"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Plan to Build
ELCOG 8/19/07
Text: 1 Kings 5:3-5 (5)
Tonight I want to encourage you to plan to build. We find in our text that the transition of king has taken place from David to Solomon. David while on his death bed gave Solomon final instructions to be King. He told him to take courage and be a man. He also told Solomon to observe the requirements of God and to follow his ways. David said that if Solomon did this he would be successful everywhere he went and that God would fulfill His promise to be with him and his people. In chapter three God ask Solomon had won the favor of God because he was so obedient to God and to his laws, so God ask him what he wanted. To this question he simply replied, "I need help leading your people. Please give me understanding of how to govern your people." God was so excited that Solomon had asked for wisdom instead of gold, riches, or victories over his enemies that he promised to not only give him wisdom, but also the things he had not asked for. Because Solomon did not pray a selfish prayer he got more than he bargained for.
Peace begins to follow the new king. As a matter of fact there is peace on every side of Solomon’s kingdom. It is a time of peace and prosperity. Now that takes us up to chapter five where Solomon began to be concerned that there was not a house or a temple for God. He was concerned that the he had a place to dwell, but God’s house was a tent. So Solomon began making plans to build a temple.
At the beginning of chapter 5 King Hiram, a friend of King David, sent ambassadors to congratulate the new king. Solomon sent a letter back to the king with an important message. Let’s look at a couple of parts of this message.
Verse 3: David was not able to build a Temple to honor the Lord because of the war that he was involved in. David had a great desire and burden to build a temple. As a matter of fact, it was one of his main desires, but God had already told David that he would not be the one to build it, but God would allow one of his sons to complete the dream.
I find it very interesting that David could not build because of the ward he was involved in. This was a king after God’s own heart, but it was also a time of unrest in the kingdom so David was always fighting a battle.
**That sounds like some of us. We have a desire to build a temple and a sanctuary for God, but we are in a place of unrest. The kingdom is a under attacked right now. We have enemies trying to take over our homes, our minds, and our families. We can’t seem to stop and build because we are always on the battlefield. David was a great warrior and that was a part of his destiny as king, but it also hindered him in his desire to build a temple for God.
Now in our lives we need to understand that our personal battles will interfere with what we are trying to do for God. Some of you get so frustrated because you have built a temple yet, but look at the battles you are facing. Right now you are dressed in the warrior’s attire. You are suited with the armour, its not yet time to build, right now its time to fight. Stop worrying at this stage of your life about what you think you can’t do and fight the battles that are in front of you.
Solomon wrote in his letter that David could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. That is some powerful word. You can not build in your life until the Lord gives you victory! You have the desire, but wait on God to give you the victory.
1 John 5:4
4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1 John 5:5
5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 Cor. 15:57
57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is your victory. You may have battles all around you, but you have Jesus on the inside of you. Lift up your head your redemption draweth nigh. It might look like you are out numbered, but who can be against me when God is for me?
Let me remind you of this important fact:
2 Chr. 20:15
15And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
2 Chr. 20:16
16To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
2 Chr. 20:17
17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
I know I have some battles and I am aware that I can not build this temple for God until I have victory, but I also know that I got a plan to build, because I know that God is going to give me victory. I see the enemy. I see his power and his strength, but greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. I have a plan to build.
Solomon says in verse 4… God has given me peace on every side, so I am planning on building a temple.
I know the peace speaker. I know the storm calmer. I serve the one who is able to silence the enemy and kill giant. I am a child of the living God and I may be in the middle of a battle, but victory belongs to me. I got a plan to build.
In verse 5: Solomon says, "I am planning to build a temple to honor the name of the Lord my God". I don’t need the credit. I building so that God will be honored. I am building so that God will be praised.
** I have been through the discouragement of battle and I have moved into the stage of peace, but now its time to build.
I want to point out a couple of important things before I close tonight. These are things that (if you are not aware of) the devil will use to discourage you.
Over in chapter 6 you will notice that during the construction of the temple there was no noise of hammers, ax, or any other iron tool.
1 Kin. 6:7
7And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
Sometimes if we don’t hear the thunder and see the lightening we become discouraged because we think that God is not working. But that is not the truth.
1 Kin. 19:11
11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1 Kin. 19:12
12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
We are living in an age that we are always focused on the great wind or the earthquake or the fire, but we ignore the still small voice. God is trying to speak to you. He is helping you. Don’t be discouraged because you don’t hear the builders building, They are preparing this blessing for you so that you are not disturbed, but they are going to bring in your blessing already made to be put together. Just hold and plan to build. God is going to accept your praise and he is going to be with you.
In closing, after you win the battle and build a temple there is a couple more important things.
In Chapter 8:6-10 - The temple is complete the walls are gold; the floors are gold everything is ready…..accept for the most important thing. The presence of God has not arrived. I want to encourage you tonight not to forget why you are working and why you are serving. It’s all to usher in the presence of God. Remember that where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
1 Kin. 8:10
10And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
1 Kin. 8:11
11So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
Wouldn’t you love for God’s presence to fill this place to where we have to stop whatever we are doing? We need his presence to fill the temple, but we must first fight our battles, live in peace, and build a temple.
Listen to the words of King Solomon:
1 Kin. 8:20
20And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
1 Kin. 8:21
21And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
1 Kin. 8:22
22And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
1 Kin. 8:23
23And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
1 Kin. 8:24
24Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
God will keep his promise to you too. Plan to build.
What stage of life are you in?
1. The warrior stage?
2. The peace stage?
3. The Building stage?
4. The dedication stage?
If you are in the warrior stage, then fight. The peace stage - then plan. The building stage - then build. The dedication stage - then worship.