The World the Flesh and You - 1/30/26 - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

And thank the Lord for his blessings. He

sure is good to us. I appreciate his

mercy and his grace. You find your seat,

find your Bible there. Turn with us to

the book of 1st Samuel, chapter 31.

And uh if you're watching with us uh by

way of live stream tonight, I try to be

quick just so our folk here in the

service can get home. I know things

freezing back, things of that nature.

There's still a lot of ice on our

parking lot and all of that. And so

people brave the elements to be here and

I want to give them just a give you a

thought tonight. The Lord's put on my

heart for this service and uh something

I've been stewing on about the entire

time of this storm and you'll kind of

see that I'm going to try to get through

it in a decent amount of time. You pray

for me. The Lord will help me tonight.

1st Samuel chapter 31.

And uh

I'm uh I'm just glad to be here.

>> Amen.

>> That's all I know, man. I'm just I'm

just glad to be here and saved by the

grace of God. And uh Jesus comes, I'll

go home with him and it's all going to

be all right. Amen. And uh whatever

happens, I'm just thankful. And we'll

read two verses tonight. 1st Samuel 31.

I'll read verses 1 and two of chap 1st

Samuel chapter number 31. Give you the

thought here. I normally never do this.

I always uh stay in the text and just

preach pretty much line upon line. It's

going to be that way tonight. But uh I I

just got a thought on my heart. Try to

be a blessing and a help to you if we

can. And I want to look here verse

number one of 1st Samuel 31.

The Bible says, "Now the Philistines

fought against Israel, and the men of

Israel fled from before the Philistines

and fell down slain and Mount Gilboa.

And the Philistines, notice this,

followed hard upon Saul and upon his

sons. And the Philistines slew Jonathan

and Abinadab

and Maliua,

Saul's sons. Now, Father, I ask you

tonight for just a minute, Lord, that

you would help us, God. I stand in

desperate need of your touch. I ask you

that you would give us grace as we

consider these verses tonight. And I

pray you give us wisdom and discernment,

Lord, much beyond our years and

experience, God, to deal with this text.

And I pray tonight, Lord, that every

hearer, God, wherever they might be

tonight, wherever they're listening

from, I pray they would receive a

blessing from the word of God. And I

pray that we'd all be strengthened,

encouraged, Lord, if correction is

needed, God, I pray that you'd grant

that and convict the lost, Lord. I pray

and save the sinner from hell. Do all

the works, God, that you want done

tonight. And most of all, get glory to

yourself. And we'll be sure to thank you

for what you do because we ask it in

Jesus' name. Amen. Now, I know this is a

different service tonight, but I'm going

to be honest with you. It's been so long

since I preached. I'm I'm going to peel

the ears back for just a little while.

All right, if that'd be okay. So, I want

to look here tonight. 1st Samuel 31. I I

come to this text. I want you to notice

a couple of things by way of

introduction. I'll give you the thought

here in just a minute, and I want you to

keep your Bibles open. We're going to be

using them tonight. Uh flipping about

quite a bit. But I notice in this text,

I want to give you a few things by way

of introduction. When we come to this

text, the the first apparent the

apparent thing that we notice here in

the text is that there is a fight that's

going on by verse number one. The Bible

says that now the Philistines fought

against Israel. Now, if you know

anything about your Bible tonight,

that's nothing new. Amen. The

Philistines have been fighting against

Israel all the way since the days of

Samson. And because Samson didn't do his

job as the judge, amen, the Philistines,

they ransacked Israel for years and

years to come. And and I'll say more

about the Philistines here in just a

minute. But this fight is present. And

you notice not only that there's a fight

going on, but there's also fatalities.

In verse number one, the Bible says,

"And the men of Israel fled from before

the Philistines and fell down slain in

Mount Gilboa." So obviously here the

armies of Israel have been ambushed by

the armies of Philistia, the armies of

the Philistines and the men of Israel

has been slain before them. Their lives

have been taken. Now you notice not only

the fight and the fatalities, but you

notice in verse two, there's a family

that appears on the pages of scripture.

The Bible says, "And the Philistines

followed hard upon Saul." Now Saul

tonight, he is the first king of Israel.

Amen. And he was the one that Samuel

anointed king over Israel when they

didn't want a judge. Amen. They wanted a

king so they could be like all other

nations. Amen. God sent Saul unto them.

And Saul did not follow the Lord. He

followed his own heart and his own way.

And you notice here in this text, this

chapter describes the end of Saul. But

not only the end of Saul, but the end of

his family. You notice there in verse

two that the Philistines followed hard

upon Saul. That means their pressure was

great. They have they have laid out the

men of Israel, the armies of Israel. And

so now they are headed for leadership.

Amen. And the Bible says that they

followed hard upon Saul and upon his

sons. And you notice there in verse

number two, this little phrase, the

Bible says, "And the Philistines slew

Jonathan and Abinadab and Melua

Saul's sons." Now, you notice here in

this family, of course, Saul's three

sons are mentioned here in the text, but

I want to give you this and I'll give

you the thought tonight. We've seen the

fight, the fatalities, the family that's

mentioned here. But I want you to notice

the failure in our text. You see, in

this text, the reason that Saul's sons

died is because Saul was in a position

that he had not he did not deserve any

longer. Saul was in a place where he was

not so supposed to be fighting a battle

that he had no business fighting. And

the Bible says in verse three that the

battle went sore against Saul and the

archers hit him and he was sore wounded

of the archers. And you notice in verse

number four, I not got time to preach it

tonight, but Saul here in the text, of

course, they they shoot him. The arrow

gets to him and he tells his armor bear

to draw his sword and thrust him

through. So the Philistines couldn't

kill him. But Saul in verse number four,

he takes his sword and falls upon it and

dies in this text. And we note the

failure of Saul. Saul's sons died in

this text because Saul was disobedient

to God.

>> And I want to give you this and I'll

give you the thought tonight. We note

the failure, but I want you to note the

figure in our text. Each one of these

people type typify something tonight.

Now, the Philistines, when you study the

word of God, they're always a picture

and type of the world,

a picture and type of the world

controlled by the power of Satan. And

Saul in the word of God, when you

consider his life and look at it in its

entirety, Saul is a type of the flesh.

And then you see Saul's sons. And I want

to highlight just one of those sons

tonight. In verse number two, the Bible

says, "And the Philistines slew

Jonathan."

And I want to say this tonight that

Jonathan when I what I'm for what I'm

going to preach tonight is a type of you

and me.

And I want to preach for just a little

while tonight on this thought. The

world, the flesh, and you.

The world, the flesh, and you. Now, what

you notice in this text is is that the

Philistines have brought death.

What has died in this text? Well, Saul,

he dies in this text. The flesh dies

because of the world system and Jonathan

ultimately dies as well. And I'll say

more about that in the message. But you

realize there's a lot of events that had

to take place in order for them to get

to this point.

>> I want to preach on that thought

tonight. The world, the flesh, and you.

Jonathan is a picture and type of you

and I in our life as believers. And I I

want to highlight a few things tonight.

And I want to start at the very

beginning.

Where does Jonathan appear on the pages

of scripture? Well, the first time

Jonathan appears on the pages of

scriptures in the book of 1st Samuel,

chapter number 13.

And I want to give you five truths

tonight concerning this thought. The

world, the flesh, and you, you

understand the world's out to get you.

>> Amen. Let me just say this tonight.

Saved or lost, the world is out to

destroy you. And the thing it's going to

use to do it is your flesh. The

Philistines were always out to destroy

Israel and they knew if they were going

to destroy Israel, they had to take out

their leadership. And so if the world is

going to influence you and I tonight,

it's going to have to do it through our

flesh. And I notice in 1st Samuel 13

what happens. We note first of all

tonight in the message concerning this

thought, the world, the flesh and you or

the world, the flesh and me. It's

applicable to all of us tonight. I want

to note the companionship. The first

place that we find Jonathan mentioned in

the word of God is 1st Samuel chapter

number 13 and verse number one. And

what's interesting is is that somebody

else is mentioned with him. And matter

of fact, somebody else is mentioned

before him.

>> Notice verse number one of 1st Samuel

13. The Bible says Saul reigned one

year. And when he had reigned two years

over Israel, Saul chosen 3,000 men of

Israel, whereof 2,000 were with Saul and

Mcmash, and in Mount Bethl, and a

thousand, notice this, were with

Jonathan in Gibia of Benjamin. And so,

the first place Jonathan appears on the

pages of scripture, he is a companion to

his father. Now, I want you to think

about this with me tonight. What you're

going to find throughout the course of

this message is is that wherever you

find Jonathan, Saul is not too far away.

And let me say this to you tonight.

Where you're at tonight, your flesh is

with you. Amen. I don't care where you

find yourself at, you cannot separate

your soul from this fleshly body. The

Bible says to be absent from the body is

to be present with the Lord. But as long

as we're on this earth, we are robed in

this flesh. And we are ALWAYS PRESENT

WITH THE FLESH. WE CANNOT SEPARATE

OURSELVES from this fleshly body on this

earth. And when you look at Jonathan,

Jonathan is always without fail found

close to Saul. And you say, why is that?

Well, the reason anytime we see Jonathan

in the scriptures that his father's not

far away is because they have a

connection.

>> You say, "Preacher, what is that

connection?" Well, we know for the

context of the scripture, the connection

is that Saul is his daddy and Jonathan

is his son. And let me say this to you

tonight. What do we know about the

father-son relationship? It does not

matter if the father denounces the son

or the son denounces the father. There

is no way that a father can do get rid

of his sunship, his fathership or a son

can get rid of his sunship. JUST BECAUSE

YOU DENY your parents or just because

you deny your children, that does not

make them any less your children OR DOES

NOT MAKE THEM ANY LESS YOUR PARENTS. And

let me say this to you tonight, CHILD OF

GOD. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE

ROBED IN THIS FLESH AND THERE IS NOTHING

you can do to disconnect yourself from.

Amen. And so this connection that they

have is inseparable. The Bible tells us,

notice this, 2 Corinthians chapter 10

2 Corinthians 10 · chapter mention

verse number three. Put this in your

margin. 2 Corinthians chapter number 10

verse number three. He didn't have time

to write all my verses down. Listen to

what he says in 2 Corinthians 10 and:3.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do

not war after the flesh. So the truth is

tonight that we live out our lives in a

fleshly body. We cannot deny the fact

that we breathe through lungs and our

heart pumps blood and every bit of that

flesh. Amen. And this body is a

tabernacle. It's a tabernacle of the

soul of man, but it's a tabernacle for

those who are saved of the spirit of

God. And so, we are connected. There is

a companionship. And whether you like it

or not, you're going to have to learn

how to live with your flesh. Somebody

say amen tonight. You cannot live

outside of it, you cannot live without

it. Amen. And so, you notice in the

text, not only the companionship, but I

want to say this. You the the truth is

the flesh is always near. Amen. We

cannot be separated from. And I need to

say this before I move on. But what

you're going to find is in this text,

it's interesting that the flesh is

always fighting.

>> Notice what's fighting in verse chapter

13 verse number three. The Bible says,

"And Jonathan smoked the garrison of the

who?

>> The Philistines."

>> And so there's a connection. You and

your flesh are always going to be

dealing with the world. Amen. That's

exactly right. Tonight, you're always

going to be dealing with the world in

your life. So, I consider the

companionship. I'll say more about that

in just a minute. But notice not only

the companionship tonight, but consider

the curse of the flesh. Now, I when you

look at this text, turn over with me a

chapter to 1st Samuel chapter 14. Saul

here, you notice that Saul and Jonathan

are fighting together. In chapter 13,

chapter 14, Jonathan goes with his armor

bearer and takes out 20 of the

Philistines by himself. And then you

find later on that they go forth to

battle once again. In chapter number 14,

the Bible says that Saul is so concerned

about the enemy. He's so concerned about

the Philistines and about himself that

he makes an oath. He puts out a curse.

In verse number 24, the Bible says, "And

the men of Israel were distressed that

day, for Saul had adjured the people,

saying, "Cursed be the man, curs, cursed

be the man that eateth any food until

evening, that I may be avenged of mine

enemies, so none of the people tasted

any food." So what you find in this

chapter is that Saul here, he puts out a

curse. And his curse is he's so

concerned about the enemy. He's so

concerned about his rulership that he

tells his men that they're not to eat

any food until the evening until he be

avenged of his enemies. And the Bible

says in verse number 25 that all they of

the land came to a wood and there was

honey upon the ground. And when the

people were coming to the wood, behold,

the honey dropped, but no man put his

hand to his mouth, for the people feared

the oath. But notice verse 27. But

Jonathan heard not when his father

charged the people with the oath.

Wherefore he put forth the end of the

rod that was in his hand and dipped it

in a honeycomb and put his hand to his

mouth and his eyes were enlightened.

That simply means that Jonathan received

strength. He said there in verse 24 that

the people were distressed. They were

weak. You know what happens when you get

hungry and you hadn't eaten a long time?

What happens? You get weak, don't you?

Amen. And the men of Israel, the armies

were getting weak in their travels

because they hadn't eaten. And Saul

looks at them and says, "All right, if

any of you eats before I'm delivered of

my enemies, you're going to have a curse

upon you." And so the text tells us that

Jonathan didn't hear his father when he

charged the people with the oath. And so

Jonathan sticks out his rod and gets

some of that honey and takes it in. And

the Bible said in verse number 28, then

answered one of the people and said,

"Thy father straightly charged the

people with an oath, saying, "Cursed be

the man that eateth any food this day."

And the people were faint. You see,

they're still starving to death. Let me

say this tonight before I GO ANY

FURTHER. THAT'S what your flesh will do.

Amen. It'll starve you to death

spiritually. Amen. You'll you'll try to

fill the flesh up. And what you'll do,

you're just starving that new man every

day of your life that you're walking in

the lust of the flesh. Why did Saul

starve his men? Because he was more

concerned about dealing with that enemy

than he was about his own men. Amen. He

was only concerned about himself. And

your flesh tonight IS ONLY CONCERNED

ABOUT ITSELF. AMEN.

>> And the Bible says in verse number 29,

"Then said Jonathan," notice this. You

say, "Preacher, well, Jonathan's in the

wrong here." Well, I don't know about

that. Listen to what Jonathan says in

verse 29. Then said Jonathan, my father

hath troubled the land.

>> See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been

enlightened because I've tasted a little

of this honey. Now, I know tonight we

can disagree on this text. What it

means, but I tell you this, the truth,

what I'm trying to give you tonight is

this is that Saul put a curse out that

was not necessary.

>> Right?

>> Let me say this tonight. Because of your

flesh, you're cursed.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. You know what David said? He said,

"I was shaped in iniquity and in sin did

my mother conceive me." You know what

that means? That this flesh has got a

curse on. Amen. And so your flesh

tonight because Adam sinned, all flesh,

the Bible says that all flesh is grass.

That means that we're going to wither

and fall away. Why? Because we're

cursed. Amen. The flesh is cursed,

doomed, despair, doomed to be destroyed.

And so THIS FLESH HE PUTS FORTH is

cursed. And Jonathan here in the text,

he didn't know that Saul had put it out

and he takes unto himself and he's

revived. Amen. And so, you know what's

happened here? The father, this Saul has

hindered the fighting of the army. Now,

what's interesting about this tonight is

this. Amen. It's always right to fight

against the world. Somebody say, "Amen."

Hey, we're we're going in direct combat

>> with this world system. Amen. John said

it this way in 1 John chapter number

two. He said, "Love not the world."

Amen. Neither the things that are in the

world. If any man love the world, what'd

he say? The love of the father is not in

not in him. He said, for all that's in

the world, the lust of the flesh, the

lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,

it's not of the father, but it is of the

world. And so, it's right to be going

against the world. But let me say this

to you tonight. If you're fighting

against the world AND THE POWER OF YOUR

FLESH, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO

FIND? YOU'RE GOING TO COME UP WEAK AND

DEFEATED EVERY SINGLE TIME. YOUR FLESH

WILL hinder you from winning the battle

>> that you're supposed to win. But I'll

say this, it was more than just a

hindrance. You see, it was a hindrance

to the army, but it was harm for

Jonathan. The Bible says in verse number

30, Jonathan rebukes the methods of his

father. Look what he says. He said, "How

much more if happily the people had

eaten freely today of the spoil of their

enemies which they found? For had there

not been now a much greater slaughter

among the Philistines, Jonathan says

that the enemy would have been destroyed

in a much greater rate. If there hadn't

been this curse, if there hadn't been

this unnecessary law put out saying that

if we didn't eat, if we ate that we'd be

cursed. Amen.

>> Your flesh going to put unnecessary

hindrances on you.

>> Notice this verse 37 of 1st Samuel 14.

I'm talking about the curse. Look what

he says. And Saul asked counsel of God,

"Shall I go down after the Philistines?

Wilt thou delivered them into the hand

of Israel?" But he answered him, "Not

that day." Now Saul's asking here in

this text to go and fight the

Philistines once again. God doesn't

speak to him. Verse number 38. And Saul

said, "Draw ye near hither all the chief

of the people, and know and see where in

this sin have been this day." And the

Bible says that in this text, they

gather all the people of Israel

together. None of the children of Israel

come up. Saul and Jonathan are taken. In

verse 41, verse 42, there are lots that

are cast. In verse 42, Jonathan is

taken. Verse 43, Saul said to Jonathan,

"Tell me what thou has done." And

Jonathan told him and said, "I did but

taste a little honey with the end of the

rod that was in mine hand. And lo, I

must die." You understand? Your flesh is

the reason you die. You're

>> right.

You know the reason that men that die

lost without God die and go to hell

>> because Adam and Eve in their flesh

>> made a decision

>> to plunge the human race into sin.

>> AND SO BECAUSE OF SAUL'S DECISION,

WHAT'S going to happen? Jonathan's got

to die,

>> right?

>> Notice this in the text. Not only verse

number 30, notice verse 39. I skipped

this. The Bible says, "And as the Lord

liveth, which saveth Israel, though it

be Jonathan, my son, he shall surely

die." It also reveals that he wasn't

only hindering the armies, but he was he

was he didn't care to harm his child.

>> You know what? Your flesh doesn't care

if you're destroyed.

>> You're right.

>> It does not care if you are destroyed.

Does not care if you die. It does not

care if long as it's fulfilled and full

of itself. It doesn't want nothing else.

>> Right?

>> Saul didn't care. Notice verse number

44. Lord Saul answered, "God, do so and

more also, for thou shalt surely die,

Jonathan." Verse 45. And the people said

unto Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who hath

wrought this great salvation in Israel,

God forbid, as the Lord liveth, there

shall not one hair of his head fall to

the ground, for heath wrought with God

this day, so the people rescued Jonathan

that he died not." I You say, "Preacher,

what does all this mean?" Well, I'm just

telling you the fact tonight that your

flesh has got you under a curse.

>> Right?

>> Your flesh is cursed tonight. Because of

that, if you're lost, you're doomed to

hell. Amen. Your sin is what's going to

send you there. And your flesh is how

you commit those sins. Somebody say,

"Amen." And so, there's the

companionship and there is the curse.

But this is where it gets better. Amen.

Notice 1 Samuel chapter 18. We're just

1 Samuel 18 · chapter mention

traveling through the life here,

Jonathan, for just a minute. I want to

remind you this tonight. Truth is, your

life and mine, everybody that's ever

been saved, still robed in body of

flesh.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. Our Lord himself was robed in a

body of flesh. He suffered the aches and

pains and all of that that we did.

Thankfully, he wasn't sin sinful. Amen.

Hallelujah. He's a sinless, spotless

savior. Amen. And I notice in this text,

there's another character that appears

on the scene. Notice 1st Samuel chapter

18 and verse number one. We've seen the

companionship and the curse. Note the

covenant now that's made here in the

text. 1st Samuel 18 and verse one. And

it came to pass when he had made an end

of speaking unto Saul that the soul of

Jonathan was knit with the soul of

David. And Jonathan loved him as his own

soul. Boy, aren't you thankful for the

day that David came along. Amen. You

see, Jonathan had lived all his life

with Saul. And all his life he'd been

fighting against the world with Saul.

You know what's happened? They'd get

victory for just a little while. And

then the Philistines would come back

again. Oh, but in 1st Samuel 17, there's

a little ruddy boy shows up. Amen. The

weakest, the youngest of his father's

brethren, AND ALL HIS BRETHREN WAS out

there trembling, looking at that giant.

What was his name? It was Goliath. Amen.

He was the Philistines champion. And

David said, he walked up in chapter 17.

And he said, "Who is this uncircumcised

Philistine that he defy the armies of

the living God?" AND DAVID GOT five

smooth stones. Hallelujah. I feel LIKE

PREACHING TONIGHT. HE GOT FIVE SMOOTH

STONES IN that shepherd's bag and got a

sling AND WALKED UP TO THAT GIANT AND

RARED BACK AND SLUNG THAT ROCK INTO THE

FACE OF THAT OLD GIANT and down to the

ground he went. Amen. And David brought

deliverance. You say, "PREACHER, WHAT

ARE YOU SAYING?" I'M SAYING DAVID

BROUGHT salvation to the ENTIRE NATION

OF ISRAEL THAT DAY. THEY LOOKED AT THAT

GIANT AND SAW HE WAS HOPELESS. SAUL

looked at THAT GIANT SAID, "THERE'S NO

WAY THEY CAN TAKE HIM DOWN." JONATHAN

AND ALL THE ARMY LOOKED AT GOLIATH AND

SAID, "THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN HANDLE

HIM." BUT LITTLE DAVID CAME WALKING UP

WITH THAT STONE AND SLUNG IT INTO THAT

THAT GIANT'S HEAD AND ON THE GROUND HE

WENT. YOU SAY, "PREACHER, WHAT ARE YOU

SAYING?" I'M SAYING, "JESUS IS OUR

HEAVENLY DAVID." AMEN. AND HE BROUGHT

SALVATION TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.

HALLELUJAH. HE TOOK OUT THE GOLIATH OF

SIN, DEFEATED THE WORLD, THE FLESH, AND

THE DEVIL, TOOK THE KEYS OF HELL. AMEN.

AND PRAISE GOD, HE'S BROUGHT SALVATION

TO ALL WHO WILL RECEIVE HIM. AMEN. And

in this chapter, Jonathan meets up with

this great deliverer. Amen. Chapter 18

and verse number one, it came to pass

when he, that's David, had made an end

of speaking unto Saul that the soul of

Jonathan was met with the soul of David.

And Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

AND LET ME JUST SAY, TIME OUT RIGHT

there for JUST A MINUTE. BOY, THE DAY

THAT I MET JESUS AND HE SPOKE TO MY

HEART RIGHT AS SOON AS HE GOT DONE

TALKING. BROTHER WAYNE, HEY FRIEND, MY

HEART YOLKED UP WITH HIM. AMEN. I

BELIEVED AND TRUSTED IN HIS NAME AND HE

SAVED MY NEVER DYING SOUL. AND THERE'S A

COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THE LAMB OF GOD

TO THIS VERY DAY. I'M SAVED BECAUSE OF

THE DELIVERER. AMEN.

>> He come and defeated the world. And

Jonathan here has made a covenant. David

has wrought victory over Goliath. the

Philistines champion. Chapter 17 and

verse number 49. And here in the text in

chapter 17, Abner, the the cousin of

Saul, brings David up and he's got the

head OF GOLIATH IN HIS HAND. THAT little

ruddy shepherd boy. I can just see him

now, Brother Wayne, carrying that HEAD

LIKE THIS, WALKING UP to the king. Amen.

Hey, I'm going to preach for just a

minute. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? HE COMES TO

WALKING UP TO THE KING WITH THAT BIG OLD

GIANT'S HEAD IN his arms. AND HE SAID,

"WHO ARE SAUL SAID, WHO ARE YOU?" HE

SAID, "I'M THE SON OF JESSE, THE LEAST."

AMEN. HALLELUJAH. I'M THANKFUL. WHEN

JESUS CAME, HE BROUGHT DELIVERANCE. But

friend, he didn't come with a name. HE

DIDN'T COME WITH NO REPUTATION. THE

BIBLE SAYS THAT HE MADE HIMSELF OF NO

REPUTATION AND TOOK UPON HIMSELF THE

FORM OF A SERVANT. HALLELUJAH. AND HE

WENT TO CALVAR'S CROSS AND DIED FOR OUR

SIN SO that we could be delivered. Amen.

>> And you see this covenant in the text.

David brings Goliath's head. Jonathan

sees the victory and you know what

happens? He realizes it wasn't only

victory for everybody else in Israel,

>> but it was victory for him.

>> Jonathan the very same way that all the

rest of Israel looked at Goliath and

said, "There's no way we can beat him."

Oh yes. Looked at Goliath and said,

"There's no way we can take him down."

David comes walking up with his head.

Let me say this to you, child of God.

the sin in your life that's keeping you

bound. That thing that looks so big, I'm

thankful Jesus can take care of that for

you. Amen. He can come walking back with

his head. Praise God. And you notice in

this text, he realizes it's his own

deliverance. David has saved him

>> and all Israel. And so, you know what

happens out of that? There's a new

relationship born.

>> The Bible says that the soul of Jonathan

was knit

yoked together. Jonathan and David

became the best of friends, more than

friends. They loved each other as

brothers. And I'm so thankful, amen,

that when Jesus saved me, he became more

than just a man.

>> He's more than just a distant God. But

I'm thankful he's a friend. Amen. A

friend that stickketh closer than a

brother. Hallelujah. And in this text,

you notice not only the new

relationship, but there's a new

relinquishing that's needed. In the in

the verse, the Bible says in verse two

and verse three, "Then Jonathan and

David made a covenant because he loved

him as his own soul. And Jonathan

stripped himself of the robe that was

upon him and gave it to David in his

garments, even to his sword and to his

bow and to his girdle." You know what

that means? Jonathan took his authority

as the king's son

>> and said, "It ain't mine no more.

I'm going to place it on David." You

know what Jonathan was saying? I'm not

next in line. And Saul's not even king.

But David,

>> Amen.

>> He's king.

>> That's right.

>> Amen. Let me say this to you. The night

that you got saved, you know what

happened?

>> You had to take your the authority that

you thought you had.

>> Them rags. Amen. Them robes of

unrighteousness.

You know what the Bible says? That all

he was made to be sin for us who knew no

sin that we might be made the

righteousness of God in him. And so he

takes our filthy rags and puts his robe

of righteousness onto us. And you know

what happens? He becomes our king.

You're

>> right.

>> The covenant. There's a new

relationship. There's a needed

relinquishing of the garments

recognizing his authority is now placed

on David. And I notice this. You see, we

see the companionship and the covenant,

the curse and the covenant. But note

fourthly, and I want I want to just take

just a few minutes. I'll be done here

tonight. Notice the conflict.

Just as soon as Jonathan and David are

knit together,

>> just as soon as this new relationship

begins, it's not even five verses later

that the flesh is rearing up his head.

>> Notice what your Bible says. David has

wrought victory. And in this text,

because of his victory, David is getting

praise. And I'll say this, he deserves

all glory, honor, and praise tonight.

Amen. To him alone be glory, honor, and

dominion, all power. The angels, they

cry holy, holy, holy to Jesus night and

day, worshiping him for who he is. Amen.

Perfect and holy and spotless and

sinless. Amen. And he deserves the

praise. But I'll tell you this tonight,

your flesh does not like to praise him.

Amen. IT DOESN'T LIKE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE

PRAISE HIM. AMEN. Notice verse number

six of 1st Samuel 18. And it came to

pass as they came when David was

returned from the slaughter of the

Philistine that the women came out of

all cities of Israel singing and dancing

to meet King Saul with tabras with joy

with instruments of music. And the women

answered one another as they played and

said, "Saul slain his thousands and

David is 10 thousands. And Saul was

what? Very wroth."

And the saying displeased him. And he

said, "They've ascribed unto David 10

thousands, and to me they have ascribed

but thousands. And what can he have more

but the kingdom?"

And what you find in this verse tonight

is what begins the rivalry

between this man David and this man

Saul.

Now, I want to remind you tonight, we're

talking about the world, the flesh, and

you.

>> But now there's a new character in the

in the battle. Who is this? Christ. You

know what happened when you got saved?

The Holy Ghost took up a bode in your

heart. The person of Jesus Christ lives

within you.

>> And so the Bible says that the spirit

lustth against the flesh and the flesh

lust against the spirit. There's the war

between the holy part of man and the

sinful part of man each and every day of

our life. There's a this body of death.

Paul said, "Who shall deliver me from

this body of death?" What was he talking

ABOUT? HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE BATTLE

WITHIN. And in this battle, David here

is hated by Saul. And and just like your

flesh, your flesh hates Christ and

everything about who he is, everything

that he demands. And what you find here

in this text is is that Jonathan is

caught between in the middle in the

crosshairs of Saul. And Saul's trying to

take out David.

>> And for the next 10 chapters, matter of

fact, the next 12 chapters,

Saul is going to chase David.

And I notice in this conflict you you

see it takes place in this chapter.

Jonathan is watching for David. Chapter

number 19:2 Jonathan Saul's son

delighted much in David. Remember he

loved him. And Jonathan told David

saying, "Saul, my father seeketh to kill

thee." You see in chapter 18, Saul tried

to drive him through with a javelin two

times. The Bible says chapter 19 he

tries to do it again. He's trying to

take David out. hates him because he's

stealing his glory away. He's taken away

his honor. He He's He's taken away all

that he desires for himself. Let me say

this tonight to you, child of God. When

you get right with God and start

following WITH HIM, YOUR FLESH IS NOT

going to like it. Amen. It is not going

to like to follow God. It is not going

to like to PRAISE GOD AND BE obedient

unto him. What I'm saying is this IS

THAT YOUR FLESH IS GOING TO DO

EVERYTHING TO SHUT OUT THE VOICE OF GOD

IN YOUR LIFE.

So he tries to take him out. Jonathan's

watching for him though. Chapter 19

verse two. Jonathan's not only watching

for David, but Jonathan's also willing

to do whatever David asks. Chapter 20

and verse number four.

Saul's asking after him again. And D

Jonathan says this. Then said Jonathan

unto David, "Whatsoever thy soul

desireth, I will even do it for thee."

Jonathan loves David. He's desiring to

help David be delivered. And you say,

"Preacher, you you Jesus doesn't need

deliverance from our flesh." And I

understand that tonight, but figure out

the picture the typology with me. Your

flesh tonight is after the influence of

Christ in your life.

>> And if it can hinder you from reading

your Bible and getting on your knees and

praying and coming to the house of God,

it's going to do everything that it can

to do so. And you're going to HAVE TO

GUARD THOSE PLACES IN YOUR LIFE. WELL,

>> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH INTO THOSE

PLACES. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE

WILLING TO DO WHATEVER HE ASKS.

>> RIGHT?

>> He's watching. He's willing, but he's

also waiting. You see, in this text, and

I've not got time to preach it all, but

I just want to share this thought with

you, Jonathan's waiting for David.

Verses 25 of 1st Samuel 20 all the way

through verse 32, Jonathan goes and sits

at his father's table and trying to to

make intercession for David. Saul is

bitter. Saul is is is ready to destroy

David. He becomes so bitter at Jonathan.

Notice what the Bible says in verse

number 30. Jonathan tells Saul, he says,

"Look, Saul, David just wanted to go

back to his family for a little while,

just trying to see whether or not how

angry Saul was at David." And the Bible

said in verse 30, "Then Saul's anger was

kindled against Jonathan. And he said

unto him, "Thou son of the perverse

rebellious woman, do not I know that

thou has chosen the son of Jesse to

thine own confusion, and under the

confusion of thy mother's nakedness, for

as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon

the ground, thou shalt not be

established, nor thy kingdom." Let me

say this for just a minute. All right.

Saul's saying, "Look, Jonathan, as long

as David's living, you'll never reign."

>> Right?

>> This is what your flesh going to tell

you every day of your life. Come on.

>> As long as Jesus is on the throne of

your heart, you're never going to enjoy

what you want to do. That's

>> right.

>> You're never going to get to the place

that you want to get. That's what your

flesh is going to tell you. Notice verse

number 32. And Jonathan answered Saul

his father and said unto him, "Wherefore

shall he be slain? What hath he done?"

Verse 33, notice this. "AND SAUL CAST A

JAVELIN at him."

Saul's tried to kill David at least

twice, possibly three times. And now

HERE IN THIS TEXT, NOT ONLY DAVID, HE'S

NOW THROWN AT HIS OWN SON.

>> You say, "PREACHER, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

WELL, REMEMBER THAT he cursed him in

chapter number 14. NOW, IN THIS TEXT,

HE'S TRYING TO KILL HIM.

>> YOUR FLESH WILL TRY ITS BEST TO TAKE YOU

OUT IF YOU ALLOW IT TO.

>> SAUL HERE IN THE TEXT WANTED JONATHAN

DEAD BECAUSE JONATHAN WAS NOT OBEYING

HIS COMMAND. LET ME SAY THIS TONIGHT.

When you start serving God,

You just remember this. This old body

going to shut down.

>> You ever wondered why preachers have the

worst health

>> of anybody?

>> They have the worst health of anybody.

It's not always just because they don't

take care of themselves.

>> Right? Come on.

>> I tell you, it's because the flesh don't

like serving God.

>> Right?

>> No, I don't want to SERVE GOD. JONATHAN,

SHUT UP. YOU'RE WORKING FOR DAVID. IF

YOU'RE CONSPIRING AGAINST ME,

>> I'm saying there's a conflict.

>> That's right.

>> YOUR FLESH DOES NOT LIKE IT. Jonathan is

waiting for David. And just like David,

HE HAS A JAVELIN thrown at him. JUST

LIKE TRYING TO SHUT OUT THE VOICE OF

GOD. If the flesh will cannot shut out

THE VOICE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE, THEN

IT'LL RESORT TO THE NEXT AND ONLY THING

IT CAN DO. IT'LL TRY TO KEEP YOU FROM

listening to it. Right. Come on.

>> There's a conflict.

He's watching. He's willing. He's

waiting. But I I wish I could tell you

that this ends better than it does. You

see, Jonathan protects, preserves. And

what happens in this chapter?

He protects and preserves David. But

what does he do? He points David away.

The sad part of this story is though he

watched, was willing, and waited for

David, he still walked away from David.

Right?

>> Notice this in the text. The Bible says

in verse number 40 of this same chapter,

"And Jonathan gave his artillery unto

his lad and said unto him, go carry them

to the city." And as soon as the lad was

gone, David arose out of a place toward

the south and fell on his face toward

the ground and bowed himself three

times. And they kissed one another and

wept with one another until David

exceeded. And Jonathan said to David,

"Go in peace,

for as much as we have both sworn both

of us, in the name of the Lord, saying,

The Lord be between me and thy my seed

and thy seed forever." And he arose and

departed. And notice that last phrase,

"And Jonathan

went into the city." Now, look, there's

a whole lot more preaching this and

there's a whole another message that I

have on this text. Here's the point I'm

trying to make. After everything that

Jonathan does for David,

at the end of it all, he says, "All

right, David, you go your way. We've

made our covenant."

What does he do? He goes back into the

city.

>> What was the city? That was his father's

house.

>> Yeah,

>> that's good.

>> You say, "Preacher, what's the imagery?"

JONATHAN CHOSE SAUL,

>> RIGHT?

>> Over David.

You know what believers are doing every

day?

>> Come on.

>> And it's where we live in.

They're choosing to follow the flesh,

>> right?

>> Rather than follow the spirit.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "Preacher, what's the tragedy

of this?" Well, you're only going to

find one more time that David and

Jonathan, to the best of my studies,

Brother Wayne, the the you're only going

to find one more time that David and

Jonathan meet.

Chapter number 23.

1st Samuel 23 verse number 16. And

Jonathan's son son arose and went to

David, notice this, into the wood. He

went to a hiding place just to see David

for a little while and strengthened his

hand in God. And he said unto him, "Fear

not, for the hand of Saul my father

shall not find thee, and thou shalt be

king over Israel, and I shall be next

unto thee." I'll go back to that in a

minute. "And that also Saul my father

knoweth." I want to get to this last

phrase of verse 18. Notice this. And

David abode in the wood. And what your

Bible say?

>> And Jonathan went to his house.

>> Yeah.

>> Jonathan goes all the way back to see

David again, but he only stays for just

a moment. He turns around, goes back to

his house. You say, "Preacher, what's

the indictment of this?"

Jonathan was willing to do whatever

David wanted except

identify with him.

>> You know what Jonathan should have done?

He should have left Saul's house and he

should have went and followed David.

>> Right?

>> You say, "PREACHER, HOW DO YOU KNOW

THAT? HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT JONATHAN

SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED DAVID?" WELL, turn

with me back to chapter 31.

We've seen the conflict.

Remember, the world's still present. The

Philistines are still ling.

DAVID'S OUT ON HIS OWN. LET ME SAY THIS.

CHAPTER 30, David gets victory against

the Amalachites with his men. HE HAS

VICTORY. HE DESTROYS THE AMALACHITES.

THEY SPOIL THEIR GOODS. HE GETS HIS

WIVES BACK. He had there's rejoicing.

THERE'S THERE'S PLEASURE AND HAPPINESS

AT THE SPOIL OF THE ENEMY. And chapter

31 shows up and look what happens now.

The Philistines fought against Israel.

And the men of Israel fled from before

the Philistines and fell down slain in

Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines

followed hard upon Saul and upon his

sons. And see it again. And the

Philistines

slew

Jonathan.

You know what that tells me? The world

will take you out.

>> You know why the world took Jonathan

out?

Because he was following his flesh.

>> Jonathan died because Jonathan followed

Saul into the battle against the world.

And if you stand to fight the world, you

know what's going to happen? If you

stand with the flesh AND NOT WITH DAVID

AND NOT WITH JESUS, YOU WILL DIE EVERY

SINGLE TIME. YOU CANNOT WIN A SPIRITUAL

BATTLE WITH A FLESHLY WEAPON. THAT'S

WHAT HE SAID IN THE BOOK OF CORINTHIANS,

2 Corinthians 10 and verse three. HE

SAID, "THOUGH WE WALK AFTER THE FLESH,

WE DO NOT WAR AFTER THE FLESH."

>> What happens? Jonathan dies prematurely.

Think about this. I'm done tonight. The

conclusion.

Jonathan number one never saw victory

over the Philistines.

Matter of fact, he died at the hand of

the Philistines. When you follow the

flesh, you will never see victory over

the world.

>> Never see it. Jonathan never saw victory

over the Philistines. Victory comes when

David fights. 2 Samuel 8:1. and put it

2 Samuel 8:1

in your margin. The Philistines are

defeated at the hand of David. David is

the only one that ever defeated and

discomed completely the in the

Philistines.

>> Jesus is the only one that can defeat

this world in your life. Did you hear

what I said?

>> Jesus, the Holy Ghost is the only one

that can defeat the influence of the

world in your life. Jonathan never saw

victory, but I'll say this, Jonathan

never reigned.

You say, "Preacher, he wasn't supposed

to rain. David was." No, he was supposed

to rain.

>> Notice what the text says. Chapter 23 of

1st Samuel.

See, Jonathan and David, I'm I'm going

somewhere. Stay with me. All right. This

all ties together.

>> 1 Samuel 23:1 17.

1 Samuel 23:1

Fear not, for the hand of Saul, my

father shall not find thee, and thou

shalt be king over Israel. Notice this.

and I shall be next

>> unto thee. And that also saw my father

knoweth.

What are we tonight in Jesus Christ? We

are hes and joint hes

>> with Jesus.

>> Amen.

>> Come on.

>> Let me say this to you tonight. You will

never know what it's like to reign in

victory in this life with Jesus

as long as you're following your flesh.

You're

>> right.

Jonathan followed Saul to his grave and

never knew what it was like to reign

with David.

>> Jonathan never saw victory. Jonathan

never reigned in his father'sstead.

Jonathan never had fellowship with David

again.

>> Jonathan, as far as I can tell from what

the Bible says, only saw David one more

time

after he went back into the city. And

what is this? All of this is because of

who he let control his life,

>> right?

>> He let Saul lead him.

>> He was more concerned about what daddy

said.

David was king. JONATHAN KNEW THAT. Saul

knew it. What happened? Jonathan allowed

the influence of Saul to override the

influence of David.

>> Let me say this in your life. Just

because you allow the flesh to override

the influence of Christ in your life

does not make Christ weak. You're

>> right.

>> Christ is a gentleman.

>> Amen.

>> He doesn't force himself on anybody.

>> Right?

>> And that's why when David was given

chance after chance after chance to take

out Saul, you know what happened? He

said, "I'm not going to touch him."

>> Right?

>> God's going to deal with him.

>> Amen.

>> Let me say this to you tonight. If you

don't deal with it, nobody else can.

>> Right? Those of you that's watching over

live stream, I really believe the Lord

had me preach this for this reason.

You've been at home. You've had the

opportunity of a lot of free time. Let

me ask you, what you been doing?

>> Good.

>> Come on.

>> Look, I hate to go here tonight, but I

have to. What you been looking at?

>> What you been listening to?

>> What is influencing you?

These days can bring revival to your

home.

>> Come on. or they can bring destruction.

You're

>> right.

>> All of this, Jonathan died because of

who he let control of his life. Jonathan

never got over the grip of his father.

You're

>> right.

>> Saul had a grip on him.

>> Here's the truth tonight. Your flesh has

a grip on you. And if you allow it to,

it will take you to your grief. You're

>> right.

>> You'll never know what it's like to have

victory. You'll never know what it's

like to reign. And you'll never know

what it's like to have fellowship with

God the way you're supposed to. Every

head bowed and every eye closed for just

a moment of time. Just going to pray

this evening. That's all I'm going to

do. No play playing or anything like

that. But I want to ask you this.

Truth is in all of our lives, those

three things are present. The world, the

flesh, and you. The world will destroy

you if you let the flesh control you.

Father, I pray in Jesus name tonight.

Lord, I don't know what needs are

present. Lord, I don't know what needs

are, Lord, over the airways tonight.

Lord, whoever's listening, however

they're listening, I don't know how many

days to come. Father, there'll be people

listening to this. But God, this is what

I do know. Lord, I know if we refuse the

influence of Jesus in our life, the

flesh will overtake us

>> and it will lead us to destruction.

It will lead us to a place where there

is no joy, there is no victory, and

there is no happiness and peace in you.

And Lord, I realize tonight I preach

primarily to the save. But if there's

somebody that's listening tonight that's

lost, God, they don't even know what

it's like to know David or they never

had that relationship and God, they're

serving that cruel taskmaster.

Lord, they're just following the flesh

around,

>> letting the world control them, they're

headed for destruction.

Lord, I'm thankful that I believe

because of Jonathan's heart for David, I

believe he's in heaven. I know David's

there. But Lord, I know this tonight,

God, if somebody dies lost without

knowing you, without being saved under

the free pardon of sin by the blood of

Christ, Lord, they will die and go to

hell. And Lord, I pray tonight if

there's somebody listening to my voice

that's lost, I pray God tonight that

they would come to you. And Lord, they

would come to you and just ask, Father,

for your forgiveness, number one, God,

recognizing that they're a sinner and

realizing that their sin condemns them

to a place called hell. Lord, hell was

not made for them. Lord, it was made for

the devil and his angels. And God, all

those that follow this world and the

prince of the power of the air will go

to that place. They'll suffer their

torment forever. But God, you made a way

of escaped. And Lord, you wrote in your

word, you said Paul said, "I'm not

ashamed. The gospel of Christ, for it's

the power of God under salvation to

everyone that believeth." And so, Lord,

we know tonight, Lord, that there's not

a person that you can't save. There's

not a person that you're not willing to

save. Lord, you told us that you're not

slack concerning your promises. Some men

count slackness, but you're

long-suffering to us.

not willing that any should perish,

>> but that all should come to repentance.

And Holy Ghost, I pray right now, Lord,

if there's somebody under the sound of

my voice that's lost, I pray they'd cry

out to you, recognizing their sin.

>> And Lord, I pray they'd ask you, Jesus

Christ, the one that died for them,

lived for them, died for them, and rose

again so that they could be saved. So

that I could be saved. And Lord, I know

I'm safe tonight because I trusted you

and I still trust you right now in this

moment. And Lord, I pray for those,

Lord, are listening. God, I pray right

now they'll trust you and be saved. And

Lord, I ask you, God, tonight, Lord, for

the rest of us, God, that are saved,

Lord. Would you help us?

>> Lord, don't let us drown out your voice,

>> God. There's so much Lord to make it

quiet in our life if we're not careful.

God, help us to have our ear open for

that still small voice for you to speak

to us and help us to be obedient to you

when you speak. Lord, I love you and I

thank you for this time. We ask it all

in Jesus name. Amen.

>> Amen. Well, I appreciate the Lord. Don't

you? Amen. God's good. I appreciate you

being here tonight, church. Thank you to

all those that's watching with us over

way live stream. Thank you for being on

and listening with us tonight. Thank you

for those that came tonight. I

appreciate you very much. And I'll say

this, we don't have to let the flesh

control us. You're

>> right.

>> We can have victory. Amen. I love each

and every one of you and I appreciate

you coming tonight. I'll let you go

ahead and get on the road. Know it's

getting cold and I don't think it's

snowing. I can't see any out there. So

anyway, amen. I love each one of you.

Let me say this. Those of you that's

watching by way of live stream, if you

have a need, let us know, okay? Please

let us know if you need something. Our

church members, shutins, all of you,

please let us know if you have a need

and we'll do our best to help you. But I

appreciate you. I love you, church. Good

night and God bless you.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For

more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.