that’s about 2 billion people. Two billion. Can you imagine funeral homes? I imagine at that point, everybody says, “Forget having a funeral; we don’t have the money. We’re just trying to feed ourselves and survive.” I imagine dead bodies all over the world. Two billion people—can you imagine? Not to be two billion. Awful, awful time.

The fifth seal there in Revelation chapter number seven, verse number nine to verse number 11, and the Christians—those that are true Christians—they’ll be martyred, and they’ll be tracking them. I imagine they’ll be looking for them, those that didn’t receive the mark and so on, and they’ll be finding them out and they’ll be killing them. From other places in the Bible, Revelation, they’ll be cutting their heads off, I believe, is a major way. They’ll be killing Christians. We’ve seen several years ago even videos in Muslim countries where they’ve chopped the heads of Christians off and they put it on the internet. And that’ll be going on around the world, Christians being killed all over the place, martyred for the name of Jesus Christ. I’m just talking about an awful time. The tribulation period. The Bible says nobody’s ever seen anything like this. The Bible says it’s just an awful worse than I can describe it to you.

The sixth seal there in verse number 12 on down through the end of the chapter there—some will kind of top it, put a topic a little different than others—but a great earthquake happens during that time. I mean, just around the world, a great earthquake. The sun becomes black. Maybe our atmosphere is so polluted during that time, but the different natural disasters: the sun becomes black, the moon becomes as blood. Can you imagine the coldness and the darkness? The peace is lifted, people are killing, people are starving, and the beasts are killing people, and then the sun becomes black and the moon turned to blood—just an awful time. And just beyond my imagination, the Bible talks about the stars of heaven falling, probably asteroids. And we just had an asteroid, they say, that was bigger than the Empire State Building, I believe it was, or one of these big buildings, just passed by during Christmas time the earth. And asteroids are hitting the earth, probably what it is. The Bible talks about stars falling during that time. It gets to the point where even kings and rich people, they want to die. They say, “We want the mountains to fall on us,” in such a bad, awful, just tragic time. We don’t want to live anymore. It’s amazing they don’t turn to God and beg for mercy, but they just let the mountains fall on us. That’s what’s going on. That’s the context of this.

And right in the middle of this is chapter number seven. And it’s amazing. My Bible says parenthetically, if I can get it out right, “The saved of the tribulation period.” It names the 144,000 Jewish people that God uses as evangelists. And then would you look down in verse number nine? Would you look down in verse number nine? Let’s just read a little bit here and let’s find out what is going on in the midst of this awful, tragic time on the earth, your tribulation period. Verse number nine: “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne.” I mean, so all around the world this is going on during the worst time, and you can’t imagine how bad it is. In the midst of this, all over the world this is going on, stood before the throne before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God which sat upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” And all the angels stood round about the throne and about the elders and four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God, saying, “Amen. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.” One of the elders answered, saying unto me, “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?” And I said unto him, “Sir, thou knowest.” And he said to me, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Here’s what I’m getting at, folks. In the midst of this, this most tragic time in all the world, all around the world, people are getting saved. Now, those are people that have not heard a clear presentation of the gospel according to 2 Thessalonians chapter number two, but friend, in the midst of the Antichrist’s oppression, and he has military power on the world, in the midst of famine, in the midst of peace being lifted from the earth, in the midst of the beasts killing people, in the midst of all these natural disasters, people are getting saved out of every people, out of every tongue, out of every nation. People are getting saved around the world. Now, I’m saying if we find the worst of times, the people that have God’s—oh, they’re walking with God, they know God, they’re still doing things for God. The two witnesses and then the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, and God is moving even during the tribulation period.

Now, so I just say, hey, I don’t know what 2021 will offer. I’m not trying to be gloom and doom, but I’m saying, friend, it doesn’t matter. God’s still going to be working in our day and time. It doesn’t matter what happens with the election. It doesn’t matter what happens in China. It doesn’t matter what happens with COVID. God’s still going to be working. Somebody’s still going to be walking down the aisle getting saved. Somebody’s still going to be praying and getting their prayers answered. Somebody’s still going to be claiming the promises of God. God’s still going to be working in the worst of times. What a promise: “The people that do know their God.” Wow, they’ll be strong and do exploits in the worst of times. I’m talking about just this—we’ve never seen anything so bad—but the people that do know their God.

Can I ask you tonight, do you know your God? It starts with salvation. Before that, you know about God, but you don’t know God. If God Almighty turned His back on His only begotten Son when He had our sins on Him on the cross of Calvary, friend, you’ll not know God if you’re paying for your own sins. Only when you allow the blood of Jesus Christ to pay your sin debt and you’re washed in the blood of the Lamb and you wear that white robe before God Almighty—that’s when you begin. That’s when you know God. But then after that, do you know God? Do you walk with Him? Many of you reading through your Bible, and you began over in Genesis, and praise the Lord for wherever you had in it and whatever you’re doing it. But I read recently—probably many of you have—“Enoch walked with God.” Walking with God. Can you truly sing, “And He walks with me and He talks with me”? Do you know your God?

The people—but the people, an awful time—but the people that do know their God, be strong, do exploits. Are you in the book? You don’t have to be a Bible scholar. The honest truth is, none of us got it all figured out. There’s times I go to the Bible and I feel like a preschooler; it’s just an infinite book. Somebody acts like they got it all together; pretty much write them off. They don’t, friend. It’s God’s book. God in His mercy, He said, “Let me show you something from my wonderful book. Let me do something in your heart through my wonderful book.” But are you in it? Are you loving it? Are you reading it? You’re trying—I don’t—I’m not very good at memory—are you at least trying to get a phrase out of the Bible? Are you just, “Lord, I’m listening for Your word”? Do you know your God? When’s the last time you’re in your prayer closet, man, you just lost track of time? Man, I was enjoying spending time with God. Whoa, didn’t know how late it was. Man, I better get going. When’s the last time?

The people that do know their God. Life gets just so busy, and we get so burdened now with schedules and issues and problems, but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. Friend, can I say this? There’s strength in knowing God. Strength there. It doesn’t matter how dark it is. Doesn’t matter where you live. You can live in Communist China, being imprisoned locked up for Jesus Christ’s name’s sake. But even in that prison, the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. That’s why many times, that’s why they’ll lead those guards to the Lord Jesus Christ many times. Look at Brother Bush. He’s been reading Brother Richard Wurmbrand, and it’s amazing how many times he’ll lead guards to the Lord in prison being tortured for Christ.

I love this verse. It’s Psalms 29:11. Psalm 29:11, great verse. Maybe you don’t look it up if you would. It’s just a good verse. You might want to mark it or underscore or memorize it. Great verse. Psalm 29, verse number 11. Are you there? Amen? This verse is a great one. “The Lord”—that’s capital, that’s Jehovah—“the Lord will give strength unto his people. The Lord will bless his people with peace.” Amen.

All, friend, the people that do know their God—do you know Him? Do you spend time with Him? Do you say, “Lord, I need to be closer to You. I want to know You”? Do you wake up and say, “Lord, I’d like to be close to You, walk with You today”? Make it in the middle of the night; maybe prayed with Him a little bit. The thing that will drain you from your strength is not necessarily circumstances and things around you. It’s you not walking and knowing God. Because God’s an unlimited source of strength. Now, I can allow, and I have, unfortunately, circumstances and things that draw me away from knowing God, and then I lose my strength, but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. Strength in knowing God. Power there. Can I say, don’t let this world intimidate you? Just walk with God. He, friend, He’s got it all under control. There’ll be higher than they. His walk with God.

I meant to bring my cell phone. My cell phone, I got it used, and it’s got a battery pack; it’s like a case. And I don’t like it sometimes because it makes my cell phone fat and thick, you know. I know I’m old school, but I’ll wear one of those cases. I feel like you got a .44 Magnum on your side there, you know. That’d be all right sometimes, you know. But here’s the thing with that battery pack that’s kind of built in there. And I’m getting to where I like it. For a while, I’m going to take it off and just use my phone; it’s a lot smaller, you know, but I needed a charge a lot of times towards the end of the day. Now, here’s the thing with that battery pack: if my phone gets a little bit low, there’s a button on the back of it, and you just hold it in there for about three seconds, and you’ll hear a little ding, and it’ll charge that phone back up. And that battery pack’s got about three charges in it. I’ve never run out because I just get a little bit low; I just push that button, and wherever I’m at, boom, it’s charging. And you’ve got God wherever you’re at. Wherever you go, you can get close to God, draw on God.

“The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.” That do exploits—that accomplish things. I think is maybe the best way I can describe it. You know, the big things in life God accomplishes those. What’s this whole world after? Love, joy, peace. God brings those things. You can’t go out and earn and get those things; God gives those things. Explore this whole world, and you can’t necessarily even obtain a good marriage. God gives a good marriage. God does that. “Except the Lord build a house,” say labor in vain. If you’re going to have a good marriage, it’s not even necessarily the husband or the wife; it’s God that does that. Now, that husband and wife, they’ll submit to the rules and guidelines God gives for a good marriage, but God gives a good marriage. The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. God works. God gives them a sweet marriage. God gives them love and joy and happiness in the home. You know, if our kids turn out right, and God does that. God works in the heart of the young person. Yes, we obey the things God’s given us. We try to chain up that—train up that child the way they should go, and we bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But, friend, ultimately the end is, God works in their heart. They do exploits. They have things accomplished. God does the big things in life.

Eternal things: people getting saved, lives getting changed, and God does those things. I can’t lead anybody to the Lord. I can try to cast a net, cast a fish, and pull out there, but God, He’s the one that draws people to salvation. He’s the one that saves souls. But the people that do know their God, they’re the ones they do exploits; they get things accomplished. I get called up so much about me getting things done. It’s pretty puny what Paul can do, but God, man, you’re told about getting things done. Yeah. The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. You know what it comes from? Doesn’t come from the south, east, or west; it comes from above—God.

Hey, can I just encourage you that? Hey, let’s know our God. Let’s determine in 2021, “I’m going to be after God. I’m going to be doing my best to walk with Him. I’m going to be seeking after Him. I’m going to be in the Word. I’m going to be praying.” Can I say this? Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody can take away from you knowing God. They can put you in prison. They can put you in the hospital. You can be somewhere in COVID bowed up. Nobody can be around you; you’re here in quarantine. But they cannot stop you from knowing God. “The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.”

Friend, we looked at some of the worst this old world is going to offer. And yet in the midst of the worst times, if you look, God’s still working. I don’t know when the Lord will come back. It may be 5, 10, 20; it may be years, 150. We don’t know. Nobody knows the day or the hour. But, friend, up into the very last second, God’s going to be working. People are going to be getting saved. Lives getting changed. God answering prayer. God’s people, by knowing, being strong, and doing exploits.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Would you just determine, “I’m going to know God”? He wants to be known, by the way. He can be known through Jesus. Would you just determine, “I’m going to be after God this year”? I’m going to be seeking Him. Strength there. Do exploits there. Preacher, God spoke to me. I’m going to be seeking after God in 2021. I’m going to be after Him. I’m going to try to know God. If that’s you tonight, you slip in it in, preacher, “I’m going to be after Him this year.” God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. He loves that. He loves that. God bless. Wonderful. Maybe somebody else would just need to determine tonight, “I’m going to be after God.” Anybody else? God bless you. God bless you. Oh, there’s everything there with Him: healing, encouragement, strength, things to accomplish. God—God does all those things. God bless you.

Would you come as we sing? Would you come? Just be obedient to the Lord. Maybe there’s something, maybe there’s something that’s keeping you from knowing God. It’s just a sin we’re not willing to let go of. Can I say it’s not worth it? Where are you going to get strength out? Is knowing God. Where are you going to, and how are you going to get things accomplished? This God—the big things God does those. Would you just tonight say, “I’m going to let go”? Maybe it’s bitterness. Maybe it’s just sin. It would just be something I’m not willing to say, “Lord, I want to give it up. Help me to give it up. I don’t want it anymore. I want to know You.” Would you let Him know that? Would you let Him know that? We’ll sing another verse.

Amen, amen. Hey, let’s just think about that. “The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.” Let’s just kind of claim that, and let’s be seeking after God. And I’m excited about His strength and Him accomplishing things in 2021. I’m excited looking forward to it. And He’s going to be working, and I’m excited He lets us have a little part of it of what He’s doing. And it’s exciting to see Him work. So glad you’re here tonight. Every person, praise the Lord in the house. Lord, don’t forget, let’s work. Let’s work for next Sunday in Sunday school, getting people out. If you haven’t signed up for the Vision Maker, please do so. Teachers will see you Wednesday at 6:30. And glad you’re in the house of the Lord on a Sunday night. Glad to have you here, and praise the Lord for that.

Original File: How to be strong and get things accomplished - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday PM 1321