IS GOD’S NUMBER OF GREAT PROMISES AND BLESSINGS:
Pastor Tim P. Blaisure – 01/01/23 – Morning Message
(Some info by: Stephen Gola)
Intro:
The number “13” in not an evil number as the devil has gotten us to believe. But rather, it is a number of great promise and blessing. The number “13” is a number of great blessings given by God.
Foundation Scriptures:
Galatians 3:13-14 KJV
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
Galatians 3:28-29
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
I. 13 YEARS FROM THE PROMISE OF ABRAHAM TO HIS BLESSING OF A SON IS FULFILLED:
Recapping the story of Abraham, we all know how God came to Abraham and said that he would make him the “father of many nations” as well as becoming the “father of our faith.” God promised Abraham that he was to have a child, and from that child’s linage would come kings and rulers of “many nations” as well as the Messiah---“the Seed to come.” (See Geneses 16-17.)
Abraham and his wife Sarah were childless and in old age at the time God gave them the Promise. Through their many years of frustration of being childless, they tried to help things along by having a child through Sarah’s slave girl, Hagar. Through this act, their son Ishmael was born.
Years later God came again to Abraham and made the same Promise of Blessing. God reaffirmed that the promised son to be born would be from his own wife. Nine months later, Isaac was born.
Here is the key: Understanding what went on in the relationship between Abraham and God gives us the insight into the number “13.” How and when God gave Abraham the Promise, Abraham’s and Sarah’s struggle, the time involved in receiving the manifestation of the Promise. These are all wrapped-up in the number “13”. Therefore, keep the entire Scripture story in mind as we proceed.
At -86 years old, Abraham tried to bring about Gods Promise.
At 99 years old, God’s Promise came
13 years between the Promise given and the Promise manifested.
II. 13 YEARS FROM OUR PROMISE THIS IS THE YEAR OF GREAT BLESSINGS:
The Number 13 Promise is a “two-fold” promise. It always involves man, and it always involves God. It always has seasons, times and circumstances in which God and man participate.
The number “13” does not mean “evil,” but rather it is a most powerful God-given promise that will change the world for ever. Some of the aspects of the promise are:
1. The promise is always initiated by God and destined to change the world forever.
2. Concerning man, to obtain the promise is beyond hope---impossible!
3. Concerning God, the chosen opportunity to manifest His plan of blessing and change.
4. The number 13 promise always has an underlying knowing that man can’t make it happen himself.
5. The number 13 always has the underlying fact that God determined it, said it, and it would happen regardless of the circumstances.
6. The number 13 is the difference of what man can do and what God can do.
7. The number 13 is the number of (new) life.
8. The number 13 promise always has time and space between when it was first given and when it’s given to manifest.
9. The number 13 promise always has a season in which man tries to bring to past himself what God has promised him.
10. The number 13 promise also has the season in which God brings to pass His promise regardless of what man has tried to produce on his own.
11. The number 13 promise has such a blessing on it that it will even bring to pass what person produces from their trying to bring to pass what God has promised in their own strength. This can also have dire consequences like the situation with Ishmael and the Middle East problem today.
12. The number 13 promise always brings excitement, hope and desperation for the promise to be fulfilled.
13. The number 13 promise is always presented in the presence of unfavorable circumstances, though in time, the circumstances will give way to the birth of the promise.
Conclusion:
Do you believe in superstition (13 is evil) or in God and how He uses numbers to show us things of the past, present, and future for God’s chosen people?
At the beginning of Living for Christ Outreach God gave us promises for our Community, families, and that He had those who were coming from the North, South, East, and West who would join us and assist us in reaching the lost here and abroad and of great outpouring of His Holy Spirit.
I believe that in our 13th years as we stay true to God, walk by the Spirit and not by our flesh we will see His promises come true and great Blessings to begin to come to pass in the year of 2023!