Isaiah Chapter 59 Verses 13 – 14

· This is an interesting (what I’ll call) uncovering of what sin really is, and what sin really does. I’m not just talking about sin as in stealing someone’s car or killing someone or cheating on your spouse. We hear those things and someone says, “Well, I don’t do those things so I’m not as bad as this other guy…” Listen, that is nothing but hard-heartedness, and according to these verses, that’s also hard-headedness…

· We should be 0.00001% concerned with the sin of others in comparison to how we are aware of, concerned with, and dealing with our own sin. Which is worse? The sin of a serial killer or your sinful critical nature? When it comes to that which concerns you, most definitely your “lesser” sin is FAR worse…

· And these verses pull back the curtain and they show us what our sin, (not anyone else’s), what our sin really is and what it really does. Verse 13 says that sin is a “deportation from our God.” It is quite literally a “revolt,” and as I am employed, deployed, designed and even equipped to introduce the truth of God and the grace of God and the love of God and the character of God, it says there that when I don’t address my sin and GOD FORBID someone else has to do it for me, when I am stiff arming the Holy Spirit and worshipping my emotions or pride or my perspective point that I’m grinding until the other person cries mercy, verse 13 says that I am employing and deploying falsehood. This is what sin really is…

· And verse 14 gives us a glimpse of what it does… This is the last thing I want in my life, for justice to turn back and for righteousness to be unwelcomed and delayed. Think of it, that circumstance, that relational disagreement, “If he would just understand what I’m saying, if she would just get my perspective,” and we depart love and service and submission in order to press our point… You already feel as if the entire matter is unfair AND by walking in the flesh, you are assuring it stays that way. Justice turns back…

· And righteousness, for things to be right, to return to right, to get to right, by departing from the will and ways of God, what sin does is essentially kicks righteousness out! Here’s the impossible truth, impossible without full surrender and trust in and of the Holy Spirit…, Romans 12:21, here’s how to overcome the wrong of them and it all, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

· Ready for this. If you ever want him to love you the way you need him to, respect him right where he’s at. Like forever. Seventy times seven length of respect…, and God will be glorified and that is the only thing that will change him. If you ever want her to admire and adore you the way you need her to, then love her right where she’s at. Like forever. Seventy times seven length of love…, and God will be glorified and that is the only thing that will change her.

· Manipulation, retaliation, retribution and incessant instruction, education, debating, arguing, that will never lead to meaningful change because none of that is of the Lord. Read these two verses again in Isaiah! And yet, every married couple having problems, everyone of them, is because one or both of them won’t do Romans 12:21…, and I get it. It’s impossibly hard…

· And because of that, truth falls in a home and equity cannot enter. Irreconcilable differences. Newsflash, every heavenly God-filled and God-blessed marriage has irreconcilable differences. AND, they have a wife, or a husband or in the best scenario both that seek to not depart God, not revolt against the King of kings, they welcome justice for each other and righteousness is not lost in their home. Truth doesn’t fall, it saves and blesses them and equity, ungraspable equity which looks like peace…, it’s there. (A great marriage is a contest of consideration!)

· And the next verse gives us timing…, check this out!

Isaiah Chapter 59 Verse 15a

· I’ve walked in this manner for so long that even an effort to depart from it results in getting eaten alive. Why? Because he doesn’t trust me, she doesn’t trust me… I’ll change my behavior and things will change now… No, they won’t. You’ll feel like the fish being shot in a barrel for a very long time until the result of a real change is accepted by someone you’ve hurt for so long… And, it’s worth it. It’s hard. The earlier you turn yourself over to Jesus, the better…

· This is God talking about His own marriage in a way. His wife being Israel, even the world as His estranged bride, and as the Husband, the Priest of His own home, let’s look at how God fixed things…

Isaiah Chapter 59 Verses 15b – 17

· It’s worth noting that as God looks at what sin is doing to me, how it rips me off and limits me and restrains me, and it displeases Him. Not in some sort of religious way but in a Fatherly way…

· I love this. This is great integrity, great leadership, great love, great grace, just great across the board. No one will do what is right, so God did what was right. This is not only the primary role and calling of all Christians, but this is also the reason God has sent His Holy Spirit to the World! This is how things get fixed. Perhaps not in the way you originally wanted. God here wondered that there was no intercessor… But nevertheless, this fixes things…

· Familiar wording too right. God does first and shows us exactly what Paul says in Ephesians 6. And now we get this new way of looking at the Armor of God. When you are determined to walk by faith, stay in the truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the spirit…, leading everything in prayer…, its then that you are putting on the garments of vengeance, vengeance against all that the enemy is doing, done and trying to do…, and the zeal of the Lord covers you as a cloak.

· And now, Paul says for us to stand…, stand? I want to fight? No. The battle is not yours (2 Chronicles 20:15) it’s the Lord’s! That’s the main issue! We fight the battle and we lose! Or we get so beat up! When the Bible never says that! Jesus told Peter to sheathe his sword! We do things as God has instructed, as He has led, and He takes responsibility! Look…

Isaiah Chapter 59 Verses 18 – 20

· God does all the battling in these verses! And when the enemy comes like a flood, God raises a standard… Do you know what that means? Nice try, not good enough… When the enemy floods my life like a flood, I drown! If God doesn’t fight your battle, then you lose and it’s as simple as that! The sooner you get that the sooner you begin to grasp advantage and ultimately success!

· And the chapter ends with this amazing promise if we can receive what we’ve read…

Isaiah Chapter 59 Verse 21

· Practically played out, that means once you get this, you get it… And you stop being a problem to your spouse, to your boss, to you parents, to your pastor, HA! To the Lord…, to the kingdom…, and you step into Christ! Why? Psalm 34…

· Read it! Taste and see that the Lord is good! He is solid ground! He is faithful to His Word… And a life that says YES to God says YES to freedom, deliverance, abundance, peace, redemption and truly ultimately…, success!