Standing Together With God Regardless
Sermon Delivered by Trennie L. Williams
Senior Pastor
Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church
June 24, 2018

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?” And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.” So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore. (2 Samuel 2:24-28)
Standing Together With God Regardless
And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. (2 Samuel 2:25)
Unity has its way of pulling people together. There is no greater time than the present to bring the masses together for the cause of Crist and the cause of our very lives. If we are to endure the toughest of times, we must Stand Together with God Regardless of the circumstances.
More than likely it feels like the odds are against you. Here you are, wanting and seeking to do the right thing. Yet, it appears that most people around you are focused on the opposite agenda. Do we succumb to the ugly ways of the world? Or do we keep standing our ground, not in the lawful sense, but in the supernatural sense where the greatest power in all of the universe is at our disposal.
Abner was a man in dire straits. He found himself on the wrong side of the battle. So, what did he do? He stood his ground against a losing society in exchange for a direct connect with God’s appointed ruler David and his mighty men of valor. How was Abner able to make such a conclusion?
By looking at Abner’s actions, we may follow the same suit.
1. Realize you are fighting a losing if you are not in God’s army.
a. Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed. (2 Chronicles 13:12)
b. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us. (Nehemiah 4:20)
2. Asking the right questions will help get you out of challenging situations.
a. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
3. Stand together with other believers.
a. But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36)
b. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
c. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
4. Keep moving in the right direction.
a. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:12-21)
5. Trust God every step of the way, regardless.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:1-6)