This is from a message I heard during a revival that our church, First Apostolic Church of Maryville, had with Reverend Jimmy Toney two weeks ago. This is part three of the sermon from the first service of that revival. It couldn’t have started off any better. I don’t believe I have ever heard a message quite like I did that night. I’d like to share with you some of that sermon in my own words. I truly believe that it will help someone. To read part one, click here. To read part two, click here. If you read the previous posts, you can skip down to the heading “Broken by Enemies”. The next section is from last week’s post to help set up the message.
Broken Beyond Repair – Part 3
(Click here to view the full service. Preaching starts at 1:15:36)
Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone; there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.”
II Samuel 4:4 “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.”
Psalms 31:11 “I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.”
In Genesis 32 Jacob wrestled with the Lord and was out of joint. In II Samuel 4, Mephibosheth was dropped and was lame on his feet. David said in Psalms 31, “I am a broken vessel”. Brokenness is a real situation in our world. We can put on our nice clothes and a happy face and pretend everything is okay. But if we were to get honest there are things in life that have broken us.
Sometimes brokenness is brought to us by the hand of God. Other times it is a freak accident. Like being in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Brokenness may also come at the hand of others who have malice in their heart to bring about harm and damage. Regardless of the origin, broken is broken.
Many times as Christians, we want to tell everyone that it will be alright. We want to give hope no matter the situation. Even possibly at the expense of giving false hope. All because we believe wholeheartedly that God can heal anything and anybody. We will continue to teach that but the other side of that coin is that there is some pain, some hurts, that are so deep that we might need to hear the painful truth that would help us, more than a polished lie that hurts.
Broken by Enemies
David said in Psalms 31: 11 that he was being attacked by an enemy. He says “I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.” David heard people talk bad about him. They didn’t know he was in the room next door but he was and he heard all the evil things they said about him and planned for him.
Now it’s not like in part one or two where it was God breaking you or an accident breaking you. Now you are intentionally being targeted by someone. By someone who is probably jealous about where you are. He said, “I am a broken vessel”. The enemy would like us to think that’s where the story ends. Right there in verse twelve when David says that. The unique thing about the Bible though is that you have to keep reading it. You can’t just stop reading. If you ever just have a question reading the Bible, the best way to answer it is to just keep reading. So let’s keep reading.
Verse 16, “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. 17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. 19 Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
David was saying “they are coming to kill me! I know they are. I heard it! But oh how great is THY goodness!”
Verse 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city. 22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
Sometimes we will start looking around and we will start thinking ” Oh my word. Everyone is against me.” and we will say in our haste “I am cut off. I am broken.”
Verse 23, “O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”
In other words, you may have people intentionally attacking you. You may feel like a broken vessel right now. You might even be broken beyond repair. But God can still you use you David in that very situation. Just because people are shooting at you doesn’t mean that God isn’t leading and guiding you. I want you to leave here with this revelation. God will always bless, help, and anoint the broken. As a matter of fact, He said “a broken heart and a contrite spirit, I can’t even help myself. I have to go help them. Because when you are weak, I am strong.”
The olive oil which is symbolic of the anointing has to go through a process that is painful and intense. First, the trunk of the olive tree must be shaken harshly causing the olives to fall to the ground. Then the olives must be beaten and smashed until the liquid runs out. The oil is used to dress wounds and in true Jewish traditions anoint objects or vessels that are earmarked to be used for the glory of God.
The process for which we are anointed of God is not much different. If we seek the anointing, we must expect to be shaken. Because all that can be shaken will be shaken. Then if we are still there, we must understand that we will be crushed. Trails and temptation will beat every bit of life out of us. Whether it be from God, from an accident, or from our enemy, we will all be broken and at times broken beyond repair. But if we persevere with an attitude of love, humility, and thankfulness, and do not become bitter, the oil, the power, the anointing of God will flow out of us. Broken people can minister to broken people better than anyone else can.
It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. It’s painful but it’s part of the process. So next time you see a truly anointed person, the next time you see your pastor teach with the anointing, remember, that didn’t come from good things that are happening. You understand that you are seeing someone that is more than just a talented person. You are seeing someone that has been shaken. Someone that has been beaten. Someone that has smashed and broken. But someone still says that “This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
What you see when you see someone that has truly been anointed. Not just someone that has talent, ability, and charisma, I mean real anointing. What you are seeing in the end result of brokenness and God probably never came back and fixed it. But they learned how to minister through their brokenness. To be broken beyond repair means to broken to such an extent that repair is not possible because if it was that’s what we would want. Yet that is exactly where God is wanting to get some of us. Because then and only then, can we step back and say “look what the Lord has done”.
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