Turn with me today in your Bible to Matthew chapter 13, verses 31 through 32. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all seeds. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. The scriptures are filled with many prophecies in which God, through his prophets, through his apostles, declare what shall happen in the future before the events actually come to pass. In this sense, divine prophecy is really a preview of history to come. Why has God given to us prophecy in Scripture? Well, let me suggest a couple reasons why the Lord has given us prophecy. First of all, to reveal His glory, God's glory, by demonstrating that He alone is the Creator, and He alone is the Lord of history. He's the one who ordains. He's the one who causes and brings to pass all things that occur in history. And He's not only the Lord of history, but He's also the Savior and the Judge within history. Secondly, the Lord has given to us prophecy within Scripture in order to bring hope to His people, by revealing to them how He will graciously save His people and will judge His enemies. In prophecy, we see the salvation of God on behalf of His people, but we also see God's judgment falling upon those who hate Him and despise Him. Thus, the study of prophecy, dear ones, is not a mere intellectual pursuit wherein we gather information to satisfy our curiosity about the future so that we can just stand around and talk about what's going to happen in the future. You see, prophecy is intended to have a very practical effect in our lives. It is intensely practical in humbling us before the eternal sovereign God, knowing that he is the one who's in control of the future, not rulers, not nations, not Satan, but the everlasting God, regardless of what we are going through, no matter what happens tomorrow, in our nation, God is still on the throne. And prophecy teaches that that is the case. The Lord has not only given to us chapters, verses, or even entire books within the Bible, like the book of Revelation that deal with prophecy, He's also given to us prophetic parables to teach us the progress of history in the future. The parable of the mustard seed is one of these prophetic parables. What does the Lord teach us about the future in this parable, this prophetic parable of the mustard seed? Well, Two things that we find in this parable taught, and they are the main points in the sermon today. First main point, the smallness of the gospel kingdom. And second, the greatness of the gospel kingdom. So let us consider the first point, the smallness of the gospel kingdom. Focusing upon Matthew chapter 13, 31-32a, another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. which indeed is the least of all the seeds. Interesting that the parables of the Lord Jesus were given both to hide the truth from those who were obstinate toward the Lord Jesus Christ, who were in rebellion against the Lord Jesus Christ. The parables were given to hide the truth from them, but they were also given to enlighten the truth, to make us know and understand the truth, who have ears to hear, eyes to behold the mysteries of the kingdom. and that does not come simply because one is smarter than another person the ability to be able to see and to be able to understand that comes from the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us who enlightens our minds who gives us understanding it is his gift to us to understand and here we see the Lord Jesus Christ explaining later on in the chapter the meaning of some of these parables. But we, by way of the Holy Spirit, in having the scripture given to us have the ability, spiritual ability, to be able to compare what is said in the parable with other places of scripture and by the Holy Spirit to understand and apply his word to our lives. Let us never, therefore, dear ones, despise the fact that we have a Bible in front of us, first of all, And secondly, let us never despise that we have the ability to read. There have been many generations in the past in various countries, and even now, where the ability to read God's word is not something that is so widely practiced by Christians today. Thank God that we can read his word. We not only have a copy, we can read it. But again, let us be very thankful to God for the gift of illumination and understanding. Let us never take for granted that God has given us sight to see and to understand his word. That's not something natural. That is something supernatural, worked within God's elect by his grace. Here, the Lord likens the kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of heaven is just another way of speaking of the visible church of Jesus Christ throughout the world. The Lord likens the kingdom of heaven to that of a mustard seed. The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed. We read in Matthew 13, verse 31. It is called the kingdom of heaven here because it is the power of heaven that comes in the gospel to break our proud hearts and to grant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the salvation that Jesus has purchased for his elect. The parable of the mustard seed is intended, dear ones, to illustrate the gospel kingdom established by Christ the King in conquering all of his enemies through his death and through his resurrection. You see, many people want Jesus as savior from their sins so that they can escape the fiery furnace of hell. They want Jesus as a savior, as an insurance policy, that they can escape hell. But many refuse to bow the knee, bow the knee before Jesus Christ as King and as Lord to rule over them, to rule over every part of their life. Dear ones, you cannot come to Jesus as Savior to be rescued from hell and refuse to bow before Him as King and Lord of your life. It doesn't happen that way. You either receive all that Jesus is or you receive none of who Jesus is. You either receive Him as Savior and Lord or you receive Him not at all. The evidence that Jesus is your Savior is your willing submission to his rule and to his commandments. And likewise, dear ones, the evidence of a hypocrite is an unwillingness to submit to the authority of the king and to his moral law. Struggle we will all do as Christians, yes, But unwillingness and continued unwillingness to submit to Jesus Christ as Lord of our life, no, a Christian cannot do. Will we struggle with that willingness at times? Yes, we'll struggle with that willingness, but we'll not persevere in that unwillingness. We'll persevere in a willingness. that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord of our lives. The smallness of the gospel kingdom here is likened to that of a mustard seed, which proverbially was used to illustrate that which was very small and seemingly insignificant in the eyes of man. says, Jesus says, speaking of the mustard seed in verse 32, which indeed is the least of all seeds. When Jesus illustrated the smallest degree of genuine faith in a true believer, what did he use? And as an illustration, he used the mustard seed once again. If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17, 20. Jesus was making the point, it's not the size of your faith, it is the object of your faith. Even if your faith is small, if your faith is in Him, in Him, the mighty God, you'll be able to move all of those mountains that stand in the way, by way of hindering you in moving forward in your Christian walk, in overcoming those sins and those temptations in your life. In this particular instance, in Matthew 17, 20, Jesus had just cast out this devil that they, the disciples, had already prayed might be cast out, this demon, and they could not do so. And Jesus, coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration, cast this demon out of this father's son. And the Lord Jesus is illustrating here that the kingdom of Satan, kingdoms are often figuratively in the scripture called mountains. Kingdoms are called mountains. And this, I think, is referring to the kingdom of Satan. The kingdom of Satan cannot stand in the way of those who are looking to and trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. If he's the object of our faith, even if we struggle, even if our faith is small, if our faith is in him, we are overcomers through Jesus Christ. The first truth taught by Christ in the parable of the mustard seed is that the gospel kingdom would begin in a small, seemingly insignificant way. The kingdom has a king. Every kingdom has a king. And this kingdom has a king, the Lord Jesus Christ. The king of this kingdom would not be ushered in to that kingdom into a royal palace, sitting upon a royal throne and crowned as an earthly king would, with all the pomp and with all of the circumstance that one might expect for such a great king. He was laid at birth in a manger, a feeding trough, and he deliberately avoided all attempts on the part of men to make him such an earthly king. We read in John 6, verses 14 through 15, at one point in the ministry of Christ, it says, then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, this was the miracle of multiplying the bread and the fish. When they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, this is of a truth, that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. You see, he didn't come to be that type of a king. He came to be king of a spiritual kingdom. The gospel kingdom, or the kingdom of heaven, did not originate in this world. Its power was not wielded by the sword, nor was it authority conveyed by man. Jesus said before Pilate in John 18.36, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is my kingdom not from hence. His kingdom did not originate here. His kingdom is a heavenly kingdom that came to the earth. The kingdom of grace, which is the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of grace was spiritual in nature, for it came by the Holy Spirit applying the redemption purchased by Jesus Christ through the hearts of those who were rebels, those who were in an altogether different kingdom, and were warring against the kingdom of Christ. You see, dear friends, there are only two kingdoms in the world. There are only two kingdoms. There's the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there's the kingdom of Satan. And there is no in-between kingdom. You are either in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, or you are in the kingdom of Satan. We must recognize that's the battle. We were in that kingdom, all of us at one time, the kingdom of Satan. But by the power of our King, we have been delivered from bondage in that kingdom, set free and been given adoption as sons have been made heirs of the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, by His grace, and by His grace alone, not by our works or merit in any way. Although this gospel kingdom has its individual application to each of us in our souls and in our particular lives as believers and as God's elect. It also has its corporate application as well in bringing all those who profess Jesus Christ, profess faith in Christ under his government and under his rule into the visible church. of the Lord Jesus Christ over which he alone is head and king. This corporate and visible aspect of the gospel kingdom includes, as was just said, all those who profess the true religion and also includes all their children as well throughout the whole world. For the well-being and growth of this universal, visible, gospel kingdom, Jesus Christ, the king, has given his royal word, his scripture. And he has given to this church gospel officers to teach and to rule on his behalf according to his word. Not according to their will, not according to the will of man, not according to the doctrine of man, not according to the worship of man or the government of man, but according to the will of God, the will of Jesus Christ. That is the standard for the church of Jesus Christ, not man's will. That's why the Lord Jesus As he commissioned the Apostles and those ministers that would come from the Apostles, he said, Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Not all things whatsoever I am pleased to do or I want to do, but all things Jesus says that He has commanded us. And lo, I am with you all way, even unto the end of the world. Amen. In fact, we can go as far as to say, dear ones, Jesus hates Jesus hates all such introduction of man's will into his kingdom, for it subverts his royal will and authority as king. That's why we read in Revelation 2, verse 15, when there was false teaching that was introduced into the church of Pergamos, Jesus says, to the church of Pergamos, so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Jesus says he hates false teaching. He also hates corrupt worship. He also hates tyrannical church government. He hates these things. These are not simply areas of neutrality with the Lord Jesus. He hates, despises that which is done according to the will of man and not according to the will of God. We're coming up upon a holiday that many within the church will be celebrating. Does Jesus hate Christmas? Jesus hates Christmas. because Jesus did not authorize the celebration of his birth as a holy day, as a religious holiday, as an act of worship to glory in Jesus Christ, he's appointed us a Lord's Day. Every week, a Lord's Day in which we are to remember his birth, his life, His death and His resurrection every Lord's Day. And if we were faithful in attending to, as the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world, if we were faithful in attending to the ordinance of the Holy Sabbath, the Lord's Day, the Church would not see any need to celebrate or any reason to celebrate another day, not appointed in his word. But because we are, as a church, universal, we've strayed so far from the truth that it is Jesus' will, not our will, that is to authorize what is done in worship in holy days that are to celebrate him. All of that is the will of Jesus. This gospel kingdom began historically with just a few disciples. Jesus actually says in Luke 12, 32, he calls it a little flock. He calls his people at that time, those who were following him, a little flock. You see, Jesus desired to encourage his disciples that though the kingdom of Jesus Christ would begin very small, like a mustard seed, planted into the ground, that it would take root, that it would grow, and that it would become something great and mighty. Something so visible that even the birds, which represents the kings and the nations, that even the birds would find lodging in this kingdom. within the church of Jesus Christ. In fact, the gospel kingdom would eventually grow beyond all expectations according to this parable. So you see, this is a parable to instill hope in each of us. Hope that in spite Of all that we suffer, all that we endure by way of persecution, by way of trials, by way of difficulties and temptations and sins in this life, there is coming a time of greatness. No matter though the church now throughout the world has great corruption in various places. Within it, departures from the Word of God and from the will of Jesus Christ. There is coming a time of greatness in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, where all of that will, to such a large degree, not perfectly, but to such a large degree, vanish throughout the world within the Church of Jesus Christ. And so it doesn't depend upon, ultimately, our resources. It doesn't depend upon our successes now. It doesn't depend upon man. It doesn't depend upon political parties. It doesn't depend upon rulers. The growth of God's kingdom depends upon Him. the Lord God, the Lord Jesus Christ. It depends upon him and his timeline, his schedule, his divine appointment. But he will, we are assured here that he will grow his kingdom. He will grow his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against his church. The small stage of the gospel kingdom in which it is likened to a small mustard seed that is sown in the ground, began at the first coming of Jesus Christ. And we see it begin to, from that seed to begin to grow into a tender plant as we move through the book of Acts. Yet not without great struggle against many enemies that sought to destroy the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, whether it be the persecution of the Jews, or the persecution by the Romans, or the persecution later on by the papal antichrist, or persecution by Islam, or by totalitarian governments, or whether it be the heresies and the tyranny of the Gnostics or of the Church of Rome or other corrupt churches, his kingdom will grow. In spite of these great struggles, the mustard seed would gradually grow into a tender plant and then into a shrub and then into a tree large enough for the birds in which to rest and in which to build their nests. See this same truth about the smallness of God's kingdom beginning in that way as a mustard seed is likewise taught in Daniel chapter 2. In verses 31 through 35 where Daniel is interpreting this dream of King Nebuchadnezzar and this image that you recall had a head of gold and arms and chest of silver. It had thighs and midsection of another metal. And then iron for the last metal that was there. And in that image, there is, and in that dream, there is this small stone that is taken out of a mountain and comes down and smites the feet of that image. And that image crumbles and falls and is destroyed. And then it says that in the prophecy that that stone becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth. So again, using different imagery, we see that this likewise, this image of gold and silver and bronze and iron, this image Likewise is destroyed just as we see with regard to the mustard seed. Starts very small, grows, and the nations come to take their place within that kingdom. You see, dear ones, this truth should teach us that during this present age of the gospel kingdom, we should expect and not be surprised by persecution, opposition, hostility from Satan, from the corrupt rulers and nations of this world. We should expect that. And the fact that we have not seen that to such a degree in this country certainly does not mean it's not coming. I think we need to prepare ourselves. I think we need to prepare our families. I think we need to be very diligent that we, by way of preparation, physical preparation, food, that's all well and good, but what we especially need is spiritual preparation for what lies ahead. before that mustard seed grows into that tree at the time of the millennium, at which time then the nations flow into that mustard tree. Although there have been periods in history in which the mustard seed or the mustard plant appears to manifest growth and manifest reformation in certain parts of the world, as during the first and second reformations. Nevertheless, these periods of reformation were brief, relatively brief, short-lived, and soon issued in periods of backsliding from the truth. Dear ones, we are yet living in the period of smallness. We've not reached that period where the mustard seed has become a tree. Certainly, there's been growth from the time of Jesus Christ and the apostles. It has the gospel kingdom has spread throughout the world from Palestine, as we read in Acts chapter one, that the gospel would begin to make such a glorious display in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then to the outermost parts of the earth. But dear ones, The mustard seed has sprouted. At times we've seen it as an herb, but it has not yet reached its greatness. We are, I would submit to you, living in the period of time in which the woman, the faithful church, in Revelation 12, verse 14, flees to the wilderness from the attacks of the serpent. Satan, and there, the faithful remnant, the faithful of God's church are protected and preserved by the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 12, 14, we read, and the woman, unto the woman were given two wings. of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent. And we are living in that period of time, even now. Just because we're living in that period of time, dear ones, it doesn't mean that we simply throw up our arms and say, I quit, I surrender. We must be faithful to Jesus Christ, even if we stand all alone or appear to stand all alone. The Lord has reserved unto him 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal. It is not our job to usher in the millennium. It is our job to be faithful, to be faithful to Jesus Christ in our own individual lives, in our families, in our church, in our communities, places where we work to seek to be faithful, faithful witnesses for Jesus Christ. It is our duty to be faithful to his gospel, faithful to his commandments. You see, the duty is ours, the results we leave to God. The mustard seed has been planted, and Almighty God will bring forth its increase in His own appointed time. At the present, therefore, yes, we should expect to be attacked, slandered, and persecuted for Christ, for His truth, and for His righteousness. But this period of the gospel kingdom will not remain forever. There is coming a time in which the mustard seed will become a tree, in which the birds of the air will lodge. Let us, dear ones, let us not be cast down at our smallness, for the parable is not yet finished. It's not yet completed. That's the hope. Our hope is not founded upon something uncertain. Our hope is founded upon that which is absolutely certain to come. The second point from this text is the greatness of the gospel kingdom. Matthew 13, 32, B, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. The second aspect of the kingdom of heaven is described in terms of the mustard seed growing into a tree, far beyond the smallness of that tiny little seed that was sown in the ground at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although the mustard seed was proverbially said to be the smallest seed, nevertheless, it grew to become the largest of the herbs, somewhere around 15 feet in height. The point that Jesus is here making is the contrast between the smallness of the seed that was sown to the greatness of the tree that it grows into. So likewise will the gospel kingdom increase and grow in size until it encompasses the whole world. The Lord Jesus says that this mustard tree will even be able to lodge the birds of the air, something it would not be able to do at the stage that it was as a mustard seed for sure, or even just as a tender small plant that had sprouted. What did the birds of the air refer to? Well, the birds refer to kings, nations, peoples of the world, of the earth that would be brought into the gospel kingdom or visible church of Jesus Christ in Ezekiel chapter 17. Verses 22 through 24, there we have again another figurative image of birds taking their shelter, lodging in this tree that started off as a tender plant and grew and grew and grew until it was able to have all of the birds, it says, lodged therein. This aspect of the gospel kingdom is what is known as the millennium, found in Revelation chapter 20, verses one through six. Where Christ will reign, Satan is bound for that period of time so that he cannot deceive the nations. He's not able to mislead the nations to follow him any longer for that period of time. And that is one reason why we see such a glorious, glorious expansion, growth and size and purity within the Church of Jesus Christ during that millennial period. Satan is bound, he can no longer mislead and deceive the nations. And therefore the Lord pours forth this spirit and he brings forth such a mighty harvest unto Himself, where the nations, Jews and Gentiles alike, come and bow before the Lord Jesus Christ to serve Him. As we read in Psalm 72, verses 8, 9, and 11, He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before Him, and His enemies shall lick the dust Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him. All nations shall serve Him. Likewise in Isaiah chapter 2 verses 2-4 we read of the same period of time and it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house, that mountain is as we said the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains. It will be exalted above all the nations, above all the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow into it. And many people shall go and say, come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach us of his ways. and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And again, this would refer to Mount Zion, to the church of Jesus Christ, that the gospel will flow from and God's commandments will come from the church to the nations, to the leaders of nations. And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. It's not the United Nations that's going to bring peace to the world. It's not political parties that will bring peace to the world. Regardless of the various movements, civil rights movements, various movements that we see in seeking to bring so-called justice to a nation or to the world, it's not that. It's the gospel of Jesus Christ that will bring peace to the world. That's why we must ever be faithful, witnesses, of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the power of God into salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, the gospel of salvation. This millennial period is likewise mentioned in Romans 11, 24, where the Apostle Paul is talking about this present period of time as being a period of blindness that God has judicially poured out upon Israel as a nation. But there's coming a time when that judicial blindness will no longer be the case. It will happen at the time that the fullness of the Gentile nations is brought in and Israel will come in along with those Gentile nations into the visible church of Jesus Christ. The millennium, dear ones, that is the tree stage of the mustard seed in which the birds nest, where kings and people of the world come to Christ and his kingdom, is not a pre-millennial millennium. For there is no second coming of Christ between the smallness of the mustard seed, the present age, and the greatness of the mustard tree, the millennial age. It just grows and at God's appointed time it becomes a tree. There's nothing that intervenes in this parable by way of the second coming of Christ before the millennium. Nor is this an amillennial millennium. For there is no second coming of Christ to be found between the smallness of the mustard seed, present age. Amillennials tend to look at this present age as being the millennium. And yet there's no second coming of Christ mentioned in the parable between the smallness of the kingdom and the greatness of the mustard tree, which they tend to look at the greatness of the mustard tree as being the eternal kingdom. But there's no second coming of Christ mentioned at that point either in the parable. However, this parable accurately describes the post millennial millennium. wherein Christ established the gospel kingdom, over which he reigns at his first coming. He continues his reign from heaven above, over the kingdom of heaven, as the mustard seed sprouts. into a tender plant and manifest his dominion over all as the same kingdom moves into the stage of the greatness of the mustard tree in which all of the kings and the kingdoms of the earth will be brought into it. There will be, dear ones, many blessings enjoyed by those who live in that glorious time of millennial prosperity. Many, many blessings, but I tell you, dear ones, it's not the medical advances, it's not the economic prosperity of nations at that time that will be the greatest blessing. The greatest blessing and the reason for all the other blessings that we will enjoy will be the worldwide effect. which the gospel of Jesus Christ will have in the hearts of men, women, children, and families, churches, and nations. Christ's prayer in John chapter 17, verse 21, that his church be one, not one merely spiritually, but one visibly, will be realized then to a degree unknown before that time. At that time, the name of God will be one. The name of God being that by which God makes himself known in his doctrine, his worship, his government. It will be one. It will be one, meaning there will be uniformity. There will be a oneness to the doctrine and worship and government within Christ's church throughout the world in this mustard tree stage of the millennium. Zechariah 14.9 says, And the Lord shall be king over all the earth. In that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. His name one. It will be the gospel of salvation and sanctification of Christ's church and doctrine, worship, and government that will bring about the glory of Christ's reign in that period. And finally, finally, finally worldwide peace where all implements of war will be destroyed and peace will reign between nations and Christ's church. will be that into which the nations will come. Remember, dear ones, this prophetic parable is given for your edification and for your sanctification. God is still, even now, God is still on the throne. Jesus Christ still reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christ has not abdicated his kingship just because the nations rebel against Jesus Christ. They are all on a long leash or a short leash and that leash will be pulled at his appointed time and the nation shall be smitten by the Lord Jesus Christ in drawing them unto himself and judging his enemies. His gospel is not and cannot be destroyed. Rather, that gospel kingdom has moved from its first stage, the mustard seed stage at the time of the Lord Jesus, and will become a tree into which all the kings and all the nations and all the people of the world will come into the visible church of Jesus Christ. Dear ones, our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Though it may seem very small, we're taught in Zechariah chapter four, despise not the day of small things. Despise them not because God is still on the throne. He's still working. In his church and in your family and in your life, God is at work. Rather, we must view our labor in the Lord as preparing the way for the greatness of Christ's kingdom. Thus, we all must have really a long range approach to work in the gospel kingdom. Whether in our family, in our own individual lives, whether in the church or nation, we must have this idea of a long range goal And we must not think that the kingdom stands or falls today. The kingdom will continue. Again, our duty is to be faithful. To be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. And dear ones, one other thought to leave with you. We are not victims. We are not victims if we presently suffer for the cause of Christ's kingdom. We are always in Jesus Christ, overcomers and victors through Jesus Christ who loved us. Let us not lose hope in the heat of the battle just because the battle is waged against us. And just because the enemy seems to be so much, much greater in number, let us remember, as in the case of Elisha, those elect angels of God surround the enemy. The battle is not over. The war is not finished. God's people shall be victorious. It is absolutely guaranteed unto us. but not your trust, therefore, in your own wisdom, in your own abilities, in your intellect, in your work, in your riches, in your resources, not even in your church, not even in your minister or elder, not even in The rulers of nations, put not your confidence, put not your trust in man, but put your trust in Jesus Christ alone, who is able to make you a conqueror, more than a conqueror, over the flesh, the world, the devil, and even death itself. Amen. Please stand with me in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we do pray that Thou would take this parable spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, enlighten our minds, renew our heart, oh God, of love for Thee, trust in Jesus Christ, to go forth with renewed obedience and hope Father, that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Let us, Lord, though fighting present battles at the same time in the present, keeping our one eye of faith upon Thee in the present battles, with the other eye of hope looking forward to the promises of God as to what Thou wilt accomplish, that we not become overwhelmed by enemies, by discouragement, by afflictions and trials, For O Lord our God, the story is not yet completed. We do not yet see the mustard seed as a tree, but by thy faithfulness, thy power in mind, it shall yet be accomplished. And so, Lord, we We commend unto thee our souls, our spirits, our Lord. Pray that thou would use us for the glory of Jesus Christ. In whose name we pray, amen.