No Enemy, No Table: Five Tables God Prepares for Every Challenge

Sermon outline

Every challenge arrives with a table: since Jesus came, David's one table has become many, and God invites you to come and dine on forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, joy, prosperity and resurrection life.

1. Read it with passion: God never said you would have no enemies

   He stops the church mid-reading to teach that the Word read in a monotone, in an uninterested way, will not work for you. David was powerful because he knew God was with him whatever came. God has not promised a life without enemies, and the challenges actually increase when you serve the Lord, because you have defected from the devil's camp and are pulling people out of darkness. When people rise up against you at work it is not about you but about whom you are serving.

   Illustration: You used to dance at the devil's party and now you have defected, so when he looks at you in the morning he sees a threat to the kingdom of darkness.

   “God's word has not told you that you will not have enemies.”

   • Psalm 23:1-5
   • Joshua 1:7
   • 1 Timothy 6:12
   • Ephesians 6:12

2. Thou preparest a table: how big is that table?

   He asks the ladies how they lay the table for a special visitor: the best tablecloth, the dishes and cutlery that come out once a year, and about ten big dishes of food, because they want to outdo themselves. If that is you, what about God? His table is big, and he rejoices to promote you in the presence of your enemies.

   Illustration: The hostess who brings out the best dishes and cooks far more than is needed to honour a guest who seldom comes.

   “When he gives you more while they are expecting you to get less, he rejoices about that.”

   • Psalm 23:5

3. Since Jesus came, a table changed to many tables

   David spoke of a table, but on Good Friday Jesus destroyed the works of the devil and made a public spectacle of principalities and powers, and the one table became many: salvation, healing, the Holy Spirit, prosperity. God sends an invitation to come and dine, and everything is on the menu: peace, preservation, wholeness, soundness, intelligence, wisdom, power and strength. The Holy Spirit is the dispenser of it all, which is why the church is taught to believe right and speak right, because you will have whatever you say.

   Illustration: David and Goliath. Saul stood head and shoulders above everyone yet sat down with his army, intimidated by one man. David, a lad who watched sheep, refused Saul's armour because he had proven the name of the Lord, and he pictures David seeing the giant's head already on a platter on his table. When the women sang David's praises Saul grew angry, like people who cannot stand to see you with a new car or a new house.

   “Whatever the menu you want, it's there.”

   • 1 John 3:8
   • Colossians 2:15
   • 1 Samuel 9:2
   • 1 Samuel 17:32-51
   • Philippians 2:9-11
   • 1 Samuel 18:7
   • John 10:10
   • Mark 11:23

4. That's grace: he does not hold your sin against you

   God does not look at your past, or at the times you still trip, and say he has caught you. You run to God, not away from him, and the time you are struggling is exactly the time to be in church under the Word and the Spirit. A Christian is not a perfect individual but a recipient of grace who now works that grace out, so do not judge people. Religion says do this and do not do that, but God says come, I love you just as you are, and when people write you off he has prepared a table before you.

   Illustration: Aggression, nicotine and alcohol fall away one after another as you walk with God and find a greater peace. He quotes the old song, "Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before."

   “It's not you leaving the habit, the habit leaves you.”

5. No enemy, no table: rejoice when the challenge comes

   Challenges in life are very real, but for every challenge and every devil there is a table. Behind each challenge angels are laying the cloth, the cutlery and food you have not tasted before, so you look at your challenge and laugh. The psalm says enemies, not enemy, so many enemies mean a big table, and that is the spirit of a born-again Christian, not a cry-baby. He walks through the rest of the psalm: God is with you in the valley and in abundance, and goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life, not some of them.

   Illustration: God is a wonderful chef who knows just what to cook for you: something hot when you are cold, something cold when you are hot, spicy or bland as you need.

   “But for every challenge and for every devil, there's a table.”

   • Psalm 23:4-6
   • Ephesians 2:6
   • Philippians 4:4

6. Table one: the forgiveness of sins

   Whatever you did up to the point you received Jesus Christ, your sins have been washed away, not merely covered up. Men with the right key can release you from a physical prison, but only Jesus can release you from the prison within, and he already has. When you stumble after being born again, there is continual forgiveness in his presence.

   Illustration: A man with the right key can open a jail door and let you out, but he cannot reach the other prison.

   “There's a big difference between covering up and washed away.”

   • Psalm 16:11

7. Table two: the fullness of the Holy Spirit

   You are baptised with the Holy Ghost, and when you want to be refilled you come to God, rejoice in his presence, speak in tongues and in psalms and hymns, and you are full again. Because it is Good Friday he adds that Satan has no access to God to accuse you: while others walk in condemnation, there is none for those in Christ Jesus.

   “When Satan condemns you about something, God has already made you free.”

   • Ephesians 5:18-19
   • Romans 8:1

8. Table three: the joy of the Lord

   Joy is like medicine. While other people are sad because of circumstances, you laugh and are happy. They cannot understand how something can go terribly wrong in your family or at work and you still dress up and come to church, because the joy is on the inside of you.

   “Joy is like medicine.”

   • Proverbs 17:22

9. Table four: the gift of prosperity, a cup that runs over

   You can come into God's presence in lack but you cannot leave without being heavily loaded. He traces the overflow of the cup: your own needs are met, then it spills to your family, then to everyone associated with you, and then even your enemy catches a sip. He prophesies work, contracts and expected and unexpected income to business people who have had quiet months, and declares that their children and grandchildren will have far more than they did.

   Illustration: The cup is you; it overflows into the saucer, which is your family; from the saucer onto the table, which is everyone around you; and then it drops to the floor, where even your enemy gets a sip.

   “You can come into the presence of God wanting and in lack, but you can't check out of his presence without being heavily loaded.”

   • 3 John 2
   • Psalm 23:5
   • Matthew 5:44
   • Romans 12:20
   • Matthew 15:27
   • Luke 6:38
   • Psalm 23:6
   • Numbers 6:24-25

10. Table five: the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    By the resurrection, eternal life, Zoe life, is functioning in you, in your feet, hands, mouth and eyes. You can heal the sick, and you do not have to counsel a demon because you can cast it out. When Satan thought Jesus was finished he arose on the third day, and the church arose with him, so you cannot be disadvantaged in this life and all things work together for your good.

    Illustration: "I don't know about you, but I'm just having a good time preaching to myself."

    “That resurrection power and that resurrection life is in you.”

    • Romans 8:28
    • Proverbs 26:27

11. We first receive, then we do: be kind to everybody

    He loves Jesus because other religions told us what to do and what not to do, and condemned us when we could not. With Christ it is about receiving love and grace first, and then doing good works out of what we have received. God is a giver, so teaching Christians to give is expressing his nature. He calls the church to show mercy, walk in humility and respect every person, including those beneath their station and those who are unkind, because they carry God's presence and were born of the incorruptible seed of the Word, which is love.

    Illustration: Many people show respect to a high office but treat people on their own level and below them badly. Jesus was called the chief of devils, and he gave his accusers a good answer.

    “We don't do to get the love. We don't do to get the grace. We first receive it, then we do good works.”

    • Romans 5:5
    • John 3:16
    • Matthew 10:8
    • Matthew 12:24
    • 1 Peter 1:23