Dharius Daniels - Don't Blame the Devil

If I tell you not to dance on a glass coffee table, this is not control; it’s protective custody. You can’t keep dancing on a glass coffee table, get cut, and then blame the devil. See, in the Book of Judges, it’s called Judges because this was an ancient era where Israel had no king. It says that there was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Got me? So what began to happen is that there were certain commandments that God had given which they would not take seriously; they would disobey them. Now, here’s the issue with divine instruction and God’s divine interest. How many of you have ever heard someone say or read in the Bible that God is a jealous God? Wave at me if you’ve heard that. Okay, so there are different types of jealousy. There is a possessive jealousy, and then there is a protective jealousy. God is like, «I’m not jealous because I’m possessive; I’m God, whether you know it or not.» He says, «So my jealousy regarding you is not possessive; it’s not that I feel less about myself. It is protective because I know that the instruction I’m giving you regarding what you need to have allegiance to is what’s best for you. My instruction is for your protection, and when you don’t obey me, you make it harder for me to protect you.» Every parent should be saying amen right now because sometimes your children think you have nothing else to do but control their lives, like you don’t have bills, a job, and so much else going on that you just want to find out who they’re texting and what they are doing. You’re like, «I am not in your business just to be in your business. I’m in your business because you have blind spots, and the instruction I’m giving you is not me being possessive; it’s me being protective.» Because it’s hard for me to protect you if you don’t obey me. If I say don’t just drink something that’s in somebody’s cup, I’m not trying to be in control; this is protective custody. Do you know that the quality of your life is based on the quality of your decisions, and the quality of your decisions is based on the quality of information that you have? That means you need reliable sources of information, and the most reliable source of information in the world is the Bible. But you know what? Most people don’t understand that if you want to understand the Bible, God is enough, but Sunday is not! I want to help you understand; I want to help you interpret and apply it. I want to help you explain the Bible better. This is why I’m inviting you to be a part of my Tribe Called Bible. If I tell you not to dance on a glass coffee table, this is not control; it’s protective custody. But you can’t keep dancing on a glass coffee table, get cut, and then blame the devil. He’s saying that’s not the enemy; that’s the end of me. So God is like, «I’m telling you to forgive people, but I ain’t going to forget.» He’s like, «You’re dancing on a glass table! Love your enemies.» I’m not loving. Okay, you’re dancing on the glass table. «Don’t be unequally yoked.» I like who I like. Okay, you’re dancing on a glass table. And the problem is some of you have been dancing so long you haven’t fallen, and we don’t think falling is possible. But grace is not permission to continue; grace is an opportunity to get it right without consequence. So Israel’s in a season of judgment, and they don’t know it. They’re being oppressed by a group called the Philistines for 40 years. Now, I’m not trying to tie these two things together, but there’s a pattern I want you to see because there’s a judge named Gideon in the Book of Judges who led Israel out of Midianite oppression, and that was seven years. That’s in Judges 6. Right now, we’re in Judges 13, and they’ve been dealing with the Philistines for 40 years because God is like, «So seven wasn’t long enough for you.» Did you hear what I just said? So seven didn’t get the message across; for 40 years, they’re dealing with Philistine oppression. And the Bible says they start crying out to God in their pain; they need deliverance. They cry out to God for deliverance. They need deliverance, so they cry out to God for deliverance. They have a problem, so they talk to God about the problem. God answers their prayer, not by answering them directly; God answers their prayer by orchestrating a pregnancy. So they are asking for deliverance, and God impregnates a woman with a deliverer. Watch this: He doesn’t announce to Israel that their answer is in the womb of a woman. So for nine months, they suffer, not knowing deliverance is on the way. Did you hear what I just said? They have no idea! Watch this: Just because you talk to God about the problem doesn’t mean God talks to you about the answer. Sometimes God is not talking to you about the problem because He’s impregnating somebody with the answer. Are you hearing what I’m saying? And you just have to be willing to wait the nine months, and all of a sudden, without notice, your answer just shows up. I don’t know who this is for, but the next thing that’s about to hit your life is going to come without warning.