Build Stick and Straw Huts Sermon. The apostles did their job. They laid the foundation for the holy city. Upon their foundation was to be built the city itself. Instead, followers would build stick and straw huts. Believers were not building the wonderful city. Instead, we were settling for stick and straw huts.
BUILD STICKS AND STRAW HUTS
By Pastor Delbert Young
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Build Sticks And Straw Huts
[1 Corinthians 3:11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. [KJV] (emphasis added)
As I prepared to minister on Wednesday night about the Weapons of Warfare, my eyes were opened to the dimension of the spirit. Firstly, I was allowed to see a massive endless foundation. Secondly, the foundation was beautiful and covered with precious jewels. Thirdly, there were names on the foundation. The names were the names of the apostles. As I continued looking, I saw upon the magnificent foundation a bunch of trash. So, I looked closer. It wasn’t trash exactly. It was cardboard and rusted ten and sticks and tree limbs all piled and formed into millions of huts. I did not understand. Then the revelation came to me of what I was seeing.
The apostles had done their job. They laid the foundation for the holy city. Upon their foundation was to be built the city itself. Instead only stick, straw, ten, and cardboard huts existed. Believers were not building the wonderful city. Instead, we were settling for stick and straw huts.
The New Jerusalem
The book of Revelation tells us of the New Jerusalem coming out of heaven. This New Jerusalem is not a literal city. Instead, it is the Lamb’s wife (Rev 21:9-11). John is not speaking of a future orbiting satellite orbiting above the natural city of Jerusalem on Earth. He is speaking of the church being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
[Ephesians 2:19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; [20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; [21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (emphasis added)
Build Stick and Straw Huts
The New Jerusalem is the church (Heb 12:22-24). This city is 1500 miles long and wide and high with walls 216 feet thick (Rev 21:16-17). No storm could move this city. No weapon could prosper against it. This is the way our lives should be. No storm of life should move us. No weapon the enemy can devise should prosper. However, this is not the way it is today in today’s church. Usually, the slightest breeze knocks the believer over. There is little difference between believers and non-believers in the way storms of life are handled. Finances, marriages, children, jobs, and prosperity are areas the believer should excel. Every aspect of our lives should be abundant (Joh 10:10). Too often the opposite is true in today’s church.
Hearing or Hearing and Doing
[Matthew 7:24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The Lord Jesus said there are two types of believers. These are the wise and the foolish. The wise hears and does what the Word of the Lord instructs to do. The foolish hears but does not do.
I hear all the time about how great a message was, but the person never activates it in their life. Their life is in constant turmoil. They live in stick and straw huts. Any storm of life devastates them. Let me use an example. The scriptures tell us to have control of our finances. Believers know they should be abundant in their personal finances. Let the least unexpected bill come and they are devastated. Let the car break down or the washing machine tears up and they are messed up.
Build Stick and Straw Huts
The opposite is always true with the person who hears and does the word. A storm can come and the city stands. The wall is constructed and the city is so strong storms simply do not affect the city. The difference between the two is only heard and one heard and activated. In the vision I was given of the tin, straw, cardboard, and stick huts, any wind blew them down.
Tongues
How do tongues relate to a house that cannot be blown down by any storm of life? We obviously do not have the revelation of tongues. The gift of tongues is far more than a gift exercised in corporate meetings. In fact, tongues utilized with interpretation is far from the reason the church was given tongues. Tongues properly used will edify and build the believer as nothing else in our arsenal of weapons (1Co 10:5).
edifieth himself
The primary purpose of tongues is to edify and build the believer as a weapon of warfare.
[1 Corinthians 14:4] He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
NRS
[1 Corinthians 14:4] Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves….
TLB
[1 Corinthians 14:4] So a person “speaking in tongues” helps himself grow spiritually….
NIV
[1 Corinthians 14:4] He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself….
The word translated “edifieth” is the oikodomeo (Strong’s #3618) meaning growth and restoration. The word study follows.
edifieth – 3618 oikodomeo {oy-kod-om-eh’-o}
(1) to build a house, erect a building [1Pe 2:5; Eph 2:20, 21]
(1.a) to build (up from the foundation)
(1.b) to restore by building, to rebuild, repair [Gen 20:7; Exo 22:1; 224; Lev 6:5, etc)
(2) metaph.
(2.a) to found, establish
(2.b) to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness
(2.c) to grow in wisdom and devotion and reverence to God
Build Stick and Straw Huts
All of the gifts and enablements of the Holy Spirit are wonderful. All the gifts are given to minister to the body (1Co 12:7-12). Tongues is the one gift we can use for self. We know tongues, when interpreted, does minister to the body the identical way prophecy ministers (1Co 14:5, 13). The point made here is tongues activated for self is a personal weapon of warfare. Other gifts are used to edify other members. But we can use the weapon of tongues as a weapon to build ourselves as a mighty holy temple for God to inhabit.
Biblically tongues utilized in this way edify or build from the foundation up. Tongues also rebuild, restore, and repair. Jude said it this way.
[Jude 1:20] But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
We see the Lord gave tongues to build (edify) the spiritual house and temple each of us are individually and corporately.
[1 Peter 2:5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. [KJV]
[Ephesians 2:20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; [21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [KJV]
Build Stick and Straw Huts
Hopefully, we can see the enemy’s device concerning tongues. The removal of this weapon of warfare (2Co 10:4) makes it impossible to build the total habitation of God (Eph 2:22). Our foundation is Christ and the apostles. On this foundation, we are built up a spiritual house or a stick and straw hut. You can look at any believer and quickly observe what type of house they build. What happens when a spiritual hurricane hits?
A hurricane or a tornado could damage our natural house. In the same way, illness or accident can damage the natural physical house (body). As we would build back or repair a natural house damaged or even destroyed by a tornado, we build back in the spiritual. We build up and build back with tongues. We build back, we restore, and we repair by utilizing this weapon of unknown tongues. This is why it was given.
The church today needs a better understanding of how tongues “edifieth.”
People have varied assortments of damage experienced by storms of life. Some are ill in their bodies, some are oppressed and depressed, some are damaged by family problems, some are damaged by work problems, many are damaged by financial burdens, etc. The way to rebuild and restore is by activating the weapon of tongues! What a difference we could experience in our individual lives and in our corporate services were we to properly activate this weapon.
[2 Corinthians 2:11] Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. [KJV]
We are ignorant of his devices
If I have gotten the point across, then see why Satan has toiled so diligently to remove tongues from the church. Satan attacks all the gifts of the Spirit and the biblical baptism of the Holy Ghost. Moreover, tongues has received the greatest attack. If tongues are to build the house, but you do not use tongues then you will never be much of a house. Rather than a temple or a house we build a straw hut (1Co 3:12).
Build Stick and Straw Huts
We have set back and allowed Dispensational teaching to steal a mighty weapon from our weapons of warfare. We buy their deceit and listen to their lies and reasoning as to why tongues are not for today. The entire time we watch our churches, our nation, our homes, and our families be devastated. The church is powerless without tongues and we are showing just that.
[1 Corinthians 14:39] Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. [KJV]
forbid not to speak with tongues
Question?
I need to ask a question before continuing. Why do you or your loved ones not speak with unknown tongues? There may be a few different answers, but all will come to one reason. They have been taught tongues are not for today. They attend a church that does not believe in tongues. What if you or they had been taught it was for today? What if they attended a church where tongues were spoken? If so, would they speak with tongues? The only reason people refuse to speak in tongues is because of inaccurate teaching. Someone may say, “Well I do not because I know the bible says I am not supposed to.” That is not correct. Let’s see what the scriptures say.
The apostle Paul said,
1 Corinthians 14:5, 2, 14, 18, 22, 26, 27, 39
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied….[KJV]
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. [KJV]
4 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. [15] What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. [KJV]
8 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: [KJV]
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not…. [KJV]
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. [KJV]
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. [KJV]
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. [KJV]
Surely we can see the apostle believed we should utilize tongues. We should doubt and examine any doctrine saying tongues are not for today’s church. Strangely we have been convinced the Bible is wrong. For every one scripture twisted (2Pe 3:16) to say tongues should not be used there are four or five saying tongues should be used.
Build Stick and Straw Huts
the Dispensational enemy
It is sad what Dispensational doctrine has done to the Biblical baptism of the Holy Spirit. Naturally, if the Baptism of the Holy Ghost can be removed then tongues are removed automatically. Removal of the Holy Ghost automatically removes the power from on high. Non-Pentecostal Dispensationalists removed all activity of the Holy Spirit other than initial salvation. This is a brilliant tactic of Satan. By removing the weapon to build the church and to receive power from on high, he has neutralized the church. Because it preaches and teaches the removal of tongues, Dispensational doctrine is an enemy of biblical truth.
The devil through Dispensational doctrine removed the weapon necessary to build, rebuild, and restore the believer. With this purpose in mind, Satan removed what is necessary for the believer to grow in Christian wisdom. We wonder why we do not see the miraculous power of the church we read about in the Bible. The reason is we have allowed false doctrine to take it from us. Dispensationalism is a lie from hell. It robs, kills, and destroys (Joh 10:10). It is today’s Pharisee religious system. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Mat 16:6).
Dispensational reasoning
Non-Pentecostal churches believe and teach the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was only available for the first-century believers. In this situation, they use 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.
[1 Corinthians 13:8] Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. [9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. [10] But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
According to this doctrine, “when that which is perfect is come” is referring to the canon of scriptures we call the Bible. Our Bible was canonized (our books of the bible placed together) early in the 2nd century. The “then that which is in part shall be done away” refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit with tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. According to their lie, the gifts ceased and vanished when the Bible was canonized. It did “cease” for them, but not for those wanting truth. They will teach this to our children, our relatives, and our friends. Look, and ask the question, “Are they growing in the Lord”? No, they cannot grow. They live in a stick and straw house. That which gives Christian growth has been removed. At best they can “hang on” and hope Jesus will come soon.
Build Stick and Straw Huts
What does 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 mean? Obviously, the entire chapter and context of 1 Corinthians 13 is “love.” Paul says as love is perfected the gifts will be less and less necessary. Jesus said the greatest commandment is love (Mar 12:30-31; Joh 15:12). When humanity loves God, Christ, one another, and themselves as it should, we will not need the gifts. The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). When I love God as I should I will not sin against God. When I love people as I should I will not sin against people, and when I love myself as I should then I will not sin against myself. Sin will be totally overcome along with death (1 Cor 15:25). When love is perfected, sin is no more. Joy and health will fill all lives. Until love comes we need the gifts and we need tongues.
All believers have been affected by the lie of the dispensational doctrine on tongues.
If you rear your children in a church where tongues are the norm, expected, and desired they will talk with tongues quickly and easily. Realize this. As soon as the enemy can send his messenger (2Co 11:14-15), your child’s relationship with the Holy Ghost will be challenged. They will be told they are in error. They will be made to feel inferior rather than superior because they speak in tongues. If not properly prepared they will doubt tongues. The enemy will weaken, if not take, their weapon.
Adults who speak with tongues also struggle. A second-rate attitude is today associated with those who speak in tongues. For this reason, we keep tongues in the “back room.” Many people are ashamed to tell family and friends they “speak with unknown tongues.” The devil has successfully made tongues unattractive. His weapon has been and is the Dispensational doctrine. Dispensationalism is an enemy to your weapons, your life, and your family.
Because we avoid and do not utilize the weapon of tongues we are weak.
We could be a mighty holy temple no storm of life could affect. Rather, we elect to live in stick and straw huts. Do you speak in tongues? If so, when? Have you believed the lie saying every tongue needs interpretation? We will look at the lie later. The enemy will attempt to tell us first tongues are not for today. If you get past that lie, you will be told to speak in tongues you must be “moved upon” by the Holy Ghost.
If you get past this lie, you will be told you can only speak in tongues if there is an interpreter. All in all, lie after lie after lie will be used to stop you from speaking in tongues. There is a reason. In short, tongues will build a person as nothing else can build. For this reason, the enemy does not want you to be strong and edified and restored.
Build Stick and Straw Huts
Build Stick and Straw Huts
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