[0:00] chapter 9 and the first part of the 12 verse turn you to the stronghold ye prisoners of hope I sincerely hope friends there's a purpose in the words I've read before you that the Lord would in mercy grant his presence and help divine leading and divine healing there may be those before me this evening who feel prisoners
[1:01] I believe the Lord's people know what it is to be in prison held bound and chained and how true it is we can in no wise release or release ourselves it is impossible there are spots and places in the lives and experiences of the children of God where they feel to be bound where they realize the weakness of the flesh the weakness in and of themselves but what a mercy if you and I have one to turn to what a sad thing what an awful thing if we had none to turn to
[2:12] I read somewhere recently I would just forget where it was of a little girl and she said to her mother mommy where do the wicked take their troubles I believe that little girl was only about eight or nine they have nowhere to take their troubles they have none to turn to none whatsoever that can really help them they may turn to one and to another but they find no relief but when it comes to the child of God those who are redeemed those who have passed from death unto life some of our elder friends here this evening aren't we foolish enough from time to time to turn to other helps lean on cross and they prove to be of no avail they prove to be just rotten cross turn you to the stronghold can I hear one saying are these words addressed to me do can I come in with these words they are addressed to the children of
[4:08] God they are addressed to the whole church they are addressed to those to whom the Lord Jesus Christ came here upon this earth to see to search out and to redeem you have just sang of that joyful song that song which springs forth from the precious blood of the dear redeemer and truly to the children of God this the precious blood the virtue of forgiveness is a joyful song dear soul do you know what it is for forgiveness to sow erect in your hearts a song of praise praise unto the
[5:19] Lord the Lord Jesus Christ as we are noticing last evening he came down upon this earth to believe and to die for poor sinners and that gospel had been preached right down through the ages like Philip preached to the union praise unto him Jesus I was trying to preach in those few words last evening and oh when one finished how short one seemed to come what a full gospel it is what a full Christ and with what power that gospel is made known when the
[6:21] Holy Spirit so takes these things and reveals them unto poor sinners turn you ah but one may be saying can it be me can it be me you don't know me I don't know you friends for the most part here this evening are strangers but I do know one I hope whom I want to bring before you to whom poor sinners do turn they can turn the dear redeemer I don't want to repeat myself last evening but I said last evening if your religion and my preaching comes short of Jesus it comes short of life it does it comes short of life and we should be void of heaven it's real ah but you say you don't know what goes on with it how I feel all times sin how sin seems to spring up
[7:53] I'll tell you something and some of you know it full well I believe we carry about with us a body of sin and death we carry about with us a carnal heart and that heart the hymn writer well expresses prone to wonder Lord I feel it one said I believe to me this morning Satan leaves his own people his own people alone if you are tried if you are taught concerning your sins if your sins oftentimes seem to condemn you then turn you or you may be saying is it as easy as this yes when the
[9:01] Holy Spirit enlightens when the Holy Spirit gives liberty when you are favored to look up the troubles you may oftentimes we look down we look down and we look to ourselves I was once much blessed under sermon of the late William Hope I don't remember what he said other than the text but I remember as he was preaching and perhaps many of you remember him in his latter days and how he was tremblingly he raised his hand and his finger and he said look unto me
[10:02] I believe the Holy Spirit so sealed that word unto my soul for days and days sin seemed to prevail but the Lord turned indeed there's nothing too hard for the Lord there's not one too deeply stained and died with sin with sin look unto the Lord this is one of the Lord's commandments this is how the Lord leads his people turn you where are you looking this evening where are you looking where did the spouse look when she lost her beloved she tried various places various places and she was given grace to search and in her searching saw ye him whom my soul loveth she lost her dear saviour her redeemer where had she been been sleeping and you and I oft times are in that place sin seems to overtake us we seem to be led away with it and the things of
[12:13] God they become secondary and we seem to walk deeper and deeper or hand in hand with sin the Lord doesn't leave his people there friend if by the grace of God the teaching of the Holy Spirit the Lord has favoured you with a knowledge and conception of forgiveness you won't send your soul away why because these people who are pardoned are precious in the sight of God we read it in our chapter this evening how precious these people are therefore turn oh as I said earlier one may be saying
[13:17] I haven't any power to turn any strength to turn we have not if left to ourselves we read in scripture some very short prayers but real prayers the language of a saved soul the reality of the soul being made known and that I believe is when the Lord enabled his people to turn on to him the dear the dying thing what business had he turning to the Lord Jesus
[14:18] Christ could he expect acceptance could he expect forgiveness how did he turn Lord remember me have you come there friends remember me not a long epistle just a few real words the reality being important turn you he is the same Jesus the same precious saviour that hung on Calvary stream he is the same saviour that had compassion love to that dear mother turn
[15:20] Lord undertake for I am oppressed Lord this is how the poor sinner turns I am oppressed we read in scripture for the oppression of the poor and the sighing of the needy will I now rise that's the word of God turn you to the strong and our dear redeemer he is a strong hope he is one who stands strong holds fast yea I believe he in mercy and grace he looks with compassion upon his people
[16:21] God moves in a mysterious way his wonders too perform he plants his footsteps in the sea and rise upon the storm what a mercy it is he's a God of mercy you needn't be in a house of prayer to turn unto the Lord no you may be in some deep dark places you may be on the high seas you may be in deep trial did we not read this evening when thou passest through the fire what the
[17:22] Lord say fear not and we have to turn to him if we are redeemed by precious flood in the fire there is no running through the fire there is no skipping through the fire the Lord speaks of walking in the fire and through the firema that which is of the flesh.
[18:48] And whilst in the fire the Lord's people then have only one place to look to. Only one place. They cannot then turn to the left and the right, no.
[19:05] But only one help. God have mercy upon me. Lord, remember me.
[19:17] Where's that soul turning to? To the stronghold. To the Lord Jesus Christ. That's where that soul's turning to.
[19:32] And you know there are times when we have to pass through trials. Providential trials.
[19:45] To prove God to be a God of mercy. I remember once some years ago in our park, the country foot and mouth disease was raging.
[20:05] And the farm before me had all the cows killed.
[20:16] and the farm beyond me had all the cows killed. They both had the disease.
[20:27] there wasn't an animal to be seen between bar and chicken if any of you know our district which could be 20 or 30 miles.
[20:47] and the authorities gave orders to come and kill my cows on a Sunday morning.
[20:59] they rang me up and said they'd be there Sunday morning. Now I had I don't want to to puff myself up I'd worked hard and I had a good heart.
[21:21] I remember that Sunday morning getting up early in the morning and walking down the field I could take you to the spot and I was in the fire friends in the fire and how one questioned is God a God of mercy?
[21:47] Is his compassion clean God? Will he no more love? I went down upon my knees it was a frosty morning and a little fog which meant to say the grass was very cold and wet and I begged I turned to the Lord I hope as his spirit helped me and cried out there was no doubt anyone saw me but they thought they was foolish but I begged and begged and the Lord dropped away and promised that the place should not come nigh me that I should not suffer through that place
[22:48] I remember rising off my knees going home and telling the wife she couldn't accept all she could say would they have to be killed but I knew they wouldn't I felt they wouldn't the Lord promised me and I believed him but it was tried sometimes that disease raised and raised they hadn't had time so they said to kill my kid and for weeks and weeks there was those few animals to be seen grazing he's a good girl he's a good girl
[23:55] I knew it I may be saying that's a providential thing turn ye to the stronghold friends there are times when providence and grace they go hand in hand the Lord brings you into those places those spots you cannot manage yourselves you cannot do for yourselves you have to turn to him I could have turned back walking down that field I could have turned back and said oh well it's all over I'm done but no in that very spot as I said I could say any one of you here know the same to the very spot where the Lord promised and his promise was a promise has he given you a promise it'll stand the test it'll stand the fire it'll stand the foot and mouth disease a promise will turn you to the stronghold ye prisoners of hope ah when we do feel we are prisoners of hope as I said earlier
[25:37] I believe it is a path the Lord's people have to walk from time to time that dear man of whom we breathe was in prison there was prayer made for him did that prayer fall to the ground ere it accomplished God's divine will know oh you may be saying there are times when it seems as if I cannot pray it seems as if I have no hope my hope seems shattered is it shattered you may feel it you may feel it at times prisoners of hope and you know
[26:44] I believe as that dear man was in prison there was a hope rising up when they plunged Jeremiah into the dungeon and we all know what a dungeon was in those days the horribleness of the very place and awfulness when he was plunged in there was there no hope was there no hope yes there was hope why he had a God to turn to my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness is yours is that where your hope descended from is that the foundation of your hope any other hope won't be worth having friends no if the Holy Spirit has led you to see the power and the love of our dear
[28:13] Redeemer in forgiveness giving you hope Christ in Christ in what's one saying that Christ dwell in do you tremble the body the very thought of it the Lord said to this man will I look what man the man that trembles at the word of God and there are times when we tremble at those very words Christ in you the hope of glory the dear apostle could say this but we have the mind of
[29:17] Christ is it too high for you just for me sometimes till we cannot attain to it the language is too great turn ye to the stronghold ye prisoners of hope of this dear Redeemer he will burst asunder the prison chains how he loosed lazuli in those few wars there may be a soul here this evening you may feel bound but the the stronghold when that stronghold springs it is with a voice of divine authority loose him and let him go do you know what it is to be loose loose you know what it is to be seemingly in the clutches of satan you feel to be held fast by him do some of you ministers perhaps you feel it time and time again
[30:57] I'm telling our friends this morning I felt it last night for over an hour after I was in bed it seemed as if satan was right with me and he told me I should never pray again I tried to pray to precious Christ last night and it seems that I failed and he knew where to take it up he knows our failings he does he knows how to bind you turn you to a stronghold a precious Jesus that releases liberates loses and lets go lets go from these things I do hope then we are acquainted with his stronghold naturally a stronghold is erected for a purpose and the purpose in defense is he your defense is he your refuge can it be said as David said
[32:29] God is our refuge David spoke of him as my refuge my fortress and friends in a stronghold then there is refuge ah the arles may shoot they may shoot all the way round but those who are found sheltering in the stronghold in the precious blood of the dear redeemer they are saved because they are saved with everlasting salvation none can hurt no none can hurt those who are sheltering in Christ rock of ages left for me let me hide myself and thee you know him as your rock and your fortress have you had to rise and enter into that city of refuge have you had to make a retreat from time to time have you had to fall by
[34:01] I often think of dear Peter how he was so bold and he began to look down after he had taken a step upon the water we do look down close we do look down maybe one looking down this evening you may have taken two steps you may have felt to be in hell and now you're looking down did Peter perish did the water swallow him no he turned to the strong hold he turned to
[35:03] Lord Jesus Christ he asked for salvation Lord save me Lord undertake for me and what did he prove he proved that which we read in Deuteronomy those many many years before the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms he fell into the arms of the refuge of you has there been a spot a place in your life where you fell into the arms the rest there has been nothing else for him nothing else you just have a call upon him
[36:06] Lord save him and how that strong hold has proved itself look look look again for a moment the fiery dogs that were lashed upon that stronghold of Calvary how satan with all his power right from the beginning of our Lord Jesus Christ his ministry here upon this earth that stronghold what dogs fiery dogs it was to that time of temptation and again and again how he proved to be the stronghold they thought they killed the Lord of life and glory they thought they annihilated the beloved saviour but he laid down his love he did you know he laid down his love ah this stronghold right the way through his ministry brought the way to tell him how he proved to be a stronghold
[37:33] I was only saying to our friend this morning or this afternoon I believe it was it seemed when the Lord Jesus Christ said if it be possible let this cup pass from me it seemed as if he come to right to the end of his strength right to the end of the way what a cup he was drinking what a weight he was bearing he had to go a few more steps nevertheless not my will but thine be done and how as we see him as the Lord helps us we have scripture to set it forth and much more profitable when by living faith we view him we view him in agony of soul we view him as a bleeding suffering dying dear redeemer yet the stronghold and this stronghold poor sinner how this stronghold erects itself manifests itself that all power belongeth unto
[39:14] God when he cried out those victorious words those words echoed re-echoed the rocks were round the graves were opened the earth trembled it is finished there's the power of this stronghold the voice of a dear son of God God beloved son turn you to him turn you to him ah but you may be saying dare I dare I turn to such a one as me yes the very worst of sinners we sometimes see this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation that
[40:22] Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners and the dear apostle he felt and realized he was the chief of the very worst of sinners you know as we are brought to see a little then of these things I believe we are brought to see a little of that fountain open for sin and unclean we read in this same prophecy in this in this same prophecy in that day there shall be a fountain open what day the day of grace the day in which you live the hour in which you live now the day of grace that fountain has been opened open for sin and unclean turn you to the strong hope ye prisoners of hope you know
[41:44] I believe a prisoner of hope is let loose sometimes a prisoner of hope is tuned sometimes to sing the graces the Lord has made many fun ever been fable to sing hymn 160 healing there is a fountain filled with love drawn from Emmanuel's wife and sinners plunge beneath that blood lose all and mark the word all the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all things the dying thief rejoice to see that fountain in his day and there am
[42:50] I as well as he washed all my sin away the truth dear dying love thy blood shall never lose its power till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more turn you to and pray it's my word if I'm in my right place and the dear minister is before me to point to a this strong yes point of his direct poor sinners to this precious Christ and you know what God is a mercy here which we should never never come to the bottom once in him in him forever once in this strong rule in him forever
[44:07] God God the eternal covenant God is and stands sure he's the same the same stronghold yesterday today and forever this stronghold has delivered he doth deliver he will deliver and if free grace why not for you why not for me turn you if you remember nothing else this evening remember the word of God turned you I cannot convey it to you in of myself
[45:12] I expect your late pastor said many times the same thing but all to be used to the honouring glory of God to be used to the pointing of poor sinners to our precious Christ turn you to the stronghold ye prisoners of poor may God bless these few simple remarks was namesake