The Sting Of Sin

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

Whenever something unusual is happening… It will draw a crowd. (accident on hwy)
Our world flocks to the latest: park, pageant, concert, parade, or movie
SO LET US GATHER AROUND THIS SIGHT THIS MORNING… The Apocalypse

For several pages the story has been unfolding of conflict, battle the tension of the spirit.

JOHN is on Patmos, —— Christ appears with a word for each candlestick (church)
A DOOR is opened —- he sees a throne! == with all sorts of symbolic creatures around
A sealed book is produced… (it's the revealed with of God – destiny of the lost) (but no one can open it) UNTIL….

Rev 5: 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that.

If your gonna find the revealed word of God in our life… you better get close to the Lamb!

The 1st SEAL is opened – then the horses are let loose… ALL SORTS OF THINGS TRANSPIRE …. The Martyrs are revealed at the alter…

REV 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

PEACE ON EARTH! —- THE MOUTH OF THE ACCUSER IS SHUT!
AFTER THE SILENCE: 7 Trumpets begin blowing! (all sorts of rough things)

Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

THEN THE TEXT…

I SAID ALL OF THAT TO SAY THIS… Here is a profound principle!
The bottomless pit is opened! — And a huge Demonic cloud is released. (Devils)
John said…. They were like Scorpions with Crowns on their heads
THEY ARE GIVEN POWER TO STING & TORMENT MEN!

These verses give us a clear picture of what we deal with in reality everyday

SIN HAS POWER TO HURT & RUIN MEN — But the sting is in the tail!
This is the deception of Sin
Anyone who says there is no pleasure in sin is lying to ya!
Most sins are pleasurable === why do you think people do them?

BUT HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM: (if you would be made wise)

2 TIM 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

So hear is some wisdom: There is pleasure to sin… but only for a season!

Heb 11: 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

AND THE NEXT VERSE SAID HE KEPT THE PASSOVER (stayed under the blood)

Sin has pleasures… but ONLY for a season!

ANOTHER PROBLEM === > Sin must be repeated to experience pleasure in it.
catch 22 = the more it's repeated… the less pleasure is in it!

#1. All the way back to Eden === Satan tempted Eve with the "good looking" fruit.
If you just eat, you will be like God —- The crown was on his head… BUT
the sting is in the Tail!

#2. Balaam: (eloquent seer of Mesopotamia) == wanted the King of Moab's Gold
(all he had to do was curse Israel)
He refused the 1st time… went back a second time after talking with a donkey.

NUMBERS 23 TELLS THE STORY — Balaam blessed Israel instead of cursed them…
But his desire for Gold kept him there… instead of rebuking him, he fellowshipped him!

NUM 23: 11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

So Balaam worked to get the people to curse them selves with sin instead
cost him everything!

——>>> the sting is in the tail! <<<

#3. Joshua said NO to Jericho's spoils! (but Achan had to have it)
hid it in his tent…. But God revealed it!

#4. Elisha had a servant named Gehazi = Hear his boss refuse the Naaman's gold

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

2Kings 5: 25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. (DON'T LIE)

26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

your sin always effects the next generation!
"Anointing always flows down!"

the moral is the sting is in the tail

#5. Judas Iscariot: The silver was the crown… but hanged himself…

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Prov 9: 13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

15 To call passengers who go right on their ways: 16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

#6. ALCOHOL HAS A GOLD CROWN! (COMMERCIALS LIE)

Prov 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Prov 23: 29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

BOTTOM LINE: Sin is deceptive! = The sting is in the Tail…
What you don't see that follows the head with the crown!

———– MOSES made a critical choice at a critical time in his life… So must we!

Satan has lined our life with plenty of billboard advertising! (Deception)

1 Cor 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

WHAT IF YOU'RE ALREADY ENSNARED?

—- Learn Like Abraham to Worship with a Knife! The highest worship is with a knife.

Worship along with the Repentance of cutting some things out of our life!