Heavy Duty Re-construction

“…from the inside out” – Roy DeLaGarza

Not just construction, but Re-construction, Re-modeling is different.

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ²When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon ^F16 and set it by Dagon. ³And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. ⁴And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso ^F17 was left of it. ⁵Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

⁶But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, ^F18 both Ashdod and its territory. ⁷And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, "The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god." ⁸Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?"

And they answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath." So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. ⁹So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

¹⁰Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronimtes cried out, saying, "They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people! " ¹¹So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. ¹²And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1.     They stole the ark:

Ark = God’s presence.  Guard above all God’s presence in your life. Don’t let anything rob you of that.

The temple = “Your body is temple of the Holy Ghost”- 1 Cor. 6:19

Let’s identify the Dagon:

·        The Philistines’ god= false god

·        Made of stone: earthly, no feeling

·        Hands and feet of a man, body of fish

·         Phil. 3:19 = god is their belly “…whatever I want” (favorite afv moment)

·         What is your god? What binds you? What do you sacrifice to?

·        A sports team, a relationship, a hobby, America’s favorite: $$$$

2.     They placed the Ark in their temple:

·        They didn’t know what they were doing. It wasn’t a piece of furniture. It was the presence of God they were putting next to their old god.

·        That is what you have done too!

·        It’s not a new religion! It’s a new heart. There is heavy reconstruction inside of you. In the main room.  (THE HEART)

3.     The fight begins: 

·        God knocked dagon down. He begins remodeling from the inside out.

·        Oh, the dust, oh the discomfort.  Highway construction, home reconstruction!

·        Ouch! Getting rid of that old wall, plug, electrical cables hurts,

·        Ouch! Getting rid of those old priorities, principals, attitudes, hurt.

·        Having to keep operating even through the changes is difficult.

Paul had it, he refers to the battle between his old and new nature.  Romans 7: 15-24: ¹⁵For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²²For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

·        Sounds like a heavy internal battle. Aren’t you glad we don’t have those battles like the Apostle Paul did?  We are so strong.

·        Some hide it well.  “The Okay face”

·        Paul won his battle!  Galatians 2:20 = “…crucified with Christ.”

·        You will win yours too!

4.     Back in his place:  The throne of your heart! When God knocks down some things in your life that are other gods, let them stay down.

Your priorities:  What do you value? Is God talking to you about it? “Speak to me Lord”

·        They picked dagon up and replaced him.

·        This is what you do when you fight God.

·        He wants to be Lord of all. No room for any other god.

5.     He pulls out his sword:

·        He loves you so much he starts chopping up.

·        Dagon’s hands and feet. The human part of him was cut off.

·        God will remove all carnal elements from the heart of his temple.

·        Why do these things happen to me, ouch that hurts.

·        Maybe god loves you so much he has to remove the carnal out of you by surgery.

·        The circumcision, removal of the flesh is now of the heart:

·         Ro 2:28 - [In Context|Read Chapter]

·         For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

·         Ro 2:29 - [In Context|Read Chapter]

·         but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

CONCLUSION:

Lord, I need heavy duty reconstruction in my heart. I need my priorities changed, etc.