The Warnings of God

By

Billy Joe Daugherty

Contents

1    Natural Warnings

2    The Purpose of Warnings

3    Examples of Natural Warnings

4    Examples of Old Testament Warnings

5    Ezekiel—Channel of God's Warnings

6    Jesus Gave Many Warnings

7    God Is Giving Warnings in This Hour

8    I Was Quickened To Check Our Smoke Alarm System

9    Shake Off the Works of Darkness

10    Be Sensitive to the Spirit of God

Personal Prayer of Commitment

1

Natural Warnings

In the natural world, people receive warnings about many circumstances and situations. When a hurricane is approaching, a warning flag is raised. When you drive down a road, there are signs alongside the road that indicate what you need to do. A DEAD END sign means you will have to turn around. You may be on a DEAD END road today in your life, and it's time for you to turn around.

In Noah's day, there was a sign given by an ark that was being built, CAUTION—FlOoD COMING, but all the people, except for Noah and his household, ignored the warning.

Then there's the sign, STOP AHEAD. The bridge may be out the way you are going, and God in His mercy sends you a warning.

When you get in your car and you go a little fast, the policeman steps out and says, "Whoa, buddy. Let's have a little fellowship—not over the meal, but over the wheel!" You have a little eye-to-eye contact, and he explains to you that you were violating the law.

It is mercy in your behalf when the policeman opens up his little book and gives you a warning ticket. There's a penalty down the road, but the warning comes first.

In the fourth quarter of professional football, before the game is over, there is a two-minute warning. I believe God is giving us a two-minute warning. The end is approaching. There are warnings in this hour that we must hear and heed.

There's nothing angry about a spiritual warning. There's nothing condemning about it. I am not going to condemn you or put you down either, but I am going to warn you, because God warns us out of His mercy and love.

WARNING!

NOW IS THE TIME TO REPENT.

2

The Purpose of Warnings

Paul said:

Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you; the hope of glory.

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Colossians 1:25-29

Paul said the goal or purpose of preaching the Gospel is "...that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Verse 28). The word perfect in the Greek is TELEIOSIS, which means "fully mature, fully complete, brought to total fruition." It is God's plan through the preaching, the warning and the teaching that you grow up to be the full measure of Jesus Christ that God has ordained for your life.

Paul was saying, "We do this, not by our own power, but by His mighty power that works on the inside of us. I am made a minister for this purpose, and this is why we labor."

When you get in your car, you turn on the ignition and start to move, but you haven't buckled your seat belt, a little beeper goes off. I am thankful for that reminder. Many lives have been saved because of a seat belt warning that reminded people to buckle up.

Warnings are given to cause people to change, alter their course of action or redirect their pathway. Warnings are given to keep you from experiencing the penalty, the problem, the difficulty, or the obstacle that is ahead. Warnings are also given to prepare you for something that is yet to come.

When you heed a warning, you can benefit. You can be blessed. You can avoid disaster and inherit something good. Paul was saying, "I was made a minister by the grace of God to bring you His Word that you would know the mystery of the Gospel. The mystery of the Gospel is Christ in you. He is your hope of glory, whom we preach."

In Acts 20:31,32, Paul wrote to the elders at Ephesus:

Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Paul warned the Ephesian elders that wolves in sheep's clothing would come and try to rip the church apart and destroy their faith.

In 1 Corinthians 4:14, Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you."

Sometimes people interpret a warning as discrediting, shaming, or condemning. Paul wanted to make it clear. He was saying, "I'm not shaming you. I love you as beloved children, and I am warning you by the things that I have written."

To the church at Thessalonica, Paul wrote, "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly..." (1 Thessalonians 5:14). In other words, warn those who are undisciplined, those who won't come under authority and those who are rebellious and disorderly.

Psalm 19:11 says, "Moreover by them [God's Word] Your servant is warned...."

Perhaps you have been warned in your spirit about things in which you are involved from which you need to be separated. Or you have been warned about things in which you need to become involved. Maybe you have put aside those warnings. I'm saying to you, let the warnings of God be stirred up inside of you, and determine to heed them.

3

Examples of Natural Warnings

There are many examples of warnings in the Bible, but I want to give you two natural illustrations.

Before Mount Saint Helens erupted, there were rumblings, tremors and indications that a volcano was going to erupt. Because of it, the U. S. Forest Service and the Park Service notified all the people in that area. They talked again and again to one older man who would not leave.

This man had lived there many years, and a volcano had never erupted in a way that endangered him. Today, that man is buried below several feet of ash because he did not heed the warning.

When someone comes to us with warnings, we need to be prepared to listen to the Spirit of God and ask, "Lord, is this of You?"

On Sunday, December 7, 1941, about 7:57 a.m., the first bomb fell on Pearl Harbor. At 7:02, there were two men manning a radar station on a little island off the coast of Oahu, who saw planes coming, one after another. Immediately, they radioed their supervisor concerning what they saw on their radar. The supervisor dismissed it saying, "It's probably some B17's coming from the mainland." He didn't check it out, and he didn't warn any of our people.

Think about it! If he had given a warning, our people would have had 55 minutes to move the boats out of Pearl Harbor, to man the anti-aircraft guns, to get our planes in the air and Pearl Harbor would have been a surprise attack in reverse. The warning was there, but it wasn't interpreted properly.

I am not condemning that individual, but I am using this as an illustration to point out to you that we need to heed the warnings of God. When there is an attack planned against you, God will send notice ahead of time. You have to interpret and respond appropriately, not in fear or terror, but in faith.

If you are warned and you heed it, you can avoid disaster. But if you don't heed the warnings, you can be destroyed. By the mercy and love of

God, He is sending warnings to each of us today.

4

Examples of Old Testament Warnings

There are many Old Testament examples of the warnings of God, but I will share only four.

Adam and Eve Disobeyed God’s Warning

In Genesis 2:16,17, God warned Adam and Eve.

...Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Adam and Eve did not heed that warning, and when Satan tempted them, they both yielded and disobeyed God. As a result, they lost their relationship with God, and their position of authority.

Noah heeded the warning of God. God told Noah there was going to be a flood, and He told Noah to build an ark to save himself and his family. Hebrews 11:7 says,

"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

Because Noah obeyed God's warning, he not only saved himself and all of his family, but he preached to that entire generation.

Abraham Warned of Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

God made a covenant with a man by the name of Abraham. One of his relatives, Lot, moved to a city called Sodom. The wickedness of Sodom became so great that God said He was going to destroy it.

Because Abraham interceded for Lot, God sent an angel to warn Lot: "...Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed" (Genesis 19:17).

Lot obeyed, but his wife looked back. Because she disobeyed the warning of God, she got hardening of the arteries, a hard heart, a hard head and a stiff neck! The Bible says she was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26), and Lot's sons-in-law were destroyed, because they refused to believe the word of the Lord through the angel.

Joseph Interpreted Pharaoh’s Dream

The Pharaoh of Egypt had a dream that none of his wise men could interpret. Joseph was summoned from prison because he had interpreted a dream for the Pharaoh's butler.

Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace" (Genesis 41:16, KJV).

He explained there would be seven good years of abundance in Egypt followed by seven years of famine.

The Pharaoh heeded the warning, appointing Joseph to store grain for the seven good years. Because of this action, Egypt not only survived but prospered during the difficult years by selling grain.

5

Ezekiel—Channel of God's Warnings

God told Ezekiel to warn both the wicked and the righteous. My warning to you is for those who know Christ, for those who have never known Him, for those who are living right and for those who aren't living right.

In Ezekiel 3:17-21, God said:

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

When I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die," and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.

I am sharing this with you so you can live, have the life of God and deliver your own soul.

If you are not saved, now is the time to receive Jesus. If you have known the Lord, but you are not living for Him, this is your day to repent.

The warning from Ezekiel is still valid for today. You may have friends and neighbors who need to be warned. You can be God's mouthpiece to speak His word to their hearts.

6

Jesus Gave Many Warnings

Jesus gave many warnings in Scripture. Here are a few examples of His warnings.

Jesus warned that He would judge us, not only on our actions, but also on our thoughts. Jesus warned that people would be judged for thoughts of anger, lust and hatred.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery."

But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:27,28

Jesus warned that our prayers were not to be offered to be seen of men.

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:5,6

Jesus warned that we should not harbor unforgiveness and bitterness, for if we do, God will not forgive our sins.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14,15

Jesus warned about judging others. He said, "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged..." (Matthew 7:2).

Jesus warned about false prophets and deceivers. He said, "You will know them by their fruits..." (Matthew 7:16).

Jesus warned about people being hearers of the Word, but not doers of it.

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

Matthew 7:24-27

In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus spoke of the importance of being alert in the end times.

But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

A call is going out in this hour that it is time to pray. It is time to seek God. It is time to read and meditate upon the Word. It is time to heed the warnings of God.

HEED THE WARNINGS OF GOD.

7

God Is Giving Warnings in This Hour

In 1980, the Spirit of the Lord began to speak through the prophets of God and leading ministries, "Get out of debt." I heard it, but I didn't really take it to heart. When we began Victory Christian Center in 1981, we assumed a note of $3.3 million on the building in which we started. That debt was a yoke of oppression on us. We had great difficulty getting the church through its early days because of not heeding the word of the Lord.

By the summer of 1982, it was resolved in me that we would get out of debt. From that point on, we would not borrow another dime. We would do everything on a cash basis. In 1985, we did get out of debt, and the purchasing of land and building of our new facilities have been done on a cash basis.

God is speaking something to the Body of Christ in this hour concerning the last days. I believe we are in the two-minute warning time. We could say the last quarter began on the day of Pentecost, because the Bible speaks of "in the last days." We are in the final countdown to the end.

The battle is getting more intense, and people who are hearing the Spirit of God are hearing a call to prayer, a call to the Word of God, a call to be faithful and to submit to a church that flows in divine order.

God is speaking in this hour to get things right that aren't the way they should be. Those who are heeding His warning will be blessed. Those who have heeded His warnings in the past are already inheriting blessings.

I talked with an inmate in his early 20's at McAlester Prison recently, and when I asked him what happened, he said, "When I was a young boy, I rode the church bus to a church in Tulsa, but when I became a teenager, I got involved with the wrong crowd. My mother warned me not to run around with those boys." But he didn't heed his mother's warning. There was a break-in and someone was killed. Now, this young man is living out a life sentence on death row.

8

I Was Quickened To Check Our Smoke Alarm System

During the holiday season of 1990, one of the families reached through our bus ministry had a fire in their home. Three of their children were burned to death in that fire. The parents were burned, but they escaped. I performed that funeral with people in great sorrow over the three lives that were snuffed out.

After that experience, I was quickened to check the smoke alarm system in our house. When I checked, I found that we didn't have any, and it was just one of those things that I let slip. The Bible speaks of not allowing things to slip that we have heard in the past, such as faith, righteousness, love, joy, peace, reading the Bible, going to church and praying for others. I went to the store and bought three smoke alarms, but I didn't install them.

Something reminded me again the following summer that I didn't have any batteries in the smoke alarms, so I bought batteries and put them in. I had a few minutes between a couple of obligations, so I got my screw driver to install the alarms. My ladder wasn't tall enough to reach the ceiling, so I said, "I'll do it some other time." I stuck one on the shelf in the hallway above the washer and dryer and the others in a closet.

About 2:00 in the morning of October 22, 1991, I was awakened to a beeping sound. I wondered, "What's going on?" I thought it was my daughter Ruth's alarm, and I thought, "Why doesn't she cut off her alarm clock?" I rolled over and thought, "Surely she's going to turn that thing off." I rolled over again.

I must have laid there a minute, and finally, I sat up in the bed thinking, "I'm going to go turn it off for her." When I sat up, I looked through the hallway. There was a night light in the bathroom, and in the four feet below the light, I could see smoke. As soon as I saw it, I jumped up and yelled, "Get out! Get out! Get out! There's a fire! There's a fire!"

Sharon and I ran into the hallway at the same time. She ran to get the children, and I ran to unlock the front door. It was as hot as it could be, but I was able to rip the latch and finally get the door open.

Sharon and the kids came running by me as the black smoke intensified. When I opened the door, the air seemed to ignite the fire even more.

When we got outside, we looked around and counted everyone. "Where's Ruthie (our 11 year old)?" She was still inside, so I went back in. She was in the hallway. I couldn't see her, but as I waded through and waved my arms, my hand hit her on the head. I pulled her out, and when I got outside, we counted again.

"Where's Paul (our 6 year old)?" He was still inside, so I ran in again and had to go back through the dark hallway. I couldn't see a thing, but when my hand hit Paul's head, I grabbed him by the pajamas and pulled him out.

Maybe you are in danger of fire, and the alarm is going off. You have rolled over in your sleep, and you are thinking, "I am okay. There is nothing wrong. It is for someone else." The Spirit of God is saying, "Get out of your sin. Come out of your darkness."

9

Shake Off the Works of Darkness

First Corinthians 6:9,10 says:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

For those having sex outside of the bonds of marriage, the alarm is going off. You will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Idolaters who worship things other than God, homosexuals, those in immoral perversion, thieves, cheats, the greedy, drunkards, foul-mouthed, profane people, slanderers and gossips will not enter the Kingdom of God. The alarm is sounding. It's time to get that junk out of your life.

In 1 Corinthians 6:11, Paul continues,

"And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

Some of the bunch Paul wrote to had been guilty of all of those sins, but they had made changes. You can be forgiven of these sins if you will turn from them. You can be washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus just as Paul spoke of the Corinthians.

Recently, in one of the nursing home crusades, a lady lifted her hand to receive Christ. She said, "Would you pray for me that I would stop cussing?" I said, "I sure will." When you are born again, the Spirit of God doesn't want to dwell with that old spirit of iniquity, and it comes out of you.

As she walked out of the crusade, one of our young men who didn't know what happened, said, "That lady cussed me out when I asked her to come to the meeting." I said, "Praise God! She was set free as we prayed."

10

Be Sensitive to the Spirit of God

It's time to be tender toward God, sensitive and responsive to His Spirit. The writer of Hebrews said:

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

But exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 3:12,13

Peter warned:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

1 Peter 5:8,9

Paul warned the Philippians that there would be persecutions, afflictions and trials, but he said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). This is a warning to us in this hour that regardless of circumstances, we're not to lose our joy!

John, the apostle of love, warned that we must love one another. "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus gave warnings to each of the seven churches. His warning to the Laodicean church is also a warning to us.

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.

Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:15-20

If you are backslidden, God's mercy will restore you if you repent and turn from sin. If you have harbored bitterness and resentment, thoughts of lust, or feelings of hatred toward someone, by His mercy and love, God is not condemning you. He is reaching out to warn you and to set you free in Jesus' name.

Just as God set Ezekiel as a watchman over the Israelites, God is setting you as a watchman over your family. If they aren't saved and you don't speak to them, God is going to require their blood at your hands. The time of namby pamby, halfbaked witnessing is over. We've got something to stand up for! It's no time to be mealy-mouthed!

Some people couldn't be convicted of Christianity if they were on trial for it because there's not enough evidence to prove it. It's time that you have enough evidence in your life that everyone knows where you stand with God. God is sending His signals to get ready for revival, but if there is no strength to deliver the millions who need to be born again, then there will be an abortion of the harvest. The warning is two-fold: 1) Let go of the things that will destroy your life; and 2) There is a waiting harvest, and you must witness to people.

The reason Sharon and I responded to the command of God to go to Russia on a monthly basis for 18 months was two-fold: 1) We don't feel there is time to sit around and wait for others to do what God has called us to do. 2) The harvest in Russia is now!

I truly believe we are in the last days. If I had lived a hundred years ago and God said to go to Russia, I would still be obedient, because these are the last days I will be living on this earth. These are the last days you will be living. You will never live this day again. We should live with a sense of urgency that Jesus could come at any moment.

Personal Prayer of Commitment

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem me. I believe He died for me, He was resurrected and now He sits at Your right hand, making daily intercession on behalf of Your children.

I want to be Your child, Lord, so I renounce every work of darkness. I confess You, Lord Jesus, as my personal Lord and Savior. Empower me with Your Spirit, Lord, so I will be equipped to be a bold witness of You in word and in action.

Today I have heard of Your warnings, Lord Jesus. I will do what You want me to do, and I will go where You want me to go. Have Your way with me, Lord.

Signature ________   Date ________

BILLY JOE DAUGHERTY is founder and pastor of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Victory has a Christian school, Bible Institute and Missions Training Center. Other Victory outreaches include taking the gospel via radio and television to North America, along with shortwave radio and television to other nations, plus the distribution of books, tapes, and videos. He and his wife, Sharon, minister God’s healing, saving, and delivering power as a team. Their family works alongside them in the ministry.

Table of Contents

1 Natural Warnings

2 The Purpose of Warnings

3 Examples of Natural Warnings

4 Examples of Old Testament Warnings

5 Ezekiel—Channel of God's Warnings

6 Jesus Gave Many Warnings

7 God Is Giving Warnings in This Hour

8 I Was Quickened To Check Our Smoke Alarm System

9 Shake Off the Works of Darkness

10 Be Sensitive to the Spirit of God

Personal Prayer of Commitment