DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITIES!
January 16, 2022
Benjamin Faircloth
ignitedchurchlife.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I86_15tXRSo
“Dangerous Opportunities!” 1-16-22
This document is taken from the Pastor Benjamin Faircloth of Ignited Church in Lavonia, GA YouTube video on January 16, 2022. The video is over one hour and two minutes long. Pastor Faircloth has for years done weekly sermons based on Words he receives from Heavenly Father related to end time prophecy – with emphasis on repentance and building up the remnant church to help her fulfill her amazing calling.
The TRANSCRIPT that follows is an attempt to tell every word that Pastor spoke during PART of the sermon, starting with the Word from God and initial supporting Scripture and Pastor’s comments. –This is a relatively small part of the entire video, but the most important. Words from God are set off in quotes, with Pastor’s comments not in quotes.
Then, the ADDITIONAL NOTES section lists the additional Scriptures included by Pastor in the sermon, with a few brief comments (which ARE NOT EXACT QUOTES FROM THE SERMON, but a few concepts to help the reader grasp some of the intended meaning)
This was a Powerful, Encouraging sermon, and if the reader is unable to watch the actual video, he/she is urged to read the cited Scriptures, asking Holy Spirit to further illuminate what was brought out.
TRANSCRPIPT [[ From about 52 seconds into the video until about 14 minutes 24 seconds ]]
… I wanted to give you the backdrop that the Lord definitely has a Word for you, and He wanted me to speak that Word …. But here’s what the Lord spoke to me during my time of prayer, as I was seeking Him concerning today, and concerning you guys, as well as my own life. He said:
“To My church, Know this day that I have set before you an open door! An opportunity to do what no other generation has ever done!.”
I want you to think about these words that I am saying.
“An opportunity to do what no other generation has ever done. You are called to close the books, finish the course, and reap the final harvest.”
Listen to that one more time: “You are called to close the books.” –We are that generation. We are the generation that’s going to close the books. We are going to finish and complete everything that Jesus began to teach and to do. We have that opportunity. It is on this generation’s shoulders; it’s on our backs – this great opportunity. We need to remember that.
“… to finish the course, and to reap the final harvest. I have saved the best for last …”
Listen to this!
“I have saved the best for last, and the last for the best.”
That just blew me away, and I’m going to read it again!
“I have saved the best for last, and the last for the best. Yet, many refuse to enter into this open door. It is a dangerous opportunity but the rewards cannot measure to what it will cost you.”
Now let me stop there for a second, because when I read this, I wrote it down, I pondered and meditated, I said, Lord, I don’t understand that. That doesn’t make sense to me. Read it again:
“It is a dangerous opportunity but the rewards cannot measure to what it will cost you.”
It doesn’t sound right. And so I questioned; I said, Lord, please; I don’t understand this. He says:
“How can you measure heaven? –How can you measure the totality of what your reward is?
And when you put that in comparison, the rewards cannot measure to what it will cost you.”
So whatever we have to pay in the coming days cannot stack up – it cannot be measured by the rewards of heaven. There’s no measurement. There’s no tool. –Even the Word of God, in its power to be descriptive and to have illustration, isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to have an experience to totally understand something. And none of us have that total experience yet. We haven’t crossed over. But when we’re there, all of this pales into insignificance. It’s a POWERFUL thought and a POWERFUL statement. He said:
“Do not be afraid of the challenges that are before you. They are steppingstones, bricks and mortar, for those who lean on their Strong Tower. I will fortify you, says your God, and build a hedge around you that your enemy cannot penetrate and overtake you. There will always be wounded in war, but there’s no sting of death to My saints. Prepare for battle. Prepare for war. And enter into the door of victory.”
Listen to this:
“Where you’re going, I’ve already been.”
“Where you’re going, I’ve already been.”
What a powerful, encouraging Word for you and I today! I encourage you to go back and read that again; watch that portion of the video again; go to unitedclips and see this. Those that are listening by radio: you can go to ignitedchurchlife.com and find that; go on there to YouTube, all these different media platforms we have, but you need to get that into your spirit, because these are very powerful, encouraging words that the Lord is speaking to us. And I want to remind you: As Babylon is rising – and there’s so much evidence in these past couple of weeks … [[ at this point, about 5 mins. and 15 secs. into the video, some of Pastor’s words are being left off this transcript ]] … But as that’s happening, also the Kingdom is rising. The Kingdom of God is rising. His people are rising.
So, just very, very encouraging words, and I want you to go back and listen to them.
So, as I was seeking Him, I said, Lord, that’s very powerful, He spoke the title to me, and He said:
“Dangerous Opportunities.” “Dangerous Opportunities.”
“Dangerous Opportunities.” That’s the title of this message that I’m going to minister to you:
“Dangerous Opportunities.” We have to understand that. And I put a little subtitle in here, because it just went along with it: Operating in fearless faith.
Operating in fearless faith. We have to operate in fearless faith today.
There’s no doubt about it. We’re going to have to stand up. We’re going to have to be accounted for. We’re going to have to show up. We’re going to have to put on the full armor – the whole armor – of God, and we’re going to have to go out and do what Jesus told us to do. Because this is the greatest hour, that we’re living in.
So: “Dangerous Opportunities” is a message I want to minister to you. And I’m going to take you to a lot of different scriptures today, to let it really sink down into your spirit and give you a firm foundation.
–Just don’t take a prophetic word. You’ve got to have THE WORD. …[[ Pastor repeats that for emphasis. ]] It’s got to match what the Living Word says. –And so let’s match that; let’s put that together.
Second Timothy chapter 3, verse 1: … But listen to what it says:
“This know also, that in the last days…”
How many of you all believe we’re in the last days? There’s no doubt that we’re living in the last days, and if somebody said, Well, these aren’t the last days, I would look at you and say: These are your ONLY days. You can’t go back to yesterday. Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time of faith. Today is the opportunity to do something great for God, because you can’t go back. … Now you’ve got to look at life and destiny; you’ve got to look at the plans of God and you’ve got to say, I’m going to go forward and do what God’s told me to do TODAY, and if I can’t accomplish all of it today, then I’m going to work on it TOMORROW. And then the day after that.
In other words: Faith ALWAYS looks forward. Faith always MOVES forward. Faith always MARCHES forward. And sometimes faith even CRAWLS forward. –It all depends on where you are and what kind of heavy burden you’re carrying. … FAITH DOESN’T STOP.
But notice these next words [[ in 2 Timothy 3:1 ]]:
“perilous times shall come.”
It didn’t say MIGHT come … SHALL come – which is an ABSOLUTE. …
Now here’s what’s very interesting about these Greek words here: ”perilous times”: When you translate them and you come to the strength of their meanings, it means “DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITIES”.
Read it again:
“This know also, that in the last days, dangerous opportunities shall come.” –No doubt about it!
… If I know there are dangerous opportunities before me, then I’ve got to TAKE those opportunities! I’ve got to take RISKS, if you will, in order to fulfill the mission and the mandate of God.
And this is one of the problems we have in the prophecy world, if you will, and church world, is people get so caught up in all the negativity, and the doom and the gloom, and all the bad stuff, and they look at the things that are fearful; they perpetrate those things; they regurgitate those things to the body of Christ, and then the people actually wear the garment of FEAR and not the garment of PRAISE. –They don’t know how to shake themselves, like David did, and shake himself and get the JOY OF THE LORD and get into the battle. So they find themselves PARALYZED WITH FEAR, when we have to recognize and realize there ARE DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITIES in the last days. DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITIES. And that’s a POWERFUL principle and a powerful concept that we must have deep inside of our heart, that I’m not going to have a cakewalk. –This isn’t going to be easy Christian living. –Whoever taught you a painless Christianity was a LIAR! …
You’re going to suffer PERSECUTION. You’re going to have TRIALS. You’re going to have TESTINGS. You’re going to have ACHES and you’re going to have PAINS. You’re going to have PROBLEMS! …
In other words, we’re still living in this people outfit, this flesh, but the GREATER ONE lives inside of us! And that faith says, you know what, I have FEARLESS FAITH that in this DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITY before me, I’m going to go for it! I’m going to do what God’s called me to do.
So we begin that scripture, and the teaching and the preaching today, of dangerous opportunities, with Second Timothy Chapter three.
Why are we getting all freaked out? Why are people getting shipwrecked and losing their salvation – and losing their relationship with God? –And losing their faith and their confidence in God?
I’ll tell you why: Because people don’t teach them these things. They don’t teach them the opportunities that are before them – are going to be dangerous. But again, those are the accelerants for us…. They should crank us up, as Christians! They should charge us up! They should empower us to where we say: Bring it on! Whatever it takes!
My life is the fault. My life is the fault.
Someone says, Well, what if they kill you?
I’m IN HEAVEN!
…”My God shall provide all my need…” –There’s an answer for every single question!! – For every What-if! And it’s found in the Word of God!
Now, that doesn’t mean that we have a death wish and that we go around with this martyr spirit. But what it means is that we LIVE FEARLESSLY. –It doesn’t make a difference; Lord, whatever You want to do. I know that You’re able to do EXCEEDINGLY abundantly above all I’d ever ask or think according to the power that works within me. I KNOW that You’ll be the fourth man in the fire. I KNOW that You will be there – You’ll BE in the lion’s den! I KNOW that You’ll provide for me and that You’ll make a way.
DANGEROUS OPPORTUNITIES are before us today. Dangerous Opportunities. But focus on the opportunities. Don’t ignore the danger. Focus on the opportunity, but realize what’s going on around you.
Go to Revelation Chapter 3 … [[ This ends the transcription.]]
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The Word from God and Pastor Faircloth’s explanation of it, and tying it in with 2 Timothy 3:1,
are addressed above, up to about 14 minutes and 20 seconds of the video.
The following scriptures were also included in the sermon. Very brief comments about just a few of the additional points made are listed next:
Revelation 3:7,8
GOD IS GIVING US AN OPEN DOOR – for ALL of us. No man can shut it!!
And persecution is the catalyst to church growth!
All we need is a little bit of strength and NOT GIVING UP!
–and Intercessors are SO important! Few (if any!) of them are “famous people”, but the constant PRAYING of so many, for others, is extremely important in fulfilling God’s Will/Work!
Colossians 4:1 on – especially verse 3
Pray for a door of utterance: Ask God to give us opportunity to share the mystery – the gospel – of Christ (NOT a prophetic dream or vision we were given). –Pray, fast and intercede:
–Lord, give me an opportunity to speak out the gospel!
Pastor points out that he understands the temporary shocks of pandemic, etc., but do not temporary shocks stop you! DO NOT squander your opportunities!
Faith is arising in you! Don’t worry about not having the money or whatever: If God ordered it, He will pay for it!
Faith goes forward!
1 Corinthians 16:1 on – and especially verses 8 and 9
Pastor Faircloth stated this is where he really wanted to focus this morning in the sermon.
Healthy structure (within the/a church) builds power.
Verses 2 through 7 show how MUCH Paul LOVED his people!! LOVE is coming to the church!
–Be there for people, laying down your life for them – breathing and praying for others!
Verse 9: A MEGA opportunity!! –But it’s DANGEROUS! –Paul KNEW it was dangerous – but he FOCUSED on the OPPORTUNITIES! –Paul KNEW great enemies WERE lying in wait, but so was a GREAT opportunity! Physically, Paul did not look intimidating, but he moved in faith.
–Paul had that great vision of heaven, and IT MOVED HIM!
–Paul had waited many years for the opportunity to go back to Ephesus – and at that particular time – paganism was rising there, but great opportunities were opening up by God.
WE are equipped for THIS day!!! –The elements of the last-day church that accelerates to go through this end time.
Verse 8: Paul’s accomplishment in Ephesus was one of the GREATEST works! –In the seat of paganism in Ephesus, the city of Diana, Paul established in three years of ministry there one of the greatest churches in history!
And WE will be written about as the greatest generation for what we have opportunity to do now!
–We – the body of the great church universal, in this final day.
SO… do not be reckless, but act with wisdom and discernment: GO FORWARD and DO what God has called you to do!
Blow on the coals and the fire will come back!
Pastor Faircloth encourages us to walk through the doors opened by God.
And if anyone listening is not a Christian … or is backslidden … come back to God and He will empower you to be all He has for you!
The open door is bigger than all the evil.
https://www.ignitedchurchlife.com/dangerous-opportunities-1-16-22/
