Ishmael Was The Firstborn

Abraham had two sons! The FIRSTBORN which was Ishmeal was born unto Abraham by an Egyptian named Hagar. He is a type of our FIRST BIRTH, our NATURAL BIRTH. Keep in mind that the Word of God many times referred to Egypt as a type of the World, and the children of Egypt as Worldly, Fleshly, and of the Natural. I'll deal with these later on in the message.

Abraham's second-born was Isaac, and Isaac is the SON OF PROMISE! He is a type of our SECOND BIRTH! And it's through Isaac that All the nations of the world are going to be blessed, not through Ishmael. Because only that which is CHOSEN and BLESSED by GOD can be a BLESSING. Friend the Worldly, Fleshly, Carnal and Natural Minded can not bring anyone into the Promises and Blessings of God!

As most of you know it is usually the FIRSTBORN SON that would receive the Birthright Inheritance, and those born after him would be UNDER him. But it's not God's will that the NATURAL MAN SHOULD RULE THE SPIRITUAL MAN! But rather it is the NATURAL MAN THAT IS TO BE UNDER SUBJECTION TO THE SPIRITUAL MAN! Someone Shout Amen.

Now remember none of us were born SAVED! We are SAVED when we are BORN AGAIN! So it is not our first birth that makes us an inheritor of the Kingdom of God, rather it is our SECOND BIRTH "BEING BORN AGAIN BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD" that makes us Inheritors of the KINGDOM OF GOD. Lets look at 1 Cor 15:50 (Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.) Now lets take a look at Rom 8:15-17 (For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ver.16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ver.17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.)

Ishmael was the FIRST-BORN but he was not the SON OF INHERITANCE because he was BORN AFTER THE FLESH.

Abraham And Hagar

God had made Abraham a promise, that promise was that He would bless him with a son, and that his seed would be as the stars in heaven in multitude. But after a long time passed by, and Abraham and his wife Sarah were getting well up in age , and the Promise had not yet been fulfilled; Abraham and Sarah "LIKE MANY OF US HAVE DONE AT TIMES" are going to HELP GOD fulfill His Promise by Sarah giving Hagar to Abraham for his wife so that they can have their son through her.

Let me say this: OH WHAT A MESS WE HAVE MADE OF THINGS AT TIMES, ALL BECAUSE WE JUST WOULD NOT PATIENTLY WAIT ON THE PROMISES OF GOD TO BE FULFILLED!

Once Abraham went in and knew Hagar, look at how she began to act towards Sarah her mistress. Lets take a look at Gen. 16 verses 3-9; (And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. ver.4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. ver.5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. ver.6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. ver.7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. ver.8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. ver.9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.)

Now remember, Hagar is the SERVANT. She's the HANDMAIDEN: the BONDWOMAN, but when Abraham went in and knew her and she conceived; she starts acting like she's the one that's running things. She begins to feel like she doesn't have to obey Sarah any longer. And this is the same way the old Fleshly Natural man begins to do when you go in unto it and have a relationship with it. It will try to take things over in your life, and will not want to come under SUBJECTION TO THE SPIRIT MAN THAT IS to have the rule over it!

In Eccl. 10 the preacher said he saw a GREAT EVIL on the earth. And what was that GREAT EVIL? Eccl 10:7 (I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.) Think about it.

Now they realize that they have missed the Will of God. And when Sarah comes to Abraham complaining about Hagar not wanting to come under subjection to her, Abraham says unto her: YOUR STILL THE MISTRESS, AND SHE'S STILL YOUR SERVANT. AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MADE THIS MISTAKE, YOU STILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BRING HER INTO SUBJECTION. And Saints, I want you to know that, even though you may have had a relationship with Hagar "The Carnal, and Natural" you don't have to let it take over the rule of your life, realize and acknowledge your mistake, and sincerely repent. Then bring the FLESH, CARNALITY, and the NATURAL INTO SUBJECTION once again in your life.

What many are having a hard time understanding, is why their having such a hard time with those things. Not realizing that once you GIVE IN TO THEM, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO SUBMIT WILLING! Just like Hagar when Sarah began to deal hard with her to bring her back into subjection, she did not want to come back into subjection again, so she ran off. But notice what the angel said to Hagar: Return unto Sarah, AND SUBMIT YOURSELF UNTO HER!

God's will is that the NATURAL THINGS be in SUBJECTION TO YOUR SPIRIT MAN.

Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn son; and Abraham LOVED HIM. All his attention now is directed towards Ishmael. As a matter of fact he loves Ishmael so much, that when God reminds him of the Promise He had made to him, look at Abraham's response in Gen. 17:18 (And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!)

How many know that this is how are life's were before we were BORN-AGAIN or our Spiritual Isaac was born to us? We Spent all our time satisfying the Natural "Ishmael". We gave ALL our attention to him. Every thing we did was centered around Ishmael! But Thank God all of that changes when ISAAC IS BORN!

God Promised To Bless Ishmael

Now this is what God says concerning Ishmael: Gen. 17:19-21 (And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. ver.20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. ver.21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.)

Here's what we need to know concerning ALL the NATURAL things we may need in this life: GOD HAS ALREADY PROMISED TO SUPPLY AND BLESS THEM IF WE SERVE HIM!

Phil 4:19 says, ( But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.) To you and I that love Him, He says in Luke 12:30 & 31 ( For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. ver.31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.) And then we read in Mark 10:29 & 30 ( And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, ver.30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.)

You see, if we are to be TRULY BLESSED in ALL things, then we are to SEEK THE LORD, and SERVE HIM! But we are not to seek after the Natural "Riches, Lands, Houses, and Earthly Possessions" to Serve them.

For years now many preachers were preaching a gospel that caused people to center their lives AROUND ISHMAEL. But I am persuaded that the Message that this Generation needs to hear, is the one that turns their attention to Isaac. The one that causes them to concern themselves with the spiritual things of god, and that causes them to center their lives around those things.

Beloved, hear me; WE ARE NOT TO SPEND OUR TIME WORRYING, FRETTING, AND OUR LIVES CONSUMED WITH THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE. YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU HAVE NEED OF: AND HE WILL SUPPLY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE NEED OF, AS YOU CONTINUE TO SEEK HIS KINGDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FIRST! Go Ahead And Praise The Lord.

Isaac, The Son Of Promise

God said to Abraham; Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac! And that next year Sarah gave birth to Isaac just as God had said.

Isaac the Son of Promise is born, the Seed in whom God said all the nations of the world would be blessed. In all of Abraham and Sarah's life never has there been such a time of great Joy and Excitement. And from that time all of Abraham's time and attention is focused on Isaac; the time he had giving to Ishmael, is now being given to Isaac. How many can see the type here? Before you were saved all your attention was given to the Natural man, but once your Born-Again "the Spirit man Isaac is born" all your attention is now placed on him.

And because of this look at what happened. Gal. 4:29, (HE THAT WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH PERSECUTED HIM THAT WAS BORN AFTER THE SPIRIT, even so it is now.) And just as Ishmael starts to harass and fight against Isaac, because he wants to continue to consume all of Abraham's time and doesn't want Isaac to be getting the attention now; so it is with the old Natural; IT LIKED ALL THE ATTENTION YOU USED TO GIVE, and now that YOUR GIVING THAT ATTENTION TO THE THINGS OF GOD NOW THE FLESHLY, CARNAL. AND NATURAL MAN IS NOT GOING TO GIVE THAT UP WITH OUT PUTTING UP A FIGHT!

Gal 5:16 & 17 has this to say about it; (This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ver.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.) Lets take a look at Rom 8:5-8 and 1Cor. 2:14 (For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ver.6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ver.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ver.8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.) Raise Your Hands, And Praise God For His Word.

Life or Death. Blessings or Cursings. Knowing the things of God, or not knowing them. It's all determined by whether you WALK IN THE SPIRIT or whether you WALK AFTER THE FLESH! Whether you choose ISAAC or ISHMAEL!

Hager & Ishmael Cast Out

The harassment and persecution against Isaac by Ishmael became so great that Sarah say's to Abraham; Hagar and Ishmael MUST GO. Now I want you to know that this was not easy for Abraham; he didn't want to have to send them away. Remember Ishmael is his first born son, and he still loves him. But now he must CAST OUT Hagar and Ishmael, and TRUST IN GOD'S PROMISE TO BLESS AND TAKE CARE OF THEM!

Because Abraham is a man that LOVES GOD MORE THEN ANYTHING ELSE, and wants to PLEASE GOD IN ALL THAT HE DOES; he seeks God about what he should do. And the Lord said unto Abraham, Gen. 21:10- 12 (Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. ver.11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. ver.12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.)

I want you to notice something here, when Abraham cast Hagar and Ishmael out, Ishmael has no more say in the way things are going to be done. He can no longer say; I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO IT THIS WAY, OR I THINK THIS IS THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE DONE. And his advice is not sought after any longer concerning things pertaining to Abraham and Isaac. Nether are we to seek any longer after the opinions of the Natural, Carnal, and Fleshly man. HE IS TO BE CAST OUT! OUR LIVES ARE NOT TO BE CONSUMED, AND OUR TIME WASTED WITH WORRYING ABOUT ISHMAEL. We must be found giving our time now to Isaac, and PUTTING ISHMAEL IN GOD'S HANDS, TRUSTING GOD'S PROMISE TO BLESS AND PROVIDE FOR THE NATURAL THINGS WE MAY HAVE NEED OF! Someone Shout Amen.

There are so many that call themselves preachers, who are so caught up in the natural, that they feel they can't work for God unless there is so much money involved. There always saying; I Need More Money, I Need More Money. I Would do this or that if I only had more money! Dear preacher friend, we no longer are to have a conference with our wallet or our check book to see whether they think we ought to obey God! No matter what it may look like in the natural; WE MUST OBEY GOD!