This title came to me in a dream. I have a little boy and there is a game we play every day. I take his plastic building blocks and build a skyscraper. He looks at it and then comes over and knocks it down. Sometimes I get the skyscraper built all the way to the top using every single plastic block. It is finished. Other times I get it only partially built before he notices what I am doing, and then he comes back and tears it down again. Either way, he comes back and tears it down. Usually he doesn’t even look at me. He just looks away, already gazing on other things, but then, with his little finger, he gently pushes the project over and then walks away. I start building it up again and he comes back, usually before it is finished, and once again knocks it down. Occasionally he will see some of the larger blocks that haven’t been separated when it was pushed over and he starts to kick them apart. The pieces that weren’t sufficiently destroyed by kicking, he will pick up and throw them down. Satan always attacks and destroys. He always returns to continue to destroy our walk with the Lord. People either assist Satan in tearing down people or they work with the Lord in building up people. Which are you?

The title of this message again is: BUILDING UP & TEARING DOWN

Text: Ephesians 4:11-16 Amplified Bible “And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.”

  1. DO YOU FOLLOW THE MASTER BUILDER or THE DESTROYER?

1 Corinthians 3:10 “According to the [remarkable] grace of God which was given to me [to prepare me for my task], like a skillful master builder I laid a foundation, and now another is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it.”

NOTE: The gospel is the good news that brings life. It protects life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It restores and heals relationships. It sets the captives free rather than enslaving them through unforgiveness.

Ephesians 6:10-18 “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, HAVING TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage) AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart), and having strapped on YOUR FEET THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN PREPARATION [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people.”

NOTE: A Christian must understand that if they want to continue to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ and extend His Kingdom on earth, we must build up His bride and kingdom, not TEAR DOWN His Kingdom and people, family and friends. In order to accomplish this, we must apply Ephesians 6:10-18 in our daily lives.

  1. DO YOU DIVIDE/SEPARATE THE BRETHREN, FAMILY AND FRIENDS OVER THE SCRIPTURES OR SOME OTHER EXCUSE TO REJECT?

John 10:10 “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”

NOTE: Do you tear people down? Do you tear relationships apart by condemning people instead of forgiving them? The Bible and every college course on restoring damaged relationships teaches that if a person truly wants restoration, you don’t condemn and call names but “LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.” 1 Peter 4:8

Proverbs 16:28 “A perverse man spreads strife, And one who gossips separates intimate friends.”

NOTE: Are you perverse? According to the dictionary, a perverse person shows a deliberate and obstinate desire to behave in a way that is unreasonable or unacceptable, often in spite of the consequences. I know people that act this way. They are totally unreasonable. They won’t allow their children to see their grandparents because they are conservative or they are fundamental born again Christians. Their parents may have done something they don’t agree with or they think they are more righteous than the parents. This type of perversion comes from a very selfish person (a narcissist) or a religious spirit which also has its roots in narcissism. They cannot see themselves. They only see the flaws in their parents and now they are so perverse they vindictively won’t allow these grandparents to see their grandchildren.

John 8:7 “However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Matthew 7:1-5 Judging Others “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Romans 2:1 English Standard Version God’s Righteous Judgment “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.”

James 4:11 “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

NOTE: Do you obey God in love? God is love and if you are truly going to extend His kingdom on earth and be His ambassador, you have to extend God’s love. You must have the fulfillment of God’s love in you.

Ephesians 3:17-18 New King James Version “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height”

NOTE: THIS is talking about the extent and distance in all directions that God’s love is limitless. It cannot be measured. There is absolutely nothing God will not do for you and me.

III. DO YOU OBEY THOSE THAT GOD HAS PLACED OVER YOU or DO YOU AT LEAST LISTEN?

NOTE: People are always disobeying those God has placed over them whether it’s parents or pastors etc. This is not God’s love but it is the spirit of Jezebel which is witchcraft and rebellion.

Philippians 2:14-16 “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

NOTE: I don’t tell a pilot how to fly a jet, a carpenter how to build a house or a mechanic how to fix a car. It is amazing to me that even though I have devoted over 36 years of my life to studying the scriptures, earning 3 doctorate degrees in theology, ministry and divinity, there are those who think they know more, and try to dictate what I should preach, threatening that they will leave the church or ministry. Some don’t want to talk about it or debate it, they just want to continue in their opinions, content to possibly be wrong. They are too arrogant and proud to sit with me. This is a narcissist. In their self righteousness they are capable of causing all sorts of problems. This is not the fullness of God’s love, but a very limited type of love that all rebels possess.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

CONCLUSION: Only God’s love can unite relationships, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Only God’s unconditional, never ending, unlimited love can make marriages perfect. Only God’s love can remove fear and anxiety and replace it with peace, confidence and boldness because perfect love casts out fear and drives out torment. 1 John 4:18

We need to get a revelation that there is absolutely nothing that God will not do for us. He gave it all by giving his son Jesus Christ so that we can be forgiven and have eternal life.

As John 15:13 tells us, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” That is what God did for us and if we have God’s love, our relationships will be healed and forgiven.

Jonathan Hansen

© 2021 World Ministries International