Overview
Life has an ebb and a flow, and Scripture treats both as normal: the ebb is the decline, the flow is the increase, and neither one means something has gone wrong. Rev. Rico Magnelli works through John 18, James 4, Luke 4, Judges 3, Proverbs 30 and Philippians 4 to show that Jesus oft times resorted to the garden for a break, that even the devil departs for a season, and that the answer to being molded to this world is not to sprint harder but to stand. Othniel’s one stand gave Israel forty years of rest and Ehud’s gave eighty, and Paul learned to be content abased or abounding, because Christ stays at the center in either season.
Transcript
Jesus Oft Times Resorted to the Garden (John 18:1-2)
Let’s look at John chapter 18, please. John chapter 18. Let’s just consider for a moment the ebb and flow of life. The ebb is the decline. The flow is the increase. And there’s an ebb and flow in life.
And it’s really important that we don’t allow ourselves to be molded to this world. When we fit within that paradigm, we fit within that mold, because within that, so many Christians are in some sort of bondage. Even Jesus Christ, when he needed a break, he took breaks. It says here in John 18, verse 1, When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered, and his disciples.
Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus oft times resorted thither with his disciples. How often verses like this get missed. It says oft times, and the Greek means frequently.
This guy took breaks frequently. He would go to the garden. He would get out of the fray that was in Jerusalem, the spiritual competition, and he would just take a break.
Life Is a Race, Not a Sprint
It’s so important for us to understand that life has an ebb and flow, and it’s not constantly balls to the wall all the time. It’s not healthy. It never was, and it never will be.
If we’re balls to the wall all the time, balls to the wall is the throttle in a jet plane, and it was a ball throttle, and the ball would go towards the front of the cockpit wall, which was towards the front of the plane, and that’s what balls to the wall meant, full throttle. So life is not supposed to be that way. It’s not a sprint.
It’s a race, and we have to do what we need to do to refresh ourselves. If the Lord Jesus Christ frequently took breaks, and when he was among people that loved him, it’s important that we pay attention.
Even the Devil Cannot Keep It Up (James 4:7)
Look at James chapter 4. There’s only one being that can maintain anything unceasingly in terms of his power, his presence, and that’s God. Even the devil has to flee. It says in James chapter 4, verse 7, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
He can’t maintain it either. He’s not that powerful. There’s an ebb and flow to life, and it’s important that we don’t allow ourselves to be molded into what the world is trying to mold us into.
Why I Can’t Wait for the Weekend Is a Worldly Cliche
Look at Luke 4. We just have to resist the devil, and he flees. We just have to stand. You know how people say things like, I can’t wait for the weekend. That is a worldly cliche. That’s being molded to this world. I can’t wait for the weekend.
No, no, no, no. Every day we walk in newness of life and enjoy the blessings of God every single day, and if we find ourselves utilizing that terminology, it’s a good thing to correct it and stay sharp because that’s worldly. You can’t read that in the Bible. It’s not in there. Like the weekend is better than Monday. I understand maybe we do things that are a little bit more pleasant. I get that.
So anticipating something, that’s different. I get it, but we don’t want to get molded to this world in the things that we say and the way that we think because there’s an ebb and flow to life, and life, it’s like the waves of the sea, man. They come in and they go out, and you got to understand you can’t sprint all the time.
The Devil Departed From Jesus for a Season (Luke 4:13)
Luke 4, look at verse 13. It says, And when the devil had ended all the temptation, talking about to Jesus, he departed from him for a season. Again, we saw that in James. He’s looking for the right opportunity, but he can’t keep it up. That’s why somebody has to take a stand.
Othniel, the First Judge, and Israel Molded to the World (Judges 3:7-10)
Look at Judges. Our job is to stand. Now Judges, God rose up men and women during the time of the judges after Moses and Joshua, and there were men and women that helped to Israel to steer them towards the things of God, and Samuel was the last judge. He anointed Saul as king, who later flipped out, and then we got David, but here’s the first judge. His name was Othniel, and this is a pattern throughout the book of Judges.
In verse 7 of chapter 3 of the book of Judges, it says, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God.
Every time we forget God, that’s exactly what happens, no matter what we’re doing, and served Baalim and the groves, so they go right back to being molded to the world. Where’d they learn the groves? Moses didn’t teach them. Where the heck did they learn that? It didn’t come from Moses and Joshua.
They learned from the people around them that were worshiping idols. We can’t allow ourselves to be molded to that system. Yes, life has an ebb and flow to it, but let’s not adopt what the world is doing. Get on their bandwagon, so to speak.
Therefore, the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord their God, unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
And Caleb was one of the two spies that Moses sent out, him and Joshua, that came back with a good report. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel and went out to war. And the Lord delivered Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand, and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
The Land Had Rest Forty Years Because One Man Stood
The land had rest, what, 40 years, y’all. 40 years. And we know that’s a figure of speech. In our understanding, the spirits would not be dominating. The land didn’t need rest like, like it sleeps. It’s talking about spiritually. There was no war. Israel was not conquered during that time. That’s 40, that’s four decades.
One guy takes a stand, one guy, and backs this whole thing off. See, it takes men and women to take a stand, and not just mimic what the world is doing. Yes, there’s an ebb and a flow to life. So don’t get, don’t think that that’s wrong. There’s going to be times when things are just ebbing. They’re just declining, you know. And then there’s things when you’re, you’re really balls to the wall. Life is like that, so let’s not be surprised. But let’s not follow the pattern that the world is setting.
Someone has got to take a stand against that, and not give in. Don’t give in in your vocabulary. Don’t give in in your confession. Don’t give in when someone comes to you for counsel. Don’t give in to what the world is moving. Just don’t give in. And then the land will have rest. People are going to get delivered. One guy, and that one guy inspired how many? The whole book of Judges is like this.
Ehud and Four Score Years of Rest (Judges 3:12-30)
I’ll show you another one. Look at verse 12. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab, against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. So after 40 years, probably Othniel dead, is dead. They go right back into it.
So he, he raises up another judge named Ehud. And Ehud takes care of the Moabites. In verse 29, And they slew of Moab at that time about 10,000 men, all lusty, and all men of valor. And there escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest four score years. 80 years. 80.
Don’t Budge on the Word
See, don’t think that your life doesn’t mean anything. Take a stand on the word. It doesn’t mean you’ve got to go out of the street corner and preach the Bible. Doesn’t mean that. It just means you don’t budge on the word. I don’t budge on the word.
Give Me Neither Poverty Nor Riches (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Look at Proverbs 30. There’s an ebb and flow. God understands that. But look at this request from the person that wrote this. Proverbs 30. It says in Proverbs 30, verse seven, Two things have I required of thee. Deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies.
That means those empty, fruitless, absolutely profitless, idiotic stuff. It’s vanity. It’s vain. It’s empty, void of content and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me. Lest I be full and deny thee. And say, who’s the Lord? I got this all on my own. Or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain.
Both extremes are wrong. Because both extremes lead to taking God out of the picture. It’s a balance. There’s going to be times when there’s an ebb in your life. And there’s the time when there’s going to be a flow in all categories. But it’s still God that keeps us in the center through Jesus Christ.
Paul Learned to Be Abased and to Abound (Philippians 4:11-13)
And let’s close in Philippians four. This is so important. What people do, it depends on the circumstances, how they respond. Can’t do that. Not if you’re going to stand for God. And I’m going to stand for God.
Philippians chapter four, verse 11. Not that I speak in respect of want. So Paul doesn’t talk about his needs all the time. Not that I speak in respect of want. It doesn’t mean that he didn’t have needs. That’s not what was the focus of his conversation.
A needy person is someone that focuses in on their need all the time. Not on the God who delivers them from their need. You can talk about your need. There’s nothing wrong with making your need known. So don’t get me wrong. That’s not what I’m saying. But it doesn’t dominate your conversation.
Not that I speak in respect of want. For I have learned. He had to learn it. He had to learn it. Whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Self adequate. I know both how to be abased. That means the ebb of life. And how to abound. That’s the flow when things are just flowing. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Christ Stays at the Center in Either Season
Christ is the focus of our lives, every waking moment, all the time. And there’s going to be an ebb and a flow. And even in recreation, even when like Jesus resorted to the garden, we keep God first. And we don’t fall into the trap of the world.
So I think this is really important for us to maintain and understand that life does have an ebb and a flow to it. And if we’re going balls to the wall all the time, we need to take a break. And God can still be glorified. In fact he does. And no matter what situation we find ourselves, Christ is still at the center of our hearts, in our lives. Because Christ and what he accomplished for us and in us, that’s our strength, wherever we find ourselves. So that’s what I wanted to share.
Key Takeaways
- The ebb is the decline and the flow is the increase; life has both, and it is not constantly balls to the wall all the time.
- John 18:2 says Jesus oft times resorted to the garden with his disciples, and the Greek behind oft times means frequently, so taking breaks was his own pattern.
- Neither the devil nor the world can sustain the pressure: James 4:7 says he will flee, and Luke 4:13 says he departed from Jesus for a season.
- Being molded to this world shows up first in vocabulary. I can’t wait for the weekend is a worldly cliche you cannot read in the Bible.
- One person’s stand held back a nation’s decline: Othniel gave Israel rest forty years in Judges 3, and Ehud gave four score years, which is eighty.
- Proverbs 30:7-9 asks for neither poverty nor riches because both extremes take God out of the picture, and Philippians 4:11-13 shows Paul content abased or abounding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Bible show Jesus taking breaks?
Yes. John 18:1-2 says Jesus went forth with his disciples over the brook into a garden, and that Judas knew the place because Jesus oft times resorted thither with his disciples. Rico Magnelli points out that the Greek behind oft times means frequently, so Jesus took breaks frequently, getting out of the fray that was in Jerusalem and away from the spiritual competition. Life is not a sprint, it is a race, and we have to do what we need to do to refresh ourselves.
What does it mean that life has an ebb and flow?
The ebb is the decline and the flow is the increase, and both belong to a normal life. Rico Magnelli compares it to the waves of the sea: they come in and they go out, so you cannot sprint all the time. Philippians 4:11-13 says the same thing in Paul’s words, that he learned both how to be abased, which is the ebb, and how to abound, which is the flow, and was content in either one.
What does Judges 3 teach about taking a stand?
That one person’s stand can hold back a whole nation’s decline. When Othniel stood, the land had rest forty years, and when Ehud stood, the land had rest four score years, which is eighty. Rico Magnelli says it takes men and women to take a stand and not just mimic what the world is doing. It does not mean you have to go preach on a street corner. It just means you don’t budge on the word.
Scripture References
John 18:1; John 18:2; James 4:7; Luke 4:13; Judges 3:7; Judges 3:8; Judges 3:9; Judges 3:10; Judges 3:11; Judges 3:12; Judges 3:29; Judges 3:30; Proverbs 30:7; Proverbs 30:8; Proverbs 30:9; Philippians 4:11; Philippians 4:12; Philippians 4:13
This text was prepared from the teaching audio. Please verify scripture references against your own Bible.
